Looking for BH for my newer 06 1500 TV

[lawrosa]

Hi All.

I did a search and looked at contless manufacturer sites and can not find the right weight and floor plan for my newer 2006 silverado 1500..

My s 10 did a great job of pulling the coachmen 4500 lbs trailer but my new TV dont even know its back there.

With that said I traveled alone in the s10 when I towed. I was at max weight limits.

Now with the new truck I should be able to fit the family in there and have enough payload left for something a bit bigger..

The 06 silverado says payload of 1500 lbs. I did not get my max yet if I go by the axle weights. Which I do.

Ill have 600 lbs in cab and bed with camper stuff. Just sewer hose, alum jacks, pads, hoses, ect..

Im fine with a 7500 lb or less TT.

I am looking for the bigger beds in the bunk area. not the coffins. Queen of course in master,

But the kicker is I hate the dining and coach on the same slide and that crappy TV position.

And I hate the dues openings to the master with the TV centered.

Is there something out there with this type of seating?

I was looking at gulf streams, star crafts , and jaycos so far.

Any help would be apreciated.

Oh and my vin tag got waxed off on the door. So not sure of the axle weights.

Anyone with a 2006 silverado long bed ext cab out there 4x4? 5.3 L

I read thet the front may be 3925 lbs and the rear 3750 lb axle weights..

Thanks all..

[lawrosa]

bartlettj wrote:
You should be able to open the glovebox on your Silverado and find a sticker with a whole bunch of letters on it. These are the RPO codes. If you search them on line, it will tell you which axles, suspension package, gear ratios, and a whole bunch of other stuff that your truck is equipped with.

Yes thank you. I have the trailering suspension package z85.

G 80 locker

3:42\ rear GU 6

LM7 Motor

Trans cooler but I am putting larger 30K GVW model in.

Dont know what else to look for.

[mikakuja]

I am towing a Cruiser MPG 2400BH ultra light (26ft/29ft overall, 5005 lbs dry, 7565 lbs GVWR, 565 lbs hitch) with an 01 Sierra extended SB 5.3L Auto 4x4. I have beefed up the rear springs as they are not the best stock. Trans has mild build but otherwise the truck is stock with just shy of 350k on her.... No issues towing through the mountain passes.

[bartlettj]

You should be able to open the glovebox on your Silverado and find a sticker with a whole bunch of letters on it. These are the RPO codes. If you search them on line, it will tell you which axles, suspension package, gear ratios, and a whole bunch of other stuff that your truck is equipped with.

[lawrosa]

mrbreeze az wrote:
TV was a priority for my family also. I like the position of the TV in the Salem. I am also towing with a half ton pickup 2005 F-150. Originally we were looking for a unit with a slide out but needed bunks too. We realized the slide put us out of our weight range and found the Forest River 261BHXL without the slide but had the queen bed, bunks, sofa and dinette with clear view of the TV for nighttime viewing. After much research and evaluation I set the limit of 5000 pounds dry weight for my half ton pickup. This allowed for extra cargo weight and hill climbing. Will be taking it out next month for the first climb up to the mountains. I expect a slow and steady climb and descent without any issues. We have a weight distribution hitch and sway control. I hope this helps.

Oh yes I will research that unit and please post back how you do. Like I said I towed my current camper with the newer truck and it whipped it around like it wasnt even back there.

My current camper comes in at 4500 lbs or so..

And just an FYI why I need bunk house. Often its my 2 boys and wife and I in our current camper. When my one son dont come my daughter and the two grand kids meet us.

We sleep 7 in this...

[lawrosa]

PUCampin wrote:

APT wrote:
Stay under 6k dry and you should still be comfortable with the 2006 Silverado.

With few exceptions this is a good general rule of thumb for any 1/2 ton. Payload runs out quickly followed by rear axle capacity. If you can live without a slide (like the above Salem 261BHXL) it will go a long ways in keeping the weight down. Slides weigh a lot.

When I installed our TV I bought an inexpensive articulating arm from monoprice. It puts the TV 18 inches out from the default location, out far enough to be viewed easily from the couch or one of the dinette seats, it can also be flipped and be viewed from the main bed. The arm folds and the TV stores easily in the opening meant for an old tube TV. I was originally against the idea of a TV but with 3 little kids it was part of life, particularly during the evening after its dark and we are winding down, bathing, etc. We have a set of videos that lives in the trailer that they only get to watch when camping.

Early on in my family camping adventure I learned that camping means something different to everyone and it is not up to me to judge. What my wife or kids enjoy may not the same as me (i.e. wife and 2 of 3 kids would rather sit inside and read do puzzles etc. than sit by a campfire) and that is ok. The most important thing is spending time together and having fun.

Thanks for the wonderful reply.. Yes I was thinking to get the swing arm for the TV. Im glad you understand about the children too.

I would prefer no slide either but there are not many to chose from. I will say this that I like this model and only wished it had a very small slide to move the couch out a bit..

What do you think? 500 dry. 2600 CCC. About 7600 GVW but I doubt I can load that much stuff in it... Food and clothes dont weight that much..


275FBG


here is a vid. I like the social aspect... The kitchen seems cornerd though if you know what I mean.


275FBG

[mrbreeze_az]

TV was a priority for my family also. I like the position of the TV in the Salem. I am also towing with a half ton pickup 2005 F-150. Originally we were looking for a unit with a slide out but needed bunks too. We realized the slide put us out of our weight range and found the Forest River 261BHXL without the slide but had the queen bed, bunks, sofa and dinette with clear view of the TV for nighttime viewing. After much research and evaluation I set the limit of 5000 pounds dry weight for my half ton pickup. This allowed for extra cargo weight and hill climbing. Will be taking it out next month for the first climb up to the mountains. I expect a slow and steady climb and descent without any issues. We have a weight distribution hitch and sway control. I hope this helps.

[lawrosa]

nickthehunter wrote:
I am always amazed as to how many people put the television at the top of their priorities. I have been camping for about 25 years and I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times I've spent more then 15 or 20 minutes watching TV while camping. I would Stay home if I wanted a quality television experience, it's a lot cheaper. I go camping for the "alternatives" to watching television. In my opinion, the seating arrangement for the television is a not even a consideration.

Top priority's are my children. They like to watch TV when we camp and when we are in the camper for the evening and talk as a family.

Do you have children?

When my young children try to sleep and we put then down for the night we use the TV.

Put an 8 year old to bed and turn out the light and tell him to go to sleep. Let me know how you make out with that.

But who wants to keep their head at a 90 degree angle watching night time programing...

I was just asking if there were BH models with better TV viewing arrangements in a 7500 lb GVW trailer. And trying to give a better prespective of what I am dealing with in my TV..

Sheesh!!! You guys are too much on this site... Not friendly at all. You all just criticize ...

[lawrosa]

Muddydogs wrote:
Whats a newer 2006 Silverado 1500? Are they making a magic potion that turns a 10 year old pickup new again?

If you read the thread and my post I towed with a 1996 s10.

Are you trying to be funny? As my question was related to floorplans for a bunk house 7500 lbs or lighter.

Yes. I am low income and a 2006 silverado is a newer truck to me and what I can afford.

"Newer" Definition---- Not new... Newer then my previous TV..

Thanks for making me feel bad about myself and making fun of me.

[lawrosa]

SoundGuy wrote:

lawrosa wrote:

Towing 7500 lbs with a 2006 5.3L Silvy? ... thanks for my morning chuckle. :W Funny now, but not so much if you actually attempt it ... first tow and you'll be wondering what the heck you were thinking. :R No way, no how is this truck suitable for towing any more than ~ 6000 lbs fully loaded, particularly if it's running GM's ubiquitous non-tow friendly 3.42 axle. Having towed our 5500 lb (fully loaded) KZ Spree for 4 yrs with this same truck over just about every terrain one might encounter I wouldn't have wanted to tow any more. I replaced that truck with an Avalanche - same engine, same wide ratio 4-spd transmission that isn't anywhere near as capable as the current narrow ratio 6-spd, and same non-tow friendly 3.42 axle ratio. Our current trailer is 1000 lbs lighter, ~ 4500 lbs loaded and ready to camp, and even though my passenger load is lighter because it's now just my wife and I our Av does just OK and certainly wouldn't set any land speed records. Towing 7500 lbs? - not a chance. Not only is there insufficient grunt under the hood for this size of trailer but you'll run out of sufficient payload capacity to account for trailer tongue weight transferred to the truck l-o-n-g before you get anywhere near the truck's GCWR. Prove it to yourself - fill the truck tank, mount weight distribution including spring bars, and go weigh it. Subtract your weight from the scale reading and you'll have your particular truck's dead weight as it's sits there ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that number from it's GVWR and you'll have it's actual, real world payload capacity ... and it won't be anywhere near 1500 lbs, guaranteed. Believe otherwise and you're dreaming. 😉

Well thanks for the uneducated response.. Do you relize I pulled my current camper of 4500 lbs with an s 10? V 6? That s 10 had a payload of 765 lbs? And riding alone I was 500 lbs below my axle ratings on the rear.?

I get so frustrated at answers like this. Your best off not posting anything..

So now my V8 300 HP newer truck vs my 1996 s 10 190 HP tows my camper like its not back there.

No kidding my capacity will not be 1500 pounds. This aint my first rodeo ya know.

Im just looking for adive on camper layouts. I know what I can tow. I drove tractor trailers for many years.

That 1500 silvy I have is more then capible of pulling 8000 lbs with an 700 lb TW trust me. Yes 600 in the cab at the high end and I have about 800 for TW.

That 5.3 is more then capible. 3 42 or 3 73 makes no difference. its a 200 RPM difference.

7500 lbs is GVW of trailer not UL trailer.

Plus I know the 4l60E trans as my s 10 has the same. I have the biggest trans cooler I can fit as thats the weakest link.

GVW? You go by axle weight as max.

Uggg.

I dont expect anyone to answer my trailer recommendation here as the weight police are on the scene it seems.

Dont worry about me... Ive towed 50K lbs driving a B61 mack triplex and know all about towing..

Im looking for trailer recommendations is all..

[PUCampin]

APT wrote:
Stay under 6k dry and you should still be comfortable with the 2006 Silverado.

With few exceptions this is a good general rule of thumb for any 1/2 ton. Payload runs out quickly followed by rear axle capacity. If you can live without a slide (like the above Salem 261BHXL) it will go a long ways in keeping the weight down. Slides weigh a lot.

When I installed our TV I bought an inexpensive articulating arm from monoprice. It puts the TV 18 inches out from the default location, out far enough to be viewed easily from the couch or one of the dinette seats, it can also be flipped and be viewed from the main bed. The arm folds and the TV stores easily in the opening meant for an old tube TV. I was originally against the idea of a TV but with 3 little kids it was part of life, particularly during the evening after its dark and we are winding down, bathing, etc. We have a set of videos that lives in the trailer that they only get to watch when camping.

Early on in my family camping adventure I learned that camping means something different to everyone and it is not up to me to judge. What my wife or kids enjoy may not the same as me (i.e. wife and 2 of 3 kids would rather sit inside and read do puzzles etc. than sit by a campfire) and that is ok. The most important thing is spending time together and having fun.

[APT]

Stay under 6k dry and you should still be comfortable with the 2006 Silverado.

[nickthehunter]

I am always amazed as to how many people put the television at the top of their priorities. I have been camping for about 25 years and I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times I've spent more then 15 or 20 minutes watching TV while camping. I would Stay home if I wanted a quality television experience, it's a lot cheaper. I go camping for the "alternatives" to watching television. In my opinion, the seating arrangement for the television is a not even a consideration.

[_DJ_1]

This may be of some help to you determining your tow capacity.

Tow Guide

[Muddydogs]

Whats a newer 2006 Silverado 1500? Are they making a magic potion that turns a 10 year old pickup new again?

[SoundGuy]

lawrosa wrote:
I did a search and looked at contless manufacturer sites and can not find the right weight and floor plan for my newer 2006 silverado 1500..

The 06 silverado says payload of 1500 lbs. I did not get my max yet if I go by the axle weights. Which I do.

Ill have 600 lbs in cab and bed with camper stuff. Just sewer hose, alum jacks, pads, hoses, ect..

Im fine with a 7500 lb or less TT.

Towing 7500 lbs with a 2006 5.3L Silvy? ... thanks for my morning chuckle. :W Funny now, but not so much if you actually attempt it ... first tow and you'll be wondering what the heck you were thinking. :R No way, no how is this truck suitable for towing any more than ~ 6000 lbs fully loaded, particularly if it's running GM's ubiquitous non-tow friendly 3.42 axle. Having towed our 5500 lb (fully loaded) KZ Spree for 4 yrs with this same truck over just about every terrain one might encounter I wouldn't have wanted to tow any more. I replaced that truck with an Avalanche - same engine, same wide ratio 4-spd transmission that isn't anywhere near as capable as the current narrow ratio 6-spd, and same non-tow friendly 3.42 axle ratio. Our current trailer is 1000 lbs lighter, ~ 4500 lbs loaded and ready to camp, and even though my passenger load is lighter because it's now just my wife and I our Av does just OK and certainly wouldn't set any land speed records. Towing 7500 lbs? - not a chance. Not only is there insufficient grunt under the hood for this size of trailer but you'll run out of sufficient payload capacity to account for trailer tongue weight transferred to the truck l-o-n-g before you get anywhere near the truck's GCWR. Prove it to yourself - fill the truck tank, mount weight distribution including spring bars, and go weigh it. Subtract your weight from the scale reading and you'll have your particular truck's dead weight as it's sits there ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that number from it's GVWR and you'll have it's actual, real world payload capacity ... and it won't be anywhere near 1500 lbs, guaranteed. Believe otherwise and you're dreaming. 😉