I currently own a 2011 GMC 2500HD, 6.0 gaser with a 3.73 rearI am looking at a new trailer, the documentation on my truck says I can tow a 9500 lb trailer ( unloaded) the new trailer that I am looking at has an empty weight of 10,856 - 11169. The pin weight for my truck is 2500.The dealer tells me that my truck would be able to tow as you can tow more weight towing a 5th wheel rather than a regular TT. I have heard this before but I need some further input

You need to weight the truck to see what your real payload is. Based on the dry weights you provided the pin weight on the 5th wheel will be in the 2200 to 2800 range. You will likely be at your GVWR and just under the Tire rating on the rear axle. Only way to know for sure is to weight your truck full of fuel loaded up like you were going to take a trip, add the 5th wheel hitch weight to the rear axle number, and do the math to see what your real payload is against your posted weight sticker. I had the truck in my sig before I bought a 5th wheel, Weighed it with friends 5th wheel hitch in bed, when I was looking at 5th wheels I had the real numbers to work with when looking at trailers that would work with it. Based on the ones I looked at an 11,000 dry weight will put pin weights in the range I described above.

edstep wrote:I currently own a 2011 GMC 2500HD, 6.0 gaser with a 3.73 rearI am looking at a new trailer, the documentation on my truck says I can tow a 9500 lb trailer ( unloaded) the new trailer that I am looking at has an empty weight of 10,856 - 11169. The pin weight for my truck is 2500.The dealer tells me that my truck would be able to tow as you can tow more weight towing a 5th wheel rather than a regular TT. I have heard this before but I need some further inputPure BS from the dealer. He just wants to make a sale.In fact the reverse is often true - due to pin weights being higher than tongue weights of a bumper pull it is often the case that a given truck can handle a heavier TT than a fiver.Ask him to put in writing that you will not exceed any of your truck ratings with the fiver he wants to sell you. Then see how fast he back pedals!Reality is that you can tow 9500# MINUS any weight you add to the truck other than a 150# driver.What do you mean by the "pin weight for your truck is 2500#"?If you mean what you can carry in the way of a fiver pin, then that could be close. It depends on your truck configuration (cab, 4WD, box length, options etc).To get a real number for your trucks pin capability........Read the "Tire and Loading Information" label on your drivers door pillar.Subtract all weight you add to the truck from the Payload rating from that label.What is left is what you can add in the way of a hitch and LOADED fiver pin weight without exceeding your truck ratings.BTW, an 11,000# empty fiver will be 13,000# plus once loaded, with a pin weight around 2600#. Add 200# for the hitch.You don't have enough truck for that.

I am looking at the brochure for 2011 Silverado HD. The ball hitch and 5th wheel tow ratings for 6.0L/3.73 are the same for every cab/bed configuration. 9500-ish pounds is correct. In order to stay near that you'll want to shop about 8000 pounds dry.FWIW, the same truck with 4.10 axle 5th wheel tow rating is in the 14k range. You may consider swapping the gears to that (or even 4.56 is you are going to pay to change). I think towing 12k would be quite acceptable with 4.56 and the 6-spd.

A couple of things, my truck full of gas and passengers, is 7650 I had it weighed. The maximum tongue weight from my docs says it is 2500 lbsSo change of rear ends to a 4.10 or 4.56 will help me outJust got off the phone with my GMC dealer, he tells me that it would cost about $2500 to change both front and rear gears ( 4.56), he also mentioned that the truck would not be calibrated for the tranny etc. That is something the dealership doesnt do. HmmmmmSounds like a can of worms

I think you may have to look for a lighter trailer. If the one you are looking at is 11,000#s empty, it will be North of 12,000 loaded.Gearing change with 4x4 is expensive, as you found out. You may run into payload issues also, with that trailer wt.Jerry

my GMC 2500 tow vehicle .. | Good Sam Community

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Trail-Mate
Explorer
Apr 09, 2014
You need to weight the truck to see what your real payload is. Based on the dry weights you provided the pin weight on the 5th wheel will be in the 2200 to 2800 range. You will likely be at your GVWR and just under the Tire rating on the rear axle. Only way to know for sure is to weight your truck full of fuel loaded up like you were going to take a trip, add the 5th wheel hitch weight to the rear axle number, and do the math to see what your real payload is against your posted weight sticker.

I had the truck in my sig before I bought a 5th wheel, Weighed it with friends 5th wheel hitch in bed, when I was looking at 5th wheels I had the real numbers to work with when looking at trailers that would work with it. Based on the ones I looked at an 11,000 dry weight will put pin weights in the range I described above.

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my GMC 2500 tow vehicle ..

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