Toyhauler towing...

[POSJ]

Disclaimer: I don't care about your Dad's, Brother's, or if you saw one being towed. I want personal experience.

I'm looking into buying a 37'+ toyhauler, triple axle, 5th wheel, GVW in the ballpark of 17,000#. I sold my 2007 3500 Duramax because I'm an idiot and now need another truck to pull it once I get it. This is just a spit ball idea in the current time because if I do this I can save more than $2k a month. I want it to either have a 14' garage or bigger because I want to be able to put an XJ in it.

Now to the question: How bad would a 06-07 Duramax 2500 crewcab short bed tow? I don't care about the power or braking, mainly asking about wheelbase of the truck with SRW towing a trailer this long and heavy.

 

[Original_MudButt]

I have a 2007 GMC Sierra 2500 4x4 short bed crew cab w/Duramax 6.6 turbo diesel. It's got a 6" lift and 35"tires.

I tow a 30' toyhauler (double axle) that probably weighs in close to 17,000 lbs. when fully loaded. I also did a spring over on the trailer to help match the ride height of the truck so it's about 4" taller now.

Half the time I don't even know the trailer is there. The only time I really notice is pulling away from a dead stop. But once it gets rolling it's fine. I can go up Cajon pass at 70 mph.

We get Santa Ana winds here a lot and the truck pulls the trailer like a dream. I have never been afraid of any towing situation I have been in. Last year we went to Julian and took the shorter route which turned out to be very winding and very hilly... Never broke a sweat.

Also, I have a slide hitch. In the last 5 years I think I've needed it twice. Normal backing, such as backing into my driveway doesn't require moving the hitch. It's only needed if you you approach 90* when backing.

I will never go back to a pull trailer.

HTH

 

[POSJ]

We get Santa Ana winds here a lot and the truck pulls the trailer like a dream. I have never been afraid of any towing situation I have been in.

This is the situation I am mainly concerned about. Thank you. I'll be towing in North Dakota in Janruary and the winds up there are crazy. It will probably be on some ice which worries me a bit. Have you ever towed it during the winter in high cross winds?

 

[Original_MudButt]

We went over Donner Pass last New Years on the way to Reno, but there was very little snow and no wind. DOT was plowing and spreading sand.

Towing anything in ice/snow with cross winds sounds VERY scary to me, but I have never done it.

I drove through hurricane Bonnie 2004 in Florida (in an Expedition not towing), and that was pretty scary.

High winds at about 60 mph, and rain in sheets thick as lead. We had to slow to about 15 mph on the freeway.

No way I would try to tow a toyhauler through that.

Edit:

Santa Ana winds in the desert here are typically 30-40 mph. At that speed, I can certainly feel it, but I have never felt unsafe.

 

[POSJ]

Ok cool thanks for the input...

Anybody else have experience towing with a shorter wheel base 3/4 ton with this high profile/weighted trailer like this?

 

[GLAMIS Nic]

I have a 2500hd 4x4 Ccsb duramax lifted 6" on 35's. I tow a 38' fifth wheel with a 3000 pound buggy in it. Tows great up and down the grades even in the wind. Just take your time and you will be fine.

 

[POSJ]

Cool thanks guys, just needed opinions from those that have done it.

 

[cf_collins]

http://www.google.com/search?q=toy+...AQ&biw=640&bih=287&sei=IKxzUbu6MKbC2AWp9oC4DQ

 

[cf_collins]

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=is...co&biw=640&bih=287&sei=Wq9zUcPpGaHi2QXs7oHACQ

 

[POSJ]

Did you even read the first post?

 

[stockerwithalocker]

I drive an 06 crew cab short bed 2500 and I have towed my 30' gooseneck with 2 jeeps to Buena Vista in CO (over the Monarch Pass), Moab and all over Southern California. As far as wheel base and stability, I have had no issues. The only thing that may be an issue for you is the tongue weight. With the SRW, you will be pushing the limits of the tire ratings on the truck. As an FYI, my truck weighs 7000 lbs with me in it and a full tank of gas.

 

[POSJ]

Cool I appreciate the insite, any idea on what your weight on rear axle is with the gooseneck and both Jeeps?

 

[stockerwithalocker]

I will do some digging and get back to you. I do remember when I loaded it like the pic below I would usually weight in at 9150 on the truck and about 11K on the trailer. I intentionally loaded the jeeps to the back of the trailer to keep the tongue weight down, although I still had about 2000 lbs of weight from the trailer on the truck distributed to the rear and a bit of the front.

 

[87manche]

shoot mac a PM and have him pop in here.

He's had so many tow rigs and trailers that were big and heavy I'd consider him a near expert on big and heavy trailers.