Hello from VA

[Bargeratt]

Hello all my wife and I are new to campers and we decided instead of going with what the salesman said that most people trade in every 3.5 years to just jump in and buy our third one first so we bought a 2019 Cougar 366 RDS. I pull it with a 2020 Silverado 2500HD gas. Yes I know I should of got a diesel but was really only thinking we would buy a travel trailer first. We have taken it out 5 times already with the furthest trip to Myrtle Beach. Cant wait to learn many things from here and maybe meet new friends.

[flybouy]

Welcome to the forum. That's a nice camper and a lot of camper for a 3/4 ton truck. With a gvw of 14,000 lbs and a pin weight of 2,814 lbs (20% of gvw) I can't imagine the truck has much payload if any remaining.

Your truck's payload is displayed on the yellow and white door jamb sticker on the driver's side. The payload number is displayed at the end of "The weight of all cargo and passengers shall not exceed xxx lbs".

[Chris P]

Congratulations and Welcome from New Jersey

[Gary R.]

Hello and welcome!

[K_N_L]

Welcome and Hello from just up I-64!

[Bargeratt]

Thanks for the input but actually the pin weight is 1990 and I can pull by gooseneck 16,500 and I had the camper weighed with all out gear in and we weighed 12,900 ( camper) we seem way in specs and has pulled like a champ except a few big bounces but think I had to much air in airbags. But I am here for any suggestions so trust me send me feed back

[Vet4jdc]

Welcome.....your neighbor in Virginia Beach! :)

[wiredgeorge]

Bargeatt, Where did you get the "1990" pin weight. You weighed the camper with nothing in it at almost 13K lbs. At 20 percent of that weight your pin weight will be 2600 lbs and when you load up the trailer even more. Flybouy asked you what you trucks PAYLOAD is by looking at the sticker in your door frame; a 3/4 ton is very much unlikely to be safe dragging a 40' fifth wheel. Folks are just looking to provide the best safety info possible.

[sourdough]

Welcome to the forum from W TX!

As was mentioned, post the payload numbers (maximum carrying capacity) from the driver door of your truck. I'm afraid, unless that truck is more than I think, you may have a load on your hands (btdt). Here is a link to the 366RDS:

https://www.keystonerv.com/fifth-wheels/cougar/floorplans/366rds-fifth-wheel/


Note the "dry" pin weight is 2400 lbs. GVW is 14,072. At 20% nominal pin weight that's 2814lbs. If you scaled at 12,900 you're still looking at a pin of 2580 at 20%. If your pin is actually only 19xx at that weight you need to readjust. Max tow numbers (16500) are sales tools; not real life. As far as trucks and new trailer intentions, I bought the truck in my signature in anticipation of buying a new Cougar 315RLS gvw of about 12500. All I wanted to put on the 3500 with right at 4000 payload. The new one still falls well below my payload and it should scale about 13k. I intended to run about 12k max. You scale right at 13k....on a 2500. It will pull it but can it
"carry" it safely is the question. I doubt it but maybe the sticker says different??? Just trying to point out that either the truck dictates the trailer or vice versa, within their parameters, to be safe. After that it's just "hoping you'll be OK" - and heaven knows we get to see lots of that.

[Gegrad]

Welcome to the forum. That's a nice camper and a lot of camper for a 3/4 ton truck. With a gvw of 14,000 lbs and a pin weight of 2,814 lbs (20% of gvw) I can't imagine the truck has much payload if any remaining.

Your truck's payload is displayed on the yellow and white door jamb sticker on the driver's side. The payload number is displayed at the end of "The weight of all cargo and passengers shall not exceed xxx lbs".

The Chevy 3/4 ton gassers have GVWRs of like 10,500 or more now as part of their redesign. I was looking at a 2020 Chevy 3/4 ton gasser back in December and it had a payload of like 3500 lbs.

Oh, and welcome from Pennsylvania!

[Bargeratt]

I appreciate all the helpful info everyone is giving and I thought I did my homework but here are the numbers for any advice. Truck sticker-max payload 3400, curb weight 7260, gvwr 24,000. TWR gooseneck TWR 16,600

now from the cat scales
with camper attached steer axle 4320, drive axle 5940, trailer axle 10,080,gross 20,340.
Only truck- steer axle 4220, drive axle 3220, gross weight 7440

Did I make a mistake?

[Bargeratt]

also the cat scale numbers are fully loaded camper and adding wife to truck where the truck only weights where just me in it

[flybouy]

So your scale numbers for the rear axle are a net gain on the rear axle of 2,720 lbs. If the yellow door sticker has your payload at 3,400 lbs then you should be good providing you haven't gone over the rear axle Max. What we often see are new folks showing up with a diesel 3/4 ton with around 2,500 - 2,700 lbs payload and not realising that they are over.

Good job on doing your homework and staying safe!

[Gobirds38]

Welcome Have Fun and Enjoy!!!

[Bargeratt]

Thank you for all the help and support, yea for the 2020 the diesel has a lot less payload but a lot more torque. I have also installed air bags which I know that does not add payload but helps with lift on the trim I am just hoping to get this bounce in check. The RV dealership is thinking I am putting to much air in them. Been running them at 85- 90 psi and thinking of going down to say 40-50

[sourdough]

Yep, I guess GM has really bumped up the payloads on the new 2500s. 3400 is pretty good; and really helps with that size trailer. What is the gvw of the truck? I'm assuming it is rated higher than 10k as Gegrad mentioned. Looks like you're about 10,260 so may be close. If the truck and trailer were fully loaded you came out pretty good on the payload side. What are the axle gawrs? If the rear is just 6000 you're pretty close. As far as the air bags I agree that airing them down might improve your ride. Good luck, have fun and good job on watching those numbers!

[Vet4jdc]

Thank you for all the help and support, yea for the 2020 the diesel has a lot less payload but a lot more torque. I have also installed air bags which I know that does not add payload but helps with lift on the trim I am just hoping to get this bounce in check. The RV dealership is thinking I am putting to much air in them. Been running them at 85- 90 psi and thinking of going down to say 40-50

I run my air bags at around 35-40 psi and it feels right. 90 will stiffen your ride too much.

[Roscommon48]

forget what the negative comments are. GM has improved their 3/4 ton trucks to the point that most trailers can be pulled with only a 3/5 ton truck now.

enjoy. welcome.

[sourdough]

I'm thinking I'm not following your comment.

"GM has improved their 3/4 ton trucks to the point that most trailers can be pulled with only a 3/5 ton truck now."

I assume you are implying that GM has now raised the bar to the point that a 3/5 GM truck can carry most any trailer? Realizing that a 3/5 truck is a .60 ton truck, a 3/4 is .75 and a one ton is a 1 ton. Are we saying that we think due to GM advertising and line blurring that a truck capable of what is normally considered a bit over a 1/2 ton is now on par with a 1 ton? GM has apparently done a great job and weights no longer matter as long as it's GM?? Is sort of like the Tundra and space shuttle thing? :D

[flybouy]

I think it's a fraction of an issue. If it has more payload would it not be a 4/5 ton truck? :whistling:

Of course a 1/2 ton is 1,000 lbs but the 1500 moniker trucks usually have around 1,500 lb payload which is 3/4 of a ton. Most 2500 moniker trucks have well over a ton (2,000 lbs) payload etc.:dizzy:

Ain't math neat?!

[notanlines]

Mistakenly attributed to Gen Robert E. Lee, "Never send a boy to mill, nor bolt the door with a boiled carrot" fits this situation to a T. Towing any 40 foot RV with a 3/4 ton pickup covers both....