2003 GMC 2500HD - Adventurer 910FBS???
Hi Guys, I've got 2003 GMC 2500HD, 8.1L, SRW, 2-wheel drive, Extended cab long bed truck. I've currently got a 1990 Viking SP095 hardside camper for it that I purchased brand new. The dry weight on th...
Forum Discussion
I carry a 4,000 lb. camper load in my 2011 2500HD with SuperSprings and Nitto 285/70R17 tires rated at 3750@80 PSI with zero problems. As mentioned the axle and wheel bearings are rated at 10,900 lbs. so the limitation is the leaf pack and the tires. Easy to fix both. Worst case you need to replace the stock rims with wider ones as the higher load capacity tires need at least a 7.5" wide rim and 8" is usually the optimum width.
Easy to do the math if you take advantage of a $10 weigh charge at a local CAT scale. My 2011 2500HD as stock put a weight of 3100 lbs. on the rear axle and the stock tires supported 6400 lbs. for a payload of 3300 lbs. though the factory subtracts 450 lbs. for passengers in the cab to provide a 2800 payload capacity calculation as noted in the glovebox.
With the Nitto tires the rear can support in theory up to 7500 lbs. and this is strething the capacity of the stock leaf spring pack. The 1-ton truck frames and suspension components are identical but for their having a second set of leaf springs, which is where the addition of the SuperSprings provides the same function in the same manner (unlike air bags or stoppers). The only things remaining are to put on heavier duty shock absorbers and maybe the addition of a rear anti-sway bar.
For campers with a published dry weigh of 4,000 lbs. that fully loaded are going to weigh around 5500 lbs. do require 4 tires in the rear to support the nearly 9000 lbs. total load at the axle. That would be 4500 lbs. per tire with a SRW truck but only 2250 lbs. per tire for a DRW setup. This is why when I went looking for a camper I set the maximum dry weight (per the manufacturer) of 2800 lbs. for my short list of models to consider.
Easy to do the math if you take advantage of a $10 weigh charge at a local CAT scale. My 2011 2500HD as stock put a weight of 3100 lbs. on the rear axle and the stock tires supported 6400 lbs. for a payload of 3300 lbs. though the factory subtracts 450 lbs. for passengers in the cab to provide a 2800 payload capacity calculation as noted in the glovebox.
With the Nitto tires the rear can support in theory up to 7500 lbs. and this is strething the capacity of the stock leaf spring pack. The 1-ton truck frames and suspension components are identical but for their having a second set of leaf springs, which is where the addition of the SuperSprings provides the same function in the same manner (unlike air bags or stoppers). The only things remaining are to put on heavier duty shock absorbers and maybe the addition of a rear anti-sway bar.
For campers with a published dry weigh of 4,000 lbs. that fully loaded are going to weigh around 5500 lbs. do require 4 tires in the rear to support the nearly 9000 lbs. total load at the axle. That would be 4500 lbs. per tire with a SRW truck but only 2250 lbs. per tire for a DRW setup. This is why when I went looking for a camper I set the maximum dry weight (per the manufacturer) of 2800 lbs. for my short list of models to consider.
