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Towing Information

pcaffrey
Explorer
Explorer
New to this forum and have no experience with 5th wheel units, have towed TT's for many years. Here is the question, truck is 2016 Chevy 2500 HD, 6.0L 6 speed, 4.10 gears. Looking at a Larado 30 ft bunkhouse 5th wheel, 2006. Wt 8445/11500. Bunkhouse is a must. Truck towing capacity is 14200. What if any issues am I likely to encounter. Thank you.
13 REPLIES 13

Pipeman
Explorer
Explorer
Pulling a 5th wheel trailer is like driving a semi pulling a trailer. When going around bends in the road you go to the center line and turn because the rear end of the 5er will turn short if you don't. When making turns you have to turn wide as the 5er will turn short. It doesn't follow the truck's tracks. When backing look at the wheels of the trailer not the rear end of the trailer, to see where the trailer is going. 5ers don't react as fast as a TT. When backing into a spot it's handy to have a spotter whom you trust. You can use hand signals or portable radios or phones. Don't let your attention wander when getting into a sight. Be aware of your surroundings and that's up as well as the sides. Do your homework on what the GVWR is on your truck not what it can pull. That's the load it can take after you have everything in the truck that you're going to travel with. Gear, people, fuel, hitch,elephants, etc. If you can, get the truck weighed with all that in the truck and then subtract that from the GVWR and that tells you how much weight you can put onto the truck, namely the weight of the king pin when the 5er is loaded.
Pipeman
Ontario, Canada
Full Member
35 year Fire Fighter(retired)
VE3PJF

laknox
Nomad
Nomad
pcaffrey wrote:
Sticker on the door of the truck states 2982 LBS. The pin on then trailer I'm looking at is 1740, is that loaded or empty?


Almost certainly that's a dry weight. What's the GVW of that FW? Take 20% of that number to get a very rough idea of the pin weight you could have. To reiterate, this is a worst-case scenario since most people never get close to the GVW of their RV. Yes, there are a couple guys here, with very heavy and well-built FWs, that =do= load their FW over the placard GVW, but they do so with full knowledge of what they're doing and with the advice of the mfr. These guys really are true exceptions and will admit it.

Lyle
2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax
B&W OEM Companion & Gooseneck Kit
2017 KZ Durango 1500 D277RLT
1936 John Deere Model A
International Flying Farmers 64 Year Member

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
I didn't see the specs on the trailer but the 1740 lb figures most likely will be a dry pin weight.

Your 2500 GM has a 6200 RAWR that will carry all the pin weigh. Its common to weigh a truck front and rear axles separately that way you know exactly how much "payload" the truck will carry.
Many 2500 GM trucks can weigh in the 2800 lb range which leaves around 3400 lbs for a payload. Actual scale weights when the truck is road ready will give you the exact numbers.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

pcaffrey
Explorer
Explorer
Sticker on the door of the truck states 2982 LBS. The pin on then trailer I'm looking at is 1740, is that loaded or empty?

laknox
Nomad
Nomad
pcaffrey wrote:
New to this forum and have no experience with 5th wheel units, have towed TT's for many years. Here is the question, truck is 2016 Chevy 2500 HD, 6.0L 6 speed, 4.10 gears. Looking at a Larado 30 ft bunkhouse 5th wheel, 2006. Wt 8445/11500. Bunkhouse is a must. Truck towing capacity is 14200. What if any issues am I likely to encounter. Thank you.


First off, check the =payload= numbers for the specific truck you're looking at or own. Yellow sticker on the door pillar driver's side. An 11,500 GVW FW is likely to have anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 lbs on the pin at GVW, that that's =much= more critical to the setup than is the "tow rating". Yes, the GVW #'s are a worst-case scenario and you'll likely never hit GVW, if you pack smart, but you just might find yourself in it one day, and want to be safe if you do. Don't forget that the payload listed on the sticker is for 1 150 lb driver and full fuel. Add the hitch, wife, kids, pets and "stuff", and all that comes off the available payload for the pin. If you can, see if you can find others that own the exact FW you're looking at and have real-world weights on their setup.

Lyle
2022 GMC Sierra 3500 HD Denali Crew Cab 4x4 Duramax
B&W OEM Companion & Gooseneck Kit
2017 KZ Durango 1500 D277RLT
1936 John Deere Model A
International Flying Farmers 64 Year Member

Fabguy
Explorer
Explorer
AirBiscuit wrote:
robwhite61 wrote:
1ofmany wrote:
One "issue" you might experience is that backing fifth wheels is different than backing a conventional trailer. With practice and patience, you will soon catch on.


And lots of both! :B


Explain? How is it different? I will need to know this myself shortly. Everything I read is that it's easier to tow and easier to maneuver.


I can say, for myself, that in backing the 5er is slower to start maneuvers and slower to correct, and slower to correct "over steer" situations.

I could jackknife my old bumper pull into a spot and set it on a gnats ass. The 5er is more of an "angle it in slowly" type of situation.
Jeff


2002 GMC Sierra 2500HD 8.1/Allison/4:10/Prodigy brake controler/Pullrite Superglide
Pulling a 2015 Keystone Cougar 280RLS

AirBiscuit
Explorer
Explorer
robwhite61 wrote:
1ofmany wrote:
One "issue" you might experience is that backing fifth wheels is different than backing a conventional trailer. With practice and patience, you will soon catch on.


And lots of both! :B


Explain? How is it different? I will need to know this myself shortly. Everything I read is that it's easier to tow and easier to maneuver.

robwhite61
Explorer
Explorer
1ofmany wrote:
One "issue" you might experience is that backing fifth wheels is different than backing a conventional trailer. With practice and patience, you will soon catch on.


And lots of both! :B
2001 Ford F-350 DRW, 7.3L Turbo Charged
2013 Heartland Prowler 31 PRET

1ofmany
Explorer
Explorer
One "issue" you might experience is that backing fifth wheels is different than backing a conventional trailer. With practice and patience, you will soon catch on.

therink
Explorer
Explorer
I had exact same truck, gasser 6.0 with 4:10 axle (2012) and towed 12k fiver in signature. You will be ok, but will feel hills. Let the engine wind out to 4000+ rpms when needed, watch transmission temp and let transmission work going down hill to keep from overheating brakes. Watch payload, you will be at limits with 2500.
Steve Rinker
Rochester, NY
2013 Keystone Sydney 340FBH 5th Wheel, 12,280 lbs loaded (scale)
2015.5 GMC Sierra Denali 3500, SRW, Duramax, CC, Payload 3,700 (sticker- not scaled yet)

Take my posts for what they are, opinions based on my own experiences.

Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Explorer II
I am kinda like GP. Tow a 10K fifth wheel with the 6.2 Ford with 4.30 diffy thru the Smokies all the time.

Should be no prob.

GPG52_
Explorer II
Explorer II
Welcome to the forum:
What you will need to consider is I) weight of the Larado II) Pin weight (or payload)
We have a Ford F250 Super Duty, 6.2L, 4.3
ratio, 6spd pulling a Cougar 327 RES. Our trucks sound very similar configured. Our 5th wheel comes in at about 11,500 dry, ~37 ft. We have no problem towing with this combo. Travelled from Ontario to Orlando, Fl. through the mountains with no problems.
GPG ๐Ÿ™‚
2014 Ford F250, 6.2L, 4.30 Ratio, 6 speed
2014 Cougar (by Keystone) 327 RES

AirBiscuit
Explorer
Explorer
Well I have the 2015 of that exact truck and in my opinion you're fine. I'll be pulling an 11k loaded fifth in a few weeks and I'm not worried.