Would you do it?

[camperforlife]

Pairing a 2021 GMC Sierra 2500 HD 6.6 gas and a Grand Design Reflection 320MKS.

Trailer is 10495 dry, 13995 GVWR and a dry pin weight of 2040. Truck GVWR 10450, GCWR 24000, RGAWR 6390, Curb 7078. Max payload 3372.
Fifth Wheel tow max 16650 and max pin of 2490.

The only issue I am seeing is the possibility of fully load being over the pin weight by 2-300 lbs if not loaded properly. Probably use a Anderson hitch to keep the weight down.

Anything I'm missing? I'm not looking for the get a 3500 comments, I'm asking if I'm missing anything that looks out of line besides being close on the pin weight. Thanks in advance.

[Sjm9911]

I will not coment on the towing aspect. But the gas tank is huge, so you can probably get 250-300 miles on a tank at 7-8 mpg.

[padredw]

I guess I'd have to say, I'm doing it, but I'm not telling anyone else to do it.

Your weights are very close to mine. I have been towing this 34' HitchHiker II for 14 years (see my travel map). We have towed over most of the passes in Colorado and many others in the western states. Two times in emergency situations we have had to tow without trailer brakes--once over Monarch Pass. The other time we had to tow back home from Coastal Georgia to East Texas (weekend and need to get home. No repair available). I would never advise to tow without trailer brakes, but I can say (like the Bumblebee) I was able to do it when I had to.

We have a 2017 Chevrolet Duramax diesel. We have actually been towing with a 2500 diesel with 4 different fifth-wheels for over 20 years, but we have towed this HitchHiker with the Chevrolet 2500 for over 100,000 miles. I have never felt any lack of control or stability on the highway or over high mountain passes.

Of course I'm pretty experienced: almost 200,000 miles of fifth-wheel towing and 88 years of age! :R :B

[ACZL]

Why not take a truck off dealer lot (similar to what you are looking at) filled w/ gas to a CAT scale to see what it actually weighs. Then you'll know for sure beforehand if your numbers will agree. I suspect the truck will be in neighborhood of 7700-8000 which would leave you not a whole heck of a lot of room on truck's GVW w/ "advertised" dry pin weight.

Let us know how you make out.

[Lantley]

valhalla360 wrote:
You are probably pushing the limits on the overall payload also.

Why are you getting a new truck but purposely getting one not suited to the expected use?

My thought as well. Get Bigger truck, bigger engine. Get a truck that will do the job vs. a truck that will be barely adequate.

[valhalla360]

You are probably pushing the limits on the overall payload also.

Why are you getting a new truck but purposely getting one not suited to the expected use?

[time2roll]

What else do you expect to carry in the truck? Four big adults? Tool box? Generator?
I think your max pin could easily get to 2700-3000 depending on how and what is loaded. Never seen a max pin rating.
Yea I would probably go for it but hard to recommend it to someone else. By the time you get it on a scale all the numbers may actually work but hard to say for certain.

[camperforlife]

MNRon wrote:

I’d seriously consider a diesel, it will put a smile on your face when you pull 🙂

I get that but the mileage difference between the diesel and gas isn't that great any longer, diesel is significantly higher where I live and then there's that 9K upcharge. For the number of miles that I'm going to tow the diesel just doesn't make financial sense. The new 6.6 gas numbers are impressive.

[MNRon]

2500 vs 3500 is really just about pin weight, which you already have a handle on. Frankly, for the small upcharge I’d get the 3500, but I digress...

The only question that stands out to me is ‘gas’? I pulled a 9000lb TT with a 3/4Yukon, pulled well except on a steep grade out west, but couldn’t pass a gas station for my life; it got 7mpg. Now I pull a 16000lb 5er with a diesel, hills are no problem and 10-11mpg is constant.

I’d seriously consider a diesel, it will put a smile on your face when you pull 🙂