I recently sold my 2002, 2500HD 8100 big block and trailer. I purchased the 2019 Silverado 3500HD Crew Cab duramax LTZ standard box, because I wanted to buy a larger 5th wheel toy hauler, 42'- 44'. I have never pulled a fifth wheel before. Every trailer salesman says I picked the right truck and would have no problem towing the big rigs, however when I crunch the numbers it appears the large toy haulers exceed the truck's GVW and GCVW by about 600 and 1000 lbs., and listed towing capacity, assuming I am calculating correctly. The trailers I am considering are: Highlander HF383H, Keystone Impact 415, and the Keystone Fusion 419.
Just wondering if anyone has, or knows someone who has, a similar setup and if they have had any towing, suspension, or power issues? If so, what did they do to fix them? Also, I would appreciate any suggestions on how to beef up the truck to safely handle these big trailers, if possible. I live in Utah so I would be pulling steeper hills and off road. Thanks.

 

In general, 5th wheel trailers need about 20%-25% pin weight to be happy pulling. So if you take the unloaded trailer weight from the factory and add in it's CCC (cargo carrying capacity), that will give you the most the trailer should weight.
25% of that number is what you can expect for pin weight in the bed of your truck.

Also know that toy haulers are heavy on the tongue and pin weight because they are designed that when you load your heavy toys in the back of the trailers garage area, it may actually lower your pin weight or leave it only slightly changed, depending on where it sits in relationship to the axles.

My suggestion is to join some of the trailer manufacture forums for the trailers you're looking at and ask on there about people that have the specific rigs you're considering, what trucks with what payload numbers are they pulling them with and how they perform and handle. They can also double check your math and make sure you are using the right formula's. Generally Payload of the truck is the first number to go. That is the pin weight+ Passengers and gear in the cab and bed+ the hitch weight = more than the payload (your passengers and cargo should never exceeed XXXX lbs) on the sticker on the drivers door.

Good Luck.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

I ran my VIN on the Chev VIN decoder on this site and plugged the numbers in the Fifth Wheel weight calculator found on changingears.com. Any one know if that in accurate calculator?

 

you didn't say whether your truck was a dually or not. those extra 2 tires make a big difference.

 

It is not a dually.

 

It is a single rear wheel truck. I used the Chev VIN decoder on the forum to get the actual numbers on my truck and went and got it weighed on a CAT scale. I plugged the numbers in to a fifth wheel calculator I found on changingears.com. Not sure how accurate that calculator is though. Any thoughts on better calculators? I see my make and model pulling triple axle toy haulers all the time, however just because you can doesn't mean you should.

 

the chevy salesman tried to tell me i could pull a 18000 lb 5th wheel with my 2500 HD duramax. i knew better and the manual only says 15400 for a 5th wheel however the payload numbers on the truck wouldn't work. payload = fuel, all passengers. and whatever else is in the truck. you could probably get away with going over a little. until you have a wreck and the lawyers ask why you went over the payload thereby making it unsafe. i have gone on Chevy's website to double check my numbers, which by law should be in the door frame, and wasn't. most trailer salesman are just wanting to make a sale. they have no idea what your individual truck can do.

 

Ya, I'm finding that out about the trailer salesmen. When I ask them if my truck is big enough and they look at their phone or tablet and say, Yup. I used a Chev VIN decoder on the forum to get the actual numbers on my truck and went and got it weighed on a CAT scale. 7900 lbs. I plugged the numbers into a fifth wheel calculator I found on changingears.com. Not sure how accurate that calculator is though. Any thoughts on other accurate calculators? I see my truck’s make and model pulling triple axle toy haulers all the time; however, just because you can probably doesn’t mean you should. I really don’t want to purchase a trailer to big for the truck and run into issues.