tow power, what is the stats

[buelldude]

Hey,
I was reading a new mag(trailer life)and it had a story on towing vehicles in the mag. They said the new mountain master-equipment 3500(D/A) was capable to tow up to 13,760. Well I pulled out the chevy sales booklet and it said 15,400. These were both extended cabs and auto tranny. I know the more weight on the truck the less on the trailer you can have but what is the real tow rates on our trucks. I have a CC D/A short box with 3.73 gears. Sorry if this has been alked about but I'm new here. Thanks :rolleyes:

[Diesel Dad]

Hi,
I tow a 11,000 lb. Cardinal fifth-wheel with my 3500. You need to consider a number of factors including GVWR, GCWR and GAWR to determine if a truck will safely (legally ?) tow a given trailer. The 15,400 lbs. is a bit of a fantasy since the pin weight would be over 3,000 lbs. and you would likely be over GVWR.

The trailer height is also a factor. The wind resistance of a tall trailer like the Cardinal has as much impact on towing as weight.

I would be careful with anything over 10,000 lbs. or more than 10 feet high and consult with other owners before laying down hard earned cash.

Regards.

[ 09-17-2002: Message edited by: Diesel Dad ]</p>

[billnourse]

buelldude,

I pull a 32 ft Holiday Rambler that is about 11,500 dependending on how it is loaded. On the scales I am under max weight on front and rear axles and tires, but hit 9900 total to be 700 over on GVW with the 2500. Have no trouble pulling or stopping the load and since I am under weight on the axles and tires I feel comfortable with the weight. If I was over on the axles I would have to rethink.
Your 3500 is going to give you a higher capacity.

The 15,500 in the sales book is a strech as you will probably go over max GVW on the pickup before reaching 15,500, but 13,700 shouldn't be out of the ballpark with a 3500. Weigh before you buy if there are doubts.

Regards,

Bill

[buelldude]

Well I don't plan on going to the bigger truck, I think my 2500 has everything I need. I would just like to know some real numbers(stats) of what the truck will do. If I look in the book it tells me that my truck will handle up to 15,600 with a fifth wheel??? I don't come close to that with my trailer I have now, but I would like to move up to a bigger one and would like to know where to stop and still feel safe. I have been towing for just a few years and its only a 21' toy-box camper(that is for sale if anyone wants to buy it) The total weight of the camper with bikes inside is 7000(I have never even come close to that, this is what they say it will handle). How is it that they can say a 2500 will tow more that a 3500? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

[needbigtruck]

Why have a GVWR that is less than the combined GAWR? Is it because of the brakes? Or most likely the amount of rubber on the ground, since the 3500 has a higher GVWR. If the trailer has it's own brakes wouldn't that allow highr weights. The tow rating for my truck is 14900lbs I believe. If you take the 15-20% pin weight for a 5th wheel, and use 15% then that comes up 2235. My truck weighs 7000lb just sitting there. How can they say I can pull 14,900 if I can't hook up to it? I know this has been asked before, but is the GVWR just a licensing issue, or does it really mean if we are over it we are illegal?

[Colorado Kid]

I think that as soon as you hook a trailer on the GVWR is irrelevant, because your rig is now a combination. GCWR and individual axel ratings are all that matters once the trailer is hooked up.

2500HD's show higher tow ratings because they are lighter than equivelent 3500HD's and working against the same GCWR. THe 15,800 is fantasy land because it implys that your truck weighs only 6200# including fuel and driver. That may be possible with an 8.1L and 6 speed 2WD, but I suspect your D/A is several hundred pound heavier.

The weight in the trailering mag is probably thier measured "as tested" weight subtracted from the GCWR. The towing magazines tend to be conservative, so the "as tested" weight probably includes the driver, full fuel and a hitch.

I wouldn't worry about the 9900 being carried on the truck because both axels are with weight and the "hitch" weight comes with its own brakes.

I'll have to break out the book and see how GM defines GVWR, but I don't think it's a problem.

[IndigoDually]

22,000 Combined. Truck, passengers, cargo and trailer. The other limiting factor is axle weights. This is where many have had to upgrade to a 3500 though both 2500 and 3500 are rated at 22,000 combined.
The 15,400 quoted refers to the cab and chassis, the adjusted number comes when they added the truck body.

John

[ 09-17-2002: Message edited by: IndigoDually ]</p>

[RVGuy]

I weighed my 2002 2500HD, LT, 4x4, CC, SB with a full tank of gas and myself at the city scales. Here were the results:

Truck Weight 6,920 lbs.

Front Axle 4,170 lbs.
Rear Axle 2,750 lbs.

According to the sticker on my door my GAWRs are:

GAWR Front 4,670
GAWR Rear 6,084

This means that I have only 500 lbs. room on the front axle and 3,334 lbs. room on the rear.

Given a GVWR of 9,200 lbs, even with over 3,000 lbs. available on the rear axle, I can not exceed a weight of 2,280 as that is all that is left between the actual weight of the truck and the GVWR.

Keeping with a kingpin weight of 15% of total weight of the trailer, I can tow up to 15,200 lbs.

But this combination exceeds my GCWR by a scant 120 lbs. So, in actuality I can't pull a trailer heavier than around 15,000 total weight and nothing but me in my truck.

So, reduce the 15,000 by 1,000 lbs. so you can have a nice 5er HD hitch, and other necessities in the back of the truck and inside the cab...the wife might want to tag along. I've told her she can't gain anymore weight or else she'll cause us to exceed my GCWR.

;) :D :eek: