Did I screw up with the SRW

[GCross]

I bought my truck with intention of towing but did not want to deal with the additional width of the DRW while still living in L. A. My truck with a full tank and the bed cover but no one in it, weighs 7450# the GVWR is 9900# a difference of 2450#. With passengers, a few tools, misc junk and the 5th wheel in the bed I figure would wipe out the 450# and leave a maximum for the pin weight at 2000#. Most of the 5th wheel trailers seem to have a dry pin weight of 1800# to 2500# which seems to put me over my allowable weight, and yet the ads for these trailers say that they can be pulled with a 3/4 ton truck. The DRW GVWR is over 4000# so why are they both considered one ton trucks? Isn't 4000# two tons (that's rhetorical). What am I missing here?



-George-

 

[Tim]

The 1 ton truck thing comes from back in the day when that's actually what they could haul, nowadays that is basically worthless, just the terminology has never left the auto industry.



Sounds to me you made a mistake buying a SRW truck. Any 5er over 32' or so and you're going to need a dually to do it within the factory ratings.



When those manufactuers tell you that you can pull it with a 3/4 ton truck, they're right. You can pull it without being over your max GCWR or towing capacity. You can't pull it without busting the GVWR as you noticed though..... so they're hoping you'll only look at GCWR or "tow rating" and take off happily down the road--with an overloaded truck.

 

[wneubauer]

I've got an 05 3500 4x4 SRW which weighs 7360 with me and a full tank. With the family (4 kids and wife) and stuff I'm adding probably 500-600 lbs. That leaves me 1900-2000 lbs for hitch and tongue weight. (9900 GVWR)



I don't think you screwed up, you just need to be aware of the weights you are dealing with... There may be some 5'ers you can't tow, but there are a bunch you can. You have a very capable tow vehicle. And it fits in your garage, just like mine!

 

[CLAYTON]

IMO I think your truck will be fine towing the amounts that you stated above. Throw some airbags on there so you don't sag as much and go for it.

 

[macdaddy]

Don't think the SRW will do AAAAAAAAAAAAA!. This will be a good post . Just slap on some of those air bags it will be as good as a dually where have I heard that one before????????. Oh thats right, here at the TDR.



Alright Alright don't mean to be a smart A**



Look at my trailer in my readers rigs and you'll clearly see I didn't need a DRW, however remember the old saying "Don't get off at Barstow when your going to Vegas". I went from a GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 SRW 454 gasser to my 99 3500 4X4 CTD DRW, once you have the dually experience you'll never go back.



My co worker TDR member "PLISTRD" bought the same truck you have and he is finding out what you have discovered when looking at those double slide Toybox rigs. The pin weight throws him over the 9900



But seriously I think you'll be alright, the motor and transmission aren't going to care, and hell from what I have seen going down the road you won't even turn one CHP head.



Keep the truck!!!!!!!!! :-laf



Mac

 

[klenger]

I don't think you screwed up, IF you are carefull what 5er you get. Bed cover needs to come off anyway with the 5er. I am about 400 lbs under my GVWR with my 5er loaded. Also, while I don't advocate gross overloading, I really don't think a couple of hundred over is a big deal. You have a very nice setup IMHO.

 

[GCross]

Thanks to all for the replys. Klenger, my bed cover is a roll up, I chose that style so that I wouldn't have to remove it to tow.



Thanx again

-George-

 

[RAvery]

Keep your truck, alot of my friends tow 5er with a SRW. Find out where the water tanks and holding tanks set in the unit,that adds a bunch on hitch lbs. I know one TDR member tows a custom 36 footer with a jeep inside. Tows just fine from Ark. to Co. With no air bags. He says he's balanced about right. I prefer the DRW, I just have to watch those hips in traffic.

 

[Cryppie]

George,



I had a Sandpiper Sport F37SP, well over 2k pin weight that I pulled with my '99 2500. I know it was over GVWR, but with RideRites it was a pretty easy tow. BTW it also had an automatic and 3. 54's, not the best for towing. When I got my new rig, the biggest difference I noticed was stability in crosswinds. The duals simply keep it going straight, and definitely instill a greater sense of confidence. IMHO your SRW will pull just about anything you can hook to it, but it all depends on how comfortable you are pulling overweight. A good dealer should let you "take it for a spin around the block", to see how a specific coach will pull with your specific truck. You've got a great rig, put it to work!

 

[FCecelin]

perhaps a set of Rickson wheels and tires would help

 

[XJSuperman]

Also depends on what size trailer you get. I've looked into several with GWR of around 10,000# and pin weights between 1200-1500. SRW should be fine... that's the size/weight I'm shooting for. Not all 5vr's are big and heavy.

 

[JWChessell]

" once you have the dually experience you'll never go back. "



Don't be too sure about that. 2 more tires to buy -- either 50% more expense, or 33. 3% more expense, depending on how you figure it. Less fuel mileage/greater fuel consumption -- because of more rolling resistance from 6 tires rather than 4. MUCH harder (read "more expense" and a "much rougher ride") to balance the four rear tires so that they all roll smoothly. More difficult/stressfull to drive in city traffic; some parking garages are off-limits, except that you won't know that until you're inside. LESS overall cargo capacity -- you have to subtract the weight of the extra wheels and tires (and the fenders) from the weight-carrying capacity of a SRW. A shop rotated your rear tires and "forgot" to line up the valve stems for easy air-filling, like you had them lined up when you drove in? Flat tire on one of the INSIDE duals? Long, hard job ahead. Driving in the snow? DRW much less maneuverable than a SRW. Towing? Yes, the DRW is more stable, especially in cross-winds. Don't sell your SRW short. I had a crew-cab DRW for 13 years, and have had my '03 QC 3500 SRW for 2 years; I've never felt a need to go back to the DRW.

 

[jimnance]

In hindsight, perhaps you would have been better off with the DRW as you would be legal to pull most fivers. That said, the DRW uses more fuel, is harder to park and manuever, and rides rougher.



I found after upgrading to a larger fiver that I was over my GVWR, and just barely legal on my rear axle weight. I bought a set of bags, and invested in a set of truck tires and wheels as a margin for safety. I can't say that I feel short changed. The truck pulls and handles the 37' fiver toy box just fine. It sits level, and with the exhaust brake combined with brakes on all three trailer axles stops as well as one could expect, SRW or dually.



Now that you are invested, I'd stay with what you have. That's just me. Keep in mind that you may be overweight, and extra caution is advised. You don't want to be involved in a serious wreck while driving an overweight vehicle.

 

[KDoerr]

Hey You should move to Alberta Canada All you would have to do is put on bigger tires and you would be ok. :-laf No but check the laws down there and you might be able to do it like we do up here "AH". I drive a one ton and pull a trailer and my GVW is 17,500 KG or 38,500 LBS The truck and trailer weight is 6680 KG or 14,696 LBS Which leaves me 10,820 KG or 23,804 LBS. Hopes this helps.

 

[Sarge]

I refuse to get sucked into another thread on allowable tow weights, :-{} but I will say this about the ride. My dually rides MUCH better than my 01' SRW ever thought of. Less MPG? Yep, knew that going in. The 4X4 cuts down the MPG too. Expected that consequence as well.



The only advice here is verify the REAL pin weight of the rig before you buy. RV dealers/manufactures stretch the crap out of the truth (read lie) in order to sell the unit. Some just a little, others a lot. It will nearly always be heavier than the listed weight because manufactures weigh the units usually completely stock, right off of the shop floor. You add a few upgrades and the weight jumps fast. And remember, it's not what you can pull, it's what you can safely STOP.



As for upgrades to make the truck work to handle the additional weight, here is an analogy for you. Ever see a Ford Pinto with a Continental Kit on the back? yeah, it's still a Pinto... . :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[DPelletier]

I also have no desire to get into another SRW vs. DRW "discussion". They both have thier place and are both valid choices depending on what you want. I have both and I will say that the more common mistake is to buy the SRW before buying the trailer and ending up significantly overweight.

I always recommend that people know exactly what trailer they intend to tow before buying the truck if at all possible.



George,

A couple of things;

- keep in mind that the dry pin weight will increase substantially when the trailer is loaded and figure that into your calculations

- As Ken has suggested, I too believe that a few hundred pounds over GVWR isn't the end of the world, but ultimately you are the one that needs to make that decision.

- Ignore all ads from trailer manufacturers and all advice from RV salesman. They do not have the same concerns as you do and aren't the ones who will be driving your rig. They're interest is to sell you the biggest (and most expensive) trailer they can get you into. Do your own research in this regard and you will be far better off.



Dave

 

[Fireman]

Also depends on what size trailer you get. I've looked into several with GWR of around 10,000# and pin weights between 1200-1500.



While this may be true a FW with a 12%-15% pin weight will be ill handling and could be downright dangerous. Look for a pin weight of about 20% for greater safety and highway stability.



Fireman

 

[RustyJC]

Using 20% of the trailer's GVWR as a laden pin weight isn't a bad idea for a "thumbnail" calculation when shopping for 5th wheels.



Just a comment - I'm seeing more reports of 3/4 ton trucks pulling large 5th wheels coming up on the License and Weight enforcement radar screen in some states.



Rusty

 

[DGFoster]

You cant beat a dually,I kick myself everytime I tow with my 2500,wishing I still had the dually,when this one goes,the next will be a dual rear wheel. .

 

[Tim]

Just a comment - I'm seeing more reports of 3/4 ton trucks pulling large 5th wheels coming up on the License and Weight enforcement radar screen in some states.

Really? How do they enforce that? If your truck is plated for 15,000 lbs and the trailer plated for another 20,000, how can they tell you that you're overloaded?



Granted, we both know truck and trailer would likely be both overloaded at that weight, but how can they prove it if you're plated for more than your GVWRs?