Question Single or Dually

[Boondoggle]

My question is if you think that a single rear wheel truck will be adequate at highway speeds with the occasional high side winds that we inevitably get, or would I be better to order the dually and have to pay for storing my truck? I'm upgrading from a travel trailer to a fifth wheel and buying a new GMC 3500 HD diesel to pull a new Luxe 38' fifth wheel that has a GVWR of 21,000 lbs and a pin weight of 3,700 lbs. (both capacities include an optional 6KW generator on the front which I won't have). In order to fit my new truck into the garage, I need a standard 6 1/2-foot box which is only available with a single rear wheel. The truck with a single rear wheel has a maximum towing weight capacity of 21,300 lbs. and a maximum payload of 4185, so I'm good there. I'll be using a Mor/Ryde pin box with an Anderson hitch, and I've determined that I won't have a problem with cab to camper clearance even at approaching 90-degree angles. I'm interested in hearing your opinion based on your experience. Thanks! Jim

 

[Gizmo]

So if you don't put anything in your RV you will have 485 pounds of payload left for the driver and passengers. Anything else you put in the truck also will count against that payload so that 200-pound hitch will also go against the payload. Now if you plan to load up the 5er with stuff the pin weight will grow probably up to at least 22 to 25 percent of the GVWR or pin weight of 4620 (22%) or 5250 (25%). . My 13,500 dry weight 35 foot 5er grew to 15,200 and dry pin weight went from 2450 pounds to 3300 pounds and I was overweight on my SRW 3500 with a 3722 payload package. When I ordered the truck the webpage said it had a 4200-pound payload and the door tag said 3722. The specs on the 5er were only a 2240 pin weight and when I got the weight sheet from the factory said 2450...

 

[Boondoggle]

Nice catch, Gizmo. Looks like I'll need the dually regardless of my question about side winds. The Payload capacity of the dually jumps up to 5607 lbs. and using the 25% guideline of 5250 lbs. that you calculated, gives a margin of 357 lbs. which is a hell of a lot better than a 1065 lbs. deficit with the single. All things considered, safety and capacity trump storage costs.

Now, this also brings up a question about the Anderson hitch which has a 24,000 lb. G(Trailer)WR but only a 4500 lb. tongue weight rating. Obviously, that won't work, even using your most conservative calculation. Now the 5er manufacturer offers two pin boxes, the MOR/Ryde which has a pin box rating of 24,000 lbs. of the 5er, with GVWRs over 18,000 lbs., or a Gen Y which has pin box ratings of up to 8,000 lbs. I've read about the pros and cons of the Gen Y hitch which can connect directly to a gooseneck coupler which would in theory be ideal, but evidently is a bear to center onto a coupler. So now my question to you and everyone is which hitching system would you recommend given the pin weight and GVWR for 1) ease of hooking and unhooking, and 2) the ability for an upper 70s YO guy to remove for using the bed for other purposes? Thanks Gizmo!

 

[Gizmo]

Nice catch, Gizmo. Looks like I'll need the dually regardless of my question about side winds. The Payload capacity of the dually jumps up to 5607 lbs. and using the 25% guideline of 5250 lbs. that you calculated, gives a margin of 357 lbs. which is a hell of a lot better than a 1065 lbs. deficit with the single. All things considered, safety and capacity trump storage costs.

Now, this also brings up a question about the Anderson hitch which has a 24,000 lb. G(Trailer)WR but only a 4500 lb. tongue weight rating. Obviously, that won't work, even using your most conservative calculation. Now the 5er manufacturer offers two pin boxes, the MOR/Ryde which has a pin box rating of 24,000 lbs. of the 5er, with GVWRs over 18,000 lbs., or a Gen Y which has pin box ratings of up to 8,000 lbs. I've read about the pros and cons of the Gen Y hitch which can connect directly to a gooseneck coupler which would in theory be ideal, but evidently is a bear to center onto a coupler. So now my question to you and everyone is which hitching system would you recommend given the pin weight and GVWR for 1) ease of hooking and unhooking, and 2) the ability for an upper 70s YO guy to remove for using the bed for other purposes? Thanks Gizmo!

I sold my last 5er in 2017 and bought a Class A DP so I'm not up on the new hitches and such. When I had my Solitude 310GK 35 foot and was overweight with my 3500 GMC SRW and didn't want to drive a DRW so I went with Class A. I was B&W hitch fan and never failed me. I'm 73 and the easy setup of a Class A got me hooked and being able to have a Jeep Wrangler as an everyday driver made sense to me. Now we are into moderate off-roading as a nice getaway from crowds and was nice during the Covid.

 

[Fish]

I would want a dually with an 8 ft bed, hopefully a crew cab, and a normal pin box with a capacity of 30,000 pounds. Luxes are heavy. I like to have safety margins.

As far as storing your truck and using your bed, those are problems I didn't have. I never took my pin box out.

 

[Boondoggle]

Thanks Fish, yup, I've decided to go with the same thing now. A dually with an 8'bed and crew cab. So the question now is which hitch system. I've just made another post with that question so let me know what you think on that post.

 

[Gizmo]

We had the 16K version and love it... Here Is the one I would get if I was going to get DRW and the size of 5er you are talking about.

https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Fifth_Wheel_Hitch-sf-Fixed_Fifth_Wheel-gw-25000_lbs_GTW-pm-B_and_W.aspx

 

[Boondoggle]

I would want a dually with an 8 ft bed, hopefully a crew cab, and a normal pin box with a capacity of 30,000 pounds. Luxes are heavy. I like to have safety margins.

As far as storing your truck and using your bed, those are problems I didn't have. I never took my pin box out.

I agree with the dually, 8 ft. bed, and crew cab now. Thanks!

 

[Boondoggle]

I sold my last 5er in 2017 and bought a Class A DP so I'm not up on the new hitches and such. When I had my Solitude 310GK 35 foot and was overweight with my 3500 GMC SRW and didn't want to drive a DRW so I went with Class A. I was B&W hitch fan and never failed me. I'm 73 and the easy setup of a Class A got me hooked and being able to have a Jeep Wrangler as an everyday driver made sense to me. Now we are into moderate off-roading as a nice getaway from crowds and was nice during the Covid.

Yeah, I thought of a motorhome, but I thought backing a tow vehicle would be hard to back up, plus I'd be back to hitching and unhitching again.

 

[Boondoggle]

We had the 16K version and love it... Here Is the one I would get if I was going to get DRW and the size of 5er you are talking about.

https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Fifth_Wheel_Hitch-sf-Fixed_Fifth_Wheel-gw-25000_lbs_GTW-pm-B_and_W.aspx

Gizmo, I'm now thinking about going with the Gen Y Gooseneck which is an option with the Luxe. They told me that almost all of their clients are ordering them that way now. I'll have complete use of the bed without having to move a fifth wheel, which is a real plus at my age.