Hi,I keep hearing from friends and gather from reading forums that my pickup, which was bought for work, isn't up to the task for towing for three main reasons:It isn't a FordIt isn't a dieselIt isn't DRWHere's what it is though. A 2020 Silverado 3500HD 4X4,LB. The fifth wheel towing weight limit on the door sticker is 16,200lbs. The 5er I'm leaning toward is the AF 27-5L with an advertised GVWR of 13,600lbs. My long term plan is to not take this all over the country, but to go from my home in eastern Oregon to Arizona during the winter and come back in the spring. Will it work? Why or why not?

I'd do that in a heartbeat. I wouldn't want to tow a 27-5L all over the place every other weekend or so with a gasser, but a one time trip down then 5-6 months head back would be easy.

Well if you believe the forums, you will need a bigger truck, no matter the size of trailer!! :) A diesel will pull that wt, with less effort, but the gasser will work, for your use!Your truck should do a great job, towing that trailer, even if loaded to the full GVWR! That should be a good FW too. While I have no experience using one, they have a good rep.If you are within your RAWR/tire rating, which you will be, unless you fill the bed with rocks, you are GTG!If you have the FW hitch puck system, you need to look at the B&W 3700.Jerry

You didn't mention the payload but I would think it's doable, sure there might be a few steep inclines from OR to AZ or back where a diesel would do a better job climbing, other than that most don't load their RVs beyond GVWR anyway where you already have a decent margin. That's coming from someone who has always had gasser tow vehicles, living in the mountain west we never had an issue getting up and down steep inclines, yes we drop a few mph getting to the top, regardless we always get to our destination. Good luck, AF are nice units, hope it is everything you expected and then some.

welcome to the forum. Most rv folks newbs to towing trailers have no idea how much load a truck can carry safely or how much weight it can safely tow (pull). So they say get a DRW/diesel. Anywayz you already have the '20 3500 SRW LB 4wd 6.6 gasser. The truck won't have any issues towing/starting/stopping/handling a 13xxx lb gvwr 5th wheel rv trailer especially for what your doing with it. Looks like a good combo.

We have no problems towing an AF 25Y. AF does make very heavy RVs. I have a F350 SRW diesel tho. I would want a DRW if we every went over 35 ft in a Fiver. We had a 34 ft fiver before the AF and had no trouble with pulling that up and down mountains including Hwy 12 outside Escalante.All this does depend on where you plan to travel, east of the River flatlands no problem with a gasser. West of the Front range, well you'll find out.

Chevy vs Arctic Fox. Can It Tow It...Safely? | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

MFL
Nomad II
Feb 20, 2021
Moki...5 mpg is terrible, what speed were you trying to maintain? At 60 mph in 4th gear should have allowed 7-8, even against the wind.

Anyway...problem solved with the diesel! Even a diesel will suck fuel though, if running high speed against the wind, with that kind of frontal area. Diesel fuel usually costs a bit more too. No matter the engine type, it costs more to tow at speed in the wind, unless it is pushing you!

Jerry
Moki
Explorer
Feb 20, 2021
I have a 2015 27-5L and towed with an 2015 f350 gas. Did fine until the second trip that had 20 to 30 mph headwinds. Couldn't get out of 4th gear on pretty much flat ground and got 5 mpg. Traded for 2016 F350 diesel and now average between 12 n 13. Don't fall into the trap of only looking at weight but what is your frontal size. 13-3' and 8-5 wide makes a big sail.
RobWNY
Explorer
Feb 19, 2021
goducks10 wrote:
RobWNY wrote:
I'm a little surprised that your 3500HD only has a tow rating for a 5th wheel of 16,200 pounds. My 2020 2500HD SRW with the 11,350 GVWR has a 5th wheel tow rating of 18,500 I would have thought it would be higher.

OP has a gas 3500.

Is that because a gas engine won't have as much torque as a diesel so they lower the 5th wheel towing limit....and I assume the other limits as well?
Njmurvin
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2021
I pull an older, slightly lighter AF 27.5 5th wheel (GVWR 12100 lbs) with a 2020 Chevy 3500 Duramax standard bed. Obviously, yours will be a different experience without the diesel. As long as you're patient on the long grades, don't freak out over the high revs on climbs and poor fuel economy (the diesel doesn't do that well either when it's towing), you should be fine.
dieseltruckdriv
Explorer II
Feb 19, 2021
moparjer wrote:
Hi,

I keep hearing from friends and gather from reading forums that my pickup, which was bought for work, isn't up to the task for towing for three main reasons:
It isn't a Ford
It isn't a diesel
It isn't DRW

Here's what it is though. A 2020 Silverado 3500HD 4X4,LB. The fifth wheel towing weight limit on the door sticker is 16,200lbs. The 5er I'm leaning toward is the AF 27-5L with an advertised GVWR of 13,600lbs. My long term plan is to not take this all over the country, but to go from my home in eastern Oregon to Arizona during the winter and come back in the spring. Will it work? Why or why not?

It will work fine, just don't be in a hurry. I am towing one with an F-250.

But then again, it IS a Ford! ;)
goducks10
Explorer
Feb 19, 2021
RobWNY wrote:
I'm a little surprised that your 3500HD only has a tow rating for a 5th wheel of 16,200 pounds. My 2020 2500HD SRW with the 11,350 GVWR has a 5th wheel tow rating of 18,500 I would have thought it would be higher.

OP has a gas 3500.
RobWNY
Explorer
Feb 19, 2021
MFL wrote:
Rob...those GM guys are just playin games! Yours is not REALLY a 2500, and has that great diesel power to pull. Jerry

I can't wait to actually see what that diesel can do! C'mon Spring!!!
MFL
Nomad II
Feb 19, 2021
RobWNY wrote:
I'm a little surprised that your 3500HD only has a tow rating for a 5th wheel of 16,200 pounds. My 2020 2500HD SRW with the 11,350 GVWR has a 5th wheel tow rating of 18,500 I would have thought it would be higher.

Rob...those GM guys are just playin games! Yours is not REALLY a 2500, and has that great diesel power to pull.

Jerry
RobWNY
Explorer
Feb 19, 2021
I'm a little surprised that your 3500HD only has a tow rating for a 5th wheel of 16,200 pounds. My 2020 2500HD SRW with the 11,350 GVWR has a 5th wheel tow rating of 18,500 I would have thought it would be higher.
Sjm9911
Explorer
Feb 19, 2021
You will be fine. Its got power. You will not win any contests for mpg , bit you'll get there.

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Chevy vs Arctic Fox. Can It Tow It...Safely?

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