Joel_T wrote:
Toyota and Ram use guidelines to establish ratings. Ford and Chevy don't. So why rely on ratings? It's mostly about how it feels anyway.
I'm going to have to disagree with you here. Yes, there is a standard, SAE J2807. Yes, Toyota and Dodge use it, Ford and Chevy don't (but promise they will be soon). J2807 establishes criteria for GCWR only. It has nothing to do with axle ratings or GVW ratings. I'm inclined to take the ratings on the door label as gospel, especially the axle ratings.
When you see the commercials that say XXXX truck can tow a 20,000-lb trailer, that's where J2807 comes into play. But, as most us (should) know, other ratings are more likely to be the limiting factor, like GVWR or RAWR. J2807 says nothing about payload.
Yes, you do have a "light" half ton. I thought your 6400 GVWR was a typo, until I did some research and saw pictures of actual door stickers.
My advice is to get your truck weighed with a full tank of gas and just you in it. Subtract that number from 6400, and that's your payload. Figure 100 lbs for your hitch hardware, and 13% of trailer weight for the trailer tongue, and you're left with what you can carry in gear and cargo. Does that work for you? Great.
Lastly, as I mentioned, I pushed the envelope on my rear axle on my Burb, and I paid a heavy price in terms of repairs and lost time. I was around 4100-4200 on a 4000-lb axle. To me, that's the biggest concern. The rear axle is the weakest link in the Chevy half-ton powertrain.
