What Truck do I buy?

[penra]

I'm considering either the Montana 3120RL or the Durango Gold 353RKT.

3120RL
Shipping Weight: 12056
Carrying Cap: 3944
Hitch: 2280

353RKT
UVW: 11090
Carrying Cap: 2910
Hitch: 2130

Considering these options will I be light if I choose a GMC Denali Crew Cab 4WD Standard box 3500 SRW?

I admit I've read all of these conversations and still not sure how to proceed.

Thanks to all who participate here, this forum is far and away the best information on the Internet.

[rhagfo]

If this is your first 5er, look for a long bed, not that much harder to park, and no worries about dented cab in a normal turn.

Loaded both will be close to 3,000# pin, does the GMC you are looking at have enough payload to cover that, hitch, passengers and stuff?

[penra]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

If this is your first 5er, look for a long bed, not that much harder to park, and no worries about dented cab in a normal turn.

Loaded both will be close to 3,000# pin, does the GMC you are looking at have enough payload to cover that, hitch, passengers and stuff?

This is what I found:

Long box:
Front-5600
Rear-7050

Std Box:
Front-5600
Rear-6700

[Fishsizzle]

You’ve read a lot here, and I’m sure you’ll know what most will say, buy the biggest you can. Buy over what you think you will need. Buy a DRW, I will be shortly.

Man that Montana is heavy.

[notanlines]

I can tell you that the pin weight of the Montana will far exceed that paltry 2200 you’ve been quoted! More than Rhagfo said even, probably in the 3600 range.

[xrated]

Most of the 1 Ton, SRW truck's that are diesel, 4x4, 4 door and even with very few options...are going to have a payload in the 3400-3500 lb range...at best. The Montana you are considering has a GVWR of 16,000 lbs. If you were to load it to that amount, you would be looking at a minimum of 3200-3300 lbs. of pin weight. Add in your hitch weight...another ~175 lbs +/-, so now you are at least 3400 lbs, and you haven't added in the weight for everything else that will go in and on the truck such as tools, a toolbox, passenger(s), extra fuel....whatever. You can see how you could pretty easily be approaching 4000 lbs on the truck, counting everything. In my opinion, that trailer needs a Dual rear wheel truck to tow it safely and without going over the GVWR And the PAYLOAD rating of the truck.

The second trailer you mentioned gives you a little more breathing room with a SRW truck, but not by a lot.

[Don_T]

Originally Posted by xrated

Most of the 1 Ton, SRW truck's that are diesel, 4x4, 4 door and even with very few options...are going to have a payload in the 3400-3500 lb range...at best. The Montana you are considering has a GVWR of 16,000 lbs. If you were to load it to that amount, you would be looking at a minimum of 3200-3300 lbs. of pin weight. Add in your hitch weight...another ~175 lbs +/-, so now you are at least 3400 lbs, and you haven't added in the weight for everything else that will go in and on the truck such as tools, a toolbox, passenger(s), extra fuel....whatever. You can see how you could pretty easily be approaching 4000 lbs on the truck, counting everything. In my opinion, that trailer needs a Dual rear wheel truck to tow it safely and without going over the GVWR And the PAYLOAD rating of the truck.

The second trailer you mentioned gives you a little more breathing room with a SRW truck, but not by a lot.

These are my thoughts as well. You should have a dually for the Montana, a single rear wheel might be ok for the other.

[rhagfo]

New 2020 or new 2019, or used?
Until 2020, GM had lower tow ratings than both Ford and Ram.
14K should be able to carry with a one ton SRW configured correctly.
Keep in mind what you carry in the TV before adding it all eats into the payload.
There will be those that come along and state go by rear axle GAWR. Do you really want to spend $$$$ and start out with a TV that is over GVWR???
With the Montana loaded to GVWR is in DRW territory, have you considered one?

[penra]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

New 2020 or new 2019, or used?
Until 2020, GM had lower tow ratings than both Ford and Ram.
14K should be able to carry with a one ton SRW configured correctly.
Keep in mind what you carry in the TV before adding it all eats into the payload.
There will be those that come along and state go by rear axle GAWR. Do you really want to spend $$$$ and start out with a TV that is over GVWR???
With the Montana loaded to GVWR is in DRW territory, have you considered one?

I was looking at 2018 specs, 2020 payload for 3500 srw crew cab is 4185#. But as they say "it will cost ya!"
I may have to go back to the Cougar...

[Fishsizzle]

Originally Posted by penra

I was looking at 2018 specs, 2020 payload for 3500 srw crew cab is 4185#. But as they say "it will cost ya!"
I may have to go back to the Cougar...

Keep in mind this is where I was bitten

The tow guide is for a somewhat mythical truck. Bare bones, no add ons

Ford said my truck had a “payload” of 3200lbs in the tow guide. I go buy a truck and low and behold, is like 2300 according to the door sticker.

The diesel takes away payload. Heck heated seats, dual alternators, bigger screen in the dash, anything that has more weight than that base truck in the tow guide sucks up payload.

I Need to get an F550 cab and chassis. 12k payload. LOL

[notanlines]

Originally Posted by penra

I was looking at 2018 specs, 2020 payload for 3500 srw crew cab is 4185#. But as they say "it will cost ya!"
I may have to go back to the Cougar...

Penra, don't buy into these figures from ANY manufacturer. All smoke and mirrors.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by penra

I was looking at 2018 specs, 2020 payload for 3500 srw crew cab is 4185#. But as they say "it will cost ya!"
I may have to go back to the Cougar...

Originally Posted by notanlines

Penra, don't buy into these figures from ANY manufacturer. All smoke and mirrors.

Well there is a truck that will have that payload, but will not be a joy to drive. It will be the most stripped down model for that truck.
When I started looking for a newer TV I drove a 2018 Ram 3500 SRW TRADESMAN, as I recall it had a payload of right at 4,000#, and a GVWR of 12,300#. Ram is the ONLY truck to have the 12,300# GVWR through 2019.

[Frank G]

You might want to look at this TV. It has awesome load and tow numbers.

https://youtu.be/_uISpJXG9DY

[Fishsizzle]

Originally Posted by Frank G

You might want to look at this TV. It has awesome load and tow numbers.

https://youtu.be/_uISpJXG9DY

Chaaaaaaaa-Ching

Super swag and nice.

Many don’t realize you can get a cab/chassis F550 lariat. Payloads start at around 12,000lbs and go down as you add your goodies. But man, that’s still a lot of payload!

I just can’t get the wife to sign off on the flat bed look.

[penra]

Originally Posted by Frank G

You might want to look at this TV. It has awesome load and tow numbers.

https://youtu.be/_uISpJXG9DY

Wow, much nicer than the Peterbuilt with 4x4 Brownie stick I learned on!

When I win the lotto...

[penra]

Originally Posted by Frank G

You might want to look at this TV. It has awesome load and tow numbers.

https://youtu.be/_uISpJXG9DY

Or what about the Tesla Truck?

[penra]

So this is the formula I have come up with:

Trailer GVW X 20% = pin weight
Pin weight + truck driver and passengers + truck cargo + hitch weight should be < rated truck payload.

Is that correct?

[gearhead]

Here's what I have found. Just generally speaking and casually looking on dealer lots back in 2016....RAM SRW will have a higher payload because of their higher GVWR, Chevy next, then Ford. But...Ford was making several different GVWR versions. I had a 2016 RAM 3500 SRW, crew cab, diesel, 4x4, Laramie with a payload of 4016#. Most Chevy's I saw were 3500-3700. My Ford Lariat, 2012?, F350, diesel, 4x4, crew cab had a payload of 3267#.
Don't believe what the RV website says about pin weight. No telling how they really figured that. I would go with 25% of the trailer GVW.
And don't believe what the truck maker says either. The RAM website said my 2016 SRW would have a payload of about 4400#. Nope.
Get a dually.
I've had 4 trucks in about 7 years.
Get a dually.

[penra]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Here's what I have found. Just generally speaking and casually looking on dealer lots back in 2016....RAM SRW will have a higher payload because of their higher GVWR, Chevy next, then Ford. But...Ford was making several different GVWR versions. I had a 2016 RAM 3500 SRW, crew cab, diesel, 4x4, Laramie with a payload of 4016#. Most Chevy's I saw were 3500-3700. My Ford Lariat, 2012?, F350, diesel, 4x4, crew cab had a payload of 3267#.
Don't believe what the RV website says about pin weight. No telling how they really figured that. I would go with 25% of the trailer GVW.
And don't believe what the truck maker says either. The RAM website said my 2016 SRW would have a payload of about 4400#. Nope.
Get a dually.
I've had 4 trucks in about 7 years.
Get a dually.

So get a dually is your final answer? lol

Does GVW = Dry weight + carrying capacity?

[Fishsizzle]

Hahahaha, you will get a lot of “get a dually” for me
It is the answer.