Towing help - again

jffnkrn wrote:
I apologize in advance for some duplicate info from the past, but I need some help clarifying a weight issue. My truck, 2010 GMC Sierra 4X4 HD2500 with the extended cab, standard box 3:73 gears. Towing capacity of 10,000lbs. GCVWR of 16000 lbs. actual scale readings with full gas and passengers is 6840 lbs. front axle is 3760 lbs. and rear axle is 3080 lbs. We have determined that towing a fifth wheel with a GVWR of 10500 lbs. or less is very doable. So here is the thought. Instead of keep looking for a light weight fifth wheel, am I ok to purchase one with an unloaded vehicle weight rating of say 9000 lbs. and add my 1000 to 1500 lbs. of stuff? This would be even if I purchase a unit with a GVWR of say 11,500 or 12,000. I know I kinda beat this do death at an early time, can't find the posting, probably 6 months ago. But we are getting closer to March / April our financial purchase time frame. Thanks for your help, I hop I have provided enough info. Jeff. OH Good Luck & Be Safe ! ! !

Good thinking and good for you for giving the truck separate axle loads. Makes doing real world axle load math very simple.
First off trucks don't carry weight determined by the mfg GVWR. Load carrying is done by the trucks axle/tire load ratings and in the case of a 5th wheel trailer is where your trucks 6200 RAWR comes to play.
Your scaled rear axle weight is 3080 lbs which leaves your truck with a 3120 lb payload. You can do the math from there as I or anyone have no idea how much more weight you will add to your truck.
That truck will have no problems carrying pin weight from that size 5th wheel trailer.

Now here's the hard part.
As some others have said your problem is the small 6.0 gas engine for pulling a heavy 10k + lb trailer. Sure its being done every day but much depends on the terrain where the combo operates.
IMO you won't like the 6.0 performance in the mountains pulling a 12k plus trailer.
Upgrading to 4.10 gears can help the 6.0 smallblock gasser a bit as it lets the 6.0 rev more rpm at highway speed but its still a smallblock gas engine and it will not have the same towing (pulling) performance as the Dmax. The Dmax or the 8.1 big block gas would have no problems at all pulling even much heavier trailers.