Tow Vehicle

The only problem you might run into is the Pin Weight plus other cargo in the cab and bed. 4268 Lbs is the cargo cap of your truck. So you need to load up the TV with everything that would be in it for towing, hitch, full tank of fuel, tool box or anything else carried in the bed, plus all passengers and pets you might carry. Head to the nearest scales and get weighed. Now take that number and subtract it from your gross (should be on the driver's side door pillar) what ever is left over is your true carrying cap. If it less than 3K you have a decision to make: To pull over weight or rethink the whole deal.

"4x4 crew cab LB" I think he indicated it is a LB=Long Box!

Chris

wski wrote:
I saw a 1500 towing a 37 foot Montana yesterday and I gotta admit, took some nerves of steel. Your setup should be fine if you take it easy and don't push it. I assume you have an exhaust brake installed for those down hill runs. Good luck and happy trails....

Doesn't make it right, smart or safe....I don't care what 1/2 ton it is, it's being abused and pushed to the limits...OP has a 3500, HUGE difference.

Again, EB or not, having towed through the mountains with chevy D/A combo's...an EB would be an extra plus to be sure, and I'd recommend it, but the allison has a great grade braking set up....if he doesn't have an EB...should still be fine with that weight...and with a GVW of 15,000#...unless he loads to MAX GVW, he may only be around 14,000-14,500#, no problem for truck he has, be it SRW or DRW 3500

rayeckles wrote:
I am thinking in towing a 15000 LBS GCWR 5th wheel with a 2011 3500 Chevrolet Silverado durmax 6.6/Alison 3.73, 4x4 crew cab LB. The specs show on the TV the max towing weight is 16800 for a 5th wheel. Is this going to be ok.

I'm "assuming" it is a SRW truck? Don't know that information, but as earlier stated, "IF" you loaded to max GVWR of 5er, you might run around 3,000# pin weight..THAT is what one needs to look at along with your Payload information on the inside of your drivers door jamb.

Most don't worry about GVWR and just use RAWR...as stated, all that aside, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to tow the 5er you're talking about with the 3500 even if it's only a SRW truck....don't see why you should have any problems with that weight.

I dont know if the 2011 Chevy had an exhaust brake or not, but the Allison with it's grade braking in T/H should work fine if his truck doesn't have an EB....I towed my 16,050# 5er all through the mountains of NC, SC, TN, VA and WV with an 07.5 Chevy 3500 Dually that didn't have EB and it was fine...don't get me wrong, having had three trucks now with EB and T/H is AWESOME and I wouldn't' be without one now, but if his 11 3500 doesn't have an EB, that shouldn't be an issue....

He already has the truck, be it shortbed, with or without EB, (though you can put one in aftermarket), so he's just wanting to know if his existing truck will do it...it will....

If his IS a dually, then it will more than suffice.

Two very good pieces of advise mentioned, dually rear end and exhaust brake and i'll toss in an 8' bed, these things are a definite must! Every time I see some bone-head pulling some mini-condo with a 1500 endangering everyone around him I really wonder what goes through some peoples minds.

I saw a 1500 towing a 37 foot Montana yesterday and I gotta admit, took some nerves of steel. Your setup should be fine if you take it easy and don't push it. I assume you have an exhaust brake installed for those down hill runs. Good luck and happy trails....

You should be good to go. How much does the trailer actually weigh?

You will be fine. Just take your time and enjoy the trips.:C

Is this a duel rear wheel. In that case I wouldn't think twice. I drive a 2011 D/A LB extended cab SRW. I presently have a 12k 5th wheel. If I wanted to get a 5th wheel of your size I still would be comfortable with my truck. I think it would handle that rig just fine. I have even thought about buying a bigger rig and 15K was what I was thinking would be my max I would consider. My 12k 5th wheel has been hauled through the Rockies and thousands of miles and has handled great. The exhaust brake and the overall suspension upgrade of the 2011's made a big big difference.

It's hard to tell with the information that you provided. Calculating based on the 15,000 GVWR of the 5th wheel is a good plan as it helps you prepare for a worst case scenario. Typically 20% - 25% of that weight is going to be carried by the truck in the form of pin weight (3,000 - 3,750). There are fringe cases where the pin weight percentage is less (like my camper- at 17-18%) but, imo, it's better to be conservative.

Most trucks run out of payload long before hitting their other ratings. The payload is what the truck was designed to carry (itself, driver, all passengers, stuff in the truck, hitch, stuff in the bed, add-ons to the truck, etc.). You will have a sticker that tells you that maximum amount of cargo and occupants can be on your doorjamb - this is for your empty truck - everyone and everything decreases that number.

You need to estimate all of those things and then ensure that the pin weight from above can still be carried by what is left over.

Here's a write-up that I did for these kinds of questions:
What Can I Tow?

Hope it helps!