I am not looking for the weight police to chime in, I am looking for answers from people with the above truck or a legitimate answer. I am going to pull the trigger on a 2500HD this week (truck is already picked out with deal made) but didn't do it due to just needing to make sure I am within specs. The truck is a 2014 2500LTZ 4x4 crew cab with a Duramax/Allison combination. GVWR 10000lbs. The truck specs are 2706# payload, 6200# rear axle, 5200# front axle 15800# fifth wheel towing, 24500# GCVWR My fifth wheel that I currently own and will be pulling with it is a 2014 Keystone Cougar High Country 315RES. Specs are 8563 empty with 2437 carrying capacity...leading to 11000# Gross rating. I know this is fine, but the pin weight is listed at 1600# and when I weighted it on our truck scales it was closer to 1800# loaded. Is anyone towing something similar to this and do you feel I am within specs to be legal?

Since you have not signed on the line yet: it is really a lot better to get a 3500. The price difference isn't that much and you will get more load capacity. But it looks like you should be OK with that 1800#, add 200# for the hitch and you have 700# for passengers and other gear. But if down the road you want a bigger fiver then you may have a problem.

The question you have to ask yourself, do I /will I possibly purchase a larger/heavier fiver in the future ? If there is a possibility then I would look into a 3500HD. As you will see in my sig I have a 2500HD pulling a Cougar 318sab which is heavier than your 315. I have a fiver rating of 15400# with a GCWR of 22000# Hope this may help.

f4whlr,I am not going to look for another fifth wheel for a long time...we just got this one, looked for a long time and it's just me the wife, daughter and dog. It's a lot of camper for what we needed, but the wife wanted more than less. I really appreciate your post. If I can ask, what is your pin weight and are you over GVWR when "loaded"?

2700# payload - 1800# pin = 900 for you (the part over 150#), the wife, dog, hitch, fire wood, ect. We would be over loaded! With our Mountaineers 2700# pin weight, we would overload as soon as I got in the truck :E.

OK, not a recommendation, just a report. We have a 2007 Chevrolet 2500 Duramax/Allison no modifications. Single rear wheels. Long bed, crew cab.Our RV is a HitchHiker II UKTG with the following specs:Hitch weight 2020UVW 10,120GVWR 13,675We have towed in this configuration for 54,000 miles including all over the Rocky Mountain states: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montanta, as well as Washington and Oregon.Also up to Ontario and Maine and over to Savannah and down to The Valley.We have never felt any lack of control, stability, or power. The tow/haul mode works great on the mountain passes.This is just one couple's experience.

5th Wheel Pin Weight on 2500HD Chevy HELP!!! | Good Sam Community

shadoow
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
you mentioned a truck spec of 2706# for payload. Is that based on the actual wt. of the truck or somewhere else? Your room for pin wt. would be the difference between the truck GVWR and the actual wt. of the truck loaded as if you were going camping (i.e. you, wife, dog, kid/s, hitch, tools, full fuel tank, etc, etc.). Just guess-timating from when i had a 2009 GMC 2500HD D/A (GVWR of 9200#) i would say you should be ok. My actual truck wt. loaded up for camping came to a little less that 7200# leaving me 2000# for pin wt.
dpark
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
mdamerell wrote:
If you are asking the question you must know in the back of your mind you'd be better off with the 3500. For the price difference why not get the 3500 and not worry about it?

Either way, I hope you enjoy your new truck :)

I have run all of the weights in my mind and am well aware of my margins, and yes, I probably would be better off with a 3500, but for the couple hundred miles towing a year, want to see what others are towing and just want to bounce the questions off all the people on the forum. I know there are extremes out there for everything (the dually people to tow a PUP, and the 1/2 ton crew towing 12,000# 5ers) but just want good conversation to reinforce or sway me to the bigger suspension.
dpark
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
mguay wrote:
You didn't say if it was a Gasser or a D/A? If it is the 6.0 Gasser...make sure it has the 4.10 rear end! I had an 09 6.0 with the 3.73 rear and my current 5er and had a hard time getting 8 mpg while towing!

It is a 6.6 Duramax.
dpark
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
shadoow wrote:
you mentioned a truck spec of 2706# for payload. Is that based on the actual wt. of the truck or somewhere else? Your room for pin wt. would be the difference between the truck GVWR and the actual wt. of the truck loaded as if you were going camping (i.e. you, wife, dog, kid/s, hitch, tools, full fuel tank, etc, etc.). Just guess-timating from when i had a 2009 GMC 2500HD D/A (GVWR of 9200#) i would say you should be ok. My actual truck wt. loaded up for camping came to a little less that 7200# leaving me 2000# for pin wt.

The weights are from the Chevrolet website for that style truck on the specs secion.
kaydeejay
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
dpark wrote:
I am not looking for the weight police to chime in, I am looking for answers from people with the above truck or a legitimate answer. I am going to pull the trigger on a 2500HD this week (truck is already picked out with deal made) but didn't do it due to just needing to make sure I am within specs.

The truck is a 2014 2500LTZ 4x4 crew cab with a Duramax/Allison combination. GVWR 10000lbs. The truck specs are 2706# payload, 6200# rear axle, 5200# front axle 15800# fifth wheel towing, 24500# GCVWR

My fifth wheel that I currently own and will be pulling with it is a 2014 Keystone Cougar High Country 315RES. Specs are 8563 empty with 2437 carrying capacity...leading to 11000# Gross rating. I know this is fine, but the pin weight is listed at 1600# and when I weighted it on our truck scales it was closer to 1800# loaded.

Is anyone towing something similar to this and do you feel I am within specs to be legal?
My truck has the same payload as that one you are looking at.
My loaded pin is 1800#.
With a 300# hitch (Superglide) and an extra 25gals of fuel (150#) plus the two of us, I am 200#under GVWR.
I suspect you will be in the same ball park.
If, as you say, the fiver is a keeper then I think you will be OK. Close to max on payload, but OK.
Good luck
MARKW8
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
Let me say this first, I wouldn't want to pull my 5er,15,500# on the scale, with anything less than the DWR truck I have. That said, after owning a TC now for 14yrs and carrying it for 9yrs on a 2500 srw, I wouldn't hesitate to pull that Cougar with one. My camper loaded,2 people, the dog, full water tank was right at 3500#. For sure over gvwr but within the oem tire and axle rating. Never did we think it was unsafe.

Mark
rhagfo
Explorer III
Feb 03, 2014
You are looking at the curse of the 250/2500 diesel, lots of power and low payload! If you are buying new and can get just as good a deal on a 3500 for the few $$ more, you will be within specs. If you stick with the 2500 you might get to the point that you are over the GVWR, but within axle and tire ratings.
This is where I am, don't plan on getting a bigger truck soon, or a smaller 5er. The combination works well together, not a recommendation for you.
My 5er is 1,000 heaver dry and has a 12,300 GVWR, I tow right at 11,000# with 2,000# of pin. I tow this level on the stock Camper Package springs.
hmknightnc
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
You are well within the manufacture's specifications with that truck and trailer combination. You are no where near approaching any legal limits, tons of room before you hit any legal requirements (The only legal limits are your tire and axle specifications plus whatever you pay for Gross Vehicle weight via truck registration. Payload, Manufacture's GVWR and GCWR are not legal limits).

10,000# GVWR FW with a diesel 3/4 modern truck is a perfect match. Buy the truck and go have fun.
goukcats
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
I currently have the 299RKS which has dry weights of 200 lb less pin & 650 less shipping weight than yours. I did tow it with an 08' GMC 2500 CC, 4x4, SB, 6.0, w/373. It towed great in the mtns of KY, TN & NC getting 8-10 MPG. I never felt any control issues & only switched to my current TV so I could use cruise control on long trips.

My current TV (see sig)is rated with lower towing numbers than the one you are considering. We go from KY to FLA down I75 a couple times a year & the only time I am off cruise is during very heavy traffic & Jellico mtn. My brother tows a 2004 Montana with my same TV & he had a 2004 Ram prior to that. He has been pleased with his combination also.

I agree the 3500 SRW would give better tow numbers. I also think if you really are sticking with your current 5er, you are good to go. My 2c..
campercoop
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
I just bought the same truck only a GMC with the 6.0 engine, either way the payload is rated the same at 3066. The payload does go up to 4190 with standard box on the 3500 HD.