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Thread: Ready to upgrade
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04-27-2023, 06:30 PM #1
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Ready to upgrade
Hi folks. I've been pulling travel trailers for awhile and I'm getting ready for a 5th wheel trailer. I'm looking at a Chevy 2500HD with a Duramax with Allison transmission. I believe it has 6.6 bed length. I've been reading about chucking and was wondering what is a safe towing system. My concern besides chucking is making sharp turns without the front of the camper hitting the rear window of my truck or hitting side rails. On a 6.6 bed do I need a sliding hitch, an Anderson hitch, or stationary hitch. The campers I liked were a Grand Design Solitude. Is chucking inherent in 5th wheels. I also read about different pin boxes to control chucking. This is all new to me so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
2021 imagine 2400 BH. 2021 Chevy Trail Boss, 6.2 engine.
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04-27-2023, 06:38 PM #2
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A 2500 won’t have the capacity for a solitude
A 2500 won’t have the capacity for most fifth wheels2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 Crew 1840lb payload
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04-27-2023, 06:39 PM #3
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I'll be the first to say that a 3/4 ton truck is not enough for ANY Solitude. e.g. my pin weight is close to 3400 lbs (could be higher than 3500 lbs in some cases).
I owned a few (3) short beds and always fought that cab to rig interference and always ran auto sliders (a Pullrite and a Demco). I moved to a long bed - more cargo capacity; lost the 300 hitch when I converted to a Gooseneck; no more concern about cab to rig interference.
Chucking is dependent on truck to rig lash-up. While specific to 5th wheels (I don't think TTs do it), it is controllable with the right pin weight, and hitch installation. I have pretty much none. I had a lot with the old Rotochok hitch and conventional 5th wheel hitch. You will find everyones' experience is a bit different but it should scare you from a fifth wheel.
Compare to a TT a 5th wheel has practically NO sway. Turning and backing is different experience than a TT - not better or worse - just different.
on edit ----- I guess I was the second to say a 3/4 ton wasn't enough.....Larry KE4DMG
2022 F-350 KRU SRW LB - Airlift 5000+, ForScan, 37 RDS Aux Tank,
2019 310GK-R - Sailuns; MorRyde IS; Disc Brakes; 20K Reese Goosebox
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04-27-2023, 07:37 PM #4
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If you're buying a truck to pull a fifth wheel, bite the bullet and get a long bed. Having to replace the rear window, and the fix the crease in the roof line, or spend more money on a slider hitch, isn't worth it. Do the right thing. Buy a long bed first. You'll be glad you did.
Chucking can happen with many combinations of truck and 5th wheel, but getting a 5th wheel with a decent suspension system, and cushioned equalizers will go a long way toward smoothing out the ride. A heavier truck with a longer wheelbase will get pushed and pulled less. Another reason for a long bed.Last edited by Hoopy Frood; 04-27-2023 at 07:40 PM.
Howard and Peggy
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04-27-2023, 08:01 PM #5
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Same as the others, I have a long box 3500 with air bags. Also Sumo rubber springs on the trailer. Reese 5000lb pin and 20,000 lb pull, overkill but almost no chucking.on my fifth the water tank is behind the rear axle so full actually takes some pin weight off.
2016 3500 Duramax/ Full delete
2019 GD Solitude 310GK
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04-27-2023, 08:38 PM #6
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Looks like I'm going to be third in line (better late than never) to tell you that there are very few 3/4T trucks with enough payload capacity to pull a 5th Wheel Camping trailer...especially when you go 3/4T AND diesel. Right off the top, because of the diesel engine, you are going to lose at least 600 lbs of payload, due to the weight of the diesel engine vs. a gas engine. Get the 4WD version of the diesel, and poof, there goes another couple hundred pounds of payload down the drain. Solitudes will have lot of pin weight and a 3/4T diesel truck is simple not going to be up to the task...if you want to stay within the payload and GVWR of the truck.
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Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing
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04-27-2023, 09:05 PM #7
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Same as others…for a Solitude get a 1 ton diesel long bed dually.
Diesel for low rpm lugging power so you don’t have to listen to a screaming gas engine.
Long bed so you don’t worry about conflict.
Dually for stability and removing worry about blowing out a single rear wheel when towing.
Don’t go cheap on the hitch…you are linking two very expensive toys.
If you are thinking Chevy, I will say that Allison tranny has incredibly smooth shifts!Larry and JoAnna
‘23 Chevy 3500HD CCLB DRW High Country 6.6L Diesel, ‘22 Solitude 310GK-R, Hensley BD5
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04-28-2023, 05:27 PM #8
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Thank you all for your quick replys. If not a Solitude, can a 2500HD with a Duramax safely pull a 32 to 34 foot 5th wheel with a 1000# to 11000# uvw and 1750 t0 2100 pin weight. Once again, thank you. Just trying to figure all this stuff out. I believe the Chevy 2500HD has towing capacity of 18000#.
2021 imagine 2400 BH. 2021 Chevy Trail Boss, 6.2 engine.
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04-28-2023, 05:31 PM #9
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Ready to upgrade
“Tow capacity” is a useless number
You will run out of payload long before tow capacity
I said this earlier that most 2500 are not capable of towing a fifth wheel
Many do it but they are over the specs of the truck
Will it have a catastrophic failure? Likely not but facts are facts
If you get a base model 3/4 ton maybe it will have enough payload but doubtful
Most like well equipped trucks and that means less towing ability
Why not just get a 1 ton? There isn’t that big a difference in priceLast edited by NB Canada; 04-28-2023 at 05:33 PM.
2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 Crew 1840lb payload
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04-28-2023, 05:42 PM #10
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I'm going to agree with "NB" here.... for the small difference getting a 1 ton is good investment. I got a 33' 5th wheel back in the mid 2000's and had to move up to a 1 ton from a 3/4 ton.
If you can, get a long bed. You won't have to worry anymore about truck cab to RV clearance when turning. If you can't (or don't want to) then a slide hitch is likely in your future.Larry KE4DMG
2022 F-350 KRU SRW LB - Airlift 5000+, ForScan, 37 RDS Aux Tank,
2019 310GK-R - Sailuns; MorRyde IS; Disc Brakes; 20K Reese Goosebox
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Re-pack bearings necessary?
Today, 09:29 PM in Axles, Brakes, and Suspension