Anyone towing 15-16,000#’s Conventionally with new 2500?

fsunole33 · April 15, 2020

Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and have been weighing my options for my next truck purchase for the purpose of towing the tiny house my wife and I are building over the next 2-3 months. We won’t be buying the tow vehicle until the home is completed and weighed, to get a better idea as to what we need to get the job done, but we are anticipating the house (8.5’ wide x 30’ long by 13.5’ height) to weigh at MOST 15-16,000#’s including the trailer. However, we are using materials throughout that will hopefully put us closer to 14,000#’s or even less.

In the last few weeks I have done a great deal of research and am surprised to see how many people out there are towing RV’s/Boats/Trailers well beyond the manufacturer capacities their trucks should be pulling, which I know is a whole other topic of discussion on any truck/trailer forum. For example, I just spoke to a tiny home builder yesterday who claims to pull a 17-18,000# tiny home with a 10 year old F-250 that is rated at 10,000 pounds conventional.

Anyways, the ideal truck from what I can see is the new 2020 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab Diesel with the 18”/20” wheels (I believe it’s the LTZ trim) due to the 18,500 max conventional towing capacity per the manufacturer. Now I know I’m new at this whole towing thing but the numbers on these new trucks seem to add up, but please correct me if I am wrong since I am still a rookie:

GCWR: 27,500#

Curb weight of truck: roughly 7,500#
Trailer Weight: 15,000#
Tongue weight: 1,500#
Additonal Cargo (estimate): 500#

This leaves me with 3,000# of wiggle room. I’m sure the curb weight is more than specified and I’m sure the tongue weight is possibly more than specified, but even still it seems like this truck won’t have any issues handling the tiny house.

A few other things to note: we do need to tow the home from Arizona to Georgia once complete, and we do plan on towing it back and forth from GA to FL (About 1000 miles round trip) 3-4 times per year.

My apologies for the long post, but I am definitely open to criticism and opinions, and I am also looking to see if anyone out there is conventionally towing this much weight with this new truck? Thank you in advanced!

Edited April 15, 2020 by fsunole33

eyaniv · April 15, 2020

1 hour ago, fsunole33 said:

GCWR: 27,500#

Curb weight of truck: roughly 7,500#
Trailer Weight: 15,000#
Tongue weight: 1,500#
Additonal Cargo (estimate): 500#

Payload is often forgotten in this calculation - the tongue weight + people + additional truck cargo should be less than the payload

Your payload depends on the truck configuration. more tech, chrome and screens - less payload. Diesel engine is also heavier, and will reduce your payload by few hundred pounds

In my previous tundra, my trailer was under towing capacity, but I had to go HD due to payload.

Also - I normally take tongue weight to be 12-13% of the total trailer weight (best if you have access to a scale)

I hope it helps.

fsunole33 · April 15, 2020

34 minutes ago, eyaniv said:

Payload is often forgotten in this calculation - the tongue weight + people + additional truck cargo should be less than the payload

Your payload depends on the truck configuration. more tech, chrome and screens - less payload. Diesel engine is also heavier, and will reduce your payload by few hundred pounds

In my previous tundra, my trailer was under towing capacity, but I had to go HD due to payload.

Also - I normally take tongue weight to be 12-13% of the total trailer weight (best if you have access to a scale)

I hope it helps.

This absolutely helps- any bit of advice and expertise is going a long way so thank you for that.

From what I have been able to understand, these 2020 HD’s have been built to handle more towing capacity and more payload. For a conventional tow, even the 2019 3500 SRW can only handle a max of 13-15,000# conventionally per manufacturer. I don’t want the DRW because this truck will be my DD when not towing.

I’m seeing that the maximum payload for the model I’ve described is 3,615#. Even if the tongue weight is closer to 15%, that should still leave me with nearly 1,300# for my remaining cargo (which I can’t foresee being more than 3-400#). Please correct me if I’m wrong here!

eyaniv · April 15, 2020

21 minutes ago, fsunole33 said:

This absolutely helps- any bit of advice and expertise is going a long way so thank you for that.

From what I have been able to understand, these 2020 HD’s have been built to handle more towing capacity and more payload. For a conventional tow, even the 2019 3500 SRW can only handle a max of 13-15,000# conventionally per manufacturer. I don’t want the DRW because this truck will be my DD when not towing.

I’m seeing that the maximum payload for the model I’ve described is 3,615#. Even if the tongue weight is closer to 15%, that should still leave me with nearly 1,300# for my remaining cargo (which I can’t foresee being more than 3-400#). Please correct me if I’m wrong here!

Your numbers seems legit. since you're closer to the upper end of the limits, I'd wait until the home is close to be done and you have a better grasp of the final / tongue numbers before you commit to the truck, but from what I can see here - that is your right truck.

fsunole33 · April 15, 2020

15 minutes ago, eyaniv said:

Your numbers seems legit. since you're closer to the upper end of the limits, I'd wait until the home is close to be done and you have a better grasp of the final / tongue numbers before you commit to the truck, but from what I can see here - that is your right truck.

Thank you very much- that is exactly what I plan to do. Someone on the forum put it perfectly and gave some great advice: don’t buy the cart before the horse.

What’s so impressive it seems with these 2020 trucks compared to the 2019’s is that the GCWR is 2,000# more, and if I understand correctly the payload is upwards of 1000-1500# more, making a conventional tow a bit more manageable with these newer trucks.

Cool J · April 15, 2020

I had a 2016 LTZ 2500 Crew Cab with a Duramax and since traded for a 2020 GMC 3500 SRW Duramax Denali and the ride is actually just as good if not better than my old 2500. My fifth wheel weights 12,800 which my pin weight put me over on my max on payload of 2,209 on the 2500, but with the 3500 I have about 400lbs of reserve capacity.

fsunole33 · April 15, 2020

26 minutes ago, Cool J said:

I had a 2016 LTZ 2500 Crew Cab with a Duramax and since traded for a 2020 GMC 3500 SRW Duramax Denali and the ride is actually just as good if not better than my old 2500. My fifth wheel weights 12,800 which my pin weight put me over on my max on payload of 2,209 on the 2500, but with the 3500 I have about 400lbs of reserve capacity.

That’s great to hear- I’m sure that 13k# fifth wheel is nothing for that truck to pull.

I watched The Fast Lane Truck YouTube video they did of a 2020 gas 2500HD going thru their IKE Gauntlet with a 16k# fifth wheel horse trailer and overall it did okay. Speeds slowed to 25-30 MPH uphill but that was a 7% grade at 11,000 foot elevation. These seem to be well built trucks for towing!

MTU Alum · April 15, 2020

The tfl truck video you are referencing is a gas truck not diesel. They have a diesel video with the same trailer.

#iworkforGM

fsunole33 · April 15, 2020

11 minutes ago, MTU Alum said:

The tfl truck video you are referencing is a gas truck not diesel. They have a diesel video with the same trailer.

#iworkforGM

Right exactly- I was just using that as an example to note that even the gas powered model seems to be well prepared to tow heavier weights, and that a diesel in comparison would be a significant upgrade.

jjackkrash · April 16, 2020

Any reason you are avoiding an SRW 3500? Similar ride quality, but more capacity from the bumper, and full torque in 1st gear.

That said, I have towed slightly more than 14k from the bumper (flatbed with heavy equipment) with my 2-trucks ago '16 2500. It was over stated hitch and tow capacity, but it pulled it. I don't think I would want to pull across states that heavy with an SRW and I could for sure tell it was heavy and maxed out.

The new trucks have the stated numbers, but that is a big heavy load you are thinking about towing multi-state. Get all the truck you can stomach. DRW is better than SRW and 3500 is (at least marginally) better than the 2500.

Edited April 16, 2020 by jjackkrash

fsunole33 · April 16, 2020

1 hour ago, jjackkrash said:

Any reason you are avoiding an SRW 3500? Similar ride quality, but more capacity from the bumper, and full torque in 1st gear.

That said, I have towed slightly more than 14k from the bumper (flatbed with heavy equipment) with my 2-trucks ago '16 2500. It was over stated hitch and tow capacity, but it pulled it. I don't think I would want to pull across states that heavy with an SRW and I could for sure tell it was heavy and maxed out.

The new trucks have the stated numbers, but that is a big heavy load you are thinking about towing multi-state. Get all the truck you can stomach. DRW is better than SRW and 3500 is (at least marginally) better than the 2500.

Honestly there is no reason I’m avoiding the 3500 SRW other than possible price difference. Although I will say I have seen a few deals near me that are similar for a 3500 SRW and a 2500 LTZ price wise so that may be a better option. I guess my other concern is my wife will be driving the truck daily, and in my mind a 2500 made a bit more sense than a 3500 to do so. To be fair, I haven’t stood next to both models to compare physical size, I’m only assuming the 2500 is a bit smaller.

My other hope, and maybe I’m being naive, is that in 2-3 months when it comes time to buy the truck I may be able to find a used 2500 somewhere in the mid-40’s price range. If I can find a used 3500 in the mid to high 40’s, and the size difference is minuscule, I’ll definitely go with the 1 ton.

fsunole33 · April 16, 2020

1 hour ago, jjackkrash said:

Any reason you are avoiding an SRW 3500? Similar ride quality, but more capacity from the bumper, and full torque in 1st gear.

That said, I have towed slightly more than 14k from the bumper (flatbed with heavy equipment) with my 2-trucks ago '16 2500. It was over stated hitch and tow capacity, but it pulled it. I don't think I would want to pull across states that heavy with an SRW and I could for sure tell it was heavy and maxed out.

The new trucks have the stated numbers, but that is a big heavy load you are thinking about towing multi-state. Get all the truck you can stomach. DRW is better than SRW and 3500 is (at least marginally) better than the 2500.

Also, one thing I’m concerned with regardless of truck and capability is the trailer sway. How was your ‘16 when trailering that’s much weight conventionally?

We are considering a fifth wheel tiny home of the same dimensions and roughly the same weight (maybe a bit more like 16-17k due to trailer) for a safer tow.

jjackkrash · April 16, 2020

38 minutes ago, fsunole33 said:

Honestly there is no reason I’m avoiding the 3500 SRW other than possible price difference. . . . I guess my other concern is my wife will be driving the truck daily, and in my mind a 2500 made a bit more sense than a 3500 to do so. To be fair, I haven’t stood next to both models to compare physical size, I’m only assuming the 2500 is a bit smaller.

Its the same basic price for a similarly equipped truck and the physical dimensions are the same on the SRWs. Same frame, same brakes, etc. The 3500 has a beefier rear axle ring gear and slightly beefier suspension for a little more payload. But they are mostly the same trucks. There is almost no reason to get a 2500 unless you happen to find a really good deal on one you like.

fsunole33 · April 16, 2020

1 minute ago, jjackkrash said:

Its the same basic price for a similarly equipped truck and the physical dimensions are the same on the SRWs. Same frame, same brakes, etc. The 3500 has a beefier rear axle ring gear and slightly beefier suspension for a little more payload. But they are mostly the same trucks. There is almost no reason to get a 2500 unless you happen to find a really good deal on one you like.

Thank you for your advice, honestly I hadn’t really considered it. Knowing that it’s essentially the same truck, I’m going to put that as my truck of choice moving forward, so thank you for the info!

jjackkrash · April 16, 2020

43 minutes ago, fsunole33 said:

Also, one thing I’m concerned with regardless of truck and capability is the trailer sway. How was your ‘16 when trailering that’s much weight conventionally?

Trailer sway on a conventional set up is mostly from trailer set up, tongue weight, and how big of a sail your trailer is. A house or a travel trailer is a vastly different thing to tow than a flat bed, a boat or a dump trailer. Until recently I towed a 10k, 36 ft travel trailer, and, frankly, it is a more stressful tow than a 14-15k flatbed when the wind is blowing. I switched to a DRW in '19 (so I have owned both the '19 and the '20 DRW versions) and six wheels and the extra width makes a big difference on stability. I think you are in for an eye opener trying to tow that big a house with an SRW truck.

Edited April 16, 2020 by jjackkrash