In 2001 I purchased a 2001 Silverado 1500 HD Crew Cab 4x4 for the specific purpose of adding a slide-in truck camper. I was soon discouraged when all the camper dealers told me that my “1/2 ton” truck was not capable of carrying any of their units available in 2001.This was very confusing as the truck is equipped with eight-lug wheels and a 6.0 liter V8. I believe it has a larger braking system as well. All of the available reviews on the 2001 1500 HD clearly state that the truck is in fact a ¾ ton with ½ ton badging. Further research indicates that the only difference between the 1500 HD and the 2001 -2500 Silverado was one leaf spring. The Vehicle Weight Limits shown on the sticker reads:GVWR = 8600 LBSGAWR FRONT = 4410 LBSGAWR REAR = 6000The Camper Sticker in the glove compartment reads:CARGO WEIGHT RATING = 1949 LBSDIMENSION A = 68 INCHESDIMENSION B = 32 INCHES I found additional information on the Auto channel review of the truck in 2001:Curb Weight 5,600 lbs Gross Vehicle Weight Rating 8,600 lbs Max Payload 3,000 lbs I weighed the truck at a local salvage yard and the 5600 lb. curb weight is accurate. What is the maximum dry weight and wet weight can I safely use with this truck? My preferred camper is the Cirrus 720 with minimum options adding 132 lbs. to the 1875 lb. base dry weight for a total dry weight of 2007 lbs. What are Dimension A and B ?All help appreciated.

The truck is overloaded as soon as you put the camper in. Add yourselves, food, water and your stuff and you are overloaded. I’ll let you in on a secret that many others know. If you want to carry a truck camper, you need to have some excess capacity. At minimum a 3/4 ton and better get a 3500.

Your truck: “CARGO WEIGHT RATING = 1949 LBS”No Silverado 1500 has a 3000 pound payload. Your desired camper: “base dry weight for a total dry weight of 2007 lbs.”DRY weight...not loaded and wet....dry. And your question is?

Get a lighter pop up style camper and a set of airbags and a sway bar.Boom, you're done.Go camping and have fun.

Big Katuna wrote:The truck is overloaded as soon as you put the camper in. Add yourselves, food, water and your stuff and you are overloaded. I’ll let you in on a secret that many others know. If you want to carry a truck camper, you need to have some excess capacity. At minimum a 3/4 ton and better get a 3500.Not so sure of that, 8,600 GVWR, 5,600# curb weight equals a 3,000# payload, as the camper will put most of the weight on the rear axle, make sure that the empty weight on the rear axles is 3,000# or less.The OP has what was referred to as a Heavy Half, which was basically a light version of the 2500.

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Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 15, 2019
^ Quite a profound statement my friend.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Oct 14, 2019
Don't mind Grit dog,
He is known forum troll and "BS of the year" award winner.
You can always put him on ignore list if he bothers you.
I just learned to read his replies as thin air.
WehuntSam
Explorer
Oct 14, 2019
Thanks Grit dog. I understand Walmart has a special on "blinker fluid" I suspect you've already got a good supply!
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 14, 2019
Naw Jayco, if you missed it I suggests he could carry a smaller camper but to know what he's loading up. Can't un buy a camper and he seems pretty attached to the truck.
I agree with you. Except that you suggested that the 6k axle rating is conservative in the 1500HD, as it is in 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. It is not.
Is it fine for 6k? Yup. Is it under rated, no, not really. Not with a long service life.
Unlike you, it does not appear the OP has years and years of experience doing everything under the sun with a pickup truck, nor does it sound like he's real saavy about them. With that combo, it could get kinda spendy before he gets the rig where it is comfortable for him to drive (or icbw).
And yeah, I'm a tad over gvw with the old white whale on back of the 2500 Mega, but it ain't the scariest thing I've driven.....by a long shot, lol!
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2019
It's so easy to get side-railed in these topics for some..The op only asked two questions:

I weighed the truck at a local salvage yard and the 5600 lb. curb weight is accurate.
What is the maximum dry weight and wet weight can I safely use with this truck?
My preferred camper is the Cirrus 720 with minimum options adding 132 lbs. to the 1875 lb. base dry weight for a total dry weight of 2007 lbs.
What are Dimension A and B ?
All help appreciated.

Somehow that got lost because it is a 1/2 ton, which is witchcraft to some with an RV...So a quick look at Truck camper magazine gave this about the TC the op is interested in and ask about..

What is the dry weight of the Cirrus 720?

The 2019 Cirrus 720 is 1,875 pounds dry.

When we fill the fresh water tank, add a 65-pound battery, and fill the 20-pound propane tank, we’re at 2,120 pounds wet. Add in the electric jacks, air conditioner, side awning, and all of the options, and the wet-with-options weight is 2,340 pounds.

The op does not need a new truck/a 2500 truck or even a different axle to haul the truck camper he wants..His 8600 GVWR HD 1500 is more than enough for that camper and his 3000# payload.

Dang Grit dog...Kinda hard on the new guy huh...
TxGearhead
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2019
Grit dog wrote:
@txgearhead, yes a FF axle swap is relatively easy and straight forward on these trucks, IF your name is txgearhead. But the OP doesn't know a muffler bearing from blinker fluid. How much do you think that little ordeal would run him?
Answer, a he!! Of a lot more than selling his (apparently) pristine 1500hd and buying a nice similar age 2500hd.

LMAO
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Oct 13, 2019
G dog wrote:
Negative Jayco, you got yerself confused here.

Not at all young man..The op is asking about a TC that is way way lighter than my Lance 9.6 and that 9.6 loaded for bear weighs 6,000 pounds on the rear axle on a F-350 DRW(A heavier truck than his)..His truck and the truck camper he wants,won't be that heavy and his Chevy axle weight is 6K,and we all know the axle is good for more than that,not that it matters..

The op has a rare 1500 HD truck with the same 8600 GVWR as other 2500 trucks and 1400# more GVWR than my F-250(7200 GVWR) I hauled a Lance 8.6 over hill and dale without issue..

Kinda funny there G-dog, coming from a guy hauling a AF-811 clone on a 3/4 truck.. Your like how many pounds over GVWR?????

I am under GVWR by the way...laffin
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 13, 2019
@txgearhead, yes a FF axle swap is relatively easy and straight forward on these trucks, IF your name is txgearhead. But the OP doesn't know a muffler bearing from blinker fluid. How much do you think that little ordeal would run him?
Answer, a he!! Of a lot more than selling his (apparently) pristine 1500hd and buying a nice similar age 2500hd.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 13, 2019
jaycocreek wrote:

That just shows the "lack of" knowledge of the camper dealers..Silicone gets the same bad rap on the internet as 1/2 ton trucks do, yet Bigfoot uses silicone on there campers as well as countless RV dealers for repair..

GM gives your HD 1500 a 6K rear axle rating, which is definitely more from the manufacturer of the axle as my Sterling(Ford) axle is...My F-350 DRW with a Lance 9.6 TC loaded ready to camp, weighs 6K even on the rear axle when I last weighed, out of curiosity..

Your not going to have any problems with a TC on your HD 1500 truck,within reason..Guys around here think an AF-811 is just fine on a 3/4 ton truck when it actually overloads a newer 3500 DRW in GVWR..Double standard..YES...

Your truck is a rare find, so enjoy it and don't listen to the nay sayers about 1/2 ton trucks,they are wrong about most of them but especially wrong about the HD version truck campers and towing with it

Enjoy just about any 8'6" TC on that truck.

Negative Jayco, you got yerself confused here.
A 9.5 sf axle is not "under rated at 6klbs." It's only marginally stronger than other sf axles. You're comparing your full floating axle and everything that goes with it to a legit heavy half type axle. Not a double standard. Rather a lack of understanding.

But this should serve to confuse the OP that much more. Hence my reccomendation in his cas e to find a real 3/4 ton truck.
"I " would put 3k on that truck, but I wouldn't want to as better options for basically the same $ are readily available when the setup is marginal to begin with.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 13, 2019
Lwiddis wrote:
Yeah, you don’t need a bigger truck. Hopefully only you will pay the price for running overloaded.

Good to see the captain of the weight police checking in. Welcome!

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