Finding Towing Capacity

With the 6.0L engine in a 2500 truck, it's just over 8000# with the 3.73 rear axle, and just over 10,000# with the 4.10 axle. The "just over" part depends on cab size, 2wd, 4wd, and options.

The rear axle ratio is available on a code sticker (pictured above). GT4 = 3.73 and GT5 = 4.10.

Your automatic transmission is a 4 speed. It's a 4L80E.

2004 Trailer Life Towing Guide

rgeisler wrote:
Does anyone know how to find the actual towing capacity of a vehicle? Every source that I look at gives a different answer. I have a 2004
GMC Sierra 2500 HD 6.0 Liter, 5 speed automatic (I think), with Tow/Hauling button, Extended Cab/Long bed. When I look at the 2004 Towing Guide it gives several different ratings, I think based upon the Axle ratio, which I don't know, but it appears to be listed as 10,100 lbs. When I look up the VIN # at a site called Decodethis.com, it shows a maximum of 15,500 and a standard tow rating of 9900 lbs. I have no idea what the difference between the maximum and standard towing capacity is.

Have you looked in your owner's manual? It will give you tow ratings for the different engine/axle ratio combinations.

HI,

I know that the Ford towing guide has the axle ratios listed on one of the last pages of the guide. So when you look at the drivers side panel, and it says axle "B" or "X", it means something when you have the towing guide to decode it.



http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/

Select the year, and you can decode a Ford with this towing guide. Sorry I don't know where to look up the GM towing guide, perhaps you can google it.

Good luck!

Fred.

Forget about all that junk.......mfg. published max tow ratings numbers from any source mean NOTHING....they are 'magical' number derived from using a base model with a 150# driver and 20# cargo.........DOesn't exist in the real world.


Have your truck loaded up camp ready (you, fuel, passengers, all stuff that is in cab and any stuff in bed)add 200# fr hitch if you don't already have one on truck.

Get it weighed........That will give you
Total actual weight
Front axle weight
Rear axle weight.

Now you have some numbers to work with.

Subtract total weight from trucks GVWR (Total weight truck can weigh)----found on data sticker on door jamb/glove box of YOUR truck.

Now you have 'payload' available to add to truck before reaching GVWR
Check out front and rear axle weights against their perspective axle ratings.
Now you have how much weight can be added to each axle before reaching the axle weight rating
Also look at rear tire max load @ max psi on sidewall of tires

Now you can 'guesstimate' how much trailer/5th wheel you can tow based on trucks actual available weight numbers from weighing.

Use 15% of GVWR for trailer tongue weight
Use 20% of GVWR for 5th wheel pin weight.

Now can you add that weight number to your truck and be within trucks GVWR, RAWR, Rear Tire Load Ratings ???????

Roughly.......
2004 2500 GVWR---9200#, FAWR---4500#, RAWR----6000#
Max tow could be 12K due to higher available payload because of gas engine (lighter curb weight vs GVWR)

So get weighed...then figure numbers.

rgeisler wrote:
Does anyone know how to find the actual towing capacity of a vehicle? Every source that I look at gives a different answer. I have a 2004
GMC Sierra 2500 HD 6.0 Liter, 5 speed automatic (I think), with Tow/Hauling button, Extended Cab/Long bed. When I look at the 2004 Towing Guide it gives several different ratings, I think based upon the Axle ratio, which I don't know, but it appears to be listed as 10,100 lbs. When I look up the VIN # at a site called Decodethis.com, it shows a maximum of 15,500 and a standard tow rating of 9900 lbs. I have no idea what the difference between the maximum and standard towing capacity is.

Frustrating, isn't it?

What we need to really help you is this picture only of your truck...



This is a 2001 1500 Suburbans RPO code sticker found in the glovebox. And it told me everything I needed to know about this Suburban.

Go snap a picture of yours, upload it to photobucket, copy the direct link for the picture, then post a reply here.... Make sure you click the mountain and sun icon above the reply post and put the direct link in with a width of 640.

This will help us accurately answer your question.

Thanks!

Jeremiah