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Jeremy Proctor Problem with that is the Insurance Company's. They get in a accident with a tow vehicle that is under rated, claim gets denied. Way better and safer to go with a truck that can safely handle a trailers GTW. Another concern would be there current trucks brakes were only rated for a certain GCWR.
The Original GM Numbers for towing for your Chevy truck , GCWR = 22,000 lbs ( that's total gross weight on the scales of truck and trailer) I have the same year truck and the original GM brochure on it. You are probably darn close to Max, But might not be over.
Great video. Love seeing you engaging with the folks from Changing Lanes and Big Truck, like yours, both great channels. I have a 2019 Silverado 3500 Duramax with Allison 6 speed pulling a Montana 3120, about 6k lbs lighter than your Momentum, and yes, with the capacity of the newer trucks and the lighter 5th wheel, you can almost forget it is back there!. I set set the exhaust brake on and the cruise a couple mph below the speed and get passed by a few and pass fewer. Best of luck on finding a new TV.
J.P. White, unfortunately the door sticker doesn’t have the GCWR on it. You can only get those numbers from the manufacturer’s spec sheet. All the manufacturers have them posted online. Just got to google it by year.
I ran into the same issue last year with a 2018 F350 SRW LWB with a GVWR of 11,500 and when we picked a new 2020 Solitude (GVWR 16,800), we were almost 800 lb. overweight off the lot. The next week I traded in the 2018 for a 2019 F350 Dually w/ a 14,000 GVWR...became unsafe and illegal to safe and legal. A tough one to take, since I really liked the 2018. One thing to also consider when buying a diesel Pickup is a 48 gal tank of fuel can weight ~ 300 lbs., so that will also affect your available GVWR not to mention the 5th wheel hitch that can weigh ~ 150 lbs....it all adds up and reduces available cargo capacity.
We just bought a 399th and we had bought a truck a few months ago because we knew that we was going to go with a bigger RV. We have only been in the the RV for a couple weeks and have only moved it 4 times. I really hope we get better with hookup and setup. It is taking forever, but I rather be safe than sorry. It’s very intimidating with that much weight behind you. But we absolutely love it and couldn’t be happier
I owned a 2011 Ram 2500 that was almost paid off when we purchased a 41 foot bunkhouse 5th wheel. I soon found out that the salesman who told me that it would tow "20,000 pounds" had no clue what he was talking about. Since my wife fell in love with the new house, she suggested that I just go out and buy a new truck. That's all the motivation I needed so I traded in the 2500 for a 3500 Dually that was rated to tow 30,180 pounds, and the Ram web site will verify that using the VIN. Good luck in your search for the right truck as you really do want to be safe and not stress the equipment.
Thanks for sharing this. Many individuals are ignorant or negligent to this very important safety factor in RVing. Your tow vehicle must be appropriately matched to what you are towing and legally YOU are responsible to ensure that GVWR and CGVWR ratings are not exceeded. Any towed unit or toad must also be considered in these weight restrictions. Looking forward to seeing which new truck you end up with!
For added cooling. Use a product like Water Wetter, or equivilent. Pick one that matches the coolant color. The other thing is adding to the chin spoiler, air dam, or what ever you want to call the device that reduces the air flow under your truck. The air flow through the radiator AND the intercooler will increase. A side benefit will be better crosswind handling.
For the over heating, check the area between the charge air cooler and the radiator for leaves, cotton wood fluff, etc. Any debris between any of the cooling pack will reduce airflow causing heating problems when you are pulling up hill, as your maxing power and slower road speed so the fan needs to do most of the work. I had same issue on my 2005 GMC 2500 Duramax.
Just bought a 2019 F450 yesterday myself and a new rig. I am in law enforcement and have to investigate crashes involving rv rigs all the time. Most of the time, the insufficient capacity truck is the cause. Circumstances that happen can cause catastrophic crashes. Better safe than sorry! Not just a legal issue! Be safe.
I have an old ‘99 2500 Cummins and a ‘20 3500 Cummins with the Aisin tranny. It’s like comparing a Ranger to a big rig. The new truck is an absolute monster. I don’t even slow down on the hills where I used to get bogged down. It’s more than engine... it’s the transmission, frame, everything. Love my old Ram 24 valve, but it doesn’t hold a candle to my new truck. Night and day difference. Plus I know I am safer and more comfortable.
I love your honesty and the information you try and pack into a video Whether it’s good or bad you put it in a simplified manner that anyone can understand. I think that’s what drew me in. Thank you for all your videos and the time that you spend doing this. I appreciate you both we look forward to more of your videos.
I have seen the Changing Lanes channel before. I did remember Chad making a comment about considering which tow vehicle they were going to buy. They almost got the Ram. But discovered the salesman was giving them inaccurate information. The Ram would have clearly been overloaded. The newer trailers keep getting bigger and the trucks more powerful and carry more weight. The new diesel engines are almost twice as powerful as ones produced in the mid 2000s. The GVWRs of the heavy duty trucks is also significantly higher.
Before you buy a new truck, take your rig across a scale at a truck stop so you have accurate information. The weights provided by manufacturers is quite often incorrect. Most full timers are considerably overweight on the trailer. We all tend to collect too much stuff. Be sure to weigh with full holding tanks and propane. As far as a new truck, I wouldn’t recommend a medium duty. They pull great however it’s a bit of a pain in the ass to live with. The prices are quite high and there’s not a large resale market. If you feel you must go medium, I would recommend a used truck. Let the other guy take the hit on depreciation. Be forewarned if you don’t like it, it’s hard to get your money out of it. Also if you buy medium duty, do yourself a favor and buy an air ride hitch. Some manufacturers will not warranty their fifth wheels if you don’t have air hitch. When the mediums first hit the rv market, there was a rash of fifth wheels with cracked frames due to the lack of give in the truck suspension. This is true even with air suspension on the truck. Air suspension on the truck is designed to keep everything level, not to soften the ride. Also the insurance on a medium duty can be a pain. I wasn’t aware of that when I bought one. I ended up having to carry a commercial policy. It was a pain and quite expensive. There are lots of alternatives to medium duty trucks that are better suited for full timers.
Good video ! You have to know your trucks pay load capacity ! Everything you add to your truck , including people, reduces your pay load . Then look into tow ratings, ect . You tube, ( keep you daydream) payload ,has a great video on this and a down load formula ,you got to be legal or you insurance won’t cover you . You have to be safe ! For you and others !
Whether you like it or not. Legally it goes by the stickers on the tow vehicle and the trailer capacity. It does not matter what the actual weight is or was. If the trailer capacity weight is larger than any of the tow vehicle limits, you are over loaded according to any insurance or legal matter. It will be very clear that you are/were overloaded during an accident/infraction. Keep yourself out of trouble and buy a tow vehicle that is capable for both GVWR and GVCW!!! No matter if you are towing across the street or across the country, even if it is just once.
So glad you found out now before you became one of those RV fishtailing compilations on UA-cam! Thank you for sharing the knowledge. I just look at what the manufacturer says too.
Mark on KYD has an awesome video on tow capacity. Even has a spreadsheet and walks you through calculating it. Interestingly it's how I discovered their channel.
Well since you mentioned big truck big RV you have any questions if you can get a hold of him ask him he is about the only one that I have seen on UA-cam that knows what they are talking about. And knows how to haul RVs properly with the right equipment.
Thank you for the information. I have followed you guys for a while but never commented. I have a 04 F350 dually and I was looking to upgrade because I have a 2018 seismic 4212 toy hauler and really pushing the limits so I did the normal thing to do I bought a 2014 Volvo 780 and plan to convert to tow my fifth wheel toy hauler maybe not for everybody but seems to be a good thing now. It’s now stuck in Denver Colorado until after this virus pandemic has subsided.Great video guys, you guys do a wonderful job each and every time keep up the great work. Well wishes from AK.
Sometimes a limiting factor on your GVW is the tires on your pick up. Going from a 235 to a 265 will increase your ability to carry more weight. Back in the 70s and 80s, the only difference between a half ton and a heavy half ton was sometimes just the tires.
There are things that you can do to make the truck HANDLE the load better. (Air Bags, Higher rated tires, Springs, Anti sway bars. etc. But those mods would not legally alter the factory ratings) The only thing the would make it haul (Power) Is changing the axle ratios which is a major job. And probably a tune. After you spend the money to make those mods you still have an old truck and spent a lot of money. Better off getting something new with the right specs. You better seek expert help. On the Fords there are different axle ratios that you can chose. also on a Ford there is an option that boosts the Payload on a truck with the diesel. Anything that you put in your order is cheaper than doing it after.
Good luck with your search. You will be pleased with any brand you select, they all have very similar capabilities. You will be blown away by the additional power you didn't know you were missing. I recently upgraded from a 2004 F350 SRW to a 2019 Ram Longhorn DRW and my available torque DOUBLED! Very few downshifts in hilly terrain.
How to figure out your towing weights is something you absolutely must know, especially if you are towing full time. The quick conversation about insurance coverage and liability is central to this discussion. I have lots of experience with this and I can tell you if you are involved in an incident involving a liability question and you are towing equipment this is the first thing the adjuster will look at. If you doubt this run it by your legal advisor, I’m sure he will agree. A
Before we ordered our GD 397th, I messaged with Chad about EVERYTHING to do with the process, and he was helpful beyond words!! We are now fulltiming in our 2020 397 and LOVE IT!!! Good luck finding a truck, guys. Can't wait to see it!! 😊
Chad is a very technical guy and in my opinion right on with his DIY advice. On the weight subject 15 - 20% on the pin depends on how you load. Here's the bottom line, need to look at GCVWR (grove combined vehicle weight rating) for your vehicle. Chad touched on it when he said manufacturers numbers are not always true. If you look up the numbers for your truck you will see if you add the manufacturer's claimed max tow rating with the GVWR of your truck you will be over your GCVWR. If pulled over this is how a traffic officer will figure this out, simply add the GVWR of the truck with the GVWR of the trailer if it exceeds the GCVWR rating for your truck your in trouble. The rest of the story is drivers license requirements. GCVWR and tow vehicle GVWR can require different licenses there are exceptions for RV's in some states but not all. A good website is from Changing gears they did the research changingears.com/ look at the state you are planning to visit.
Don’t go by numbers in brochures from manufactures, go to a certified truck scale and weigh as you travel, for example our fifth wheel is under the gross trailer weight but our pin weight is more. You have the luxury of a toy hauler and can move weight around more than I can, however be cautious not to remove too much pin weight and create sway problems. One more thing, when I went to the scales I weighed both truck and trailer, and it is setup that you weigh axles separate, then I went around back unhooked the 5th wheel and weighed the truck by itself. Just my .02😀
Have the stack cleaned, install an aftermarket bigger radiator, and put a tow tune on the truck and you wont overheat and it will pull a ton better. Air bags will help too. It will cost you less than a new truck and you wont have all the emission crap. Put 4-5k into the truck and it will be great.
I don’t know all the technical stuff but I do understand how you feel about just paying the truck off. Best wishes on what you have to do next. I will say a prayer.
Good video to put out. Everyone talks about how much their trucks can tow. But hardly anyone talks about how well can your truck stop itself and the 20k behind you. We decided to go with a hdt simply for its stopping ability (a big plus is we can tow anything!). Should keep the hdt on your shopping list, plus they often cost less than a new truck.
When looking at purchasing another truck, what I found out was engine, transmission and rear gear set up will affect your towing abilities. For me I went with 6.7 Cummins Diesel engine, A6AS69RC transmission and gear ratio of 3.73, which gives me GCWR 33800 with max trailer weight rating of 25910. If I went with gear ratio 4.10 it would increase GCWR to 39100 with max trailer weight rating of 31210. These numbers are off the 2017 Ram towing chart. No matter what brand of truck you go with, look at manufacture towing chart so you get the proper truck for the trailer you will tow. Hope this helps some.
I have a 2018 with the Cummins and the 4.10, it pulls my 39' Montana 16500 GVRW great. I agree, it doesn't matter if your a weekend warrior or if your full time. If you are over loaded, your overloaded.
The manufacturer tow charts are "best case scenario ", meaning a regular cab, 2 wheel drive, basic trim model,making the truck as light as possible and giving the most payload. Add luxury items like 4x4, crew cab, leather, etc adds weight, and takes away payload. So, dont use the chart as a final decision maker, but look at each individual trucks payload sticker inside the door jamb. Every truck is unique. I thought several dealers that last year. Look for yourself, dont take their word for it. They just want the sale.
If your truck is overheating on some steep grades maybe if you add a decent size electric fan with a toggle switch or just leave it set to automatic in front of your rad it might help with the overheating problems.
Nice collaboration. I’m big fans of both Changing Lanes and BTBRV. I was in the same boat as you. I went from a smaller 5th wheel to a larger Solitude. My Ram ‘16 2500 wasn’t rated for what I was towing. I upgraded to ‘17 Ram 3500 DRW with the Aisin transmission. So glad I did. Good luck truck shopping!!
It is obvious that your wife still doesn't get it. At 11:28 she says, "It would probably be fine if we were only weekenders." No it would not, the biggest issue here is road safety, your's and the others on the road. Equally important for you two, insurance companies, they go to great lengths to get out of paying out, if you were involved in a personal injury accident you'd be high and dry. A truck payment pales to insignificance compared with court case costs even if you win. Purchase new and get something that will meet your needs for the next 10 years.
It doesn't really matter to her if something wasn't safe pulling the trailer, as she isn't in the truck with him if something was to happen as she follows him in her car, LOL
My father was really pushing it with his setup he was towing a close to 9,000 pound travel trailer with a 13 year old Ford F-150 that was in horrible shape to begin with before the camper and it only took a year before he decided a new f250 was probably a better choice for towing. Also don’t feel ashamed we all make mistakes when towing, our old camper had its fair share of accidents and mishaps it may or may not have been backed into a tree once or twice and the awning was accidentally left out in a storm and caved in because of the rain buildup
Too many comments about engine size. GVWR is about suspension, axles and chassis. Overloaded, it won’t drive safely and you risk a broken axle or suspension member. Your overheating is less about engine is likely more about transmission and axle ratio, but that can’t overcome an engine that is too small.
False. Overheating is due to needing upgrades and a good stack cleaning. Put a tow tune on the truck, clean the stack, bigger radiator, downpipe etc. Still cheaper than a new truck and you wont have def bullsh*t
Great video,can’t wait to see which truck you decide to go with,you’re not alone on this problem,there are a lot of people out there that don’t have enough truck for the job. Towing on flat ground is one thing ,put it in the hills and mountains that’s another animal. Not only with pulling but stopping as well. Good Luck,they are out there,just do the math and get more then you need you won’t be sorry.
Have you had the radiator, ac cooler and intercooler, (stack) cleaned? I had an 07 Duramax and there was a tone of dirt between those coolers! I would overheat in the middle of winter pulling a car trailer. I took all of that out and cleaned it was a world of difference! I suggest that before buying atruck
I had a 06 Silverado with the Duramax and they accumulate bugs and (stuff) between the AC condenser and radiator something terrible. Debris goes over the top and under the bottom of the condenser and intercooler and then get in stuck in front of the radiator. You have to take the condenser loose to get it out of the way to clean the radiator. Our 5th wheel's pin weight is 25% of the total weight of the trailer. Yeh, you're probably a little heavy. Better weigh it.
@@09dave1952 exactly it was a night and day difference when I took mine all apart and cleaned it. And yes he is probably overweight had made my comment before I finished watching the video
Look at the heavy duty trucks. That is the route I took. I know they look a little overwhelming but are easy to drive. Automatic transmission better braking more power. Also safer. You will find they are cheaper .Haul a smart car on a platform behind the cab and you are set. Will never wear it out just pulling a rv.No cdl required for rv use.
Hey guys, if you're considering a new truck to pull your RV you should look into buying a Semi Truck to do it. They are rated to pull 80k lbs and it would be a better option.
I haven't bought a truck yet I am looking at a ford ranger, towing compacity is, 7000 pounds. Just looked at Ford Ranger specs online. I also am going to get the tow package. Before I buy a trailer will be making sure the truck can pull the trailer I buy, for me it will just be for vacation, so doesn't need to be over big. One thing that helped my husband and I to pull our 26 footer was a equalizer for towing.
I love my 2019 F450. Bigger brakes than a F250/F350. 19.5” truck wheels/tires; 7.5’ SMALLER turning diameter than a short bed F250/F350; 48 gallon tank; 4.30 read end
F.Y.I., reviews specs on the new GM trucks for 2020. Major upgrades made in 2020 to allow towing your kind of rig. As sited by the gentle man from Big trucks in a recent video, all three big manufacturers for 2020 are very close in specs. The Ford F450 offers a great turning ratio. GM offers a superior camera package in my opinion. It will be an investment for the next 5 years at least so consider that. Most are offering crazy financing, but inventory may dwindling. Best of luck! Stay safe and healthy.
Dear sir but larger radiator also pur 24 blades electric fan and finally add direct connection trans cooler for rating of 40000 l.p. That should fix the problems
Wow! I have a 2018 single wheel 1 ton and the available payload is is over 4000 lbs. It's amazing how much they have bumped up the numbers in recent years.
We have a 2019 Ram 3500 4x4 dually. The Cummins engine has 1000 foot pounds of torque mated with the AISIN transmission and a 3:73 rear gear. When we hitch up with pin weight of 2200 pounds there is no sag in the truck. The things pulls our 2014 Heartland Big Country just a smooth as a babies butt. I learned to make sure the engine plus transmission and rear gear are what to look for.
Changing the stock diff gears from 3.73 to 4.10 or even 4.30 (if available) would help a lot and certainly cheaper than a new truck. However, this doesn't fix the GVWR issue.
Edward Beaumont that would be fine if his truck wasn't four-wheel drive and yes you can change front and rear but now you're talkin about a big cost. It also doesn't do anything for the gross vehicle weight of that truck that will only help it tow better
Great video. This is a major challenge as people get into the RV world. Hit the nail on the head, dealers do not have any responsibility to ensure weight ratio for the truck. While I have had both gas and diesel, when I bought my last truck did my own research to match up what I need to mix both towing and daily use. Agreed the trucks over time have significantly changed for capacity. Also people get caught up in adding things to the truck such as air bags etc, it still does not change the original payload. Agree as well on anyone ever saying that they do not feel the trailer behind, absolutely false. Sure there are times on straight level, smooth pavement. Also getting into mountains at 7%, why does anyone need to tow up at 60 mph. Here the ministry of transportation is cracking down on over payloads on the truck re RV ratio with fines and even potential impound. Safe towing is the key point, safe travels!
The insurance claim believe me the claim adjusters know what to look for I just went through it. I was with national general insurance which is good Sam cannot complain about the insurance or my coverage but that insurance Adjuster knows exactly what To look for. This has been one of the best informative videos I've seen on RVing in a long time thanks
Here's the thing to remember, towing and weight capacity is just what the vehicle is mechanically capable of pulling and carrying. It does not mean that it will do it well. You need to look to engine and transmission specs for that. Torque and horsepower numbers are what you need to get up hills. More is better! I agree with a lot of people in the comments here F450 is the way to go.
You are right about the newer trucks having so much more capability. My '18 3500 SRW has more GVW than yours and 500# more than it's direct competition of the exact same size and equipment.
Sorry to hear this but you got some awesome advise from two guys that know!! I don't think Chad will ever be a 5th wheel designer tho! Lol Can't wait to see the new truck! Be safe !!!
@Rodger Sterling Totally agree with you. I had a Silverado dually that overheated, turned out the radiator was partially clogged along with the stack being dirty. New radiator and stack cleaned it went back to normal.
glad you guys are getting this taken care of..... I remember telling my wife, man that trucks not going to last long pulling that 5th wheel.... glad you will be upgrading.... be safe!
By the numbers you are over on weight. If that bothers you then you need a newer truck. You should go through the CAT scales and get it weighed then you will know exactly where it is. I tow a triple axle toy hauler with my 2007 2500 duramax without issues. My trailer weighed in at 18,000lbs. You have the 360hp duramax with 3.73 gear ratio same as mine. I am a duramax mechanic, sounds like you may have a problem with the truck if it struggles that much and overheats. You may have turbo vanes sticking or a cooling fan clutch not engaging enough to move enough air to cool it under heavy load. Fuel filters plug up on these too, it’s very common especially on non OEM filters. The AC Delco fuel filters are the best as far as filtering and not plugging quickly. Plugged fuel filter will cause it to be low on pulling power. Usually people don’t realize it until they try to tow. Before I would get another truck I would have this truck checked out by a good Duramax mechanic. Finding a good trusted Duramax mechanic may be hard to do out on the road though. I’ve been working on them since 2001 and the truck you have is the most reliable, problem free Duramax so far. With all the complex emissions on the newer ones I would keep what you have. Happy travels and if you have any questions just ask.
That truck is fine for that fifth wheel. When you buy a new camper at a dealer they ask what tow vehicle do you have, you say a one ton dually diesel, they don’t ask the gear ratio. Because the truck is older and it is overheating I would also try replacing the water pump.
I had a 05 Dodge 3500 dually geared 4:10 that I used to towed a large 4 horse living quarters trailer. Most of my travel with that trailer was in the NC, TN & VA mountains, the truck done great. But, a couple years ago I got a 2018 Ram limited with HO 6.7 and aisin trans. This truck is like night and day compared to the 2005 with HO 5.9. "Just my opinion" Even though my truck is rated to tow around 30k, if I was going to tow a 20k 5th wheel on a regular basis, I would look seriously at the F450 (and I don't even like Ford trucks)
I hate to pile on but when I started looking at what kind of truck I would need, I found the numbers for mid 2000’s trucks were hard to discern. Published numbers varied a bit from one source or another. The bottom line is Chad and JD are Right. There are publications like Trailer Life Towing Guide for every year from about 2007 and up. I found the guide very useful when I started shopping for a tow rig a couple of years ago. I was surprised to find a lot of heavy duty trucks are not optioned to tow as much as you’d think. It’s a shame that your beautiful truck wasn’t built to tow a 17,000 lb plus rig. The used Dually Diesel market is thin on choices and most car dealers have no idea of what the true towing capacity of the truck they are trying to sell you really is. The brochures are worthless. It took me over a year of hard looking but I eventually found my truck through CAR GURUS. They can search nationwide and have a really good options menu so you can filter out most of what you don’t want and find the truck your looking for. Just remember that the VIN and factory ratings for each truck vary by how they are equipped. No dealer I ever delt with could tell me the true specs of what they were trying to sell me. Buying a capable tow rig was a learning experience. I wish you guys all the best.
He only had 11,400 GVW??? Yow... Chad - you are great at explaining stuff... I've been towing trailers/campers for decades - and I have ONE major rule of thumb, and that is: "you can never have too much truck". I was at a large RV dealership in central MN a few years ago, and a customer had just traded in his 5er and his truck for some new unit.. That camper was a triple axle unit and he'd been towing it with an F-250!!!!!! WAYYYYYYY overloaded.. Our current trailer's at 19K GVW - and I just traded my F-350 DRW for a 2020 F-450 DRW; mainly for the lower gear ration (4:30 vs. 4:10) and the new 10-sp.. I hope they obtain the correct truck for their camper with some weight room to spare.. It's all about safety, and legality.. Overloaded truck + accident = lawyers' dream.. Best wishes!
I've got the gas version of your truck. 8.1 (496cu) with allison trans with 4.10 gear. Power level of my truck is 360hp and 450ft pounds. Your truck hp is close but your torque is 500-600ft. These new trucks are 400plus hp and 900ft pounds of torque. It's really crazy what these new trucks will pull. But I personally love the 00-07 classic 2500hd-3500 trucks. But for your gvwr of that new camper you would need or be more happy with a newer truck.
Never exceed the towing capacity of any truck! It is dangerous and you can easily find yourself financially ruined when your insurance is canceled when they find out after an accident. Its best to not exceed 80% ratings as a safety factor. Check every system in the tow. Pay close attention to the hitch ratings as well. Keep in mind, the ratings are generally on smooth pavement, off road or rough roads require an extra safety margin. While its nice to have a big trailer, its not worth the risk if you cant get the truck required. Stay safe.
I agree that's it's not a good idea to be overweight, but find me one example of an actual person ever getting their claim denied for being overweight. Everyone uses this argument, but no one is ever able to provide any proof.
when in the mountains the elevation changes so a bigger turbo might be a cheaper option. if the frame is the problem get a better frame with better weight rating or newer year 2020s, and upgraded suspension. this could also all be done through your insurance, but bigger insurance bill but nothing out of pocket, and you keep same truck
Excellent video guys 😊❤️👍 this topic is so very important and many don’t understand what a big impact to your safety and others safety it is to get it correct 🎥🚌🌎😎 thanks for sharing and safe travels
I have made the same mistake, so don't feel bad. Our first 5th wheel was a "1/2 Ton Towable" Eagle HT that we bought almost immediately after we bought a 2015 F150 with the 5.0 Coyote Motor. The trailer had a 1600lb pin weight and the truck had a 1900lb payload. Long story short, WAY too upside down on the truck to trade, and we ended up buying a second used truck, a 97 F250 Powerstroke. 5th wheel pin weights count towards the payload on the truck. It is important to know all the data prior to buying the right tow vehicle. A manufacture's "Tow Guide" , especially for 5th wheels, will give you a max tow rating, BUT these figures count on a 20% pin weight. Even Grand Design underestimates their advertised pin weights. For example, our Solitude's actually pin weight, measured at the factory and on the build sheet, was heavier by a 200lbs than on the website. No salesman knows how to look that up, at the auto dealer or the RV dealer. I finally found the payload of our current truck, in its trim level (because nicer is heavier) in a Ford brochure. Remember: Payload = You, your family, the hitch weight, pets ...whatever you put in that truck. Good Luck and thank you for the videos.
You guys should consider getting a 2008-2010 6.4L V8 Diesel 4x4 Ford F-450. They’re pretty reasonably priced, and you can easily find one with low mileage, if you do a thorough search online. They come in two gear ratios: 4.30LS (20,100 lb 5th wheel towing capacity) and the 4.88LS (24,100 lb 5th wheel towing capacity). Both of them can tow that Momentum toy hauler, or any of the other ones GD has to offer.
Remember those pictures of gray aliens? That’s him! Lol! Last time we camped we had a triple axle 5th wheel pull in near us towed by a Freightliner! Pretty sure his numbers were OK!
There are a lot of comments on this post. I haven’t read them all so forgive me if I repeat some of what’s said. Take the time to hit a CAT Scale. Take the whole rig truck and RV fully loaded and then go back and do a reweigh with just the truck. That way you will know exactly what the truck weighs, how much is on the pin and how much on the axles. Compare those numbers to the specs on the truck and the RV. I’m not sure what model RV your Momentum is. The new trucks have lots of capabilities. I have a 2016 F350 dually CC with a 5600 lb payload. The downside on the 350 is the poor turning radius. The 450 has a better turning radius but often have a smaller cargo capacity. Have fun looking for a new truck if you decide you need it.
Highly recommend you take a look at Ford!! Wife and I have a 2017 f-350 crew cab long bed pad drw and pulls and stops our heavy Excel 5th wheel like a dream! 5th wheel gvwr is 18,750 lbs
I like the guy who bought a used semi tractor with 250 K miles on it for 55k the estimated milage will go a min of 500 K to 1m miles in order to pull a large toy holler. A F450 or F550 new will go for 90 to 120 k. I would go for the semi better braking and the trailer is 1/4 of the max tow weight
You cannot in crease the weight carrying capacity of your truck. Limitations depend on the suspension axles wheels, look at how many nuts are on the 1500 ,2500 and 3500 series trucks.
Like I always say, when all else fails read the directions or in this case the stickers. It’s not “what it can tow /haul” but rather what “ you can legally tow / haul” based on the manufacturer door sticker. Right now I’d say if you were in a accident and someone was seriously injured or killed, you can bet your sweet bippy the attorney’s will be looking at those stickers and have you bent over.
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Hahaha too small 🍆
From what I heard the problem with your truck is the gear ratio you can install lower gears in your truck and up the towing capacity
Jeremy Proctor Problem with that is the Insurance Company's. They get in a accident with a tow vehicle that is under rated, claim gets denied.
Way better and safer to go with a truck that can safely handle a trailers GTW.
Another concern would be there current trucks brakes were only rated for a certain GCWR.
@@jeremyandkarianne $$$$$$$$$$$$
The Original GM Numbers for towing for your Chevy truck , GCWR = 22,000 lbs ( that's total gross weight on the scales of truck and trailer) I have the same year truck and the original GM brochure on it. You are probably darn close to Max, But might not be over.
Chad he knows his stuff.plus he has a awesome setup.i love watching chad and Tara such great peaple
Great video. Love seeing you engaging with the folks from Changing Lanes and Big Truck, like yours, both great channels.
I have a 2019 Silverado 3500 Duramax with Allison 6 speed pulling a Montana 3120, about 6k lbs lighter than your Momentum, and yes, with the capacity of the newer trucks and the lighter 5th wheel, you can almost forget it is back there!. I set set the exhaust brake on and the cruise a couple mph below the speed and get passed by a few and pass fewer. Best of luck on finding a new TV.
One more point, ignore the dealer and sales litrature, look at the door sticker for the actual capacity of the truck you are considering.
J.P. White, unfortunately the door sticker doesn’t have the GCWR on it. You can only get those numbers from the manufacturer’s spec sheet. All the manufacturers have them posted online. Just got to google it by year.
I ran into the same issue last year with a 2018 F350 SRW LWB with a GVWR of 11,500 and when we picked a new 2020 Solitude (GVWR 16,800), we were almost 800 lb. overweight off the lot. The next week I traded in the 2018 for a 2019 F350 Dually w/ a 14,000 GVWR...became unsafe and illegal to safe and legal. A tough one to take, since I really liked the 2018.
One thing to also consider when buying a diesel Pickup is a 48 gal tank of fuel can weight ~ 300 lbs., so that will also affect your available GVWR not to mention the 5th wheel hitch that can weigh ~ 150 lbs....it all adds up and reduces available cargo capacity.
We just bought a 399th and we had bought a truck a few months ago because we knew that we was going to go with a bigger RV. We have only been in the the RV for a couple weeks and have only moved it 4 times. I really hope we get better with hookup and setup. It is taking forever, but I rather be safe than sorry. It’s very intimidating with that much weight behind you. But we absolutely love it and couldn’t be happier
I owned a 2011 Ram 2500 that was almost paid off when we purchased a 41 foot bunkhouse 5th wheel. I soon found out that the salesman who told me that it would tow "20,000 pounds" had no clue what he was talking about. Since my wife fell in love with the new house, she suggested that I just go out and buy a new truck. That's all the motivation I needed so I traded in the 2500 for a 3500 Dually that was rated to tow 30,180 pounds, and the Ram web site will verify that using the VIN. Good luck in your search for the right truck as you really do want to be safe and not stress the equipment.
Yeah the sales people dont know what they don't know
Thanks for sharing this. Many individuals are ignorant or negligent to this very important safety factor in RVing. Your tow vehicle must be appropriately matched to what you are towing and legally YOU are responsible to ensure that GVWR and CGVWR ratings are not exceeded. Any towed unit or toad must also be considered in these weight restrictions. Looking forward to seeing which new truck you end up with!
For added cooling. Use a product like Water Wetter, or equivilent. Pick one that matches the coolant color.
The other thing is adding to the chin spoiler, air dam, or what ever you want to call the device that reduces the air flow under your truck. The air flow through the radiator AND the intercooler will increase. A side benefit will be better crosswind handling.
For the over heating, check the area between the charge air cooler and the radiator for leaves, cotton wood fluff, etc. Any debris between any of the cooling pack will reduce airflow causing heating problems when you are pulling up hill, as your maxing power and slower road speed so the fan needs to do most of the work. I had same issue on my 2005 GMC 2500 Duramax.
Just bought a 2019 F450 yesterday myself and a new rig. I am in law enforcement and have to investigate crashes involving rv rigs all the time. Most of the time, the insufficient capacity truck is the cause. Circumstances that happen can cause catastrophic crashes. Better safe than sorry! Not just a legal issue! Be safe.
I have an old ‘99 2500 Cummins and a ‘20 3500 Cummins with the Aisin tranny. It’s like comparing a Ranger to a big rig. The new truck is an absolute monster. I don’t even slow down on the hills where I used to get bogged down. It’s more than engine... it’s the transmission, frame, everything. Love my old Ram 24 valve, but it doesn’t hold a candle to my new truck. Night and day difference. Plus I know I am safer and more comfortable.
I love your honesty and the information you try and pack into a video Whether it’s good or bad you put it in a simplified manner that anyone can understand. I think that’s what drew me in. Thank you for all your videos and the time that you spend doing this. I appreciate you both we look forward to more of your videos.
I have seen the Changing Lanes channel before. I did remember Chad making a comment about considering which tow vehicle they were going to buy. They almost got the Ram. But discovered the salesman was giving them inaccurate information. The Ram would have clearly been overloaded. The newer trailers keep getting bigger and the trucks more powerful and carry more weight. The new diesel engines are almost twice as powerful as ones produced in the mid 2000s. The GVWRs of the heavy duty trucks is also significantly higher.
Before you buy a new truck, take your rig across a scale at a truck stop so you have accurate information. The weights provided by manufacturers is quite often incorrect. Most full timers are considerably overweight on the trailer. We all tend to collect too much stuff. Be sure to weigh with full holding tanks and propane. As far as a new truck, I wouldn’t recommend a medium duty. They pull great however it’s a bit of a pain in the ass to live with. The prices are quite high and there’s not a large resale market. If you feel you must go medium, I would recommend a used truck. Let the other guy take the hit on depreciation. Be forewarned if you don’t like it, it’s hard to get your money out of it. Also if you buy medium duty, do yourself a favor and buy an air ride hitch. Some manufacturers will not warranty their fifth wheels if you don’t have air hitch. When the mediums first hit the rv market, there was a rash of fifth wheels with cracked frames due to the lack of give in the truck suspension. This is true even with air suspension on the truck. Air suspension on the truck is designed to keep everything level, not to soften the ride. Also the insurance on a medium duty can be a pain. I wasn’t aware of that when I bought one. I ended up having to carry a commercial policy. It was a pain and quite expensive. There are lots of alternatives to medium duty trucks that are better suited for full timers.
Good video ! You have to know your trucks pay load capacity ! Everything you add to your truck , including people, reduces your pay load . Then look into tow ratings, ect . You tube, ( keep you daydream) payload ,has a great video on this and a down load formula ,you got to be legal or you insurance won’t cover you . You have to be safe ! For you and others !
Whether you like it or not. Legally it goes by the stickers on the tow vehicle and the trailer capacity. It does not matter what the actual weight is or was. If the trailer capacity weight is larger than any of the tow vehicle limits, you are over loaded according to any insurance or legal matter. It will be very clear that you are/were overloaded during an accident/infraction. Keep yourself out of trouble and buy a tow vehicle that is capable for both GVWR and GVCW!!! No matter if you are towing across the street or across the country, even if it is just once.
So glad you found out now before you became one of those RV fishtailing compilations on UA-cam! Thank you for sharing the knowledge. I just look at what the manufacturer says too.
Mark on KYD has an awesome video on tow capacity. Even has a spreadsheet and walks you through calculating it. Interestingly it's how I discovered their channel.
I wonder why KYD sold there big rig shortly after they bought it? My guess it was just to big and a pain to haul around.
Well since you mentioned big truck big RV you have any questions if you can get a hold of him ask him he is about the only one that I have seen on UA-cam that knows what they are talking about. And knows how to haul RVs properly with the right equipment.
Need to check out KYD on you tube also.
Thank you for the information. I have followed you guys for a while but never commented. I have a 04 F350 dually and I was looking to upgrade because I have a 2018 seismic 4212 toy hauler and really pushing the limits so I did the normal thing to do I bought a 2014 Volvo 780 and plan to convert to tow my fifth wheel toy hauler maybe not for everybody but seems to be a good thing now. It’s now stuck in Denver Colorado until after this virus pandemic has subsided.Great video guys, you guys do a wonderful job each and every time keep up the great work. Well wishes from AK.
Sometimes a limiting factor on your GVW is the tires on your pick up. Going from a 235 to a 265 will increase your ability to carry more weight. Back in the 70s and 80s, the only difference between a half ton and a heavy half ton was sometimes just the tires.
There are things that you can do to make the truck HANDLE the load better. (Air Bags, Higher rated tires, Springs, Anti sway bars. etc. But those mods would not legally alter the factory ratings) The only thing the would make it haul (Power) Is changing the axle ratios which is a major job. And probably a tune. After you spend the money to make those mods you still have an old truck and spent a lot of money. Better off getting something new with the right specs. You better seek expert help. On the Fords there are different axle ratios that you can chose. also on a Ford there is an option that boosts the Payload on a truck with the diesel. Anything that you put in your order is cheaper than doing it after.
Good luck with your search. You will be pleased with any brand you select, they all have very similar capabilities. You will be blown away by the additional power you didn't know you were missing. I recently upgraded from a 2004 F350 SRW to a 2019 Ram Longhorn DRW and my available torque DOUBLED! Very few downshifts in hilly terrain.
I chose my F350 to pull 12840 lbs thanks to Chad’s videos.Love y’all’s videos.
How to figure out your towing weights is something you absolutely must know, especially if you are towing full time. The quick conversation about insurance coverage and liability is central to this discussion. I have lots of experience with this and I can tell you if you are involved in an incident involving a liability question and you are towing equipment this is the first thing the adjuster will look at. If you doubt this run it by your legal advisor, I’m sure he will agree.
A
Before we ordered our GD 397th, I messaged with Chad about EVERYTHING to do with the process, and he was helpful beyond words!! We are now fulltiming in our 2020 397 and LOVE IT!!! Good luck finding a truck, guys. Can't wait to see it!! 😊
Chad is a very technical guy and in my opinion right on with his DIY advice. On the weight subject 15 - 20% on the pin depends on how you load. Here's the bottom line, need to look at GCVWR (grove combined vehicle weight rating) for your vehicle. Chad touched on it when he said manufacturers numbers are not always true. If you look up the numbers for your truck you will see if you add the manufacturer's claimed max tow rating with the GVWR of your truck you will be over your GCVWR. If pulled over this is how a traffic officer will figure this out, simply add the GVWR of the truck with the GVWR of the trailer if it exceeds the GCVWR rating for your truck your in trouble. The rest of the story is drivers license requirements. GCVWR and tow vehicle GVWR can require different licenses there are exceptions for RV's in some states but not all. A good website is from Changing gears they did the research changingears.com/ look at the state you are planning to visit.
Don’t go by numbers in brochures from manufactures, go to a certified truck scale and weigh as you travel, for example our fifth wheel is under the gross trailer weight but our pin weight is more. You have the luxury of a toy hauler and can move weight around more than I can, however be cautious not to remove too much pin weight and create sway problems. One more thing, when I went to the scales I weighed both truck and trailer, and it is setup that you weigh axles separate, then I went around back unhooked the 5th wheel and weighed the truck by itself. Just my .02😀
Very hard to weigh something you don't have yet when you are still shopping.
You really need to trade for a Ford F450 superduty dually. The peace of mind having a big truck capable of handling that beast is priceless.
Have the stack cleaned, install an aftermarket bigger radiator, and put a tow tune on the truck and you wont overheat and it will pull a ton better. Air bags will help too. It will cost you less than a new truck and you wont have all the emission crap. Put 4-5k into the truck and it will be great.
I don’t know all the technical stuff but I do understand how you feel about just paying the truck off. Best wishes on what you have to do next. I will say a prayer.
God is busy listening to virus prayers right now he has no time for rv prayers
Good video to put out. Everyone talks about how much their trucks can tow. But hardly anyone talks about how well can your truck stop itself and the 20k behind you.
We decided to go with a hdt simply for its stopping ability (a big plus is we can tow anything!).
Should keep the hdt on your shopping list, plus they often cost less than a new truck.
When looking at purchasing another truck, what I found out was engine, transmission and rear gear set up will affect your towing abilities. For me I went with 6.7 Cummins Diesel engine, A6AS69RC transmission and gear ratio of 3.73, which gives me GCWR 33800 with max trailer weight rating of 25910. If I went with gear ratio 4.10 it would increase GCWR to 39100 with max trailer weight rating of 31210. These numbers are off the 2017 Ram towing chart. No matter what brand of truck you go with, look at manufacture towing chart so you get the proper truck for the trailer you will tow. Hope this helps some.
I have a 2018 with the Cummins and the 4.10, it pulls my 39' Montana 16500 GVRW great. I agree, it doesn't matter if your a weekend warrior or if your full time. If you are over loaded, your overloaded.
The manufacturer tow charts are "best case scenario ", meaning a regular cab, 2 wheel drive, basic trim model,making the truck as light as possible and giving the most payload. Add luxury items like 4x4, crew cab, leather, etc adds weight, and takes away payload. So, dont use the chart as a final decision maker, but look at each individual trucks payload sticker inside the door jamb. Every truck is unique. I thought several dealers that last year. Look for yourself, dont take their word for it. They just want the sale.
@@winginitwithjohn8451 Ram has an option to look up the cargo and tow capacities by VIN number. That way you get the numbers for your truck.
We tow our 40 ft 5h wheel with an F550 dually turbo diesel and have no problems getting over the Colorado mountains. :)
If your truck is overheating on some steep grades maybe if you add a decent size electric fan with a toggle switch or just leave it set to automatic in front of your rad it might help with the overheating problems.
Nice collaboration. I’m big fans of both Changing Lanes and BTBRV.
I was in the same boat as you. I went from a smaller 5th wheel to a larger Solitude. My Ram ‘16 2500 wasn’t rated for what I was towing. I upgraded to ‘17 Ram 3500 DRW with the Aisin transmission. So glad I did. Good luck truck shopping!!
JD definitely knows his stuff I watch his channel al the time
I did the same thing, had to sell my truck because it was a bit overweight. But the new cummins pulls it without difficulty . Good luck !
It is obvious that your wife still doesn't get it. At 11:28 she says, "It would probably be fine if we were only weekenders." No it would not, the biggest issue here is road safety, your's and the others on the road. Equally important for you two, insurance companies, they go to great lengths to get out of paying out, if you were involved in a personal injury accident you'd be high and dry. A truck payment pales to insignificance compared with court case costs even if you win. Purchase new and get something that will meet your needs for the next 10 years.
It doesn't really matter to her if something wasn't safe pulling the trailer, as she isn't in the truck with him if something was to happen as she follows him in her car, LOL
Thank you I said the same thing when she said that. This is the problem with some of these nomads they simply have no idea about GVRW.
My father was really pushing it with his setup he was towing a close to 9,000 pound travel trailer with a 13 year old Ford F-150 that was in horrible shape to begin with before the camper and it only took a year before he decided a new f250 was probably a better choice for towing. Also don’t feel ashamed we all make mistakes when towing, our old camper had its fair share of accidents and mishaps it may or may not have been backed into a tree once or twice and the awning was accidentally left out in a storm and caved in because of the rain buildup
Too many comments about engine size. GVWR is about suspension, axles and chassis. Overloaded, it won’t drive safely and you risk a broken axle or suspension member.
Your overheating is less about engine is likely more about transmission and axle ratio, but that can’t overcome an engine that is too small.
False. Overheating is due to needing upgrades and a good stack cleaning. Put a tow tune on the truck, clean the stack, bigger radiator, downpipe etc. Still cheaper than a new truck and you wont have def bullsh*t
Great video,can’t wait to see which truck you decide to go with,you’re not alone on this problem,there are a lot of people out there that don’t have enough truck for the job. Towing on flat ground is one thing ,put it in the hills and mountains that’s another animal. Not only with pulling but stopping as well. Good Luck,they are out there,just do the math and get more then you need you won’t be sorry.
Have you had the radiator, ac cooler and intercooler, (stack) cleaned? I had an 07 Duramax and there was a tone of dirt between those coolers! I would overheat in the middle of winter pulling a car trailer. I took all of that out and cleaned it was a world of difference! I suggest that before buying atruck
I had a 06 Silverado with the Duramax and they accumulate bugs and (stuff) between the AC condenser and radiator something terrible. Debris goes over the top and under the bottom of the condenser and intercooler and then get in stuck in front of the radiator. You have to take the condenser loose to get it out of the way to clean the radiator.
Our 5th wheel's pin weight is 25% of the total weight of the trailer. Yeh, you're probably a little heavy. Better weigh it.
@@09dave1952 exactly it was a night and day difference when I took mine all apart and cleaned it. And yes he is probably overweight had made my comment before I finished watching the video
Look at the heavy duty trucks. That is the route I took. I know they look a little overwhelming but are easy to drive. Automatic transmission better braking more power. Also safer. You will find they are cheaper .Haul a smart car on a platform behind the cab and you are set. Will never wear it out just pulling a rv.No cdl required for rv use.
Hey guys, if you're considering a new truck to pull your RV you should look into buying a Semi Truck to do it. They are rated to pull 80k lbs and it would be a better option.
There is so much very important info in here. Thanks for sharing.
I haven't bought a truck yet I am looking at a ford ranger, towing compacity is, 7000 pounds. Just looked at Ford Ranger specs online. I also am going to get the tow package. Before I buy a trailer will be making sure the truck can pull the trailer I buy, for me it will just be for vacation, so doesn't need to be over big. One thing that helped my husband and I to pull our 26 footer was a equalizer for towing.
Get a New Ford F450 and be done with it.
You will love the tight turning radius.
Test drive one before you buy anything else.
I LOVE my F450 2017 .... 40ft RV/ toy hauler ...cruises past everything!
You can't stretch the numbers to make it work. Let's face it you need a new F450. Sooner the better.
I love my 2019 F450. Bigger brakes than a F250/F350. 19.5” truck wheels/tires; 7.5’ SMALLER turning diameter than a short bed F250/F350; 48 gallon tank; 4.30 read end
F.Y.I., reviews specs on the new GM trucks for 2020. Major upgrades made in 2020 to allow towing your kind of rig.
As sited by the gentle man from Big trucks in a recent video, all three big manufacturers for 2020 are very close in specs. The Ford F450 offers a great turning ratio. GM offers a superior camera package in my opinion. It will be an investment for the next 5 years at least so consider that. Most are offering crazy financing, but inventory may dwindling. Best of luck! Stay safe and healthy.
Dear sir but larger radiator also pur 24 blades electric fan and finally add direct connection trans cooler for rating of 40000 l.p.
That should fix the problems
Wow! I have a 2018 single wheel 1 ton and the available payload is is over 4000 lbs. It's amazing how much they have bumped up the numbers in recent years.
We have a 2019 Ram 3500 4x4 dually. The Cummins engine has 1000 foot pounds of torque mated with the AISIN transmission and a 3:73 rear gear. When we hitch up with pin weight of 2200 pounds there is no sag in the truck. The things pulls our 2014 Heartland Big Country just a smooth as a babies butt. I learned to make sure the engine plus transmission and rear gear are what to look for.
Good luck with your choice. We had to upgrade our truck also. A truck payment is not fun but it is nice to know you are safe
I love listening to JD and watching his hand 🖐 😂 Come on JD give us a face to go along with the hand!
Changing the stock diff gears from 3.73 to 4.10 or even 4.30 (if available) would help a lot and certainly cheaper than a new truck. However, this doesn't fix the GVWR issue.
Edward Beaumont that would be fine if his truck wasn't four-wheel drive and yes you can change front and rear but now you're talkin about a big cost. It also doesn't do anything for the gross vehicle weight of that truck that will only help it tow better
Gears plus air ride makes a huge difference,
@@edreeder9853 They dont increase the gvwr which is the problem
Great video. This is a major challenge as people get into the RV world. Hit the nail on the head, dealers do not have any responsibility to ensure weight ratio for the truck. While I have had both gas and diesel, when I bought my last truck did my own research to match up what I need to mix both towing and daily use. Agreed the trucks over time have significantly changed for capacity. Also people get caught up in adding things to the truck such as air bags etc, it still does not change the original payload. Agree as well on anyone ever saying that they do not feel the trailer behind, absolutely false. Sure there are times on straight level, smooth pavement. Also getting into mountains at 7%, why does anyone need to tow up at 60 mph. Here the ministry of transportation is cracking down on over payloads on the truck re RV ratio with fines and even potential impound. Safe towing is the key point, safe travels!
The insurance claim believe me the claim adjusters know what to look for I just went through it. I was with national general insurance which is good Sam cannot complain about the insurance or my coverage but that insurance Adjuster knows exactly what To look for. This has been one of the best informative videos I've seen on RVing in a long time thanks
Chad and tara ROCK!!! Theyve got great videos and very useful content. Hope you get a truck that can pull that momentum
Thank you for sharing. You all are so awesome letting us know how to have the RV life safely.
Here's the thing to remember, towing and weight capacity is just what the vehicle is mechanically capable of pulling and carrying. It does not mean that it will do it well. You need to look to engine and transmission specs for that. Torque and horsepower numbers are what you need to get up hills. More is better! I agree with a lot of people in the comments here F450 is the way to go.
You are right about the newer trucks having so much more capability. My '18 3500 SRW has more GVW than yours and 500# more than it's direct competition of the exact same size and equipment.
Sorry to hear this but you got some awesome advise from two guys that know!!
I don't think Chad will ever be a 5th wheel designer tho! Lol
Can't wait to see the new truck!
Be safe !!!
Thanks so much Bob!
@Rodger Sterling
Totally agree with you. I had a Silverado dually that overheated, turned out the radiator was partially clogged along with the stack being dirty. New radiator and stack cleaned it went back to normal.
add a fass fuel system to your truck truck is over heating because its starves for fuel going up hill and adding more fuel actually helps cool motor
glad you guys are getting this taken care of..... I remember telling my wife, man that trucks not going to last long pulling that 5th wheel.... glad you will be upgrading.... be safe!
RV DAYDREAM is another blog with good info, on same subject.. Safety, Safety Safety!!! Happy Trails!!
By the numbers you are over on weight. If that bothers you then you need a newer truck. You should go through the CAT scales and get it weighed then you will know exactly where it is. I tow a triple axle toy hauler with my 2007 2500 duramax without issues. My trailer weighed in at 18,000lbs. You have the 360hp duramax with 3.73 gear ratio same as mine. I am a duramax mechanic, sounds like you may have a problem with the truck if it struggles that much and overheats. You may have turbo vanes sticking or a cooling fan clutch not engaging enough to move enough air to cool it under heavy load. Fuel filters plug up on these too, it’s very common especially on non OEM filters. The AC Delco fuel filters are the best as far as filtering and not plugging quickly. Plugged fuel filter will cause it to be low on pulling power. Usually people don’t realize it until they try to tow. Before I would get another truck I would have this truck checked out by a good Duramax mechanic. Finding a good trusted Duramax mechanic may be hard to do out on the road though. I’ve been working on them since 2001 and the truck you have is the most reliable, problem free Duramax so far. With all the complex emissions on the newer ones I would keep what you have. Happy travels and if you have any questions just ask.
That truck is fine for that fifth wheel. When you buy a new camper at a dealer they ask what tow vehicle do you have, you say a one ton dually diesel, they don’t ask the gear ratio. Because the truck is older and it is overheating I would also try replacing the water pump.
Good points. Thanks for the video and be safe.
JD is the man!
I had a 05 Dodge 3500 dually geared 4:10 that I used to towed a large 4 horse living quarters trailer. Most of my travel with that trailer was in the NC, TN & VA mountains, the truck done great. But, a couple years ago I got a 2018 Ram limited with HO 6.7 and aisin trans. This truck is like night and day compared to the 2005 with HO 5.9. "Just my opinion" Even though my truck is rated to tow around 30k, if I was going to tow a 20k 5th wheel on a regular basis, I would look seriously at the F450 (and I don't even like Ford trucks)
Go for F-450. Superior turning radius, bigger brakes, and bigger tires.
I hate to pile on but when I started looking at what kind of truck I would need, I found the numbers for mid 2000’s trucks were hard to discern. Published numbers varied a bit from one source or another. The bottom line is Chad and JD are Right.
There are publications like Trailer Life Towing Guide for every year from about 2007 and up.
I found the guide very useful when I started shopping for a tow rig a couple of years ago.
I was surprised to find a lot of heavy duty trucks are not optioned to tow as much as you’d think.
It’s a shame that your beautiful truck wasn’t built to tow a 17,000 lb plus rig.
The used Dually Diesel market is thin on choices and most car dealers have no idea of what the true towing capacity of the truck they are trying to sell you really is. The brochures are worthless. It took me over a year of hard looking but I eventually found my truck through CAR GURUS. They can search nationwide and have a really good options menu so you can filter out most of what you don’t want and find the truck your looking for. Just remember that the VIN and factory ratings for each truck vary by how they are equipped. No dealer I ever delt with could tell me the true specs of what they were trying to sell me.
Buying a capable tow rig was a learning experience.
I wish you guys all the best.
He only had 11,400 GVW??? Yow... Chad - you are great at explaining stuff... I've been towing trailers/campers for decades - and I have ONE major rule of thumb, and that is: "you can never have too much truck". I was at a large RV dealership in central MN a few years ago, and a customer had just traded in his 5er and his truck for some new unit.. That camper was a triple axle unit and he'd been towing it with an F-250!!!!!! WAYYYYYYY overloaded.. Our current trailer's at 19K GVW - and I just traded my F-350 DRW for a 2020 F-450 DRW; mainly for the lower gear ration (4:30 vs. 4:10) and the new 10-sp.. I hope they obtain the correct truck for their camper with some weight room to spare.. It's all about safety, and legality.. Overloaded truck + accident = lawyers' dream.. Best wishes!
Actual video of the RV community together, again!
I've got the gas version of your truck. 8.1 (496cu) with allison trans with 4.10 gear. Power level of my truck is 360hp and 450ft pounds. Your truck hp is close but your torque is 500-600ft. These new trucks are 400plus hp and 900ft pounds of torque. It's really crazy what these new trucks will pull. But I personally love the 00-07 classic 2500hd-3500 trucks. But for your gvwr of that new camper you would need or be more happy with a newer truck.
Never exceed the towing capacity of any truck! It is dangerous and you can easily find yourself financially ruined when your insurance is canceled when they find out after an accident. Its best to not exceed 80% ratings as a safety factor. Check every system in the tow. Pay close attention to the hitch ratings as well. Keep in mind, the ratings are generally on smooth pavement, off road or rough roads require an extra safety margin. While its nice to have a big trailer, its not worth the risk if you cant get the truck required. Stay safe.
I agree that's it's not a good idea to be overweight, but find me one example of an actual person ever getting their claim denied for being overweight. Everyone uses this argument, but no one is ever able to provide any proof.
Get A Ram we have one! good truck
when in the mountains the elevation changes so a bigger turbo might be a cheaper option. if the frame is the problem get a better frame with better weight rating or newer year 2020s, and upgraded suspension. this could also all be done through your insurance, but bigger insurance bill but nothing out of pocket, and you keep same truck
Have you ever looked into a Gear Venders under overdrive unit for the truck it will help you pull those hill’s easer
Excellent video guys 😊❤️👍 this topic is so very important and many don’t understand what a big impact to your safety and others safety it is to get it correct 🎥🚌🌎😎 thanks for sharing and safe travels
You guys are so funny . I love your sense of humor . I hope you don't have to buy a new truck .
I have made the same mistake, so don't feel bad. Our first 5th wheel was a "1/2 Ton Towable" Eagle HT that we bought almost immediately after we bought a 2015 F150 with the 5.0 Coyote Motor. The trailer had a 1600lb pin weight and the truck had a 1900lb payload. Long story short, WAY too upside down on the truck to trade, and we ended up buying a second used truck, a 97 F250 Powerstroke. 5th wheel pin weights count towards the payload on the truck. It is important to know all the data prior to buying the right tow vehicle. A manufacture's "Tow Guide" , especially for 5th wheels, will give you a max tow rating, BUT these figures count on a 20% pin weight. Even Grand Design underestimates their advertised pin weights. For example, our Solitude's actually pin weight, measured at the factory and on the build sheet, was heavier by a 200lbs than on the website. No salesman knows how to look that up, at the auto dealer or the RV dealer. I finally found the payload of our current truck, in its trim level (because nicer is heavier) in a Ford brochure. Remember: Payload = You, your family, the hitch weight, pets ...whatever you put in that truck. Good Luck and thank you for the videos.
"Never trust a salesman." Great advice! Advice I gave my niece -- never trust what a guy says in the throes of passion.
You guys should consider getting a 2008-2010 6.4L V8 Diesel 4x4 Ford F-450. They’re pretty reasonably priced, and you can easily find one with low mileage, if you do a thorough search online. They come in two gear ratios: 4.30LS (20,100 lb 5th wheel towing capacity) and the 4.88LS (24,100 lb 5th wheel towing capacity). Both of them can tow that Momentum toy hauler, or any of the other ones GD has to offer.
Two good advisors!
Ha ha, by the look of Tom's face on the thumbnail I wasn't sure if the arrow was pointing at the truck or Tom lol
I always use the rule find the max of your truck and only use 80% this will usually help a lot of going up hills
Remember those pictures of gray aliens? That’s him! Lol! Last time we camped we had a triple axle 5th wheel pull in near us towed by a Freightliner! Pretty sure his numbers were OK!
There are a lot of comments on this post. I haven’t read them all so forgive me if I repeat some of what’s said. Take the time to hit a CAT Scale. Take the whole rig truck and RV fully loaded and then go back and do a reweigh with just the truck. That way you will know exactly what the truck weighs, how much is on the pin and how much on the axles. Compare those numbers to the specs on the truck and the RV. I’m not sure what model RV your Momentum is. The new trucks have lots of capabilities. I have a 2016 F350 dually CC with a 5600 lb payload. The downside on the 350 is the poor turning radius. The 450 has a better turning radius but often have a smaller cargo capacity. Have fun looking for a new truck if you decide you need it.
Good decision, safe rather than sorry.
Great video guys! Very educational and helpful for me and my decision for when we upgrade to your full time rig
Get a after market Tran. Cooler it will a lot from over heating.
Highly recommend you take a look at Ford!! Wife and I have a 2017 f-350 crew cab long bed pad drw and pulls and stops our heavy Excel 5th wheel like a dream! 5th wheel gvwr is 18,750 lbs
That's why I just bought a newer truck. My 90 chevy dually only could haul 10k compared to my 2018 at 21k.
I like seeing the Co-op!
I like the guy who bought a used semi tractor with 250 K miles on it for 55k the estimated milage will go a min of 500 K to 1m miles in order to pull a large toy holler. A F450 or F550 new will go for 90 to 120 k. I would go for the semi better braking and the trailer is 1/4 of the max tow weight
You cannot in crease the weight carrying capacity of your truck. Limitations depend on the suspension axles wheels, look at how many nuts are on the 1500 ,2500 and 3500 series trucks.
Like I always say, when all else fails read the directions or in this case the stickers. It’s not “what it can tow /haul” but rather what “ you can legally tow / haul” based on the manufacturer door sticker. Right now I’d say if you were in a accident and someone was seriously injured or killed, you can bet your sweet bippy the attorney’s will be looking at those stickers and have you bent over.
Get a 4500 has a wider stance more stability and a little bit more payload
Trust the Chad! (Love Changing Lanes)
Yes!