First post. Glad to be here. Question. Im lookin at a 2011 Keystone Velocity raptor 300mp. The specs are as follows; the tongue weight is 2800 lbs., the GVWR is 16400. The UVW is 12200. Im ok with the tounge weight as my truck limit is 3500 lbs. Is it realistic to tow that weight in this truck or is it just plain crazy? I have the 2500 HD WT long bed with the 6.0l gas motor and 6 spd tranny. Also, and i find this curious, the owners manual caps the towing weight at 12900, but it also says "any weight above this requires a fifth wheel". So if thats the case, what then becomes the new weight limit? thanks I really need help with this one.

your truck isnt going to be very happy pulling that much weight and wind resistance. especially if you have hills or intend on taking it on long trips. if you had the dmax it would be fine but the 6.0 is not powerful enough no matter what gm says.

i wouldnt pull over 10k camper with a 6.0, because of the wind

I pull my 10 foot dump trailer with my 1500 5.7 vortec. I have gone over the scales at over 18000 lbs. combined weight. I have been doing this for 6 years with no problem. I havent gone over 50 miles in one trip so i cant say how it would do on a long trip. It pulls the trailer no problem and stops with no problem.

Thanks all for the replies. I guess i should have been more clear. I will never tow the trailer at gross weight. I get that. i would imagine it would be around the 14000 to 14500lb range. Its more about what the book says that confuses me! If GM says any weight over 13000lbs. requires a fifth wheel, then is there a upper limit? And what would be the limiting factor?

They say it need a fifth wheel because the fifth wheel put the weight over the rear wheel instead of on the rear end. When you move where the trailer connects it redistrubuts the weight. If you have too much weight on the tail end it lifts the front end up and gives you less sterring contol. When you have it over the rear wheels it dosent lift the front end up as much hence increaseing your steering control. What i would say is drive it with the trailer on and see how it feels. If the steering feels too loose it might be too heavy. That is if the person that own it will let you.

I agree, you are going to have to hook up to it and see what the truck has to say about all this. Assuming the suspension/tires/brakes are in a happy place, your drivetrain will be the weakest point. You will definitely need to pay attention to engine/tranny temps. You will likely have to take it very easy all the time, and cruise speed is likely to be fairly low. Mountains concern me also.

A friend of mine has a 2008 2500HD 6.0, and he towed a 5th wheel that was under 10k lbs on a 500 mile round trip. He spent most of the trip at 65 (speed limit is 75 out here) and took it easy on the mountains, engine temp never fluctuated, tranny temp topped out under 210 on the worst of mountains. Said the truck pulled it just fine.

If this isn't a 'too good to pass up' deal, I would suggest looking for smaller, or get more truck for it. Even if it was a Duramax 2500, it still is not going to be too thrilled about that. It'* better to have too much truck for pulling than just barely enough.

OP, you ask some great questions. Lots of great input in the responses. The question I would ask if I was in your shoes, is where and how often am I going to tow....

If you are towing local and on "flat land" then the specs are probably ok. If you are towing in Rjolly'* area or over long distances, then you might want to look deeper into your tow vehicle.

I just drove two diesel penske trucks from Illinois to Arizona, fully loaded. In Illinois no issues, but going through Missouri, New Mexico and Arizona, huge issues going up inclines. At some grades, I could barely reach 35 mph, on the interstate. My fuel mileage was brutal with the diesel with the loaded diesel truck. I have a F-350 with a gas engine, and all I kept saying to myself was how glad I had a diesel truck over a gas truck, the gas mileage would have been beyond brutal.

To recap, look at your towing terrain and distance, that is the key to deciding what trailer your vehicle can safely and effieceintly haul.

Thanks for all the responses. Yeah, its too good of a deal to pass up. Im gettin it for 32k and it books and sells all day long for 39k+. The truck is a 2008, stock with under 45k miles. It also has the external oil cooler. I currently tow an 8000lb. toy hauler all day long with no issues. Its actually hard to tell its back there. I think with some additional airbags to keep the rear end up and the front end down, ill be fine. I asked around the shipping world and most agree. They are often over gross with a gas V8 and run across the country that way. Besides, im never in a hurry when towing. Thanks again. Keep yall posted.

ive had 2 work trucks with that setup thats why i said its not going to be happy about 10k with something as wind resistant as a camper the trans is always going to be shifting and the rpms are always going to be way high trying to keep speed. the ones i had were 4spd they say the 6spds are worse.