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Hey guys, I have a 2017 Denali hd L5p and I have a 5th wheel camper lined up to buy and I’m wondering how my truck will be towing it. From what I see the truck is good for 13,500lbs fifth wheel towing and hitch weight 3000lbs ... the camper 12,800lbs and 2580lbs hitch weight... how do you guys feel about towing this once a year maybe 4000-5000miles max. Also will the truck sag a lot n look bad? Require air bags maybe?

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I would say your good
The Duramax engine can tow up to 14,500 pounds no matter which cab you choose, while the Duramax engine combined with a fifth wheel can tow up to 18,100 pounds with a regular cab, 16,400 pounds with a double cab and 15,400 pounds with a crew cab.


Grizzlyltz

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2500hd, 4wd, standard box.. what would you consider the challenging part for the truck?

Well sir, the challenging thing about this set up.. in my opinion is that you’re going to be over recommended weight. Your payload in a 4wd reg box d-max is actually closer to 2500lbs before you add your hitch, wife, dog, and mtn dew. So once you’re talking about 3000lbs on the rear axle on top of standard weighing. I think you’re going to be maxing out your capacities.

Lots of experienced haulers say that the rating is way too soft for the real capacity of the truck. There isn’t a lot of difference between SRW3500 trucks and 2500’s... so the suspension add-ons are a good idea... if that’s the only weak link.

I go over in my weights from time to time and rationalize the few hundred pounds with a wdh. But at the end of the day you’re the driver. I wouldn’t say it’s a “awe hell-no” situation. But if you’re not holding the title of the trailer you might want to consider all the dimensions of that haul for 5k miles a year.


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Thanks for you reply, playing with all these numbers they give you got my head spinning... I was under the assumption the combination of occupants and cargo rating of 2092lbs was something separate of the 3000lbs hitch weigh. 

 

My assumption was if I was:

Under the 2092lbs for occupants and cargo for the pickup

Under the 3000lbs hitch weight 

Under the 13,500 tow rating of the fifth wheel 

and between the three of the weights including vehicle weight not exceed the 25,300 GCWR of the truck I would in no way be breaking any laws or manufacture recommendations..

 

Also only from reading on different forums these trucks were rated on the safe side compared to the ford and dodges an dcould be used to there full rating.

 

thanks for the help and please correct me on anything I have wrote 

 

 

 

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Thanks for you reply, playing with all these numbers they give you got my head spinning... I was under the assumption the combination of occupants and cargo rating of 2092lbs was something separate of the 3000lbs hitch weigh. 
 
My assumption was if I was:
Under the 2092lbs for occupants and cargo for the pickup
Under the 3000lbs hitch weight 
Under the 13,500 tow rating of the fifth wheel 
and between the three of the weights including vehicle weight not exceed the 25,300 GCWR of the truck I would in no way be breaking any laws or manufacture recommendations..
 
Also only from reading on different forums these trucks were rated on the safe side compared to the ford and dodges an dcould be used to there full rating.
 
thanks for the help and please correct me on anything I have wrote 
 
 
 

Take a look at the sticker in your door. That will tell you how much you have left in capacity from the factory (also includes full fluid capacities I’ve read). From there you can start subtracting anything placed or bolted onto or into the truck. 3000lbs of hitch weight is related to the rear axle weight capacity. (These values all are confirmed on a CAT scale).

Yes they are all rated on the safe side. I believe that to be a true statement.

However, if you have to go through a weigh station.. then you’re dealing with DOT and weight.


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You will be way over on GVWR and on payload. Payload, which is listed on the yellow sticker on the door jamb, will be around 2,000 pounds for that combination and it includes pin weight plus occupants plus whatever is in/on the truck. You will be way over. That said, the GVWR is more about registration and taxes than anything and the GVWR is what’s limiting payload. Look up the specs for the axle and tires. With suspension mods, in theory, you should be good up to the ratings for a SRW 3500. 

 

I have a gasser 2500HD with 3,000# payload and a camper at about 11k with about 2,200 on the pin. I’m well within limits. A 13,5000 FW should do fine but you will be over your GVWR. I wouldn’t hesitate to tow that trailer with a diesel but depending on where you live, you may need to pay for a higher GVWR when registering the truck. 

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  • 1 month later...

I am 24040 combined in my 2500.

3200# on the pin, actual weight not what trailer manufacturer says.

I added Firestone bags, and all is good. Have had the trailer Fla to NY and pulls like a dream.

The only place I was really over was the rear tires, cat scale said 6900# on rear axle. stock 20" tires were 3190# rated.

Swapped to 285/60-20 Michelin Defenders at 3700# each .

I am very happy with the combo, but next truck will be a 3500 SRW

Edited by powerhaulic
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Time for a reality check here - your 2500Denali with the DMax has enough power to tow just about anything you could hitch to it. But you assumptions are full of holes and some of the rest of the advise here is also for the birds. According to the GM trailering guide:

The total amount the truck and trailer can weigh fully loaded is defined by the CGWR or combined gross weight rating - for the DMax this is around 25,000lbs. In addition to the CGWR is the GVWR of the truck itself - this can be measured by taking the fully loaded truck and trailer to a scale and weighing each axle and then adding the front and rear axles together - this is the GVWR - if this is under the number listed on your driver's door sticker - you are OK - the final test is to look at those axle wts and insure that they are also under the ratings shown on the door sticker.

 

Airbags will help with the rear end sag, Heavier rated tires will handle the weight better - but neither will increase any of the gross weight ratings.  I realize that engineering likes to have some room to spare with these wt ratings - I also know that marketing does not care about headroom - I also know that marketing usually wins the battle.

 

So how to you determine your actual towing capacity without trial by error. One method I like is to take the three main not to exceed numbers (GVWR truck GVWR trailer, CGWR truck and use them as starting points. First I subtract the GVWR of the truck from the CGWR and use that as a guide for the GVWR of the trailer. I know this sounds drastic - but it get you thinking in very realistic terms and gets around the marketing hype. You have to remember that their "tow ratings" include the entire payload of the truck - they did not account for the hitch, passengers, or gear in the truck.

 

While you may not like to crunch numbers (addition and subtraction are hard) your other alternative is to go ahead and tow over you limits and have you checkbook ready for when you crash and your insurance won't cover you because you were overloaded.

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Some people might think this is heresy but the weight ratings on trucks is pretty much a number that someone made to make a truck fit in a 10K pound 3/4 ton class or an 11K+ one ton class.  The numbers that you really need to focus on is the rear tire weight rating.  Put all of the people, dogs, 5th wheel hitch, and junk in the back that you take camping and take the truck to a certified scale that will give you the split between the front and rear axle.  On my truck with a Ranch Hand front end, headache rack, and overloaded toolbox, 4 people and two dogs, I am at 9400 pounds with a full tank of diesel and 4300 pounds on the rear axle.  Should have only 600 pounds left but the 20" Michelins on the back are rated for 3620 pounds each, so tire wise I am still good for another 2700 pounds (derated 10%) on the rear.  Do I run that heavy - no.  Don't want to wipe out the whole family if something goes wrong.  But I do feel confident to pull a bumper pull trailer with an 1100 pound tongue weight because the tires and rear axle are under max loading. 

 

In your case you are going to be right on the edge of your tire ratings and probably even over, so even going up to a single axle 3500 is not going to help (same tires).  The only thing that you can realistically do is to step up to a 3500 DRW truck.  DRW trucks are not the most fun thing in parking lots, drive throughs, and putting around in town while empty, but the do have the capacity to safely tow that trailer (which will quickly go to 4K on the 5th wheel once you load the basement up with junk like everyone does).  Good luck and happy camping.

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On 6/6/2018 at 6:07 PM, Waaazooo said:


Yes they are all rated on the safe side.

... and anything beyond that could be a "spare" or "leeway" left by the engineers. For your safety in hairy situations.
If you stay within the ratings, your truck combined with your driving skills can handle these situations.
If you overload your truck, you lose that side of the equation and you depend solely on your abilities.

Good luck.

 

so long

j-ten-ner

Edited by j-ten-ner
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