tow vehicle??

[RCPatt]

Looking to buy 5th wheel ranging from 35-42 ft, which should max out at approx 15K loaded given what we pack. Also, upgrading to GM 3500 diesel. Do I really need a dually. SRW info indicates it should handle our tow weight.

[LJowdy]

All I can do is give you advice from a friend who did basically what you're doing. He had a 3500 Chevy with Duramax and single wheels. After being on the road for a year, he traded his truck for a dually, (same truck but more wheels) He said that the 1 ton with single wheels did just fine but, when he went to the dually, it made a huge difference in towing. (for the better)

[Chiefly1]

I pulled our 35' 5er for 7 years with a SRW 3500 (Dodge) and it was stable, with no issues. About 700 lbs less weight. We didn't want the extra width and parking hassles but that is a personal choice.

[Cummins12V98]

You want more than "it handles it just fine" you want "it handles it under VERY adverse/panic conditions just fine".

Believe ME just because the RV says 15K that is JUST a number. My mystical number is 21K, reality is mine weighs 23K.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Chiefly1

I pulled our 35' 5er for 7 years with a SRW 3500 (Dodge) and it was stable, with no issues. About 700 lbs less weight. We didn't want the extra width and parking hassles but that is a personal choice.

Been towing our 34' 14K 5vr for 10 yrs ----7 yrs Full Time---with my 2007 3500 (Dodge) SRW all over the USA, coast to coast/border to border, north/south---east/west
And NEVER a white knuckle ride, NEVER a moment of 'Dang wish I had a dually'
I've had duallies and when properly matched an SRW does as well when it comes to relaxed towing.

Newer 350/3500 SRWs are even better.
So YES an SRW is quite adequate for a 15K 5th wheel

[SmokeyWren]

Hi, RC, and and to our campfire.

Originally Posted by RCPatt

Also, upgrading to GM 3500 diesel. Do I really need a dually. SRW info indicates it should handle our tow weight.

You cannot go by the tow rating. The tow rating for a 2017 GM 3500 SRW Duramax is 17,600 pounds. That's the weight the drivetrain can PULL without overheating anything in the drivetrain. But with SRW, you'll exceed the payload capacity of your tow vehicle way before you reach that tow rating. So ignore the tow rating and GCWR and concentrate on the payload capacity and GVWR of the tow vehicle.

GM says your payload capacity would be 4,330 pounds with that tow vehicle. Pin weight of a 15k 5er will be around 3,000 pounds, so that leaves you 1,330 pounds of payload capacity available for the weight of the 5er hitch, people, pets, tools, options such as spray-in bedliner and cab steps, and anything else you might haul in the tow vehicle. Believe me, that's not much, so if you don't want to be overloaded, you'll probably constantly be stressed over the weight of stuff you want to take with you.

So the SRW will be "barely adequate" for your needs. You can do it without being overloaded, but only if you pay close attention to the weight of the stuff you haul in the truck. The dually would give you a bigger margin for hauling more stuff in the bed, such as campfire wood or those pretty rocks DW wants to haul back and put in her garden.