After reading ALL of your postings for the last six months, We bought a TV, a 2015 Chevy 2500 (6.0 gas) with max tow package. We bought this so we could tow ANY TT on the market (no 5th wheel in our future), then we we found the perfect TT this weekend. Turns out Grand Design started making TT's this winter and the Grand Design Reflection 313 is exactly what we wanted - but it weights 8600 EMPTY!!I planned on getting the Hensley or Propride hitch, but the dealers have nothing positive to say about them - why all the animosity? We plan on doing alot of cross-country trips and a safe towing experience is the most important item on our list.Thoughts?ps. Please no Ford/Chevy/Dodge/Toyota...etc comments Thanks! :)

Nice trailer:Looks to be 3 slides @ 37 feet. You could be looking at 1300 lbs of tongue weight when trip loaded.Start doing the math..Trucks payload and then start subtracting...passengers, gear, stuff in the bed, weight of hitch and the loaded tongue weight.By the way, the dealer is down talking the Hensley or Propride hitch because they don't sell them and/or are unfamiliar with them.

we tow a 9800 pound TT with a F250 and a Hensley Arrow...would not want to tow that big of a TT without either a hensley or Propride...

Our travel trailer is almost 34 feet long and 8,000 pounds empty (1,200 pounds tongue weight), which is almost as large as the Grand Design you're considering. We tow it with a 2013 F250 diesel using a Reese Dual Cam hitch. This setup works really well although I did add airbags. Without the bags, the rear end squatter quite a bit and I would hit the bumps stops sometimes. Airbags evened everything out.You're going to need a Class V hitch to pull that Grand Design, which I imagine is what came with your truck. With the proper WDH and perhaps air bags I think you'll be fine.I've heard nothing but good things about the Hensley and Propride other than they cost a lot and are more difficult to hook up.

The Hensley is the hitch you want, or secondarily, the ProPride. The dealers talk them down because they do not sell them and can't make any money off them. Ask what hitch they think is best...I bet it just happens to be one they have in stock. Imagine that!

cruz-in wrote:we tow a 9800 pound TT with a F250 and a Hensley Arrow...would not want to tow that big of a TT without either a hensley or Propride...We use to tow a 32' Komfort weighing in at 10K fully loaded, with an F250 V10 with a 4.3 rear end. Yes, we had a Hensley.

BIG TT - thoughts please | Good Sam Community

APT
Explorer
Feb 23, 2015
Oh, the GM receiver is 2.5" square and I think comes with an adapter to 2". You may want to ask Hensley/PP if they sell 2.5" stingers.

So far I have done all the towing driving, but our trips have been under 5h. This year we have two long trips I am hoping my wife can help with. I plan to start having her drive from rest stop to rest stop as that should be easier to park.
elidodge
Explorer
Feb 23, 2015
I am close to your set up,2500 Ram pulling a 30 ft Sunnybrook at 9500lbs. I went to the pro pride and love it.You can call pro pride and talk to the owner,He will tell you what will work.I usded the dual cam for 9 years, I would never go back
Bobby
ReneeG
Explorer
Feb 23, 2015
campersmd wrote:
Thanks for all of the replies. Went to the Baltimore RV show again and the only remaining question is- Do all of you share the driving with your significant other? We have always shared driving in the past, and as our 2500 is new, DW is wondering if she will be comfortable driving the truck and RV combo with such a big trailer.

I'm the DW and I helped DH tow, but not all the time. I help more with our current setup, a fifth wheel.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Feb 23, 2015
I'm towing a 35ft 9200lb loaded TT with my V10 excursion. I'm using a Reese DC and have no issues with sway. I have done many trips of 2000+ miles and have never had a moment where I thought I needed anything more than my current hitch. The HA is nice, but with a properly setup trailer it is not necessary.
alexleblanc
Explorer
Feb 23, 2015
cruz-in wrote:
we tow a 9800 pound TT with a F250 and a Hensley Arrow...would not want to tow that big of a TT without either a hensley or Propride...

Same here, a TT this large really needs to be towed with a PP or HA. It was night and day from a well setup Reese DC.
campersmd
Explorer
Feb 22, 2015
Thanks for all of the replies. Went to the Baltimore RV show again and the only remaining question is- Do all of you share the driving with your significant other? We have always shared driving in the past, and as our 2500 is new, DW is wondering if she will be comfortable driving the truck and RV combo with such a big trailer.
Fireman02
Explorer
Feb 21, 2015
Trailer in sig is approx. just under 10k fully loaded. Towing with 2012 ram 2500 w/ a equalizer 10k wdh I've had little problem towing.
CampingN_C_
Explorer
Feb 21, 2015
Read this thread I started regarding heavy tongue weight on the HA and PP.
APT
Explorer
Feb 21, 2015
That looks like a good match (make sure you have 4.10 axle ratio). Your receiver is good for 1500 pounds I think and should have about 3000 pounds of payload.

I don't know of any RV dealers that sell the Hensley/Propride which is probably why they don't favor them. They have so small larket share it isn't worth selling. Pullrite is the other premium WDH. Every owner loves each of those. You'll probably have to get it and install on your own.
cruz-in
Explorer
Feb 21, 2015
While I only have 200 miles on the setup, I went from a 5th wheel to a 37 foot TT. Towing with the Hensley, the experience is very 5th wheel like. In fact my wife likes the ride in the truck better with the hensley than the 5th wheel.

WE have an F250 CC 2WD and the payload capacity is only a little over 2300 pounds... if it was a 4WD, we would have had only around 1900 pounds payload capacity....evven with a TT, you need to be careful you do not overload your 3/4 ton truck...