Forum Discussion

Tinnys_Rig's avatar
Tinnys_Rig
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014

3/4 ton GMC D/M

Hey folks, my daughter's boyfriend wants to buy a 5th wheel with a pin weight of 2500# dry and pull it with his 2006 3/4 ton GMC D/M.I'm trying to talk him out of it but he says the salesman says that he can do it. Any suggestions???

18 Replies

  • I believe it's an extended cab. As for air bags they do not increase your payload as far as I have been told. They only assist with leveling off the vehicle.
  • Crew cab or reg cab? I'd put that trailer behind a reg cab, but not a crew cab. Crew cabs have half the payload a reg cab has. In fact, my C2500 reg can is 300 lbs shy of the payload my 05 crew cab dually had and double the 96 sw K3500!

    Marty
  • The GVW of the trailer is 17000 and the 2500 lbs. is dry weight. It will weigh conciderably more with propane, bedding, clothing, etc. The trailer weighs 14000 dry.
  • Thanks for your replies folks, you have confirmed what I had expected all along. The trailer is a 40' Cedar Creek 36CKTS. A beautiful rig but too much trailer for that truck. Thanks again for your most valuable input!
  • And what's wrong with even 3000 lbs on a GMC 2006 D/A (I assume you mean) truck? Even with the 245 OEM tires he has 6042 capacity on the rear OEM tires and his unloaded truck's rear axle will scale weigh well under 3000 lbs. That leaves him well over 3000 lbs of tire capacity left for his pin weight and his hitch. You didn't say how many passengers he'd be carrying or their weights but most of their weight would be carried on the front axle unless the backseat passengers are "fattys". Even if he were to go over max rear tire capacity, he can change the rear tires to 265's and have 6830 tire capacity and install either airbags or a decent type of overloads. Everything else on his GM truck is identical to the 3500 SRW model including the rear axle (same part number).

    Also the very same truck as the 3500 DRW minus the dual rear wheels and the fender hips and the same exact dia rear axle with a different end plate welded on for DRW mounting, larger dia shocks which are off the shelf components. GM only makes ONE HD chassis for ALL 3 model designations as it's used on the 2500 HD, 3500 HD SRW, and the 3500 DRW models.

    You need a lot more detail and specifics before you should say he should pull that 5th wheel with his 2006 GM truck. Salesmen are known for saying anything to make a sale but I can't see where this salesman per your info given is wrong! Does the 5th wheel in question weigh over 14,000 GVW? 2500 lb pin weight sure doesn't suggest it.
  • Tell him to load about 500 lbs of stuff in the truck with full tank of fuel and go to a scale and weigh the truck. The difference between his weight and the gvwr of the truck (posted on sticker in door jamb) is what he has left in payload for pin weight.
    The pin weight of most fifth wheels will be around 20 percent of the loaded weight of the trailer. Ignore dry weights and what the manufacturer says the pin weighs. Loaded is what counts.
    That sounds like too much trailer for that truck, but it will pull it.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Tinnys Rig wrote:
    Hey folks, my daughter's boyfriend wants to buy a 5th wheel with a pin weight of 2500# dry and pull it with his 2006 3/4 ton GMC D/M.I'm trying to talk him out of it but he says the salesman says that he can do it. Any suggestions???


    Of course the salesman will state that, the lips moving issue!!
    More info would be helpful.
    What is the GVWR of the TV, what is the GVWR of the 5er, make and year?
    It for sure can pull it, the question is can it carry it!!
    That is where the GVWR and rear GAWR come into play.