towing with my lowered crew cab

[BowtieJC]

were looking at getting a KZ Sportster 331TH13 toy hauler 5th wheel. my C3500 has been lowered 5/7 with C notch. the camper will weigh fully loaded about 11500 pounds. will the c notch be ok or is that too much weight . thanks

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[618 Syndicate]

If it's installed properly (I suggest welding and bolting it) the notch won't be the weak spot.
I strongly recommend helper bags with an on board compressor as well.

 

[BowtieJC]

Thanks i have the helper bags and onboard compressor . How to tell what my bags are rated . They are goodyear
1B5-2
579-913-502
I can find the bags but nothing on there load rating

 

[618 Syndicate]

What is the condition of the bags? All I can tell from those numbers is that they're single bellows bags.

 

[Supercharged111]

Could always box the frame for peace of mind. The crew cabs got the thickest frames of the all FYI.

 

[618 Syndicate]

I've had 3 static dropped duallys, towed with every one of them. Hell, I towed one behind one a few years back! I've not towed anything with the one I have now, but trust and believe I will once I get the air ride reworked.

 

[Supercharged111]

I've had 3 static dropped duallys, towed with every one of them. Hell, I towed one behind one a few years back! I've not towed anything with the one I have now, but trust and believe I will once I get the air ride reworked.

I'm just curious how heavy you've towed with lowered trucks and in what configuration? Because I genuinely wonder how much frame is enough to get the job done. Sure GM gives us ratings, but I take them with a grain of salt based on how I perceive how they rated trucks back then.

 

[thinger2]

Box the frame. The C notch is a "hinge" point that will load and unload and eventually crack.
Box the frame as far as you can and you are good.

 

[618 Syndicate]

I'm just curious how heavy you've towed with lowered trucks and in what configuration? Because I genuinely wonder how much frame is enough to get the job done. Sure GM gives us ratings, but I take them with a grain of salt based on how I perceive how they rated trucks back then.

Heaviest I've personally towed was another crew cab long bed 400 dually with a 6.5 on a 22 foot car trailer, but I don't know what that weighed exactly. I've seen others tow 2 and 3 car gooseneck trailers, but I can't speak to their frame mods.

Box the frame. The C notch is a "hinge" point that will load and unload and eventually crack.
Box the frame as far as you can and you are good.

Can you elaborate on the idea of the notch being a hinge point? The idea that a notch weakens the frame is common, but I'm not sure how accurate it is. Seems to me that if you bolt and weld a notch in place it would be stronger than the rest of the frame, and less likely to fail.

 

[letitsnow]

Towing something like a camper is much harder on the truck than a car trailer.