Best for pulling 5th wheel?

[kfinto]

Recently I was looking at a large 5th wheel trailer and the salesman suggested I would need a 1 ton DRW to pull it. DRW is pretty much out of the question as I don't want to deal with that much truck for daily driving. I then looked the max trailer weight numbers up on chevy.com and got pretty confused!

 

VORTEC 8100 V8 WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

 

2500HD 2WD Extended Cab with 8 foot bed - max trailer weight 15,700

3500 SRW 2WD Extended Cab/8 foot bed - max trailer weight 15,500

3500 DRW 2WD Extended Cab/8 foot bed - max trailer weight 15,300

 

 

The price of the trucks I got from carsdirect.com.

 

2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4x2 Extended Cab 8 ft. box 157.5 in. WB LT3 Target Price: $31,631

 

2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 4x2 Extended Cab 157.5 in. WB SRW LT3 Target Price: $31,823

 

2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 4x2 Extended Cab 157.5 in. WB DRW LT3 Target Price: $32,136

 

2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 LT3 w/Duramax 6600 HO Turbo Diesel Engine 4x2 Extended Cab 157.5 in. WB SRW Target Price: $36,968

 

5K difference for gas vs diesel? This would be for a truck that would pull a 5th wheel 4 times a year totaling 8K miles. I was surprised at the difference between SRW and DRW. Only $313??? Also, the 2500HD and 3500 SRW numbers are almost the same. I guess the 3500 would be the best? What would DRW do for me other than cost more money when it is time for new tires?

[als1984z28]

How large is the fifth wheel that you are looking at, what is the empty weight, GVWR and Pin weight? The main difference between the 2500HD the 3500 SRW and the 3500DRW is the GVWR of the vehicle, not the towing capacity. The 2500HD can tow a lot but can't handle as much pin weight as the other 2, where the 3500 DRW can handle much more pin weight but you said that a DRW is out of the question. So, to answer your question we will need to know more about the fifth wheel you are looking at.

[kfinto]

I don't have the GVWR for the trailer the salesman showed me but here is the info on a 5th wheel I like that I found online.

 

Dry Weight 11600lbs (5262 kg)

GVWR 16000lbs (7257 kg)

Cargo Capacity 4400lbs (1996 kg)

Hitch Weight 2450lbs (1111 kg)

[silverado3500]

The reason for the few hundred pound difference between the SRW and the dually is accounting for the weight of the extra two rear wheels/tires/larger fenders, etc. The GCWR (towing capacity)is the same between a 3500 SRW and a 3500 Dually. The dually has a higher GVWR (payload capacity).

 

The actual towing capacity is determined by taking the GCWR and subtracting the actual weight of the truck + passengers+cargo inside the cab/bed.

 

If the truck is going to be a tow vehivle only, I'd definately go with the dually. The dually is a lot more stable especially with a 5th wheel travel trailer. If its going to be a daily driver as well, I'd possibly consider a SRW, but I'd suggest a dually for a few days to see how you like it. It really isn't that much harder to manuever a dually around parking lots etc.

 

hope that helps!

[kfinto]

If its going to be a daily driver as well, I'd possibly consider a SRW, but I'd suggest a dually for a few days to see how you like it.  It really isn't that much harder to manuever a dually around parking lots etc.

 

hope that helps! 

 

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I just have to find a dually I can test drive for a few days.... There is a local dealer with a brand new 2004 diesel 3500 DRW on the lot. It would be interesting to see what kind of deal he would make on it.

[builderpaul]

The maximum trailer ratings posted are very deceptive. As Silverado3500 said all the trucks you listed have the same GCVW of 22000lbs. (if they all have 410 rearends)This is the maximum weight of the vehicle/cargo/pasangers/trailer/any load in the trailer. The rating posted are for an empty truck with one driver. Every passanger you add is less you can tow, any cargo is less to tow.

A duelly will be a lot more stable on the road.

[coronetrt101]

I have had 2 Fords and now a Chevy... The Chevy tows much better than the Fords... I tow a 10k 5th wheel and I dont have any problem with fish tailing... The dually was created to stop fish tailing when towing a standard trailer... 5th wheels usually wont fish tail regardless... My big problem lately is oil consumption..

[silverado3500]

Not trying to come across as rude or anything, but duallys were not created to prevent fishtailing. The point of the dually is that the 2 extra wheels/tires (tires mainly) can handle more direct weight (payload in the bed). The tires are the weak link in the weight handling capacity of a truck. The added stability is just an extra benefit that having the wider wheelbase of a dually offers. Like you said, a 5th wheel/goosneck trailer typically should have very little fishtailing (trailer sway) issues.

 

Say for example that a certain load range E tire can handle 3,000, to 3,500 pounds. On a SRW that effectively limits the weight rating on the rear axle to 6,000-7,000 lbs. On, a dually with 4 tires instead of two, the weight capacity that the axle can handle, nearly doubles. (I say nearly because when tires are used in a DRW application, they are typically rated slightly less.)

 

Trailer-sway is mainly a bumper pull issue, and the longer bumper pull trailers without an anti-sway bar can make for "white knuckle" driving even on a dually. I can vouch for this personally. The cause of this is having the pivot point behind the rear axle. When the truck turns, the trailer goes the opposite way just briefly before following the truck. On a 5th wheel/goosneck the pivot point is directly above or just forward of the rear axle, eliminating the opposing motion.

 

Again, if I came across as rude, I apologize, as it is not meant to be. Just trying to help.

[coronetrt101]

Hey I could not have said it better myself.... Everything you say is valid... Especially with the Tire Load Ratings... Its just I did not want to write that much....Im just lazy... Sorry...