Fifth wheel rating the same as conventional towing?

Rockman18 · September 7, 2015

I have searched the forum for an answer to this question but wasn't able to find one so I apologize if this has been answered before. I have a 2004 SIerra 2500 HD with a 6.0l and 4.10 gears and have recently purchased a 2006 Montana Mountaineer fifth wheel that weighs 10,410 dry. Looking in my owners manual it says that my max trailer weight is 10,100 but doesn't seem to have specific info about fifth wheel towing. When I looked on Trailer life to see if I could find more specific info I noticed that they list my truck as having the same max limit for both conventional and fifth wheel towing even though the same truck with the 8.1l gains either 1,600lbs or 3,600lbs of towing capacity depending on the gearing. Is this an oversight on someones part or is this a downfall of a 6.0l engine?

To give a little background on the situation I am a Union Pipefitter that travels for work most of the time and my wife was the Director and Teacher at a local preschool and we have two young boys. My wife lost her job and I suggested that we just live on the road for awhile, never once thinking she would even consider it, long story short we are getting ready to sell our house and move full time into the fifth wheel. If my house sells quickly and for what I want then I will have the money to get a bigger truck but right now I don't have the means to even move the camper out of my driveway. I am working locally but that will only be for a few more weeks and then I will most likely be heading back out on the road and am looking to see if I can legally use my truck, without destroying it, until I can get a truck more suited to pulling it. With the curb weight that I found online and subtracting that from my GCWR of 16,000lbs. It would only be me in the truck and I really have no idea what the amount of cargo would weigh in the camper but I know that I would be real close to the GCWR, obviously I dont want to use my truck at the max for a long time but we are cash poor at the moment and have less than perfect credit so the chances of getting a bigger truck is slim right now. I am considering swapping an 8.1l in to help get me by for awhile but that doesn't seem to be without some issues also. Thanks for any help

kevin_nj · September 7, 2015

The way I read the manual, 2004 trucks did not have an increased GCWR based on 5th or conventional (except for diesels).

Max weight is also dependant on truck configuration: cab, 2wd or 4wd. As far as legality or being at fault in the event of an accident, it is all based on what the manufacturer put in writing when the truck left the factory.

It sounds like you will be way over the manufacturers specs by the time you load up. By your numbers you're over based on dry weight alone. You'll hear/read all kinds of advise. But in a court all that matters is manufacturer specs, if you were over, you're guilty.

Good Luck

Rockman18 · September 7, 2015

But thats whats confusing to me, just because they didnt put it in the manual means that I cant legally tow anything with a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch?

kevin_nj · September 7, 2015

That's not how I read it. You can use gooseneck or 5th wheel, that increases the max suggested tongue weight, it just does not increase the max combined weight.

My 2015 supports a bit over 1000# extra 5th wheel vs conventional. I assume that has to do with the redistribution of weight further forward on the truck. I don't know why that wasn't the case in 2004. I do know that "will it pull the trailer forward" is only 1 consideration. Can it stop the trailer; does the truck 'control' the trailer or the trailer 'control' the truck; what happens when the driver needs to make an emergency maneuver or stop? So brakes and suspension are as big of a factor as engine and transmission. Frame too, will the frame begin to twist, flex, etc...? I'm sure there's much more, I'm not an engineer (or lawyer).

Formulabruce · September 7, 2015

Kevin is correct, you can use a 5th wheel, and its 10,100 max towing, 5th wheel or convetional.

Why is it NOT like a new truck, adding the #1,000 lbs? , because of the rear brakes. Drums allow for stopping heavier loads than discs (04) do at slowing them down.

1. 5th wheel with your size trailer, really NEEDS a 8 ft bed ( once you take corners, etc, you will agree)

2. Your 2004 truck will easily move it around the yard or locally very well. ( been there done that)

3. Any Towing Gas 6.0 truck SHOULD get a massive UPsize in tranny cooler ( behind the grille and EASY to do)

4. Always run E rated tires for towing these big rigs.

5. Put a 160 Thermostat in the 04 gas LS engine ( fairly easy) and flush the cooling system.( summit has them)

Conclusion: Not the Ideal truck for the job, really needs a Dually. The Duramax has 3.73 gears but a lot more torque

>>> Used 8 ft bed. Full 4 door trucks are usually cheap ( compared to new) as the only people that want them are campers with large 5th wheels.They are LONGGGG .. New ones MUST be ordered from GM as they are NO longer a regular production truck ...Good luck!

Carry A Sig · January 31, 2016

Here is my two cents. Hope this helps someone if you have made other decisions.

I started with an 04 - 1500 with 5.3. It pulled my 8,000# (bought in 2014) Travel Trailer that replaced a 7,000# trailer. Bought it in 2005. In July 2015 bought an 04 2x4 with the 8.1L. The spouse made me buy the vehicle I am picking up Monday which is the 05 2500HD 4x4 with the 8.1L. I have looked and for the price it was the best deal. I use it as a daily driver (1mile to/from work) and tow the TT.

I had been looking for a better truck to pull the old trailer and when I bought the new trailer I really started looking. I did not want an older vehicle and was trying to stay less than 140,000 miles on the replacement truck which I found in the 05.

The 04 2500 2x4 with the 8.1L did not even break a sweat when going up pretty steep hills heading to the campground. Transmission barely got to 150 deg and the water temp stayed at 185 - 195 deg. With the 04 1500 5.3 they got to 235 and 240 respectively. Plus with the 1500 it really struggled on the same hills.

Trailer Life (TL) is a very good source for trailer towing capacity. Your fifth wheel of 10,400 dry is probably closer to 13,000 loaded. You need the gross vehicle weight when looking at "campers".

The Chevy's with the 6.0L for the years prior to 2008, even with 4.10 gears, will not pull more than what TL shows. You should get the 8.1L with the Allison tranny to pull 12,000 TT and 13,000 5ver. If MPG is what you are looking for then go diesel. 8.1L will not pass a gas station without wanting to stop and fill up.

After Chevy stopped putting the 8.1 in trucks, the 6.0L with 4.10 trucks started pulling more. Depending on how much you want to spend and how far you will travel to get it, the 8.1L is the greatest (my opinion). You mentioned full timing in the 5vr. Diesel would be a better option when driving longer distance. Personally, I'm sticking with the 8.1 gasser and the '05 will be what I am going to full time with after retirement.

My sources for making the decisions:

Trailer Life for towing capacity. Rarely did I look at the manufactures literature.

Cars.com, Autotrader.com, etc and searched for 8.1L in the other keywords search.

I hope this helps. This is my opinion and by no means will everyone agree.