Community Forums

450Donn · 02-15-2014, 09:14 PM

I understand what your saying. You dont know me from adam, however I am one that had been there. We originally had a 2500HD to pull our 13,500 (scaled) 13,750 pound GVWR fiver. I tried the air bag game, I installed tires with more capacity. At the end of two years we dumped that truck for a dually and have never looked back. With the 2500 I never felt comfortable towing. It was just plane nerve wracking. After three hours of traveling it usually took me several hours to settle down from the trip. The old tail wagging the dog story is so true. Now I also realize that GM has upped the rating for their 2500 series trucks, but not enough so that I would ever attempt to drag a 16,000+ fifth wheel behind it. Run the numbers based on the trailers GVWR to see for yourself the fallicy of this endevor. If you run the trailer at close to that 16K your pin weight will be at least 3200 pounds and likely more than that. Heck my fivers pin weight is over 3500 pounds. But for arguments sake lets assume 3200 pin weight. Load your 2500 up like your going camping and drive to the scales for an accurate weight. Now unless you have a hitch already installed add 250 pounds to the scaled weight for the hitch. Now, you have a real world ready to travel weight. Be sure to also get the rear axle scaled weight. Now, look on the drivers door post and read the trucks GVWR. Subtract your scaled weight from the GVWR and you will have your net cargo capacity. If it is under then I am wrong and go for it. But if I am right you will be around 1000 pounds over the trucks GVWR at these numbers. Now add that same 3200 pounds to your rear axles scaled weight and compare it to the manufacturers RAWR. Again I will be very surprised your not over this number. As a school teacher you should understand simple logic and when people have fed you a line of BS. Remember how to tell when a salesman is lying to you? His mouth is moving! People that do not do their homework and blisfully are towing these large fivers with a 2500 series truck are simply fooling them selves. Do the math, run the numbers and make up your mind. Personally having done it, there is no way on Gods green earth I would suggest or condone what your going to attempt to do. But it is your money, your life so do what you want

Serengeti · 02-15-2014, 11:10 PM

Please don't get defensive, I know very little about all of this, that's why is is so perplexing. I have spent the last 2 hours researching this and it hasen't solved anything. Read from people who say the same thime that you said and others who said that they believe it should be fine. The truck's user manual states that the GCWR is 24,500, the GVW of the truck is suppose to be 7700 right now, add 270 for my wife and me. So 24500-7700-270-16250= 280 I will not know the actual GVW of the truck until I weight it. The RGAWR is 6800 from the truck door, then subtract 3250 (assuming 20% of 16250) = 3350. So what is the actual weight on the rear axle of the truck without the RV? will not know until I weight it. Truck already has a 5th wheel hitch so that is already figured in

I wish this was a little less complicated, but obviously I will not know anything until I go to a scale, even then I still will not know for sure until I go to a scale with the RV, which is all after the fact. Sheesh... I agree, it is better to have more truck than not enough.

sinnettc · 02-15-2014, 11:49 PM

Welcome from another Newbie and a military brat.

Dad's retired USCG and snowbirds from Maine to Florida each year, with an occasional trip to the West coast to see us. They take full advantage of the PX & campgrounds on the various bases around the country. Be sure to check into those for your travels.

BIJ6165 · 02-16-2014, 04:43 AM

Welcome. We started our fulltiming this past June. Retired from the AF in May and then were on the road. Love the traveling.

Steve N Sal · 02-16-2014, 04:51 AM

Howdy and welcome aboard. Good luck with your new endavor and hope you enjoy all your future travels. Be safe!

Chiefbvfd · 02-16-2014, 05:42 AM

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your retirement and lifestyle change...

homeless · 02-16-2014, 05:46 AM

Howdy

Kdsgone2dogs · 02-16-2014, 05:56 AM

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your service. We too are retired military and use military campgrounds whenever we can. Can't comment on the 5th wheel or the truck, but I hope you find what fits and you have many years of safe travels and lots of great memories from the road. Again, welcome.
Andi

TurboLQ9 · 02-16-2014, 08:40 AM

Welcome from Kansas!!!

Groovy · 02-16-2014, 05:49 PM

Serengeti -- your truck is probably too small for the big Landmark, but the good news is that your first trailer won't be your last.

Why don't you look at starting with a smaller trailer and then upgrade once you've been on the road for a while?

We did that, and have never regretted it. We only lost a little bit on the trade-in after a year, and we knew so much more about what kind of trailer we wanted once we'd been living on the road for a while.

We ended up upgrading both the truck and trailer. No big deal. We may upgrade truck and trailer again in the next few years.

It is really important to have more truck than less truck. If you want to traverse the mountains in the west -- and who wouldn't, they're gorgeous -- you won't enjoy your travels if every ride is a white knuckle ride.

So go easy on yourself, look at trailers that have a GVWR of 12k or so, and enjoy that first year of full-timing.

Once you are on the road, you can visit every dealership in every state. You can go to all the factories and do the factory tours and talk to the folks that build the units. You can see how they are made and make a really informed decision.

We had a stack of brochures 3" thick before we bought our "real" full-time trailer. We'd done a bunch of factory tours and hassled a gazillion salesmen all over the country.

So you are in a great place right now with a great truck. Get a trailer that is suited to it, and have fun shopping!!

Serengeti · 02-18-2014, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groovy

Serengeti -- your truck is probably too small for the big Landmark, but the good news is that your first trailer won't be your last. Why don't you look at starting with a smaller trailer and then upgrade once you've been on the road for a while? We did that, and have never regretted it. We only lost a little bit on the trade-in after a year, and we knew so much more about what kind of trailer we wanted once we'd been living on the road for a while. We ended up upgrading both the truck and trailer. No big deal. We may upgrade truck and trailer again in the next few years. It is really important to have more truck than less truck. If you want to traverse the mountains in the west -- and who wouldn't, they're gorgeous -- you won't enjoy your travels if every ride is a white knuckle ride. So go easy on yourself, look at trailers that have a GVWR of 12k or so, and enjoy that first year of full-timing. Once you are on the road, you can visit every dealership in every state. You can go to all the factories and do the factory tours and talk to the folks that build the units. You can see how they are made and make a really informed decision. We had a stack of brochures 3" thick before we bought our "real" full-time trailer. We'd done a bunch of factory tours and hassled a gazillion salesmen all over the country. So you are in a great place right now with a great truck. Get a trailer that is suited to it, and have fun shopping!!

Thanks for your suggestions, a lot to consider. I agree that I could be over probably for the rear axle depending of how much water, options and stuff we bring with us. Haven't made a final decision yet.