Help me understand my GVWR

GVWR at 10,000# is a cross over point. At 10,001# some states require a commercial drivers license to operate the truck. Hence the 10,000# GVWR. Some will tell you that the manufacture listed at 10,000# because there is the entire drive train just not the rear axle and tires to take into account.

My 2004 F350 has a GCVWR of 20,000# which means my 8,000# truck leaves me a tow capacity of 12,000# trailer. If you look at the numbers you can go from gas to diesel and it stays at 20,000#. You can go from 3.73 to 4.10 rear axle and it stays at 20,000# you can go from SRW to DRW and it stays at 20,000#. Move to the 2005 truck and now you get credit for all these things.

As long as you are not pushing the truck to it's limits you should be fine. I roll through PA on I-80 with my 12,000# 5er, cruise set and enjoying the view.

This is just my opinion and sales people write the brochures and legal people write the door stickers.

Just wait the weight police will be here shortly. For good information go to the thread sticky in tow vehicles about weight law.

Where does Chevrolet specify 3000 pin weight, I believe you are reading between the lines. if axle is rated at 6200 docent mean rest of truck is. Some states different to others.
Frank.

10,001-14,000 GVWR makes it a class 3 truck.

OP, what you have listed is the short fall of class 2 250/2500 trucks. Many ignor GVWR and go by axle ratings. If your state licenses weight like my state, make sure you have bought enough. My 2001.5 2500 RAM was licensed to 12k just like my new 3500.

Chris

Slownsy wrote:
Where does Chevrolet specify 3000 pin weight, I believe you are reading between the lines. if axle is rated at 6200 docent mean rest of truck is. Some states different to others.
Frank.

On page 9-89 of my manual us lists 2500 fifth-wheel goosneck @3000 lbs.
GM commercial sales brochure max payload @ 2,950 lbs and various searches on the net. I always find the pin weight capacity about 3,000 lbs. But that would exceed the GVWR. So confused.

My 3500 Ram is rated to tow a 5th wheel up to 17,050 pounds, but it would be hard pressed to handle the pin weight of such a trailer fully loaded, especially if it had over 20% pin weight. Chris

You have stumbled into the conundrum of heavy diesel powered trucks. If you do intend to stay within the makers ratings you are limited to 1900 lbs of pin weight. By contrast my gas powered F-250 CC has a payload of 2900 lbs.

The truck maker may choose any GVWR or FAWR/RAWR they want for a particular truck. No one knows why or how they make that determination. There are some things we do know....

One thing we do know is the trucks GVWR cannot exceed the sum of the truck makers FAWR and RAWR.
We also know the truck is fully capable of operating at the sum of the GAWRs as evident every commercial truck out here carries weight above the trucks door tag GVWR.

IMO registration has little to do with it as some states like mine have no weight registration requirement for a private use trucks. We simply carry weight up tor the trucks makers GAWR/tire load capacities for each particular truck.

Use the GVWR or RAWR for load carrying math. Both are safe.

fla-gypsy is correct, 1900 would be your payload, if you want to be within all ratings.

You have to make your own decision, but your truck is not likely to break going over GVWR of 10,000. If I was in your situation, I'd stay under RAWR, and tire ratings, for FW towing. Don't forget, most hitches will be around 200 lbs.

Jerry

I'd be more concerned about gross axle weight then GVW.