39 Unlimited weight/towing
 

I'm buying an 06 TG Unlimited shortly and just planning out the towing aspect of it for 2020 season. Boat sits on a triple axle aluminum I Beam trailer. My tow vehicle is a '17 Denali 2500HD Duramax.

Is a 39 with blower motors actually north of 11K pounds and that much heavier than a 38? Sorry for a stupid ass question but I'm just looking to math it out a bit and see how comfortable its likely to be with my 2500 truck with this boat on an aluminum trailer and a typical amount of fuel and gear etc in it.

Any feedback from others who are pulling 39's around all the time would be appreciated. Boat will be kept in my shop at home and towed everywhere, so its a big factor in my 2020 boat season plans.

You will be borderline and probably slightly over when fully loaded https://www.chevrolet.com/content/da...wing-guide.pdf

I've towed mine with two different 3/4 tons and have been fine. 14' GMC and 19' Ram. 1 long trip and lots of "around town" hauls and never an issue. Plenty of power and never feel unsafe. Even though I'm usually a madman behind the wheel I do leave some room to try to avoid any panic stops.

The Ram comes factory with airbags and does seem to pull a little better than the GMC. Both are fine though.

I assumed I'd need to at minimum add airbags to my Denali. Especially since I have a leveling kit up front which increases the issue with sag in the rear under heavy loads.

Would be around town stuff every weekend. (figure 50-100 miles each trip depending where) and numerous out of state trips planned as well (1k miles round trip or less)

My 38 on steel Manning trailer is closer to 12500 if I remember correctly- cat scales while hooked to 650 closer to 27000 total if I remember correctly. I have the slip in my truck Loaded w fuel. Would not think a 39 would be much different.
I was pulling it w my 3500 SRW CC and it did it fine --- BUT you pick what is better looking :flag:https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...40d01f6f5f.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...f9a7d5f644.jpg

I pulled the old heavy 38 Gun with a SRW 3500, then moved to a DRW 3500, both GMCs. Both did great, more stability in the DRW obviously, no tail wagging or getting pushed around during aggressive braking.

I would agree you will be borderline with the 2500, but should do an "OK" job. Move up to a 3500 if you can, or at a min install airbags. And I agree with the AOH brakes on all 6 wheels.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a1f4243d37.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e44c22927c.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4d82c7f1d.jpeg

I will add, it is really more the trailer than the truck with what you have. You did not state what brand trailer? That really does make a difference. The higher end trailers are better balanced have better components and above all better brakes. At the very least, make sure your trailer is Electric over hydraulic, NOT surge. This way you can control the stopping pressure. If you have surge, convert it ASAP!

I wont get into the over-debated subject of "will it, will it not". I will, however, caution you from a liability standpoint and the insurance company's willingness to pay out. IF you do get into an incident and they find out you were over-weight for your rating, you may have trouble getting paid, and/or have a lawsuit if you injure someone. Usually it's the payload, or gross axle rating, and not the towing capacity that will get you. If you figure most 3/4 tons have a 2,000 lbs payload/tongue weight and ~10% of the trailers weight is tongue weight (1,200lbs from a 12,000lbs load), you've chewed through a lot of payload. Now add yourself, passengers, luggage, etc....you hit 800lbs, quickly. They will do the math, if there's a chance they can get out of paying...
Just another way to look at this subject, that's all.

Looking at the paperwork on the trailer, it def has electric over hydraulic brakes on all three axles/6 wheels so that's good. It is not a high end trailer, its aluminum I beam built in 2014 and from price and pics I have of it, it appears to be a bolt together I beam. Having a welded/custom trailer made for the boat is something I'm strongly considering doing for the reasons you guys are mentioned and more, given the number of miles per season I'm likely to be pulling the boat around I think it would be a worthwhile investment probably.

current owner tells me he's been pulling it on long trips with same exact truck as me with airbags and it does great for him so far.

the payload and insurance comment is for sure a good/valid point. payload capacity on my truck appears to be at least 3K lbs. So using the estimate you posted Ryanot1, seems I'd likely be ok there.

So if I am reading this right and the OP has the normal 4x4 short bed crew cab his conventional tow rating max will be 13,000 lbs? I know still have t look at the total but what does a 39 on a aluminum trailer with fuel, stuff weigh?

the likely weight is the same question I'm trying to get a handle on. Cig's website says a 39 is 11,300lbs as I recall. And the site says a 38 is 9,900 as I recall. Just seems like such a big difference for a boat that is barely bigger. My guess would be Cig is quoting based on assumption of the 38 having naturally aspirated engines and bravo style drives on it vs assumption that 39 would be ordered with 700's and 6's on it. That would have to be the reason behind such a large weight difference quoted in the specs on the site I'd think.

correct, transmissions, superchargers nxt and #6 style gimbles and drives

My 38 gun is 13,300 on scale with barely any fuel, I have a 2009 F250 it toss amazing, I can’t say with GM as I never used one but I get zero sway and zero pucker moments so I can’t see it being too bad at all, most likely a tad over limits but I’m gonna say many people are when loaded with fuel and gear, it is what it is, as far as can it? For sure hell I put a 50’ nitro behind mine and was even more amazed as it towed with ease (one time tow not habit) 500 miles home I looked a few times I was doing 75-80 almost crapped myself I didn’t even know.

Todays trucks tow amazing and honestly the biggest scare is the insurance thing, guys will say that’s never been an issue but there is a reason many insistence company’s are asking what you tow with these days, good luck!

can never have too much truck.. always better to have it and not need it.. the pic of the Tiger and the blue dually was just over 21k lbs with 1/4 tank gas... the blue 01 dually is now for hauling the 20 and the white 09 diesel for the Tiger...https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...34f7e35ef4.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...95c3e2ae5d.jpg

^^^^ always best to color coordinate your boats to the pull trucks when you have options - sweet rides (Duallies and the boats)

+1 on having more truck than the bare min - Sh*t happens fast when you have to react when someone insists on cutting you off or pinching in your lane or just miserable greasy roads and you have to lock it down in a hurry

exactly, the blue one is a 8.1 litre and an allison and has 187k miles and has been a perfect truck. we compared when we went to lake champlain, a friend with a diesel got better mileage, but mine with the gas was less expensive because of the cost of diesel. I got the 09 with all leather and only 47k miles for 29k... couldnt pass it up.. and each boat needs its own truck.lol

I have a 2008 39 Unlimited and tow with f250
 

Never have had a problem. Towed it when it was stock without airbags and it towes just as good now with airbags and lift that we installed. It towes nicely on the Manning Triple Axle trailer it sits on. I don't have my f250 tuned. Its a 2017 and it has awesome power to tow the rig. Wouldn't have it any other way. The 39 absolutely towes way better than my 38 top gun that I had previously. The staggered setup does help.

I agree, the F250 does amazingly well, I have yet to even come close to a scare ever, my truck weighs 8220 lbs, it can easily handle it.

Your truck will NOT be overloaded. For the rear you have the following options.
1. Air bags
2. Sumo springs. (Bump stop extensions)
3. Timbren SES
4. Lift block under leaf pack

Found my Cat scales-

Truck- 04 F650 C-7:flag:
Front axel 7600--- Rear 7320
Boat and Steel trailer 12840- less than half full fuel
Total 27760.
Its all about the Stopping/ Emergency maneuver that matters- IF and When Needed. Not that there are Idiots on the road with us-:drink:

Airbags are the only thing I'm familiar with. I'm going to look into all the other options you listed as well!

Agreed, EOH is a must!
 

NM

I installed the Sumo Springs on my 11' Ford F250 and they work great. Still have the nice ride when unloaded and the truck only squats 1.5" or so when the boat is hooked up.