How big of a truck for safe and comfortable towing?

[synergy_58]

Dw and I are getting ready to do the deal for a heartland bighorn. We do not yet have the tow truck we want. I know, cart before the horse, but we need a place to live FT for the next four yrs, new duty station.
We have owned a dodge Cummings before and it was ok but not that great on mpg as originally thought; it was a 2012, 3500 srw, short box, crew, used with a trk TC, which got old fast. Our older son thinks we should find a ford 350 srw with 6.4, but our last Ford exp kept us constantly seeing the dealer for this and that. Of course that was a while back with a 2001 7.3. We've never had a durmax.

The fver weight is about 16000lbs, I'm guessing empty. That's all I know right now. What size truck do you think would be safe and comfortable for pulling and should I get a srw or dually? Short bed or long? 4x4 or 2x4? I don't go kidding and that stuff but do go in snow and on back woods roads from time to time.

Opinions matter, to me. 🙂

Thanks

[Pete_k]

I have about the same RV. 2012 Heartland Landmark Key Largo its weight shows 16,200 lbs. 41ft long. Ours has 2 acs, 3 flat screen tv's, Washer/Dryer, Auto sat dish, full body paint, 4 door fridge, Generator. As you can see its loaded and weights about as close to the 16,000 lbs as you can get.
Pulled it first 2 seasons with a 2004.5 Chevy Crew Cab 4x4 short bed 2500HD. It pulled it but you know its back there. MPG was sad running I-40 East and back west in Tn. Averaged 7 MPG pulling the camper. But we did have high winds both ways. From New Orleans La to west Tn when we picked it up averaged 9,7 coming home with it.

Now using a 2005 Chevy Kodiak C5500 crew cab with a transplanted 2000 model 5.9 cumminsn out of a Diesel pusher. I get around 10 MPG pulling it with ease. 5 hour trip now is relaxings. Before I was dead when we got home from the same trip.

Pete
P.S. Forgot to add being your not going to be moving it that much. You can get by with a 3500 short bed single wheel truck. But if you do get where your pulling all the time. Dual wheels are nice.

[avvidclif1]

It's not a matter of how much you use it but are you within the ratings of the truck. My guess is you will be a lot heavier than you realize as you are going to be full timing. You will probably push the 3200 lb pin weight. The payload on the Chey is 4020 so that leaves ~800 lbs for the hitch, wife and whatever else you put in the truck. That's just on the payload. You should be fine on the trailer weight until to look at the GCVWR 24,500. With the trailer at 16k and most 3500 diesels like you're looking at weighing in around 8k plus. Close call. My F350 has 3600 on the rear axle without trailer. Another close call on RAWR.

Your call, you have to drive it.

[Allworth]

Any of the 3500/350 trucks will handle your trailer, particularly with a diesel up front. SRW is plenty for occassional towing (or for some of us, frequent towing; but that is a purely personal decision based on experience).

DRW would really be overkill for the situation you propose. If later you decide to do more traveling with the trailer, that may be a different option.

There is far more difference in ride (particularly when running solo) between a long bed and a short bed than between SRW and DRW. The extra wheelbase takes a lot of the chop out of the ride. Again, it is personal opinion, but having driven all three I feel that GMC/Chevy trucks have an inherently more comfortable ride. (They also have Duramax/Allison.)

[GoPackGo]

When you were doing your comparison driving, were you driving short bed trucks or long beds ?? Crew Cab or not ??

Your pin weight will be about 3200 pounds. Use that number when looking at payload capacity.

I drive a CC, LB, dually. IMO, it's the added length due to it being a crew cab and also a long bed truck that make it less fun around town, as opposed to the fact that it's a dually.

Tim

[synergy_58]

Some clarification, and observations...

First, we are no longer in AK. We are in Ohio. We will not be towing the 5'ver around; it is parked at a camp ground full time. We do not intend to tow it around, traveling much, but mainly living in FT. We may move it once, maybe twice a year, no more, down to Florida and return, that's pretty much it.

The Big Horn is a 2014, model 3875, GVW is 16,000; empty is 13,xxx.

We will need the truck as a daily driver.

So... based on our needs, would you guys think the SRW 3500 set up would be acceptable for the minimal towing we would be doing, in order to be more practical for daily driving.

How much more difficult is it to drive a DRW daily? How much wider is it than a SRW?

DW, and several of the folks here at the camp ground, think a SRW would be more than sufficient for towing. Most of you guys suggest a DRW, but you guys probably do a lot of towing, I'm guessing. Having been through a SRW, with a TC, I was not impressed, despite the beefed up rear end, but that was for a TC. I'm told that a 5'ver and TC are totally different feels, as the TC is top heavy and the 5'ver has much better center of gravity.

The SRW, 4x4, towing capacity for the Chevy is 17,100 lbs; Ram is 17, 200; Ford is down around 15,900, as far as I can tell from current publications.

I'm leaning towards Chevy because, 1- I've never had a Duramax/Allison and thought I'd try it :); 2- comparably equipped models are priced several thousands less than Ram & Ford; 3 - better purchasing incentives for military; 4 - better trade in value on our current Chevy truck from GM; 5 - less aggressive truck feel over Ram and Ford - DW likes this.

Between Ford and Ram, I'm not sure which one I would go with. Ram seems to have a more aggressive truck like feel and more towing capabilities over Ford. Ford seems to be much quieter, while maintaining that HD truck feel, and they look good.

After driving one of each, all SRW's 3500/350 so far, and with out towing, the Chevy is the easiest around town truck to drive. It is quieter than the Ram and only slightly noisier than Ford. It feels more responsive turning in and out of traffic around town, accelerates more like a town truck. It's bouncy, but not as stiff as Ram. Ram was really stiff. Ford felt pretty level, Chevy was higher in the rear, so was Ram. Ford had a good solid feel, but I didn't care for the plastic door panels and various plastic parts on the interior. Ram had a sweet, real leather interior feel. Chevy was nice and comfortable. Ford's leather was sweet, but looked like it would scratch up very easily.

Oh man, what decisions! The real deal...do I really need a dually, or would the SRW work just as well for me. IDK? Again, we must be able to use the truck as a daily driver, with minimal towing a few times a year. Price between a SRW and DRW is not a a concern for me, but daily driving and parking is.

Thanks for your input!

BTW...we love our Big Horn! Great floor plan and space for the two os us and our lab.

[Monaco_Montclai]

class-8 trucks are nice units, and will tow anything
all happy-camping now

[Swamp_Man]

Speaking of Chinese copies of American products, the obama administration killed an investigation into counterfeit aircraft parts that were coming from China. So it would not surprise me to find out that a lot of the engines or parts are counterfeit copies of American engineering.

[synergy_58]

alanp41779 wrote:
My research on 2015 Chevy Duramax 3500 4x4 weight ratings for a possible future purchase is this -

* Crew Cab Long Box DRW
Max payload 5,010
GVWR 13,025
RGAWR 9,375
5thwheel rating 22,800
GCWR 30,500

* Crew Cab Std Box SRW
Max Payload 4,020
GVWR 11,500
RGAWR 7,050
5thwheel rating 17,100
GCWR 24,500

Of course it will vary based on other body styles.

Thanks! I did finally find a PDF with the specs, exactly as you state.

Now I need to compare FORD and DODGE, to see which has the best bang for the buck!

[Dave_H_M]

Whoah, I had a tour up there when it was not a JBER. I cannot imagine having to try to keep cozy in a camper when it is below zero. Have fun up there.

I did a return up there after decades. I could not believe how nice the Joint Resort is at Seward

[alanp41779]

My research on 2015 Chevy Duramax 3500 4x4 weight ratings for a possible future purchase is this -

* Crew Cab Long Box DRW
Max payload 5,010
GVWR 13,025
RGAWR 9,375
5thwheel rating 22,800
GCWR 30,500

* Crew Cab Std Box SRW
Max Payload 4,020
GVWR 11,500
RGAWR 7,050
5thwheel rating 17,100
GCWR 24,500

Of course it will vary based on other body styles.

[synergy_58]

I can't seem to find any GM spec's on a 2015 Chevy Duramax/Allison, 3500, SRW, 4x4 for max towing capacity for fifth wheels, also for DRW's. I want to know what the differences are, between the SRW and the DRW. Anyone know?

[TXiceman]

neal10a wrote:
Separating the truth, wise tails, bias and etc is a real task on these forums.

Yes, a lot of the "so-called-experts" answer based on passion and nothing to do with facts. It is amazing at the number of experts that are telling you that you will do fine with a 3/4 ton truck and this is their first trailer and they have about a year of towing under their belt.

Ken

[wkswenson]

Want the real story (and the only truth) ask someone to tow your rig across the scales after you pack it up. Then work from there on what you really need and want for a safety margin knowing exactly what you have.

Everyone will have opinions and they may or may not be good - the scales don't provide any opinions, just facts.

We have a 2011 RAM3500 DRW/CC/LB/CTD because we have a heavy rig (similar weights to you) and don't want to have issues with wind, hills/mountains, etc - Sure I have seen our rig towed with a SRW but the weights that we have just don't support using that and still having some capacity in the bed of the truck for stuff.

My only opinion is to be safe in what ever your choice is and recommend you use the scales to determine the correct TV.

Safe Travels

[neal10a]

Separating the truth, wise tails, bias and etc is a real task on these forums.