2020 gm trucks have a NEW frame

[cougarpelt]

I traded up from a 2015 sliverado 1500 crewcab short bed to 2020 crewcab short bed 5' 10"). You can imagine how surprised I am to find that NONE of the hitch manufacturers currently make an adapter kit that will bolt to the 2020 and couple with my HUSKY 16kw hitch that puts the hitch directly over the rear axel. they make one for the long bed 6' 10" bed but not for the short bed. Nothing my Keystone dealership has been able to find fits the 2020 model the way my old one did. The long bed kit will not give me clearance between cougar half ton and truck. I have a brand new truck that I can't hook to my 5th wheel???? CAN ANYONE HELP!!! Chevrolet 2020 1500 short bed (5'10") bed to a Husky 16kw hitch. Even the new hitches say that the adapter kits are :COMING SOON"!!!!
wow how GM blindsided the dealership, my salesman, my RV dealership and ME!
I should note that my RV dealership ordered and received "the kit I needed" about a month before my truck arrived from the factory; only to find out that the kit he had was for a 6'10" bed. He just order based on my request for a "short bed" kit assuming that the short bed was 6'10". In the 2020 there are 2 beds you can get with a crew cab … a short bed 5'10" and a long bed 6'10". Chevy makes a 8' bed (which he assumed was a "long bed" but only for the standard cab work truck in 2020.

[Logan X]

You’re towing a 16k fifth wheel with a half ton short bed truck?

[cougarpelt]

no the hitch is a Husky that is rated for 16kw. I have a 9,000 5th wheel. the 2020 truck I have is rated to up to 12,400. your right anyone who would try and pull a 16kw trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup is CRAZY

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Logan X

You’re towing a 16k fifth wheel with a half ton short bed truck?

I think he said the hitch was a 16K Husky; doesn't mean his 5th wheel weighs 16K I hope. A 5'10" bed in a 1/2 ton? WOW!

An Andersen Ultimate might solve his problem perhaps; I will let the weight police jump on truck / camper combo after he lists this stuff in his signature or adds it to his post. I can't really visualize how he would tow a 5th wheel with a Silverado 1500 CC short bed but I haven't the savvy to enter the ranks of the weight police team so there you go!

Found this on a Chevy dealer website:
The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has a maximum towing capacity of 13,400 pounds, as well as a payload of up to 2,543 pounds.

Not sure how this claimed towing/payload stuff was computed; there are tons of options for the Silverado.

[JRTJH]

Up until the 2020 GM towing guide, there was a footnote on the "short bed 1500 specs" that said something like, "GM doesn't recommend towing a fifth wheel/gooseneck with this vehicle"... They did provide ratings for the "standard bed 1500.

I'd be curious whether GM and the aftermarket will even provide a "underbed kit" for fifth wheel hitches in the 5'10" bed. They (the aftermarket hitch companies) didn't support the Ford F150 short bed (5'7") for about 3 or 4 years after that bed configuration was on the market. They did support the 6' 5" bed shortly after introduction. The aftermarket manufacturers may not see the profit sales based on the number of people looking for the kit to put enough priority on production until they have some "spare time and nothing else to produce"....

You might contact Reese or CURT and see if they have any idea on when the kits will hit the market.

[sourdough]

I know these manufacturers keep raising these numbers like there's nothing to it but at some point reality will kick in. Physics WILL come into play at some point no matter what they put on paper.

Aside from a 1/2 ton pulling a 5th wheel which I've seen done but.... a 5'10" bed for a fifth wheel? The bed on my new truck is 6'5" and I was VERY worried about buying a 5th wheel (committed today) due to that. I was told by 2 service shop managers that it could/possibly would be an issue in certain circumstances. That's 6'5".

Sorry I don't know about what will fit the new truck but I certainly would worry about buying such a short truck to put a 5th wheel (read high/leverage) over such a light truck....and, max tow capacity is just "paper talk" so be careful.

[flybouy]

OP's profile list's a 2013 Keystone - Cougar XLite 28SGS
Weight Dry 7,574 lbs.
Payload Capacity 2,426 lbs.
GVWR 10,000 lbs.
Hitch Weight 1,410 lbs.

While "on paper" it may be o.k. but personally you wouldn't catch me in it, or preferably driving behind or beside it.

JMHO

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by flybouy

OP's profile list's a 2013 Keystone - Cougar XLite 28SGS
Weight Dry 7,574 lbs.
Payload Capacity 2,426 lbs.
GVWR 10,000 lbs.
Hitch Weight 1,410 lbs.

While "on paper" it may be o.k. but personally you wouldn't catch me in it, or preferably driving behind or beside it.

JMHO

May not even work on paper GM now has a third sticker with allowable weights for different types of trailers, is a 5er even listed on the door?
The OP will really need a pin box like a Reese Revolution.

[JRTJH]

Weightwise, my 2010 F150 "barely supported our Springdale 242. It was 26' long, weighed 6200 pounds with a GVW of 8000 pounds and a empty pin weight of 1120 pounds. With the 6'5" bed, we were "severely limited" when backing and it would have been super easy to kiss the rear window. We traded trucks for a 2013 F250 gas with a 6'9" bed and just that 5" of extra bed made a tremendous difference. I couldn't imagine losing a foot and only having a 5'10" bed without a sliding hitch or pinbox extension.

We replaced the Springdale with a 2014 Cougar XLite 27RKS. It's 500 pounds lighter with 250 pounds less empty pin weight and one less slide than the 28SGS. With our 2100 pound payload (F250 diesel) we "challenge payload" nearly every time we tow.

Then compound the issues with a semi-floating rear axle with that kind of weight pushing on the axle clips with every curve and corner?? It's bad enough with a full floating rear axle. Just the potential for an axle to "come unglued" under the rear of my truck while towing that heavy ??

For me, a half ton simply wouldn't work with our 27RKS or the 28SGS, then compound it with a 5' 10" bed??? WOW....

[cougarpelt]

Thank you JRTJH for your information. As for the other comments, I will agree with you all that I am stupid if that is how you get your jollies in this forum. I have been pulling my 5th wheel with the 5'10" bed in a 2012 ford and then a 2015 chevy. Very very stupid OK.
My reason for posting was to see if anyone knew a supplier that has the kit I need to get back to my Weekend RV camping? I have exhausted my contacts; both my RV dealership and Chevy truck dealership have found that Reese and Curt are "planning" to provide one "soon". but no date. It looks like I will be taking a vacation from my 5th wheel camping for some unknown period of time.
Hopefully, you guys can help me spread the word that IF your looking to pull a 5th wheel with a 2020 GM 1500, then you need to look for their NEWEST length … 6'10" bed; which I find was added to the GM bed lengths in 2019 and was immediately supported by the hitch adapter manufacturers. I can only WAIT!
But in the meantime, I am completely open for all the criticism that I am due cause I have known for a long time that I am stupid; my x-wife made that perfectly clear 27 years ago.

[cougarpelt]

Oh yes; I should add that I sprang for the Reese "Sidewinder" back when I first got this trailer. It allows the pivot point to be about 2 ' behind the kingpin thereby eliminating the problem of hitting the cab in tight turns. This config drives like a dream compared to our first pull behind which was a 2 hands on drive ALL the time.

[cougarpelt]

My new 2020 1500 has the "MAX Trailering Package" which gives me heavier duty rear springs and a larger axel among several other upgrades like a bigger radiator, a larger alternator etc. Looking forward to using this newer towing package on my trailer when the adapter becomes available

[cougarpelt]

as you know "Up until the 2020 GM towing guide, there was a footnote on the "short bed 1500 specs" that said something like, "GM doesn't recommend towing a fifth wheel/gooseneck with this vehicle"... They did provide ratings for the "standard bed 1500"
The reason for their caution was the problem of hitting the cab in turns. With the sidewinder by reese, I never ran anywhere close to this problem.

[ctbruce]

Thanks for posting the heads up on lack of hitch kits. It will help someone avoid heart ache or at least be aware of the situation.

[Frank G]

40+ years ago when there were no specific frame mount kits for attaching fifth wheel hitches and or ball mounts I fabricated them. You may have to go this route. I designed and built several disappearing ball in the bed hitches for goose neck trailers. Even turned the 2-5/16 ball as non were available with the necessary attachment configuration.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by cougarpelt

My new 2020 1500 has the "MAX Trailering Package" which gives me heavier duty rear springs and a larger axel among several other upgrades like a bigger radiator, a larger alternator etc. Looking forward to using this newer towing package on my trailer when the adapter becomes available

Is it running P or LT tires, tires are usually the weakest point.
You must have your reasons for sticking with the 150/1500 SB trucks, the members of the forum just want to inform and have you be safe.

[cougarpelt]

Thanks Frank, my chevy truck salesman feels terrible that he did not know how to steer me to the "long bed" 6'10") when I ordered this truck back in November. He knows a guy who can fabricate brackets and we may have to go that route. Since I normally don't camp in Jan, Feb and Mar, we have decided to wait and see if someone makes the kit available in that time frame before going the fabrication route.
It surprised me that so many people in RV and Truck sales were blindsided by this problem which leaves me with a beautiful truck and a comfortable 5th wheel that can't be connected.

[cougarpelt]

It came with 4 ply (44PSI) tires. I ran this rated tire on the 2015 for 25,000 miles and then replaced them with 10 ply (E rated 80 psi tires). I would have moved these tires over to the new truck but since the old ones were had 55 ratio sidewall and the new tires are 60 ratio side wall, I would have had to get a new alignment. I decided to run these for a few years and then upgrade to the 10 ply tires. I have 10 ply tires on the trailer already.
I agree that the weakest part of this rig is the tires; I bought a tire monitoring system that works great and gives me information on the status of the trailer tires. I had a blow out 2 years ago on the left front and was just plain lucky that it did caused only minor damage (side panel of sheet metal). that's when I decided to install 10 ply tires and get a tire monitoring system. A blow out while pulling really makes you AWARE of tire quality, age and weight ratings. SLOWED ME DOWN too; I never run more than 60mph any more. I get there. Speed is not important when pulling a trailer!

[jamtracy]

Originally Posted by cougarpelt

Thanks Frank, my chevy truck salesman feels terrible that he did not know how to steer me to the "long bed" 6'10") when I ordered this truck back in November. He knows a guy who can fabricate brackets and we may have to go that route. Since I normally don't camp in Jan, Feb and Mar, we have decided to wait and see if someone makes the kit available in that time frame before going the fabrication route.
It surprised me that so many people in RV and Truck sales were blindsided by this problem which leaves me with a beautiful truck and a comfortable 5th wheel that can't be connected.

Though I never criticize anyone about their TV. But these things about your truck salesman and rv peopole being ignorant to the fact of this situation and being "blindsided" is what I can't believe. The only time I believe a dealer is when they say I can tow something that I really can. And I've already done my homework.
Since you want/have to wait for the hitch parts you might have waited to order the truck had they told you this info up front. That's all they want is the sale first, act surprised later. Just my opinion. I hope what you need becomes available soon.

[cougarpelt]

Thanks jamtracy, I too am very skeptical of salesman! This particular one has 27 years with the local chevy dealership and I really believe that he has never run into this. 2020 Chevy truck production was stopped due to a strike for about three months and not many had been sold when I ordered. I think the people who really should have warned me when I called them to order the adapter kit back in November (over a month before truck got here) was the RV parts man at my Rv dealership. All I knew to inform him about my truck was to say "short bed". He did not asked me for the exact bed length and I did not know that "Long bed" meant anything but the 8' bed, like the older models had. He ordered the kit made for the 6'10" and had it in his shop for a month before I showed up with the truck. When I ordered my chevy truck on Chevrolet.com in November, it gave me two option for bed …. short bed and long bed. NOW three bed length options are listed. Besides, as I have said, the previous 2 trucks I have pull my 5th wheel with had 5'10" beds. I had no reason to expect that adapter kits would not be available especially since my RV dealership "Had the kit" ready to install when I arrived. Not many people can relate to how I feel about this situation. It is a rare situation, indeed. and one which I can only hope is temporary.