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StevenW · 08-28-2020, 01:41 PM

Hello to all. My wife and I have moved from a class A to a 5th wheel. It is a 2013 Blackwood 38 ft. Dry weight is about 12k and pin is about 2500. I am pulling with a 2007 Silverado, crew cab, lb, LBZ Duramax. The question I have is, to those that have this model, are there any mods that I should make to the truck motor? I have looked at the Duramax forums and seen all the 400+ HP, black smoke mods but that's not what I want. I would like to just have a good towing truck.

xc-mark · 08-28-2020, 03:31 PM

Mods , to the truck ? 2500 or 3500 ??? If its a 2500 i would suggest larger tires with a high weigh rating and air bags. I had a LBZ truck that I had kennedy diesel do a live EFI tow tune to the ECM. It will NOT PASS emissions test in any state that does a plug in OBD-2 check . That truck pulled better then my 2016 for sure and it had ZERO smoke out of the tail pipe. He called it a 40hp heavy tow tune. I am not sure he is willing to even sell tunes any more. I do have the stock ECM out of my truck so you can reflash it and keep your stock ECM that is allready programed for your truck. the ECM VIN and BCM must match the VIN number to work , that a easy fix . My OEM computer was in a 2006 LBZ crew cab 4x4 2500 if you are interested. It had maybe 4,000 mile on it with I purchased a new ECM with Kennedys tune to just plug in. 165,000 miles on the truck when I traded it in. Ran great zero issues. DONT put a hot rod tune in it for heavy towing.

450Donn · 08-28-2020, 04:00 PM

Well, dry weights are totally useless. To understand if you have enough truck first off, go outside and get the fivers GVWR from the metalized tag near the front left. Use 20% of the GVWR as the estimated pin weight. Now, go load the truck up like your going camping and go to the scales. Be sure to get front, rear and gross ready to travel weights. Sit down and plug the trucks weight and the estimated pin weight from above. Do you exceed any of the trucks ratings?
If you have a 2500HD you definitely do not have enough truck. If you have a 3500SRW it might work. Remember a fifth wheel dumps all of its pin weight directly on the rear axle.

StevenW · 08-29-2020, 05:18 AM

Thx for the replies. I did forget to add that the Silverado is a 3500 DRW. I'm heading to the scales today to weigh the truck. Hopefully the trailer is a couple weeks.

StevenW · 08-29-2020, 05:22 AM

XC-Mark, I sent you a PM.

TXiceman · 08-29-2020, 09:13 AM

As noted, dry weight is a useless number for the trailer unless you never put anything in it. Use the trailer GVWR for truck selection. As for pin weight, figure 20% of the trailers GVWR for a loaded pinweight on the trailer.

For that trailer, i'd get a new SRW or preferably a dually.

Adding air bags is only a crutch and props up an undersized truck. They do not increase the load carrying capacity of the truck.

Ken

Old-Biscuit · 08-29-2020, 09:50 AM

2007 Silverado DRW with Diesel
GVWR-----11,400#
FAWR------4800#
RAWR-----9200#

2013 Blackwood 36RL
GVWR-----16000#
Dry GVW--12,700#
Dry Pin Weight---2660#
****21% dry pin

16,000#-----22% Wet Pin=3520#

With DRW you have plenty of Rear Axle Weight Carrying capacity to handle a 3520# wet pin

No 'MODS' required
Hitch up and GO!