Towing with a Duramax

[pdiddley]

We are thinking of purchasing a 2006 Chevrolet 2500 HD Duramax with 114,000 miles to haul a 3055 RL Heartland Big Horn Fifth Wheel. Is this truck up to it?

[archbarb]

We have the Big Country 3250TS which is pretty close in weights, and we have a 2007 2500 HD with D/A and does very well!!!!

[MRBB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by archbarb We have the Big Country 3250TS which is pretty close in weights, and we have a 2007 2500 HD with D/A and does very well!!!!

Just wait until the weight police get here....

[99-Am.Star]

I won't tell you it's not, but if you plan on toeing your 5er alot you may feel more secure with a 3500 dually. It will handle the weight better and less being pushed around on the road. Not written by the weight police, just a suggestion.........

[CrazyTed]

We have traveled in a 2005 Chevy Duramax/Allison 2500 HD single rear tire towing a 2008 CrossRoads Cross Terrain 38 foot fifth-wheel. I have towed that rig with that truck all over the east coast from upstate NY to Daytona FL. Only addition was an Edge w/Attitude computer programmer and better load range E tires. Truck handled the pulling and stopping just fine for over 100,000 miles. Just traded the trailer in on Saturday for Super C Jayco!!!

[golfpro]

if the weights are OK and the diesel is working too hard, put a chip in it. if you get the right chip, you can use less fuel and pull harder.

[KBolin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfpro if the weights are OK and the diesel is working too hard, put a chip in it. if you get the right chip, you can use less fuel and pull harder.

And potentially overheat and blow an engine. Excellent. :-(

[wrongwayknt]

I pull a 2009 Heartland Big Country 39 foot Bunkhouse with a stock 2004 Chevy Crewcab 2500 4x4 with the duramax...never had an issue. If anything I catch myself going faster than I should it pulls so well...

Not sure how the weights compare...ours has triple slides and is pretty well loaded down with three kids the wife myself and ALL the stuff that goes with us!

I would tend to agree with KBolin...my brother-in-law is a service manager at a GMC dealership and they rebuild alot of motors that have been chipprd and/or run with programmers...certainly not saying that it will cause an issue...I have friends that run programmers and have for an extended period of time with no issues...but I have seen several in his shop with very expensive bills to get fixed...

[CrazyTed]

We have used an Edge w/Attitude programmer almost since the truck was new and have no problems. In my experience, many of the folks with problems push the truck way too hard all the time. I have a fellow racer who likes to brag how fast he can tow his trailer. Then he wonders why his engine is failing.

[3665RE]

Hi

Just a word of caution.

In Florida a serious accident with an over loaded vehicle (loaded grater than the GCW rating) results in a felony charge.

3665RE

[MRBB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3665RE Hi Just a word of caution. In Florida a serious accident with an over loaded vehicle (loaded grater than the GCW rating) results in a felony charge. 3665RE

Where did you see that?

[Cat320]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdiddley We are thinking of purchasing a 2006 Chevrolet 2500 HD Duramax with 114,000 miles to haul a 3055 RL Heartland Big Horn Fifth Wheel. Is this truck up to it?

Most of these rigs run about 14,000#. Figure 20% of the that for pin weight and you'll be over weight. These diesels will "pull" anything, but most 3/4 tons can't handle the pin weight.

[3665RE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MRBB Where did you see that?

HI


Florida's dangerous instrumentality doctrine is a common law doctrine which provides that the owner of an inherently dangerous tool is liable for any injuries caused by that tool's operation. The Florida Supreme Court in Southern Cotton Oil Co. v. Anderson, 80 Fla. 441, 469 (Fla. 1920), extended the doctrine to motor vehicles

This is used whenever some one deliberately uses a dangerous instrument in a careless, or deliberate manor that results in a serious accident. IE over loading a vehicle, use a vehicle, knife, gun, nail gun or hammer etc to intimidate some one results in felony charge the same as accidentally shooting someone with a gun. The severity of the injuries change the type of felony in the case of death in an automobile accident the charge is commonly vehicular manslaughter or homicide.

I learned this when an employee while on his own time had a fatal accident with his Ford 350 while towing a trailer. The Highway Patrol seized the truck & trailer and allowed him to have it back only after they weighed it. The employee called me for a ride to work and I questioned the Highway Patrol man about taking the truck when it was obviously drivable.


As a note the accident was not my employees fault.

3665RE

[TXiceman]

You can pull it, I am pretty sure if you work out the numbers for that trailer, you will be exceeding the Trucks GVWR and rear GAWR. Sure you see plenty of folks towing with 3/4 ton trucks, but that does not make it right. Work through the numbers and then see if you are comfortable towing in excess of the trucks rating.

Ken