Towing a Fifth Wheel with 3/4 ton Gasser

rb2boxer · 11-11-2018, 03:53 PM

I was wondering if any Chevy people out there tow a 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton 6.0L. I have a TT now and want to upgrade and although I was hoping to get a diesel there is no way I can upgrade the truck now, the diesel is just not in the budget.

Please don't let this become a gas vs diesel debate. I am just looking for to see if anyone is doing it (what are you pulling) and how the truck does? It pulls my Eagle 314BHDS well but it does scream at times

Thanks!

hankb11 · 11-11-2018, 05:18 PM

I do. Which 5th wheel are you looking at.

merlinhomeauto · 11-11-2018, 05:41 PM

I towed my 5er with a Chevy 2500 6.0 with no problem only got the diesel for fuel milage and I wanted it.

Rustic Eagle · 11-11-2018, 05:44 PM

The following JOF link has a few 3/4 ton gassers pulling FW's......, specifically the thread identifies "actual scaled weights" of loaded FW's (and TT's). The scaled FW weights may be helpful in your do-diligence.

FW & TT Scaled Loaded Weights: https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...t-57188-5.html

Bob

rb2boxer · 11-11-2018, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hankb11

I do. Which 5th wheel are you looking at.

It looks like I would have to stay in the HT range as far as weight. We liked the 30.5MBOK.

rb2boxer · 11-11-2018, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlinhomeauto

I towed my 5er with a Chevy 2500 6.0 with no problem only got the diesel for fuel milage and I wanted it.

What 5er do you have?

RobWNY · 11-11-2018, 07:10 PM

I had a 2015 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0L when I bought my 5th wheel. I had plenty of engine. Where I had issues was with payload. By the time I added the Pin Weight, My weight, My wife's weight and additional cargo weight of stuff in the truck, I was at max payload. I ended up trading for a Ram one ton with a lot more payload and the 6.4L Hemi. Just keep things under max payload and you'll be fine.

TCNashville · 11-11-2018, 08:16 PM

My 2017 F-250 STX gasser has a payload capacity of 3500lbs. The limiting factor for this truck is it's only rated to tow 12,500lbs max so many of the fifth wheels we were looking at are out of our range. Any of the HT models would work for us but we want a bedroom slide.

RedHorse1 · 11-11-2018, 08:43 PM

Just an opinion but I’d expect if you are within weight ratings you can make it work. The gasser May have to work harder and you may need to go easier on hills. A visit to a CAT Scale would let you estimate what weight 5th would be tolerable.

Ruth · 11-12-2018, 06:21 AM

I do. Originally towed 34ft Puma TT, now tow 2018 Eagle HT 27.5 RKDS FW. Had an 07 2500 HD now have a 2018 2500HD High Country both trucks towed with no problems.

TxLoser · 11-12-2018, 07:14 AM

I've said this in earlier threads, but I'd think an HT model would work fine so long as you had the 4.10 rear end. I towed a travel trailer with the 3.73 and that was not fun. 4.10 would've been a different story. I'd say go for it.

Shall36 · 11-12-2018, 06:21 PM

Been there. Did it. Debated between the 325 and the 29.5 BHDS. The 325 would have been pushing it. We did the 29.5 and the truck does well. It’s not the most relaxing experience but it’s a good match. I have a 2015 GMC 2500HD with the 6.0.

Check out the GM Trucks forum. There’s one fellow over there doing 12.5K with his and he told me it’s been working out well for him.

Big1 · 11-13-2018, 12:30 AM

I had a 2016 6.4 hemi with the 4.10 gears it tow my Denali with no problem, I tow it to NV and back from Washingon State. It was thirsty and it did tow the mountain with no problem but I had to keep it at a high rpm so if you don't mind that yes it can and will do it, oh my payload was about 3000 lbs and my towing was 15,000 lbs.

BJR · 11-13-2018, 07:22 AM

I'd been considering it and here's my research. We have a 2018 2500HD with the 6.0L. It's the crew cab, 4WD, standard box. Fully loaded for camping, the truck weighed in at about 7,980 with the hitch in the receiver. That leaves us with about 1,500lb payload capacity. (Axle weights were fine) Our door jamb sticker says 2,652 for payload. Figuring the pin weight on the average FW would be 20 - 25 percent of the GVWR, I started to feel like we wouldn't be able to find one that we could tow safely.

Did we have some weight savings available in the truck? Sure. Probably a couple of hundred pounds. The diesel may be worse if the 2500 GVWR isn't bumped up to 10k. (So then you're in 3500 territory)

Long story short, I went back to look at the 32' bumper pulls and figured out they were cheaper and I could tow more camper.

Shall36 · 11-13-2018, 08:16 AM

If you are under on the 10.5” axle ratings, you are good. Any of the HT models would be a good fit. If you get much over 11k loaded on the trailer, you’ll start running out of motor.

I personally would rather have an HT Fifth than a TT.

Les7h · 11-13-2018, 09:26 AM

Does anybody think about stopping? Les

Shall36 · 11-13-2018, 09:41 AM

My rig will stop so hard that anything in the cab that’s not strapped down will fly forward. I can stop hard enough to scare the wife and kids. The 2500 HDs have great stopping power with large 4-wheel discs and hydraboost. While I wouldn’t want to on a regular basis, I could stop my rig without trailer brakes. My trailer is about 10.5k loaded.

triplebvalp · 11-13-2018, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rb2boxer

I was wondering if any Chevy people out there tow a 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton 6.0L. I have a TT now and want to upgrade and although I was hoping to get a diesel there is no way I can upgrade the truck now, the diesel is just not in the budget.

Please don't let this become a gas vs diesel debate. I am just looking for to see if anyone is doing it (what are you pulling) and how the truck does? It pulls my Eagle 314BHDS well but it does scream at times

Thanks!

rb2boxer, check my sig. No issues at all … get 7 - 9 mpg with cruise set at 63 mph in tow/haul mode.

mass-hole · 11-13-2018, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Les7h

Does anybody think about stopping? Les

Arnt 3/4 ton and 1 tons effectively the same truck with different GVWR? So I wouldn’t be worried about it unless you were towing over GCWR

Shall36 · 11-13-2018, 12:30 PM

For GM, yes. The 2500 gas comes with a 10.5” rear while the 2500 diesel comes with the 11.5” rear. The 3500 trucks all come the 11.5” rear. 3500 trucks have an overload spring.

Gas owners will run out of motor before anything else. Diesel 2500 owners will run over on weight as the 2500 class is capped at 10k GVWR for classification purposes, but that 10k doesn’t reflect a real physical limitation.

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