5th Wheel Questions, 2019 2500HD 6.0

91 Shortbed Chevy · September 3, 2020

Hi all. I have just purchased a used 5th wheel camper and truck combo (37' Newmar Kountry Star and 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 with V10. I am considering selling the Dodge and installing a 5th wheel hitch to my 2019 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.0 gas. My first question is will my truck legally and safely pull the camper? The camper has a weight of 10,500 pounds according to what I found online. My truck is a double cab 4wd with the 6.5' bed and came from the factory with the 18" wheels. I didn't buy this truck with the intention of pulling such a big camper otherwise I probably would have opted for a 3500 and / or a Duramax.

My second question pertains to a slider-style 5th wheel hitch. I've never talked to someone using this setup and am wondering how user-friendly this setup is. Any insight to these questions would be useful. Thanks.

corn18 · September 4, 2020

10 hours ago, 91 Shortbed Chevy said:

Hi all. I have just purchased a used 5th wheel camper and truck combo (37' Newmar Kountry Star and 1999 Dodge Ram 2500 with V10. I am considering selling the Dodge and installing a 5th wheel hitch to my 2019 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.0 gas. My first question is will my truck legally and safely pull the camper? The camper has a weight of 10,500 pounds according to what I found online. My truck is a double cab 4wd with the 6.5' bed and came from the factory with the 18" wheels. I didn't buy this truck with the intention of pulling such a big camper otherwise I probably would have opted for a 3500 and / or a Duramax.

My second question pertains to a slider-style 5th wheel hitch. I've never talked to someone using this setup and am wondering how user-friendly this setup is. Any insight to these questions would be useful. Thanks.

What is the year and exact model of the trailer? Also, what does the yellow sticker on the B pillar of your 2019 truck say is your cargo capacity?

91 Shortbed Chevy · September 4, 2020

11 hours ago, corn18 said:

What is the year and exact model of the trailer? Also, what does the yellow sticker on the B pillar of your 2019 truck say is your cargo capacity?

The camper is a 2003 Newmar Kountry Star, model KSFW34RLCK. The cargo capacity sticker on my truck says 2793 pounds.

corn18 · September 4, 2020

1 hour ago, 91 Shortbed Chevy said:

The camper is a 2003 Newmar Kountry Star, model KSFW34RLCK. The cargo capacity sticker on my truck says 2793 pounds.

According to Newmar's brochure from 2003 (https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/2003asttandasfwbrochure.pdf https://library.rvusa.com/brochure/2003asttandasfwbrochure.pdf

Dry weight: 10,187

Dry Pin Weight: 2,037

GVWR: 11,900

With your cargo capacity, this could work nicely depending on how much stuff you put in the truck. I'm planning on buying a 5er with about the same specs to pull with my 2015 2500 HD 6.0 4x4 65' bed.

I have no experience with 5er hitches. It looks like from the pics in the brochure that the front of that trailer is not short bed friendly, so you may indeed need a slider. Does the Ram have a hitch in it? Maybe you could re-use that.

Edited September 4, 2020 by corn18

newdude · September 4, 2020

Your max allowed trailer weight for 5th wheel is 14,000lbs. Your tongue weight max is 2,100lbs at 15% of the 14,000lbs max trailer weight. GM does allow 15-25% of trailer weight for kingpin weight, but all the new labels they print for the 2020 HD use the 15% number.

You would have to double check your truck's specific payload, but it should be in the range of 2700-3000lbs. Take a look at the tire load label in the driver's door jamb, and it will show you the payload weight for your specific truck. Then take your tongue weight away from that number, you will know how much payload you've got left.

Edited September 4, 2020 by newdude

cmysstailights · September 4, 2020

I am getting a 5th wheel with 13k dry. I tow her to seasonal spot and then tow her home so i will be maxed out at 14k. I have a 15 2500 with the 6.0 tune and air bags as well. Payload is 2700lbs. Just ordered a curt hide a goose and andersen ultimate. Well see how she pulls, i only tow twice a year. If i need to upgraded i will, just sux cause 3500 in ny is commercial plates.

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91 Shortbed Chevy · September 4, 2020

8 hours ago, corn18 said:

Does the Ram have a hitch in it? Maybe you could re-use that.

The Ram has a hitch but it is a fixed hitch because it has a 8' bed. From what i've heard a slider is the way to go with a 6.5' bed.

91 Shortbed Chevy · September 4, 2020

8 hours ago, newdude said:

Your max allowed trailer weight for 5th wheel is 14,000lbs. Your tongue weight max is 2,100lbs at 15% of the 14,000lbs max trailer weight. GM does allow 15-25% of trailer weight for kingpin weight, but all the new labels they print for the 2020 HD use the 15% number.

You would have to double check your truck's specific payload, but it should be in the range of 2700-3000lbs. Take a look at the tire load label in the driver's door jamb, and it will show you the payload weight for your specific truck. Then take your tongue weight away from that number, you will know how much payload you've got left.

My load label says the payload weight is 2793 so that should work. Thanks for the info, all of the numbers are confusing to me. I figured the truck would easily pull it but I wanted to make sure I was both safe and legal in doing so.

elgavilan123 · September 6, 2020

I'm running a 2017 silverado 2500 HD, 6.0 gas and I pull a 14,000# toy hauler. My Silverado has shortie headers and free flowing exhaust, cold air intake and a Black Bear tune. I used to use a slider hitch but switched to a Curt goose neck hitch and the Anderson. I love that hitch setup as I've used it twice this summer once on a 800 mile trip and once on a 1000 mile trip 2 weeks ago. So easy to put in and take out of the truck and easy to hookup. I live at 300' elevation and camp at 8000 to 9000 elevation so I have to pull some long steep hills and the 6 liter does pretty good. It will be getting a Magnuson supercharger as soon as it comes in near the end of the month.

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cmysstailights · September 6, 2020

I'm running a 2017 silverado 2500 HD, 6.0 gas and I pull a 14,000# toy hauler. My Silverado has shortie headers and free flowing exhaust, cold air intake and a Black Bear tune. I used to use a slider hitch but switched to a Curt goose neck hitch and the Anderson. I love that hitch setup as I've used it twice this summer once on a 800 mile trip and once on a 1000 mile trip 2 weeks ago. So easy to put in and take out of the truck and easy to hookup. I live at 300' elevation and camp at 8000 to 9000 elevation so I have to pull some long steep hills and the 6 liter does pretty good. It will be getting a Magnuson supercharger as soon as it comes in near the end of the month.

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Just ordered the curt hide a goose and andersen ultimate. Wanna do long tube headers but cant find any

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elgavilan123 · September 6, 2020

Just ordered the curt hide a goose and andersen ultimate. Wanna do long tube headers but cant find any

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I had the same problem with the long tube headers so I went with the Doug Thorley short tube version. They use thicker tubing and they ceramic coat both the inside and outside of the headers. I've had zero issues with them and they give me a nice torque and hp boost in the midrange where I spend most of my time when towing.

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cmysstailights · September 6, 2020

I had the same problem with the long tube headers so I went with the Doug Thorley short tube version. They use thicker tubing and they ceramic coat both the inside and outside of the headers. I've had zero issues with them and they give me a nice torque and hp boost in the midrange where I spend most of my time when towing.

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Where did u get them from. Were they a direct bolt on. Whats ur numbers if u got dynoed

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elgavilan123 · September 6, 2020

Where did u get them from. Were they a direct bolt on. Whats ur numbers if u got dynoed

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Got them directly from Thorley in CA. Direct bolt on, but they had the wrong version listed that they sent me. I did some research and found the exhaust manifold part numbers for several years were all the same, so I ordered the headers that they said would not fit, and they fit, informed them and they changed their catalog.
No dyno.

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