Towing a Cyclone 3010 with a 3/4 Ton 2500 HD

[Jimsryker]

Greetings everyone. I've been reading your forum as a guest for a month or so and joined up yesterday. I am close to buying a Heartland Cyclone 3010 - 2013 and I wanted to ask if anyone is pulling this rig with a GMC 2500HD. I have a 2006, in great shape. Only 42,000 miles on it. It's been pulling my Aljo 25' 5er. 7300 lbs fully loaded so this will be a big step up for me. I have done the foot work and weighed my truck with the hitch in and a load of wood. Full fuel tank and my girl and I in the cab. By my calculations, I have about 500 lbs to spare for the RAWR if the 3010 were fully loaded with water and such. While the manufacturer states a max pin weight of about 1780 lbs and the 3010 will far exceed that @ 2300 lbs., I still believe I can tow this. I like to hear from other "real world" people out there and see if they are doing this and what their thoughts are. Please let's not degrade into the numbers game which is what I get on the "other" forum which sounds like "rv.net".

The max GVWR for the 3010 is 14,000 lbs. and my truck is rated to 14,200 lbs. so it seems like a good fit. Thanks in advance for any info.

Regards,

Jim Davis
Murrieta, Calif.

 

[Jimsryker]

I found the "Similar Threads" links at the bottom and found a couple posts that were right up my alley so to speak. Maybe the question has been answered and it falls pretty much within the conclusions I had come to by doing a lot of research over the last month or so. My Michelin's are rated to 3415 lbs so I think they are more than a match for this rig and my max RAWR of 6084 lbs. Again, the pin weight is the main concern, but I don't plan on traveling with the water tanks filled so I don't think I'll be getting the 2300 to 2500 lbs. I see mentioned here. Even so, 2300 plus the 3280 of my fully loaded rear half of my truck is still about 450 lbs below the max my axle is rated to lug around.

 

[porthole]

We used a 2006 GMC 2500 for 2 years with a 3010

 

[TravelTiger]

Not trying to "start" anything, but sounds like you made up your mind.

I will suggest visiting fifthwheelst.com , a website designed to show exactly what you should consider when picking a 5ver/tow vehicle combination.




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[danemayer]

Hi Jim,

We've had many discussions on using 3/4 ton trucks to tow large trailers. They always come down to two answers: one based on the numbers, and the other based on personal experience. You get to take your pick which to go by.

GMC 2500s will generally have a payload spec in the mid 2000s. That payload includes your passengers, pets, tools, bed liner, bed cover, hitch, and your own weight in excess of 150#. That's before you add the pin weight of the trailer. The 3010 pin weight spec is 2300# for an empty trailer with no options. Depending on how you load it, the pin weight could easily go up five hundred pounds.

So as you've already figured out, you will be over the payload spec for the truck by a significant amount; maybe 500#, maybe 800#. That's the numbers answer.

I'm sure you'll hear from a few people who tow 3010s or comparable vehicles with a 2500 and have no problem. That'll be the experience answer.

But I'm guessing you're really looking for more of an answer than "sure, go for it!", or "no way, you're overweight!"

My thoughts:

Will the truck still tow the trailer. Sure.
Will it stop safely? The trailer brakes should handle the trailer weight, so probably. But if the trailer brakes aren't operating at 100%...
Will it handle safely? Maybe, if the truck isn't too unbalanced front to rear.
Will it handle safely under adverse conditions? Harder to answer. (What's hydroplaning like when the truck is unbalanced? Crosswinds?)
Will you have to get airbags to level the trailer? Maybe. Sometimes they squat, sometimes they don't.
Will you have excess wear and shorten the life of some components on the truck? Possibly, depending on how GMC built 2006 trucks.

Like I said, you get to pick which answer to go by.

 

[Lynn1130]

My signature tells the tale. I found that an exhaust brake made coming down grades much less dramatic and air bags help with the ride. Pulling is a none event in nasty weather and high wind. Keep it at 65 and enjoy the ride.

 

[TedS]

Lynn1130, 2500 or 3500?

 

[westxsrt10]

You need at least a 1 ton 3500 HD per payload specs.
Please don't value someone's opinion on here even though they mean the best, do the math and be safe.

 

[Lynn1130]

2500 and now we get the "you need a bigger truck" routine from the tow police. However there are many of use towing with a 3/4 ton and doing fine.

 

[shane1234]

I have a 3110 and pull it with a 2011 2500HD. I added timbres to keep the truck riding level. I have made several 500 mile trips without a problem. My truck has the boxed frame and exhaust brake. Works will in the mountains. My buddy has the same camper and pulls his with a 2006 2500HD. Seems to work well for him.




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[ILH]

I'm pretty sure my RW is the same model as the Cyclone. I tow with a 2500. I've been happy with the setup.

 

[Lynn1130]

I did the research too, before buying the Cyclone and came to the same conclusions with the Duramax. I am fine unloaded which is how we travel on long trips and local dry camping trips are short trips. If it were a Ford or a Dodge I might worry.

 

[Jimsryker]

I submit that a 2500HD is a 3500HD 1 ton less an additional leaf spring. My investigations indicate that they both even have they same parts numbers except the DRW axel of course. Same engine, chassis, differential, frame, etc... I feel that supplementing my rear suspension will in essence "create" a 1 ton truck. I humbly provide my thoughts here more as a topic so we can dissect it and see if we can discover something.

 

[Vtxkid]

First off, I thought that the GVWR for the 3010's went up from 14,000 to 15,500 in 2012?!?
I pulled my 3010 with a 2008 2500HD for a year before upgrading to a 1 ton. I did feel the need to add airbags to the 2500HD after we bought the RV and it did fine...

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[Stinger381]

How much do airbags cost to add to a 2500. It might be just as easy to upgrade to a one ton. Just asking?

 

[Lynn1130]

Jimsryker, I think what causes the hang up with most who conclude that we need a one ton is the sticker on the door. You can make suspension improvements to a 3/4 ton but by law it is still a 3/4 ton. If you are full timing and traveling across country much of the year then it would be prudent to have enough extra in the truck to haul your load. If you are like most of us that make a few trips a year that are of any distance and then spend the rest of the time in your local forests, camping, hunting and fishing it is overkill (IMHO.

If you are looking for support, let me say that your truck will pull the load with no problem. The load really did not sag my truck much. Look at my Avatar. That is without airbags. I added them more for the ride and they help. The main failing with the Duramax is the brakes. They are not what they could be considering what the truck will pull. The newer Duramax has a turbo brake. Mine does not. The Banks Brake is one of the best safety mods I made. I never have to touch the brake pedal coming down three major grades from Flagstaff. It keeps me at 60-65 down the hill.

I did look at the specs for the 2012 and the one I looked at says 15,500 but with 2 7K axles. Someone more up on that than me will have to explain how they do that.

 

[porthole]

3010's have always had 2 7K axles for a 14K GVW.

Unless the frame has been changed, the increase to 15.5K comes with using the pin box weight.

Several early 3 axle Cyclones had 22.4K ratings using that math (3x6k+pin)

 

[Bob&Patty]

Your 06 will pull it just fine. We had 2 2500's pulling our Horn. I know that the Horn was grossing 14K (cat scale). I did feel that on some of the longer down hill grades the brakes were a little lacking. You could up grade to a 2011 or newer 2500 or 1tn and get the bigger brakes and exhaust brake. You could install a Banks system on your 06 and that would really help braking. We never did put air bags on either truck, but I did install Timbrens and a Mor/Ryde pinbox (a must have) to help with the ride. A 06 2500 has a GCVW of 22K. If you stay close to that you will be fine. One thing you might consider is tire size you have now. I installed 265's on both trucks because they have a higher weight rating.

Bottom line, do what you feel safe with for you and your family. In my sig you will see I did upgrade our truck......cause "you know who" is talking about a newer bigger Horn. BTW, I love the exhaust brake, cooled seats, and the OEM trailer brake set up.

Good luck with you decision.

 

[Jimsryker]

Jimsryker, I think what causes the hang up with most who conclude that we need a one ton is the sticker on the door. You can make suspension improvements to a 3/4 ton but by law it is still a 3/4 ton. If you are full timing and traveling across country much of the year then it would be prudent to have enough extra in the truck to haul your load. If you are like most of us that make a few trips a year that are of any distance and then spend the rest of the time in your local forests, camping, hunting and fishing it is overkill (IMHO.

If you are looking for support, let me say that your truck will pull the load with no problem. The load really did not sag my truck much. Look at my Avatar. That is without airbags. I added them more for the ride and they help. The main failing with the Duramax is the brakes. They are not what they could be considering what the truck will pull. The newer Duramax has a turbo brake. Mine does not. The Banks Brake is one of the best safety mods I made. I never have to touch the brake pedal coming down three major grades from Flagstaff. It keeps me at 60-65 down the hill.

I did look at the specs for the 2012 and the one I looked at says 15,500 but with 2 7K axles. Someone more up on that than me will have to explain how they do that.

Thanks for the posts Lynn1130! Great info. I'm a ways off from retirement. We fit the "make a few trips a year" profile. My farthest was to Yellowstone a year back. I had airbags on my 1/2 ton and what a difference that made. I believe that the turbo on my 2006 2500HD is not able to support a Jake Brake. It's "adaptive" and not made of cast iron like the newer and older models so it can't take the back pressure. I've thought of after market brake calipers... I plan to tackle this in increments. Respond to the components that need attention. Again, thank you!

 

[Lynn1130]

Here you go-for the LLY and LBZ (06 and 07 Chevy/GMC)
http://www.bankspower.com/products/...ks, 06-07 Chevy/GMC - 6.6L Duramax LLY-LBZ|5