....What options are suggested for this truck with an AF865? Is the Snow Plow option a good idea & why? Please give me suggestions & why... Thanks!

Snow plow option? I wouldnt. Load the truck with features like you want it, load the camper and go. A 3500 SRW should have around a 11,000 GVWR. You can pretty much guess that it will scale ready to go around 7500 to 8000 pounds if this is a duramax. Figure 800 pounds less if you go gas. Add the campers weight plus 800 pounds for stuff. That is a ball park number you should weigh.Just looked at the numbers. The camper is listed at 2800 pounds, so personally I would look at a 4000 number for the camper loaded ready to go. IF the truxk has a 11,000 GVWR and IF the truck scales 7000 pounds, then your good. Otherwise your lokely going to exceed mfg GVWR number.

..... I should have said 2019 GMC 3500 Duramax Dually LB CC 4WD with an AF865... My apologies....

not sure about GM but with ram if you have a truck with a snow plow prep option you get a sticker that states that the truck is not recommended for truck camper use, some body must have tried to plow snow with a camper loaded and had a warranty claim ? When we ordered our current truck for TC use we watched the weight closely so we would end up with the largest payload we could get but of course that means 2WD , Gas, even buckets seats gives you a few more pounds of payload on paper, but our crew cab DRW 6.4 with 4.10's has almost a 7K payload rating and 6k camper rating 14k GVWR, the gas motor handles the camper weight and we are not towing anything ,of course its not like our last diesel truck but works for us .

RPO Code VYU (found on the sticker in the glove compartment)Snow Plow Prep Package, includes 10-amp power for backup and roof emergency light, (KG3) 145-amp alternator, high-flow front bumper, forward lamp wiring harness, 1.65" (42 mm) access hole with grommet in front of dash panel, roof beacon lamp provisions with switch on the instrument panel, instrument panel jumper wiring harness for electric trailer brake controller, (K47) high-capacity air cleaner and (NZZ) Skid Plate Package.Mike

Since your 3500 is a dually it will be rated to carry the weight of that camper with no problems. The snow plow prep package usually includes higher rate front springs, which may actually be helpful with the camper. I just bought a 2019 F350 and it came equipped with both the snow plow package and the camper package (and a fifth wheel hitch prep package, and a gooseneck hitch prep package, and pretty much every other prep package they could throw on it). So the snow plow package and camper package are not mutually exclusive, at least not with Ford. Finding a truck with both sure is hard to do though. I looked through hundreds of trucks in on-line inventory, and only found two or three trucks that had both packages.

2019 GMC 3500HD Options | Good Sam Community

Marcela
Explorer
Sep 29, 2018
#1Flyboy wrote:
Marcella.... Do you have any pictures this?...

I'm guessing you're talking about the brace. It is evident when you go to install torklift tiedowns what I am talking about.

I actually used 2" x 1/8" angle. You just need a big bit to drill the hole through, and space the hole away from the angle so that it holds the nut while you tighten it down, and maybe need a longer bolt. The angle is about 11" long so it spans top to bottom of the frame.
_1Flyboy
Explorer
Sep 29, 2018
Marcella.... Do you have any pictures this?...
Marcela
Explorer
Sep 27, 2018
GeoBoy wrote:
finsruskw wrote:
I think that is due to frame flex and not the front axle.

GM has one of the stiffest frames of the big 3.

It is a pretty good frame, fully boxed. I looked at a F550 frame and ford strengthened it by overlaying another piece on top and outside, probably engineered correctly but looked kind of cheesy.

Re the camper tie downs at the front on GM, there is a metal plate that is on the outside of the frame with a large bolt that goes through to a nut on the inside. If you do the recommended torque to whatever pounds they recommend it pinches the frame. Get a piece of angle 1/8" x 1.5" and put a hole through it and use it to span top to bottom, plenty of room on the passenger side, on the drivers side it is tight but doable. Doesn't pinch the frame this way and gives much better support.
_1Flyboy
Explorer
Sep 27, 2018
.... I'm pretty sure that I'll order the snow plow package on the 2019 GMC Denali Duramax CC LB Dually 3500... Had a 2007 LBZ & it was flawless.... Isuzu designed the motor for GM; largest MFG of diesel in the world...And the Allison is proven....
GeoBoy
Explorer
Sep 26, 2018
finsruskw wrote:
I think that is due to frame flex and not the front axle.

GM has one of the stiffest frames of the big 3.
PhilR
Explorer II
Sep 26, 2018
My 2013 Chevy 2500 HD with plow package has camper loading data on a sticker in the glove box. Nothing says campers not allowed with plow package. I'll be taking delivery of my 2019 3500 HD w/ plow package next week....nothing in the truck build sheet says no campers.
towpro
Explorer
Sep 26, 2018
Devocamper wrote:
not sure about GM but with ram if you have a truck with a snow plow prep option you get a sticker that states that the truck is not recommended for truck camper use, some body must have tried to plow snow with a camper loaded and had a warranty claim ?

I had this problem on my 2015, but many calls to factory resulted in them sending me a piece of paper with real numbers on it.
Than I bought a 2018 custom ordered truck, and it came without any paper for camper loading. I tried but gave up. Factory would say the dealer should be able to supply that, dealer looked at me like they had no idea what I was talking about. I think the lot boy who pretended to clean the truck before delivery threw it out.
finsruskw
Explorer
Sep 26, 2018
I think that is due to frame flex and not the front axle.
54suds
Explorer
Sep 25, 2018
Bedlam wrote:
Stiffer front suspension will reduce fore and aft pitching.

what many tc ers call porpoising
finsruskw
Explorer
Sep 25, 2018
What??
About losing weight off the front axle when the camper is on board??
I would think a heavier duty front axle would make the truck ride rougher.
Then lose some weight when the camper is loaded, and make it ride even more rough??

I loose about 400 pounds off the front axle on my '15 Ram 3500 dually when I load the 1181. Can't really tell much difference though in the ride. The overhead struts help a lot in the ride dept.