Thinking about getting a fifth wheel. I am looking to purchase a 2006 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab short bed Duramax/Allison. I have read where the truck can pull upto 16,000 lbs. Where is the best place to find how much fifth wheel pin weight this truck can take, what do I look at far as max payload the truck can handle or rear gross axle weight rating. I been told depending on the fifth wheel I may have to put in a helper spring to prevent sagging. Also thinking about being able to pull trailer w/2 jetskis behind the fifth wheel too. Have not decided which fifth wheel I am purchasing, but it wheel be 38ft or less.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
The GCWR (22,000#) may allow you to pull close to 16,000# however the 9200# GVWR (if you consider it like I do) will only allow a Pin weight of around 2100# which equates to a 5th wheel with a GVWR of 10,000# - 11,000#.
J & M
2005 Cardinal 33TS LX with TrailAir
2004 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 4x4 DRW D/A (LLY) Crew Cab
Yup, truck can pull a lot but it can't carry much.
Payload on a 2500HD DA/CC/SB/4WD is around 2400# and that includes all passengers, luggage, tools and the hitch.
Assuming you want to stay within the truck's ratings you sure will not be pulling a 38ft fiver. Some will tell you, by experience, it is not comfortable or even safe, but there others on here who will tell you otherwise. It's your choice to make.
If you want to explore the weights any more, try here.
Select "Weight Calculator", then model, then select the configs (models & options) you are interested in.
GMC was used as the Chev one no longer shows the D'max for 2006.
Weights calculated by this tool do not include the driver and only include 5 or 6 gals of fuel. It is used to calculate the vehicle shipping weight that the shipping companies get paid by.
FWIW, my 2WD truck in sig is close to GVWR with a 27' fiver and two people. I first had a bigger trailer that put me 500# over GVWR - it was not a pleasant driving experience.
For a trailer the size you are considering I suggest you need a 1-ton dually to be safe and stable.
Keith J, Retired from GM Engineering
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE 2WD/CC/SB/DA.
1999 Sunnybrook 27RKFS Fiver
Bilsteins, Line-X, Westin steps, Prodigy, Retrax, 16K Superglide, 5th-Airborne pin-box, Multi-vex mirrors.
OH come on now! He can load anything he wants into the bed of that TRUCK. Were not talking about a Toyota now , but a real honest to goodness American made TRUCK here. According to all the "experts" lurking around this forum he will have no problems hauling anything up to and including a Mobile Suites weighing in at 18,000 pounds. Why are all you naysayers always so negative
lawrence617 wrote: Thinking about getting a fifth wheel. I am looking to purchase a 2006 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab short bed Duramax/Allison. I have read where the truck can pull upto 16,000 lbs. Where is the best place to find how much fifth wheel pin weight this truck can take, what do I look at far as max payload the truck can handle or rear gross axle weight rating. I been told depending on the fifth wheel I may have to put in a helper spring to prevent sagging. Also thinking about being able to pull trailer w/2 jetskis behind the fifth wheel too. Have not decided which fifth wheel I am purchasing, but it wheel be 38ft or less.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Lawrence, if you can wait on the truck purchase try to narrow down your 5er search first. This will help determine if the 2500HD will do the job. Once you know the weights for the 5er you can then research how people utilize this TV and determine what you are comfortable doing. I tow heavier than some but I would not consider towing a 16K 5er with my truck.
Just a note, the GCWR for this truck is higher for 5er towing than it is TT towing. The 22K rating is for TT, 5er towing is 23,200 lbs per manual page 4-77.
2006 2500HD CC SB 4X4 Duramax/Allison
Prodigy/16K Reese/265E Tires/Bilstein Shocks
RM Active Suspension/RDS 60gal Toolbox combo
You're going to be disappointed. That truck weighs at least 7000lbs empty. It's GVWR is 9200lbs. That leaves 2200lbs for people, stuff, hitch and fiver pin weight before you exceed the GVWR. With the family loaded, you'll have about 1600lbs left for hitch and pin weight. With the hitch, you'll be down around 1350lbs for WET pin weight, which means you should be looking for a fiver with a DRY pin weight of around 1000-1100lbs. That eliminates all but the smallest and most basic fivers on the market. To say that it'll be 38' or less is an understatement...
If you're dead-set on the truck and having a fiver, you can consciously overload your truck, but you need to do it in an educated manner. If you look at the axle ratings on the door post, the rear axle will be a little over 6000lbs. The empty truck will only put about 3000lbs of weight on the rear axle, "buying" you another 800lbs or so in payload. That puts you up in a midsize fiver. You may need to add Timbrens, air bags, or helper springs to help with the rear sag.
This is fairly common. On a trip to Ohio last summer, I must've passed or been passed by 100 fivers of all sizes all being pulled by 2500-series pickups. Very few 3500s, let alone duallys. Many were sqatting pretty good in back, which indicated to me that they really didn't understand that they were overloaded, but they were maintaining the speed limit.
Check the Tire and Loading Information sticker located on the left rear door or door pillar...it will tell you the cargo capacity of your truck. As noted, it will be around 2400#...no where near enough for a big 5er.
lawrence617 wrote: Thinking about getting a fifth wheel. I am looking to purchase a 2006 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab short bed Duramax/Allison. I have read where the truck can pull upto 16,000 lbs. Where is the best place to find how much fifth wheel pin weight this truck can take, what do I look at far as max payload the truck can handle or rear gross axle weight rating. I been told depending on the fifth wheel I may have to put in a helper spring to prevent sagging. Also thinking about being able to pull trailer w/2 jetskis behind the fifth wheel too. Have not decided which fifth wheel I am purchasing, but it wheel be 38ft or less. All comments and suggestions are welcome.
If you load by the GVWR then you will have ~1800# (roughly 9000# trailer) available for the pin weight, if you load by the rear axle rating you will have just under 3000# (roughly 15,000# trailer....just like chevy said) available for the pin weight. I load by the rear axle. Opinions on this topic is pretty much a toss up, and inflammatory subject, on this forum. In the real world it is not so controversial. Read the sticky "Actual federal weight law rules, some questions and answers", in the Tow Vehicles section.
Lets give him a realistic Response.
I take you do not want to Drive a One Ton for a Daily Driver.
One ton is same rear end and Diff.
See my Profile. Bottom line....be safe, give yourself plenty of safe distance in front of you, be courteous to others on the road and push down on the right pedal!
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He can load anything he wants into the bed of that TRUCK. Were not talking about a Toyota now 
, but a real honest to goodness American made TRUCK here.
According to all the "experts" lurking around this forum he will have no problems hauling anything up to and including a Mobile Suites weighing in at 18,000 pounds. Why are all you naysayers always so negative
