2017 Cedar Creek Champagne Edition 38EL

goducks10 wrote:

JTrac wrote:

Lurker1 wrote:

JTrac wrote:
Ours was rated with about the same hitch weight. We added a Splendide washer/dryer, which sits by the front closet just like this model, and it weighs about 240 pounds. When we travel for a month the closet is full of clothes and shoes. Then factor in the stuff in the front storage bay and it adds up quickly. Fully loaded ours weighs in at 3100 pounds, a 600 pound gain from the original rating.

3100 works for me. 3500 doesn't. Man, I'm right on the edge!

Appreciate the info.

Sounds like you may have a good answer from Jim with the same model. I know things vary because of the dynamics of different trucks and weight distribution in the trailer but we started out towing our rig with a 2012 GMC 3500 single rear wheel with the standard (6' 6") bed. We were right at the edge of the load limit for the truck with the 3100 pounds. All other weights had some cushion. For 3 years I fought a bucking, chucking problem that was severe enough to scare the wife to the point she did not want to go anymore. Smooth roads were fine but the rough stuff not so much. I put air bags on the axles and a Center Point air suspension on the trailer which helped but the problem was still there under the right conditions.

I finally gave up, sold the 2012 and got the dually. I even changed hitches to a Trailer Saver BD3 air ride hitch and have the smoothest ride I have ever had. Best of all the wife is happy. I am certainly not suggesting you will have problems because most don't. Just telling my story. I hope you have nothing but smooth roads and good times ahead.

Did you swap to the DRW and BD3 at the same time? Just wondering which one showed the most improvement.

I actually bought the BD3 just before I sold the 2012. I had a B&W with the turnover ball hook up and tried to do the same thing with the BD3 by using an adapter plate made by Curt that connected to the gooseneck. The problem was the BD3 wound up being 6 inches closer to the cab than the B&W with no way to make any adjustments. It would have left me with an uncomfortable turning radius so I did not try it. I probably could have installed some hitch rails to move it back but I already had a friend waiting to buy my truck and the wife was all for the change as we had a 6000 mile trip coming up. So, no I never tried it on the short bed.

I will say the BD3 is top notch. It allows the truck and trailer to work mostly independent of each other which stops the motion of the fifth wheel from being transmitted to the truck. I certainly think the air ride hitch would have helped with the 2012 but since I didn't try it just can't say for sure. I really think the dually would have been the biggest improvement as it is a better match for our rig. The BD3 is kind of like icing on the cake.