Forum Discussion

ramyankee's avatar
ramyankee
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015

double checking figuring "max" hitch weight for my TV

There was a discussion a couple of months ago regarding figuring "max" hitch weight.....I searched for the discussion but did not find.
A 2002 Silverado 2500HD Long bed, Crew cab, 4x4 w/8.1 so you don't need to go to my sig.

Here are my figures:
GVWR-----9200#
frt GAWR-----4800#
RR GAWR-----6084#
Truck weight-----6580# on the registration day we purchased full
fuel.....I am 190#, wife about 135#, hitch ?????

I would add our weight and the hitch and subtract that from the 9200#. Is that correct? Roughly would come to 2300#. So that would be my MAX hitch, correct?

Thanks for the assistance.

5 Replies

  • With your set up, I would opt for a fiver with a 2000 lb or less loaded pin (1800 to give you room for other stuff loaded in the bed). You have it correct based on the weights you provided.
  • ramyankee wrote:
    I am referring to the weight from the 5th Wheel on the bed/hitch weight. EX: it is a 9000# 5th Wheel and has a hitch weight of 1800# if you use the 20% figure. I am trying to figure the maximum.
    If a 5th Wheel has a hitch weight of 1700# I am fine but I am trying to figure the max hitch weight, say if the 5th Wheel has a hitch weight of 2300#.....And I know these are advertised weights, NOT scale weights.....I am just attempting to see where I becomes maxed out.


    The terms you're referring to, are payload (amount of weight the truck is rated to carry) and pin weight (amount of weight the 5'er will put on your truck bed).

    Your payload is GVWR (9200) minus curb weight of the truck (6580), minus the weight of any aftermarket accessories (undercoating, bed liner, step bars, etc), minus weight of people (325), minus weight of any cargo in, or on the truck, minus the weight of the fifth wheel hitch (about 250) = payload available to carry pin weight.

    Not counting any accessories or cargo in the truck, you would hit your max weight with approximately 2045 lbs of pin weight.
  • I am referring to the weight from the 5th Wheel on the bed/hitch weight. EX: it is a 9000# 5th Wheel and has a hitch weight of 1800# if you use the 20% figure. I am trying to figure the maximum.
    If a 5th Wheel has a hitch weight of 1700# I am fine but I am trying to figure the max hitch weight, say if the 5th Wheel has a hitch weight of 2300#.....And I know these are advertised weights, NOT scale weights.....I am just attempting to see where I becomes maxed out.
  • Receiver = the part bolted to the TV's rear end. Most likely the frame and if a
    CUV, the sheetmetal body panel 'back there'

    Draw bar = the metal piece that goes 'into' the receiver and is held by a 'pin'
    that goes through the holes of the receiver and the draw bar inside the receiver
    'pin tube'. The draw bar is 'half' of the WD hitch. If no WD Hitch, then the
    draw bar has the ball bolted directly to it. Basically the part that has the ball
    bolted to it...on some WD Hitch's, the ball is farther back towards the trailer.
    Like the HA and the like


    Hitch = the setup that marries the trailer to the TV. Consists of the above draw
    bar that has the ball and the other 'half' is the bars (round, trunnion, etc).

    Just the draw bar with the ball bolted to it, will weigh in the 20-50 lb range
    Dependent on it's rating

    WD Hitch setups can weigh from 100-to several hundred pounds

    As to where the weight goes...it gets complicated and mainly to do what type
    (architecture) of hitch system
  • No your hitch is rated at either 500lbs, or 1000lbe depending if it's a class III or IV. or are you referring to your max towing capacity?