Critique My Tow Numbers

badercubed wrote:

intheburbs wrote:
Airbags will level you out and improve your ride. That's it. Nothing more.

They don't change how much weight your TV axles can handle.

I tend to follow what the door stickers say. Seeing as how those numbers are put there by the guys who designed and built the truck, I'm guessing they might know what they're talking about.

Of course they don't. It would be asinine to think they could magically make a different component stronger. But, as everyone can probably agree, the amount the rear axle can handle is probably the strongest component in the truck and really is not a limiting factor when determining increased "real world" capacities on the truck with aftermarket parts.

Well, that's exactly what your (edited) "real world" comment sounded like.

Except, of course, if you drive a GM half ton with the 10-bolt semifloater rear axle.

Without a doubt, unequivocally, the rear end is the WEAKEST part of the powertrain on my half-ton '01 Burb. That truck is on rear end number 4, has 190k miles with the original engine and transmission, and is the main reason I now use a 3/4-ton as my TV.