Experiencing Chucking When Towing a Car Trailer with a 2010 GMC 3500 Diesel and Curt Q24 Hitch

Question:

I recently purchased a Curt Q24 5th wheel from you guys. Im using a 2010 GMC 3500 dually 6.6L diesel to tow a wedge car trailer that weighs about 18-22k loaded and I am experiencing a lot of jerking/chucking horizontally in the truck when Im going down the highway over minor bumps. What can I do to eliminate this? Thank you.

asked by: Bobby C

Expert Reply:

There are a few things to look that could cause chucking when towing a fifth wheel trailer. The Curt Q24 is one of the best hitches on the market to reduce chucking when towing a fifth wheel trailer.

The first thing I would check is to make sure everything in your towing set up does not exceed any capacities. The weight of your trailer does fall within the capacity of this hitch, but based on my research of your 2010 GMC 3500 Dually 6.6L turbo diesel, the weight of your trailer is close the the towing capacity of your truck.

First, find the gross weight of your 2010 GMC 3500 6.6L turbot diesel with everything loaded that you normally carry when you tow your trailer. This would include the Q24 hitch and any other cargo or passengers that you carry. Using a commercial scale is the best method of weighing your truck.

Next, find the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of your truck. This should be in your owners manual or a local GMC dealer can give you this information with your VIN. You should make sure that the loaded weight of your truck plus the loaded weight of your trailer does not exceed the GCWR. Towing a trailer near or over the towing capacity of a truck can cause chucking to be felt in the tow vehicle and the only solution for that situation is to lower the weight of the trailer.

I would also find the pin weight of your trailer when it is loaded. From what I could find, your truck can only handle a maximum pin weight of 3,500 lbs. The pin weight rating of your truck should also be listed in your owners manual. The pin weight of a fifth wheel trailer is typically 15 to 25 percent of the gross trailer weight. If your trailer is loaded to 22,000 lbs, the pin weight could be as much as 5,500 lbs. Too light or too heavy of a pin weight can cause chucking as well when towing.

expert reply by: John H