5th Wheel Pin Weight on 2500HD Chevy HELP!!!

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?

Sorry, I got to chime in and a lot of people have labeled me a "weight police", but I really don't see an issue here...."within specs to be legal?"....don't think that should even be a worry....I surely wouldn't worry about that one.

The 2500's of the Big 3 have come a long way since I owned one. It was an 03 Chevy D/A 2500 and it's GVW was 9200#, can't remember GCWR, BUT, all that aside, I REALLY don't see a problem with your combo..(forget empty weight, it's a joke), BUT, you did state a GVW of 11,000#...I purchased a 5er that had a GVW of 14,000# and towed it all through the mountains of SC, NC, VA and TN....then I weighed and was 900# over the trucks GVW, so I purchased a 1 ton dually...but that was then, this is now....and I don't see any issues at all with towing an 11,000# GVW 5er with your new truck.. heck, I'd towed an 11,000# 5er "back then" with that 2500, and again, I'm a badge carrying "Weight Police":)

That's a light pin weight, I would say, more realistic pin weight will be 2,000-2200#, but again, most don't use their trucks GVWR any more, they use their rear axle weight rating..You may or may not go over your GVWR, but don't see you getting near your trucks RAWR

Only thing I "might consider", as some have, is "IF" you think about going bigger, you might want to look at a 3500 SRW truck, not that much more, BUT, I ONLY say that because if I had followed my own advice, I'd went to a 3500 SRW instead of the 2500...I too had no plans in upgrading for years, but ended up wanting a bigger 5er anyway when a great deal came up. I'd saved some money, but such is life as we know it.


Again, I don't see any problems with the combo, you've done your math, and should work.