2018 GMC 2500HD - Jayco Eagle HT 29.5 bhds

[SickDay]

Originally Posted by Loomis077

It’s really starting to look like a real possibility that trying to get this 5th wheel and truck combo close to correct might be more of a headache than anything and may persuade us to stick with a travel trailer setup.

With the shackle in the lower position and 16" wheels/tires you would be done. My truck is taller than yours and it is fine. I was really stressed about it while looking for a new fifth wheel and it turned out to be a waste of time.

[Road Warrior 241]

Loomis, I have the 29.5 BHDS, I tow with a RAM 2500 and it pulls like a dream, crossed the Continental Divide 6 times last year on a 5000 mile trip to BANFF. Just returned from a 600 mile pull from Mickey World yesterday. I have the Curt sliding hitch, but hardly ever need to use it, AND i have a toolbox in my short bed.

I required the dealer to install a Moryde pinbox in my unit before I purchased it. It has cushioned mounts and does not ever bang you around.

[Road Warrior 241]

My floor squeaks as well, But it does not seem to have gotten any worse after 7000 miles.

[bkramer]

I have a 2016 29.5 BHDS. I towed it with a GMC 1500 Sierra with a 6.2L engine and it towed fine. I just recently upgraded to a 2020 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.6L gas, i haven't pulled the camper yet with this truck. I am in the process of shopping for 16" wheels for the camper though. I have the 15" wheels on my camper now and my new 3/4 ton truck is much higher than my 1/2 ton, so the 16" upgrade should help with that. I am positive your 6.0 Gas will pull it fine. Good luck and happy camping.

[Loomis077]

Update:
We ordered our 29.5 BHDS today. We found a dealer that had one on order so we put a deposit on it and they called the factory to have it built with our options. It’s supposed to be built end of April/beginning of May.

After tons of research both here on on the Jayco app that gives measurements like pin box height, my own measurements, etc. we ordered it with the 16” wheel/tire upgrade, springs in lower holes on the mounts, and a B&W Patriot 16k hitch. Between the trailer pin box height listed with the wheel upgrade 52.25” and the distance I measured between the overhang and the flat at the pin box, 11”, the trailer should be 63” tall to the overhang level and my truck is 58” to the top of the tonneau cover rail unladen, I believe I will have 7” of bedrail clearance if the truck squats about 2” with the pin weight. That should make truck and trailer all level. If not, I still have a couple inches I could go higher on the B&W.

[nynethead]

I own a 2018 eagle HT 29.5 purchase new, I ordered it from factory with the 16" Goodyear tires. I had towed the first 2 years with my 2006 chevy 2500HD diesel. I purchase a 2020 2500HD gasser and used it to tow once at the end on 2020. Tows the same as my older diesel, actually has higher tow capacity and payload than my 2006. After reading about the shackles I may need to go to the lower setting as I noticed that the tires will hit the under floor if you hit a big bump on the highway, doesn't happen all the time but looking at fixing this issue. By the way great trailer, had to fix a few things coming out of the factory, but over all a nice family trailer and easy to tow.

[Loomis077]

Update:

Our 29.5 BHDS arrived at the dealership on May 18th. That certainly is not bad since I was told 3 weeks prior it should be coming off the line on May 14th. Dealer got my hitch in today. Since I don’t have the puck system I went with the B&W Patriot 18k hitch, standard hitch. I asked the service manager about the wedge for the Turning Point pin box as I hear the LCI wedge doesn’t fit the B&W jaws as good as the one Reese makes for the B&W. She left B&W a voicemail about it but hadn’t heard back yet.

My question now is, should I have the wedge put in place to use the rotational ability of the pin box, or should I have them leave it locked and use it like a regular pin box with my standard hitch and 6.5’ bed on my 2018 GMC 2500. A lot of people I know are using standard hitches on 6.5’ beds with even older 5ers without the rounded back front caps without issues.

[nynethead]

The front caps on the HT series are cut on the corners to allow a tighter cut without sliding hitch

[SickDay]

Up to you. I use and really like the rotating pin box. I can easily go over 90 degrees (not that I would want to). It is a smidge trickier to back up to but I dont find it to be a problem.

Extra benefits:
- you can rotate the pin box out of the way when you are camping or in storage so nobody whacks their head
- you end up with more bed space since you can pile stuff on either side of the pin box since it doesn't swing around in the bed.

[Loomis077]

Originally Posted by SickDay

Up to you. I use and really like the rotating pin box. I can easily go over 90 degrees (not that I would want to). It is a smidge trickier to back up to but I dont find it to be a problem.

Extra benefits:
- you can rotate the pin box out of the way when you are camping or in storage so nobody whacks their head
- you end up with more bed space since you can pile stuff on either side of the pin box since it doesn't swing around in the bed.

Your last point was one I have really considered to be a benefit, not having the pin box rotating in the bed of the truck. I know I will have a Weber Q grill in the truck bed and my 4 year old daughter’s bicycle as well.

[RIEGuy]

Hello all!

I am in very similar situation as the OP. Wife and I doing the same comparison 29.5bhds bs 284bhok. My wife loves the 5er, but I’m concerned I don’t have enough (new) truck for the 29.5bhds considering the pin weight and my payload limitations. It hauls our current TT like a beast, but we do have 2 kids and 2 dogs and typical “gear” so I’m worried about payload.
Numbers seem awfully close on payload doing the usual 20% pin weight accounting for cargo.

My truck:
2021 F-250 Tremor
6.7L diesel
10 speed trans
3.55 rear axle
Payload 2755
5th wheel tow rating 18,100
GCWR 30,000

Appreciate advice. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Loomis077

Hey folks,

New member but I’ve been lurking a little while. Wife and I are considering purchasing a Jayco 5th wheel or travel trailer. We currently have one but looking to upgrade. We have 3 kids ages 8, 6, and 3 plus a black lab. We are looking at bunkhouses and we have really landed on the Eagle HT line. These are quite a bit more money than what we paid for the 2018 Shadowcruiser we currently have. It hasn’t been a terrible trailer but it’s built to a price point. We got what we paid for.

Looking at the Eagle HT 29.5 BHDS or the Eagle HT 284 BHOK. Either one looks like solid units and we are looking for something that would last us until our kids wouldn’t want to camp with us anymore. Wife really likes the idea of the 5er but I’ll be honest, I’m concerned how it will tow with my truck.

My truck:
2018 GMC Sierra 2500 HD crew cab 6.5’ box
6.0L gas
6L90 trans
4.10 gears
Payload 2617
5th wheel tow rating 14,000#
GCWR 21,100#

The 29.5 weighs 9500 empty. Our current TT UVW is 6640. Truck tows that just fine. Most times I can get it to tow in 6th gear but if it does down shift to 5th your foot is almost out of the throttle to where it wants to upshift. I don’t see us adding much more stuff to the camper than we already take so I’m thinking a wash there. It’s the additional 3000# plus hitch. We live in Michigan and have only camped here. Typically we are no further than 2-4 hours from home, no mountains or anything.

These HTs are “supposed” to be half-to towable so I’m thinking I would be fine. Right now I can tow my TT at 70-75 no problem. I’m fine if I need to back down to 65 or so. My concern is if it doesn’t pull in 5th gear, the truck runs 3000 rpms in 4th at 60mph.

Anybody towing something this weight with my truck setup? Is it a struggle? Will it tow it in 5th gear. Diesel is not an option so if this isn’t a good fit, we may have to go to the 284 BHOK TT.

Thanks, and sorry for the long 1st post!

[Stan&Sharon]

Payload is often the problem. Maybe the 2755 is incorrect? I've been looking at F-250 stats and that seems low. When you mention 2,755 - where did you get that number?

Add the weight of your passengers plus cargo you might carry (food/tools/stuff) plus your 5th wheel hitch plus full tank of fuel (diesel = 6.93lbs p/gal) plus the pin weight (Jayco shows 1820 for 29.5BHDS).

passengers+cargo+hitch+fuel+5er hitch+5er pin weight = more than 2755?

[RIEGuy]

It’s a diesel, the 2755 max payload number came from the payload sticker inside the door jamb. I did the math with 1500lb of “cargo” inside the 29.5bhds which jumps the pin weight to over 2100lbs (assuming dry pin plus 20% of cargo weight) . Once I went from there adding the 5er hitch and passengers etc in the truck it was very close. Make sense or am I off on something. ? Thanks for your reply.

[nynethead]

First you won’t have an issue. Your estimate of 1500 lbs of cargo isn’t possible as the HT’s max cargo is just under 900 lbs. and the hitch weight is light compared to other 5th wheeler

[Stan&Sharon]

Originally Posted by RIEGuy

It’s a diesel, the 2755 max payload number came from the payload sticker inside the door jamb. I did the math with 1500lb of “cargo” inside the 29.5bhds which jumps the pin weight to over 2100lbs (assuming dry pin plus 20% of cargo weight) . Once I went from there adding the 5er hitch and passengers etc in the truck it was very close. Make sense or am I off on something. ? Thanks for your reply.

2 adults + kids + dogs + 5thwheel hitch + fuel + food/tools/stuff = 1000lbs?
If true, even the minimum pin weight is a problem.

I was just reading about your truck... WOW, Ford makes a nice truck for towing. The 284bhok is a fine camper too.

[RIEGuy]

Thank you for your reply. I thought the GVWR of the 29.5bhds was 11,250lb with a dry weight of 9385 that’s where I got the 1500lb approx number from. Not loaded but close to GVWR for estimate. good to know that it should not be an issue if I’m reading everyone’s responses correct. The engineer in me is numbers crazy.

[RIEGuy]

For “us” inside the truck I estimated 700lb (us kids and dogs =450lb + 150lb hitch + 100lb misc. and tools). That left me with 2055lb for pin weight. Thanks again

[Stan&Sharon]

Originally Posted by RIEGuy

For “us” inside the truck I estimated 700lb (us kids and dogs =450lb + 150lb hitch + 100lb misc. and tools). That left me with 2055lb for pin weight. Thanks again

Looks like you have it then. \o/

Once I get my new 5th wheel, I plan to get everything loaded up and stop by one of the CAT scales to weigh it (https://catscale.com/cat-scale-locator/). I suspect, like many people, I'll need to periodically confirm the numbers remain good.

[White Ox]

Originally Posted by Stan&Sharon

Payload is often the problem. Maybe the 2755 is incorrect? I've been looking at F-250 stats and that seems low. When you mention 2,755 - where did you get that number?

Add the weight of your passengers plus cargo you might carry (food/tools/stuff) plus your 5th wheel hitch plus full tank of fuel (diesel = 6.93lbs p/gal) plus the pin weight (Jayco shows 1820 for 29.5BHDS).

passengers+cargo+hitch+fuel+5er hitch+5er pin weight = more than 2755?

Don't add fuel into your calculations UNLESS you've added a tank or larger tank size than the truck left from the factory with. Payload capacity has already been calculated with the truck "full of fuel and all other required liquids".

[Stan&Sharon]

Originally Posted by White Ox

Don't add fuel into your calculations UNLESS you've added a tank or larger tank size than the truck left from the factory with. Payload capacity has already been calculated with the truck "full of fuel and all other required liquids".

Good to know and good news too. Thanks!