We are looking to upgrade from a 23 foot TT to a smallish 5th wheel. We bought a new 3/4 ton truck as part of the migration and are looking at used units. What is the best way to determine if the truck can pull the 5th wheel? I don't want to push any limits; we use our existing unit quite a bit for road trips where we travel across the country and spend 5-7 days at a location before moving to the next one (we try and combine work with vacation so we will take a project that lasts a week, drive to the next city, and do it all again.) We don't want anything longer than 32 feet. I am trying to get a better understanding of what the numbers listed for weights of various capacities mean. Thank you.

Check the sticker in your door. Payload and tow capacity.Simplest way I can describe is payload is all the weight you can put in your truck, pushing it toward the ground, including yourself and passengers. Towing capacity is all the weight your trucks drivetrain is designed to move and the brakes are designed to stop. Without knowing all the specifics on your truck you should be around 3000 to 3500 payload and 13000 to 14500 tow.When looking at pin weights on the 5er remember that's without anything added to the unit, batteries and other things you add to the areas forward of the wheels add to pin weight.

The truck is new. There are no stickers on either door. I have the sheet from the window and it has nothing useful. I googled the truck and got a GVWR of 9500, max trailer of 13000, and weight distr max tongue weight of 1300. There are just 2 of us (and sometimes a dog...) and we very rarely if ever carry water in our tanks. I am specifically looking at a used Montana 3150 because it has a king-sized bed and their web site shows a shipping weight of 11134 and a carrying capacity of 2831. So does that assume a max weight of 13965?

The capacity stickers are inside the front door jamb. Yes they are there it's the law.GVWR - Actual weight of the truck loaded = Payload.In this case loaded means the pin weight of the 5er is included.GCWR - Actual weight of the truck loaded = Tow CapacityNote: The stickers ratings can be off if your trucks options vary from the base model.You can safely tow right up to these levels. Your truck has been certified at those levels for safe towing by GM engineers. There is no need for any extra safety margin.

Unitech123 wrote:The truck is new. There are no stickers on either door. I have the sheet from the window and it has nothing useful. I googled the truck and got a GVWR of 9500, max trailer of 13000, and weight distr max tongue weight of 1300. There are just 2 of us (and sometimes a dog...) and we very rarely if ever carry water in our tanks. I am specifically looking at a used Montana 3150 because it has a king-sized bed and their web site shows a shipping weight of 11134 and a carrying capacity of 2831. So does that assume a max weight of 13965?look inside the drivers door, sticker should be there. As to your max weight on the Montana, yes that appears correct.As to payload, The pin weight on that unit looks to be around 2200 add for batteries and all that you load and it will likely go above 3000, adding yourself into the truck is going to most likely put you over.

Keeping within weight limits, just for info, I had a Dodge Ram 2500, Hemi 5.7,Towed a 33' Montana, model 30rk....too much for truck coming down a 7% grade. It weighed 11,600 loaded. I now have a 2500 2013 Dodge Ram,Hemi 5.7, tow 9600 lbs loaded, 31'fifthwheel. Perfect combo.Edited by Barb

Safe weight for 2016 Silverado 2500 | Good Sam Community

23 Replies

sch911
Explorer
Jul 11, 2017
The capacity stickers are inside the front door jamb. Yes they are there it's the law.

GVWR - Actual weight of the truck loaded = Payload.
In this case loaded means the pin weight of the 5er is included.

GCWR - Actual weight of the truck loaded = Tow Capacity

Note: The stickers ratings can be off if your trucks options vary from the base model.

You can safely tow right up to these levels. Your truck has been certified at those levels for safe towing by GM engineers. There is no need for any extra safety margin.
Unitech123
Explorer
Jul 11, 2017
The truck is new. There are no stickers on either door. I have the sheet from the window and it has nothing useful. I googled the truck and got a GVWR of 9500, max trailer of 13000, and weight distr max tongue weight of 1300. There are just 2 of us (and sometimes a dog...) and we very rarely if ever carry water in our tanks. I am specifically looking at a used Montana 3150 because it has a king-sized bed and their web site shows a shipping weight of 11134 and a carrying capacity of 2831. So does that assume a max weight of 13965?
kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jul 11, 2017
Check the sticker in your door. Payload and tow capacity.
Simplest way I can describe is payload is all the weight you can put in your truck, pushing it toward the ground, including yourself and passengers.
Towing capacity is all the weight your trucks drivetrain is designed to move and the brakes are designed to stop.
Without knowing all the specifics on your truck you should be around 3000 to 3500 payload and 13000 to 14500 tow.

When looking at pin weights on the 5er remember that's without anything added to the unit, batteries and other things you add to the areas forward of the wheels add to pin weight.

Forum Discussion

Safe weight for 2016 Silverado 2500

23 Replies

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Dry tongue weight versus fully loaded

Chevy Silverado EV

V6 Silverados

Tongue Weight, Silverado Hitch Class

Tundra vs. Silverado question