Payload Capacity and Towing Questions
I Will start off by saying that I heavily researched the type of RV I wanted and was dead set on a bumper pull travel trailer over a fifth wheel. I wasn't ready to buy my RV yet but had to go ahead an...
Forum Discussion
I've run down the road at 9400-9600 gvwr with a GM rated at 9200, pulling a 6000 lb trailer, total gcwr was usually around 15-16K. My rating was 12500! I never felt unsafe towing said set with wife and 4 kids in the truck. Even been upwards of 20k GCWR. I was under my rated axel weight ratings. I will also point out, per weight laws of Wa St, I was LEGAL in ALL instances.
We buy tonnage in 2000 lb increments. One takes tare, ie empty wt, you appear to be just shy of 8000 lbs. Multiply by 1.5, so 11900 or so for you, you will by a license at the next highest ton, or 12K. This is what you would be legal too run down the road at here.
Assuming you have the tire width times 500lbs per inch, to hold that weight. More than likely you have 4 10-11" tires, so 5000 per tire, 10K per axel or 20K total for truck weight. I seriously doubt you will be weighing more than 20K for JUST the truck! From a true legal standpoint, both this states rules, which follows the Federal Bridge Law rules to a T, you have no worries from being pulled over. Even IF you were over your legal 12K, lets say 14K. This is not a moving violation, so it is not turned into the insurance company, licensing agency etc.
With this in mind, assuming 2000 lbs of payload to work with, divide that number by the % of HW you want, and you will have the max trailer you can tow. 10% is 2000/.10 = 20K lbs of trailer. 20% is 2000/.20 = 10,000 lbs of trailer.
Also remember you have over 11000 lbs of axel capacity, many larger trucks in the DOT class 4 and larger relm, the gvwr does equal the sum of the axel capacities. My class 5 Navistar is this way.
marty
We buy tonnage in 2000 lb increments. One takes tare, ie empty wt, you appear to be just shy of 8000 lbs. Multiply by 1.5, so 11900 or so for you, you will by a license at the next highest ton, or 12K. This is what you would be legal too run down the road at here.
Assuming you have the tire width times 500lbs per inch, to hold that weight. More than likely you have 4 10-11" tires, so 5000 per tire, 10K per axel or 20K total for truck weight. I seriously doubt you will be weighing more than 20K for JUST the truck! From a true legal standpoint, both this states rules, which follows the Federal Bridge Law rules to a T, you have no worries from being pulled over. Even IF you were over your legal 12K, lets say 14K. This is not a moving violation, so it is not turned into the insurance company, licensing agency etc.
With this in mind, assuming 2000 lbs of payload to work with, divide that number by the % of HW you want, and you will have the max trailer you can tow. 10% is 2000/.10 = 20K lbs of trailer. 20% is 2000/.20 = 10,000 lbs of trailer.
Also remember you have over 11000 lbs of axel capacity, many larger trucks in the DOT class 4 and larger relm, the gvwr does equal the sum of the axel capacities. My class 5 Navistar is this way.
marty
