Advise for purchase

[dandy2]

We are planning to purchase a 2007 3500 HD Duramax, non dually, 4 door, long box. We plan to pull a 36' 5th. wheel, wet about 16k. What advise do you experienced owners have for a newby. We have owned both TT and MH before.
dandy2@mac.com
dandy2dw@gmail.com

[BozDMAX]

Get a Dually anyway. A 16K trailer has got to be over the limit of a SRW 3500. My 15K lb trailer is right at the limit of my rear axle/tire combo.

Also, an exhaust brake is indispensible.

[jsmiracle]

I regularly tow the TT in my sig (below) with my 2500HD D/A. The truck is wonderful. My combined weight (weighed at Flying J scales) is about 17k lbs, IIRC. The truck doesn't seem to hardly know it's (the TT) back there. It performed great over the Appalacian Mountains on our way to Myrtle Beach. I did watch my gauges pretty close, but had no problems.

P.S. You may want to check your GCVW and compare it to the truck's limit. You sound like you may be close or even over it (if the weight you stated is the weight of only the fifth wheel).

Take care and again, Welcome!
Jim M.

[carco]

I tow a 38' gooseneck, 3 axle, with atv's, play toys. I usually gross about 22000# plus. Tows great, good power, brakes good, even in Colorado mountains, does have a slight overheat problem on long hard pulls. Grade brakeing is fantastic. My pin weight and axles weights are all close to or slightly over spec. If I loaded heavier or pulled often I would go dual rears. If your trailer is 16000# I would go dual rears, my trailer is14000# plus. bob........ PS wife does not like the dual setup therefor will not drive a dual setup. so she says..............

[OC_DMAX]

I would estimate that with a fully loaded 3500 SRW DMAX/ALLI equipped truck (ie. ready to tow), you probably have only 2200 to 2300 pounds of weight margin left for the pin weight of your 5th Wheel (based on my real world experience with my 2500HD). I suspect that a 16K pound trailer has a pin weight of at least 3000 pounds. So it becomes a question of "how much" you want to exceed the capacity of the truck, not "if" you will exceed it.

Will the truck "pull" the trailer? Yes, not a problem.

Will the truck "stop" the trailer? Most likely, but you are starting to push it (especially in unforseen emergency situations).

The "dually" will handle wind loads induced by the trailer substantially better.

[Ponch]

sorry about that

[Ponch]

Although my DM/A is an o3 I am towing with exactly what you are looking at. I have a 07 3500HD on order. If you don't want to buy twice, like I did, order the the 3500 up front and save.
The ride is better and the pulling is much better and safer. IMO

My 5th weigs 16850 with a tongue wt of 3865

Ponch

[dandy2]

You suggested there is something to be avoided not to need to purchase again so the result is what you want. Can you tell me what error you are correcting?
Thank you for your input!
dan:confused:

[dandy2]

We are hoping to sell the business and spend 2 years on the road. We'd like to go North in Summer and South in Winter and see the US & Canada coast to coast in a safe 36' 5th. wheel & tow vehicle.

If there are safety or durability issues we should explore, please share them.

dandy2 & his lovely bride

[TL Thordson]

I pull a 34' 5'r of course not as much weight as your's. I pull with a 3500 Dully, very stable platform, especialy in wind and threw the mountains. A Dully would be the way to go if you don't mind driving it while not towing. Just my .02 cent worth. Happy Camping know matter which way you go.

Tom

[JeffsTowTruck]

I have had the SRW and now the DRW. With the single I had to " drive" and watch for big trucks due to the sway. I was worn down once we got to our destination. Now with the DRW it is so much better. The extra set of wheels lets you drive with one hand, so to speak. It is like night and day to me. I'm glad I made the switch.
Good luck on your long trip!
My truck just turn 80 k went to Daytona and back 16k round trip !!!!!!!!!!!

[etkeeny]

For towing IMHO I think the dually is best, I used to tow a 16,000# with my SRW witout problems, but after towing the same with the dually I'll never go back, Just the safety factor, Less sway, More tire contact, better brakeing, and the piece of mind that 4 rear tires gives me, should my wife be driving when a rear tire blows out. I am now on my 3rd dually, and will never go back to a SRW truck.

Also just alittle off topic, but when I got my first Dually all I could get was a crew cab, now after having a CC, I can't imagine having a regular or extended cab truck again, I wouldn't know what to do without all the space I have now.:D

[jsmiracle]

Is the truck primarily towing the 5th wheel? If so, a dually sounds great from the earlier posts.

I'd feel remiss if I didn't mention that my truck's towing ability is only a secondary consideration (daily driver). Also high on my priority list is accessing most drive-thru's and car washes. Most of the fast food drive thru's and car washes in my area are inaccessible to duallies.

Just food for thought....:)

Jim M.

[chipper]

If you do go with the SRW model, put air bags on it. The springs wont like 3,000 lbs & it will stabilize the ride.

[dandy2]

You raise an question about the basis of the decision creating the "to dually" or "not to dually".

In the mid 50's and early 60's I did drive freight trucks to work my way thru college but if reasonable, I would like to drive without the size and inconvenience of dual wheels.

More important to us is the safety factors and they would override any personal preferences.

We plan to drive until we find an interesting place to stop. We would drive to the next interesting place after we have enjoyed enough of the place we found. We envision staying from a couple days to perhaps several weeks. So part of the effort is moving our home safely and part is using it as our "automobile".

Most of you will know much better than we the more wise choice. We do appreciate your shared judgment.

Dandy2

[jsmiracle]

Dandy2,

Combined with your amount of travel pulling a heavy load and concern with potential safety issues, I'd lean toward the DRW towing vehicle.

Right now, I am driving my truck to work 5 days a week and parking it in a parking garage. A SRW CC truck is tolerable in those tight-spaced conditions. Also, I am a frequenter of the local DQ's drive-thru and a particular automatic car wash; both of which are inaccessible to DRW trucks.

Someday I hope to be able to travel this great country as you describe, towing my home. A DRW is most likely a safer and overall better tow vehicle, especially for heavy loads as your 5th wheel.

In your conditions, I think I'd lean toward the DRW truck. Either way, enjoy your trips :) and please keep us apprised of your travels and your truck's performance.

Take care,
Jim M.

[dandy2]

Get a Dually anyway. A 16K trailer has got to be over the limit of a SRW 3500. My 15K lb trailer is right at the limit of my rear axle/tire combo.

Also, an exhaust brake is indispensible.

I understood the Allison included an exhaust brake. Please clarify.
Thank you
dandy2

[DmaxMaverick]

I understood the Allison included an exhaust brake. Please clarify.
Thank you
dandy2
"Grade braking" is standard with the Allison on GM light trucks. It is not an exhaust brake or retarder of any kind. The programming allows the tranny to match the gear when compression braking to maintain a downhill speed with minimal friction braking. An exhaust brake will compliment the feature, but many, including myself, abandoned the idea of adding an exhaust brake because the grade braking works so well, even at GVWR loads on 6%+ grades.

[dandy2]

It appears that most of the engine enhancements are not desirable in the new 07 "clean" engine so the warranty will not be invalidated.

Perhaps the Exhaust Brake is no longer needed/desirable?

Are any known temperature challenges remaining?

It appears more likely that we will opt for a Mobile Suites 36, which tells you about the weight demands anticipated.

Thank you all for your advise and comments.

dan

[dandy2]

The dually has my attention. Thank you for your caution and judgement.

This brings me to advise for an exhaust brake. Are there any adverse effects on the warranty, engine o9r other unknowns? Who offers the most rliable products?

dandy2

[JeffsTowTruck]

Dmaxmaverick explained it the best. Why do you need an exhaust brake? The new allison does stuff I can't. I have never though about an exhaust brake.
My GVWR on the TT is 10500 and the Golf Cart must add 1000 lb. I figure this puts me over the truck recomended weight but it does ok. I just pay attention and watch for stops.
The bigger the tow vehicle the better. Don't cut back on that. If you buy new then I agree you can not do much to it due to the warranty.

[rustyk]

Four tires are better than two. Some things invite a compromise; IMHO, this doesn't. Now take my advice with a grain of salt, because my 6.5L TD is in a motorhome with 12K on the rear axle...but it has four wheels...