2500 HD and 44 ft gooseneck

422 SS · April 1, 2004

I was wondering if my 2500 HD with Duramax and Allison would safely pull a 44 ft gooseneck car trailer with 12 ft of living quarters up front.Gross weight would be in the 12,500-14,000 lb range.I know I have enough motor to get down the road,the suspension,brakes and tires are what concern me.Most people say just get a dually but I have a sweet single wheel that I really don't want to trade and take a hit on.Pin load will be in the 2800-3000 lb range.I probably have 100,000 miles towing bumper pulls but have never pulled a gooseneck.Any thoughts and opinions would be appreciated.

Chevyfreek · April 1, 2004

Well according to the Chevrolet Website the maximum trailering capacities for your truck are:

Maximum Trailer Weight for a 5th wheel or gooseneck 15,300lbs.

Maximum pin weight is 3,000lbs on the 2500HD's.

This is based on the 2004 model, but should be the same for your 03'. So you should be able to tow it without to much of a problem. You have the right motor and trans for it. The D/A are built for towing those loads. You could always through a set of air assist springs on the back to help keep things more stable. Hope this info helps. If you have a truck brochure from when you bought your truck the trailering information should be in there...

422 SS · April 1, 2004

I knew I was under the rating.So many people told me I had to have a dually I thought I would ask the pro's on here.I could try the truck out stock and if I needed the spring -assist or air bags add them later.Then again it will probably do the job as is.

Chevyfreek · April 1, 2004

I say give it a shot and if it does not feel comfortable than see if some upgrade may help you out. I really don't think you should have to much of a problem with pulling that trailer. Just air up the tires and give it a whirl, you don't have to have a dually.

Jpshostr · April 1, 2004

The truck will handle the load no problem, the engine, tranny, capacities are not the issue. The reason you are being told to go with dually is purely for stability reasons. That long of a trailer is going to be sucking you all over the road when semis pass you, the slightest wind comes up, etc. The wider stance of those two extra tires will help keep you headed straight. A 44 footer is one long ass trailer, as long as what lots of 18 wheelers are pulling, I wouldn't touch it with singles when she's loaded to 14K. Yes, goosenecks do pull a hell of a lot easier and straighter then a bumper pull, but even then, you're stll talking 44 feet here....

Colorado Kid · April 2, 2004

Your signature says your truck weighs 7300#, The GVWR sticker on the door jamb says 9200#. Pretty simple to see that anything over 1900# pin weight is going to leave you overloaded.

I've pulled a 30' 5th wheel and driven a 40' bus . . . this cowboy isn't going traveling with a 44' trailer, dually or not.

I wouldn't worry about brakes, they're the same dually or not. I would expect a dually to do a better job of keeping the rig straight on the road.

Running over the GVWR is between you, John Law and your insurance company, but you ought to check how much of your empty weight is on the rear axle because if you exceed the GAWR the tires will be overloaded, and that's not cool. I'm pretty sure that load will put it over.

Not what you wanted to hear, but loads like that are what duallys are made for.

422 SS · April 2, 2004

You guys are right on the trailer being really long.I would be nearly 60 ft long with my truck attached.It looks like I will start looking at 36- 40 ft trailers.Even with a dually I don't want to take up that much pavement.It would be like driving a highway tractor.I need to find the smallest gooseneck available with 12 ft of living space and enough room for a camaro.

Steve Cornell · April 2, 2004

Hey 422SS,

I have a 36' Gooseneck with living quarters for sale that pulls GREAT with a 2500HD (it was custom built for that)

Check it out at my website My Webpage

or here for a direct link Trailer For Sale

and. here's the link to my add on The Racers Network

This trailer is a 2002 model and was only used 3 times.

My truck had 265 "E" rated tires and air bags.

I'm asking $27,000 but the price is negoatable

99silveradoz71 · April 3, 2004

Ok, Steve, the toy police are coming for you Quite the nice spread there. Have me questioning why I bought a house when I see how nice that trailer is. I just about live in the garage half the time anyway. Nice truck, and I love the Impala as well. Good luck on selling the trailer, I doubt it'll be a problem, looks great.

Steve Cornell · April 3, 2004

Z71,

The toy police are already here, it's called paying for the kids college and remodeling the house

I've already sold the truck and when I sell the trailer we're hoping to get running water into the house this summer LOL

I'll be getting another truck some day, it will be another crew cab but I don't know if it will be a 2500 or a 1500.

Steve

mj_peterson · April 3, 2004

422SS:

I have a 40' all aluminum 12' tall car hauler, that hauls two cars (roadster and dragster w/ nose lift). It is super light, and with all my junk it weighs in at 17K lbs. My normal tow righ is GMC Topkick etc, but have pulled it w/ my dually.

To be honest, there is plenty of power to pull a trailer like you are talking, but if you ever have to stop in a hurry you are screwed. The brakes would not handle it, and you are at the limit of the rig. If you ever get stopped by the gustopo's in the little vans you could also be in big trouble. The dually will fix the over weight problem on the tires, but to be honest the brakes on your truck vs 3500 won't make a huge difference. Even w/ a dually you are going to have a handful in an emergency stop. Set your trailer brakes hot, and change them every other year to be safe.

Also, you need to make sure and weigh the trailer loaded, with all your stuff along with the living quarters full!! You might find it is even heavier that you once thought.

If you aren't traveling too far, and don't have the hills a dually will get you there, but in my opinion I would never even attempt something this big w/o the dual rear tires for stability (and it makes a huge difference).

Have fun, play safe....

422 SS · April 4, 2004

If I decide to get a trailer larger than a 36 ft goose I'm going to get rid of the HD and get a F-450 or F-550 to pull it with.I hate to trade the HD but my family is with me most of the time when towing to a race and our safety is too important.The thought of pulling something that big with a srw truck in high winds makes me cringe.I have experienced fighting a trailer in high winds with my current 28 footer and it was a white knuckle affair.I would rather have plenty of truck instead of getting shoved around by a giant trailer in a 3/4 ton.It's going to be a company truck anyway so it's a nice tax deduction.Thanks to all that responded.

99silveradoz71 · April 4, 2004

I would rather have plenty of truck instead of getting shoved around by a giant trailer in a 3/4 ton.It's going to be a company truck anyway so it's a nice tax deduction.

Hmm, why not the Kodiak Pickup that one dealer had modded up? Do a little search and you can check her out.

And here we have a link:

Kodiak Pickup

422 SS · April 4, 2004

A local dealer has had 3 of the big 4500 crewcabs on their lot for a really long time.I feel that GM dropped the ball in a huge way on the 4500-5500 trucks.The are just to big for a daily driver for my wife and a trailer tower on the weekends for me.My wife will be the primary driver and she flat refused to drive one of the big 4500's.She agreed to drive a F-550 though and with a aftermarket pickup bed it's not any bigger than a regular dually.

LikeaRock14 · April 4, 2004

We've got ours, 32 ft. total I believe, 5th wheel hitch set-up. We towed it fully loaded for the first time to the raeces yesterday, and WOAH! Compared to our old 20 ft. tag it really makes a difference weight wise. We've got the 454, but I mean still, it pulled it great, just harder for the truck to work. It won't be as loaded most the time though, we had an extra 1500+ lb. for a second car too.

Towing wise, as in stability and what not, my dad noticed no difference. Our tag towed really great with our 3500, and the 5th wheel rides just the same.

When we drove by the chevy and GMC dealers right before the exit to the track, pops sais "I don't know, maybe after the Honda and Harley sell, I'll look into a Duramax finally." I said eh, GET A WHIPPLE!

Happy towing though!