Looking to buy a new fifth wheel

[dj3spots]

Forum don't fail me now! Our TV is a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4x4 crew cab standard bed with the Z71 off road package and 373 Axle ratio. We are going to upgrade to a 4.10 Axle ratio to give us more towing capacity. Per the Chevy manual with a 4.10 ratio our max fifth wheel trailer weight is 13,900 lbs. has a GCWR of 20,500 lbs. and a max hitch pin weight of 3,000 lbs. The Gawr FT is 5200 lbs. and GAWR RR is 6200 lbs.Truck weight (with me, DH, dog, and supplies we normally carry in truck is 7340 lbs. (no hitch - waiting to buy camper). Estimate a fifth wheel hitch weighs 175 lbs. I want to buy a Chaparral light(outside kitchen, bunkhouse and 2nd bath - woo hoo). The specs for trailer are: hitch weight=1900, Dry weight=10,500, Gross weight=13,000, Cargo weight=2810. I think I remembered every thing. I factored a 15% king pin override and 10% safety margin. I really want this trailer but want to make sure we're safe. Will someone please check my figures, tell me if I'm fooling myself or if they think I'm Ok. We tow with some food and maybe 8 gallons of water in case we need to flush ( we consider this part of the cargo). Thanks in advance for your support.

[donn]

Take your trucks AS SCALED READY TO CAMP WEIGHT, minus the GCWR of 20500. That is how much you can pull. Regardless of what GM says those are the numbers. By that number I have to assume you have a 6.0L gas motor? The vast majority of fifth wheel trailers calculate pin weight as 20% not 10 or even 15% of the trailers weight. So, if you were foolish enough to attempt to pull a 13K fiver your pin weight should be very close to 2600 pounds. I have serious doubts that your truck will have that much capacity when all loaded ready to camp. Toss in 6-8 MPG towing economy and I see nothing good of this combination.

[TURBS]

Your also looking at a grand or more switching from 373 gears to 410's
Remember you have to do front and rear differentials.
Truck computer needs recalibrated as well.
Ron

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by donn

...Regardless of what GM says those are the numbers...

And just who is the ultimate authority on this? I would imagine GM has competent engineers that have determined by tests what the vehicle they designed is capable of doing.

[dj3spots]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Your also looking at a grand or more switching from 373 gears to 410's
Remember you have to do front and rear differentials.
Truck computer needs recalibrated as well.
Ron

Oh, yeah. Already checked it out. They want $3500. Since it's a new truck, to keep the warranty, we have to have the dealer do it.

[mikey]

You might forego the gear change. Most of the 5ers I see are in the 13k - 15.5k range pulled w/ TVs w/ 373:1 gears w/o issues or problems. Find yourself a good hitch, one that will slow for upgrade later . I'm partial to the Curt 20k for my requirements. No "high hitch" problem like seen w/ Drawtite/Reese hitches. Hook up is much easier also.

[wyo700]

I hope you have a duramax with that heavy of a trailer.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by mikey

... No "high hitch" problem like seen w/ Drawtite/Reese hitches. Hook up is much easier also.

Why is the Curt not susceptible to high hitch?

[Herk7769]

If you use "DRY" numbers for a "form factor" ratio of weight to pin, the 10,500 pound camper is right at 18% pin.

If you load properly you should be able to maintain this weight ratio with very little trouble.

So if you load the camper to its max weight of 13,000 you will have a 2350 pound pin load.

If your truck (with hitch) weighs 7500 pounds your max trailer weight is 13,000 pounds based on GCWR.

If your GVWR for the truck is greater than 9,850 pounds (7500 plus pin) you are right where you should be.

You might not be happy with the mileage, but Hey; We are on vacation!

[mikey]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

Why is the Curt not susceptible to high hitch?

The design keeps the forth wheel platform in the hitched position all the time (rubber grommet on the base) plus the fact that the lock pawls won't lock till the pin is fully engaged in the locking pawl. I simply back into the hitch, drop her into drive & "click" it's latched.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by mikey

The design keeps the forth wheel platform in the hitched position all the time (rubber grommet on the base) plus the fact that the lock pawls won't lock till the pin is fully engaged in the locking pawl. I simply back into the hitch, drop her into drive & "click" it's latched.

My Reese 16K does the same thing. When I unhook, the hitch automatically tilts down in the re-hitch position. But, if the trailer is too high, it will miss the hitch, the same as yours.

[TURBS]

looks no different than mine ? don't know how the curt prevents high hitch and mine wouldn't .

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

looks no different than mine ? don't know how the curt prevents high hitch and mine wouldn't .
Attachment 18116
Attachment 18115

Nothing will prevent a high hitch, somebody is blowing smoke or means something totally different from what is commonly know as 'high hitch'. If not, they need to explain it to this dummy.

[mikey]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

My Reese 16K does the same thing. When I unhook, the hitch automatically tilts down in the re-hitch position. But, if the trailer is too high, it will miss the hitch, the same as yours.

Dunnnc, I had a Reece the last time (never again). I guess it had to do with the fact that the head tilted both fore/aft as well as laterally that the pin tended to ride up on the head which often lead to the high hitch situation. With Curt on the other hand, head sits level all the time so pin interaction is the same during hitch up as it is while towing.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by mikey

Dunnnc, I had a Reece the last time (never again). I guess it had to do with the fact that the head tilted both fore/aft as well as laterally that the pin tended to ride up on the head which often lead to the high hitch situation. With Curt on the other hand, head sits level all the time so pin interaction is the same during hitch up as it is while towing.

Mine lays tilted down and level in the back as soon as I unhook and stays there. It will tilt forward and side to side, but lays tilted down and level when unhooked. I also have the hitch catcher tubes on it too which makes it heavy in the back. Anyone having a problem similar to what you did, could remedy it by adding a little weight under the ramp on the rear. I also like it if the truck is slightly unlevel side to side while hitching as the ramp will tilt as soon as the pinbox touches.

[whj77372]

Some have told me that high hitch for fivers can happen with 4WD trucks. If the hitch and pin are at their lowest settings and the trailer is not level you have to do some work to make it level. I have not had this problem but other on this forum have.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by mikey

Dunnnc, I had a Reece the last time (never again). I guess it had to do with the fact that the head tilted both fore/aft as well as laterally that the pin tended to ride up on the head which often lead to the high hitch situation. With Curt on the other hand, head sits level all the time so pin interaction is the same during hitch up as it is while towing.

Maybe you could explain exactly what you mean by "high hitch"?
Our fifth wheel hitch head moves in all directions, and we have never had an issue hooking up.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by bakken

Maybe you could explain exactly what you mean by "high hitch"?
Our fifth wheel hitch head moves in all directions, and we have never had an issue hooking up.

Me either.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by bakken

Maybe you could explain exactly what you mean by "high hitch"?
Our fifth wheel hitch head moves in all directions, and we have never had an issue hooking up.

Don't understand it either, guess he just wants to badmouth a Reese hitch. I've never had a problem with my Reese 16K.

[whj77372]

High hitch means that the hitch is to high and the RV is not level. I also have the Reese 16 k hitch. It is important that the RV go down the road level. If your hitch is to high, that is not possible.