Factory trailer hitch rating

[wxmn6]

What are the towing and tongue weight rating for factory trailer hitch on 2002 Chevy 2500HD Ext. Cab SB?

[chevmeister]

shaould be 12000 trailer and 1200 tongue with a weight distributing hitch. I cant find the info on straight towing.

[Tim B]

I believe it's 7500 straight towing.

Tim B.

[bora]

Note that both of these ratings are for the Duramax or the 8.1L gas engine.
The 6.0L is rated less, but I am not sure about the exact rating.

Bora

[motovet]

I don't know how GM rates the hitch, but they are pieces o crap. Mine broke at the welds with 10,000# trailer and 1K hitch weight with distribution. Had similar problems with our 6.0L. If you are towing something heavy, it would be wise to scrap the stocker and replace it with some heavy metal.

[Burner]

I think that 12,500lbs is the max "rating" of the hitch, distributed. I have had, for very shot times, over 2k on my hitch. I know that some of the hitches will not meet specs. I tested mine. We had 9 pallets of tar roofing shingles to pick up and deliver. The round trip was around 160 miles. We got all the pallets in two trips tongue.gif . A "tar" pallet weighs in @ 3,500 lbs the trailer @ 3,000 lbs and I do not have any distributing stuff. :D ---- Most of the stock hitches will do just fine. Just rember that "shock loads" will kill your hitch! :eek: If you are heavly loaded try to take the bumps "slowly" as to not "shock" the hitch. The draw load is easy but the static load should not be spiked. Think of it like picking up a 25lb weight, it's easy. You can pull it, sling it or pick it up. However, if droped the mass x velocity will step in @ 32ft per sec, per sec. Try to catch it! It gets heavy, quick!

Burner ;)

[wxmn6]

Thanks for your input. Today when I was testing the harness plug at the rear of truck, I saw a sticker where the harness is. It said that the hitch is rated at 7,500 lbs. towing and 1,000 lbs tongue rated. With weight distributing system, it is rated at 12,000 lbs. and rated at 1,500 lbs tongue. Again, thanks for trying to help.

[chevmeister]

wxmn6
keep in mind thats hitch rating, as Bora said the 6.0 isnt rated to tow that much,only 10,300 4x2 10,100 4x4 with 4.10 gears. the hitch is the same on any 2500HD and 3500 but the drive train gives you your rating.
GCWR 6.0 with 3.73 14000
GCWR 6.0 with 4.10 16000
take truck light weight off that rating and thats your tow rating.
hope it helps.

[Jim Bob]

Haven't done much conventional towing with my rig since I have a 5th wheel. However, the hitch seems to me to be good quality and that adapter that came with the truck is slick! I was in Bend, Oregon in June and went fishing with an old college buddy while I was there. His tow rig wasn't running very well, so we hitched his 17' boat up to my truck, plugged to trailer connector to the adapter and away we went. At the end of the week he said "I'm going to miss you--well,actually, I'm going to miss your rig!"

Anyhow, for those that want more conventional towing capacity, replace the stock Class IV hitch with a Reese Titan Class V hitch with 15k distributed weight rating. I have to chuckle that Dodge is advertising a 12,500 lb. conventional hitch rating. Apparently, they have invented a Class IV+ hitch. Anything to get ahead in the advertising wars!

[mattb5150]

Just bought my first TT. It's a new 2002 (built 05/02) Jayco Designer 31 FKS(32' 11" exterior length) with two slides. The brochure states that the unloaded vehicle weight is 8,000 lbs. and the dry hitch weight is 1,185 lbs. I am picking it up on Thurs. or Fri. and want to get your guys opinion on whether I should purchase a weight distributing hitch for the trip between the dealer and the site. The dealer will fill the LP tanks but otherwise the unit will be empty.

The wife and I and our four month old son will be living in it full time on my jobsite for up to a year while building our new house. I hate to buy a hitch(weight distributing) and take the time to set it up for a 1 1/2 to 2 hours trip. I won't use the hitch for extended towing for another year or so. Sounds like I would be pushing it though as the stock hitch is rated for a 7,500 lb. load undistributed. Would filling the 80 gallon freshwater tank which is in the rear help or hurt in anyone's opinion? Would it remove some of the tongue weight? This may increase the chances of sway though. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Matt B.

[a64pilot]

mattb5150,
I pull about 20,000 lbs of triple axle trailer and backhoe occasionally on the stock hitch and have had no problem. I'm not abdicating this, yes I know I'm seriously overloaded. IMHO if you drive it like an adult that is aware of the weight you are pulling you will not have a problem. If I understand your post you seem to imply you are pulling it only once.
On the other hand hitches,brakes etc. are things you cannot have too much of.
I wouldn't worry about the tounge weight. I certatinly wouldn't add weight to the rear end of the trailer to reduce it because of the possibility of sway as you mentioned. Also I would have the water tank either all of the way full or empty because sloshing.

[ 05-19-2003: Message edited by: a64pilot ]</p>

[blue_lightning]

I put a TITAN V on my truck. True 5 rating. Rated for 12,000 without weight distribution hitch, this gives me the satisfaction of knowing I don't have to worry about the stock hitch shortfalls. Only draw back is that it uses the 2 1/2" receivers instead of the standard 2". I went this way because I had already invested in the receivers from previous trucks having the TITAN V. Paid just under $200.00 online. Just a thought.
http://community.webshots.com/user/bassontap
Dave

[mattb5150]

Well I did it yesterday. I neded a 2-5/16" ball and I found one rated at 10,000lb. and a draw-tite four inch drop ball mount rated the same. They are the silver colored one's for future reference, the ball had a 1-1/4" shank also. I flipped the drop hitch bar upsidedown and when we lowered the trailer it leveled out almost perfectly. It definitely lifted the front end a little and the steering was affected also.

When I'm done living in this trailer and start yto tow regularly I'll get a weight distributing hitch, probably Reese dual cam.

[letsgo]

I've been looking for these weld fractures on the hitch after every pull and there doesnt seem to be any problem (touch wood).

good luck