I took a set of scale readings after making some changes to my hitch setup and trailer loading to try to make the towing experience better. I was previously having issues with being pushed to the side when 18-wheelers passed by. I figured out that I needed another 200 pounds returned to the front axle, which prompted the changes.The tow vehicle is a 1991 Chevy Suburban R1500 that I've upgraded the axles, brakes, suspension, tires, etc to 1-ton parts. About the only part of the truck that's not 1-ton is the frame, and the difference in a 1/2 ton and 1-ton frame is .02" of thickness. It has a Draw-Tite receiver hitch with a 10,000/1,200 rating. The weight distributing hitch is a Reese Strait-Line with 1500 pound bars. The camper is a 2008 Jayco Eagle 32RLS.Here's the scale readings:Truck ratings (original half-ton ratings, not 3/4 ton ratings):GAWR-Front: 3250GAWR-Rear: 3968GVWR: 6800Truck only loaded for camping:Front:2660Rear: 3380Trailer: 0Weight distributing bars unhooked but on trailer tongue:Front: 1840Rear: 5600Trailer: 8160GCVW: 15600Weight distributing bars hooked:Front: 2620Rear: 4600Trailer: 8440GCVW:15660To be fair, because I know this is going to come up, YES, I know my rear axle is over the door plate rating by 632 pounds, but, in every way except the frame, from the axle, to the suspension, to the brakes, this is a 3/4 ton truck with 3/4 ton ratings. I've done extensive research from GM's limited data offerings and determined the differences between the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton models of this truck from my year. But to play devil's advocate, I kept the 1/2 ton ratings.By my calculations, that put me up to 1400# of tongue weight. I hope I'm wrong on those calculations, as that puts me 200# over the receiver hitch rating. I moved weight around in the trailer in an attempt to get more tongue weight to help the issue I was having trouble getting blown around by big rigs passing, and it worked. I didn't have any trouble at all with big rigs blowing by. I guess I need to figure out how to move 200# off the tongue.Am I correct in my calculations and going in the right direction?

Okay, I have followed your posts on this rig. I am intrigued for sure with your set up and I think you have found a weak link with this information posted. Your receiver is NOT up to the task. Your receiver is rated at 1200 lbs tongue weight... you are putting 1500 lb WD bars through this hitch. I imagine that if you had a camera on the trailer tongue you would see the receiver flexing. The reason is two fold. 1) You have more than the rated tongue weight2) The WD bars can put up to 500 lbs more torque than the hitch is rated for.Reinforce the hitch or replace with a more substantial Receiver hitch like the PullRite 20k hitch. This will take care of your receiver and give you the best sway elimination hitch on the market. Pricy but you can probably find a used one if funds are an issue. Any competent welder can gusset, extend, and reinforce the current receiver. You are in custom territory friend. thanks!Jeremiah

IMO from calculating GVW that vehicle should not pull more then 7600 lbs... That camper is that weight dry...But if you insist on pulling it what are the tire ratings??/ What is the psi in the tires of truck ??? My advice is inflate to max front and back... The sway will go away IMO...Input here...http://towingplanner.com/ActualWeights/TravelTrailerCatScales/?w1sa=2620&w1da=4600&w1ta=8440&w2sa=1840&w2da=5600&w2ta=8160&w3sa=2660&w3da=3380&a=2You never want more weight on front wheels then stock...IMO you are good all around and best your going to do...

In terms of the receiver hitch, I'm as good as I have been able to find. So, I'm going to have to live within the 1200# tongue weight. I searched the PullRite website for a hitch to match my application, and the oldest they go back is 1995. I run into this issue all the time because as far as any aftermarket truck parts go, trucks older than 2000 don't exist any more. It's a shame...In terms of custom work, I hit that point a LONG time ago. Everything was custom to put the parts I used on the truck. A quick rundown of the truck is a GM 14-bolt 1-ton axle and drum brakes off a 2000 Chevy K3500, front suspension and disc brakes off a 1980 C20 pickup, master brake cylinder off a 1998 GMC C3500, custom heavy-duty driveshaft with 1350 u-joints, and some more stuff I don't recall off-hand. It's a frankenstein of heavy-duty parts to make a good half-ton Suburban body worthy of hauling 10,000 pounds.The tires are Michelin LTX/MS 235/85/R16 load range E tires aired to the 80 psi maximum. That wasn't the source of the sway. The trailer tires are Goodyear Marathons load range D aired to 65 psi.Referring to the GM Restoration Kit data for my model year truck, they state the GCWR for the 5.7L engine with 4.10 gears at 13,500. So in that respect, I am over the GCWR. If I were to step up to 4.56 gears, my GCWR would move up to 15,000. The GCWR rating for the 7.4L engine with 4.10 gears is 16,000. However, the limiting factor based on engine size is the transmission backing it up. On my 700R4 transmission, I have a deep pan with integrated cooler, a 22K BTU external cooler, and tow in the recommended drive position to lock out overdrive. I don't have any slippage in the transmission and the ATF temperature never exceeds 175F when towing the camper. So, I don't know how to call that one...I'm doing the best with what I have and what I like. The new trucks are both not appealing to me, and the $40K+ price tag is also out of my range.

I'm not one of the towing gurus that you can find here, but I just want to congratulate you on your obviously well thought out truck mods. Lots and lots of work goes into a project like that, and bucks too, even if you use exclusively junkyard parts. Good job!

I have to admire your efforts on the truck mods. Sounds like a Johnny Csh build. I have a trailer very close to the same size yours is. When I put new tires on it I went with E rated. I wasn't having problems that I was really aware of, but they do seem to carry the load better

Weight calculations-2008 Jayco Eagle and 1991 Suburban

wing_zealot
Explorer
Jan 09, 2015
parcany wrote:
Stationary, you did a great job on fixing up the Burb with all of that Heavy Duty parts. The only thing is, if you would ever get into a accident, and somebody gets hurt, [god forbid] unless the Burb is certified to 3/4 ton status, [because of the parts] you may be liable cause the sticker on the door post still has the sticker for a 1/2 ton. I owned a towing company and I don't remember how many times we got involved in moving trucks around so they could look them over and weigh them with whatever they had attached or on them. I would check it out.
Liable for What? Horse Hockey.
APT
Explorer
Jan 09, 2015
TW is:
Weight distributing bars unhooked but on trailer tongue:
Front: 1840
Rear: 5600
Total: 7440

Truck only loaded for camping:
Front:2660
Rear: 3380
Total: 6040

7440-6040=1400 pounds
opnspaces
Navigator II
Jan 09, 2015
stationaryfulltimer wrote:

Referring to the GM Restoration Kit data for my model year truck, they state the GCWR for the 5.7L engine with 4.10 gears at 13,500.

I'm curious about the GM restoration kit, I'm not familiar with it. Is it a website?

Also I think you have a 2,200 lb tongue weight. I don't think you can count the WD bars to move the weight off the receiver because all the force still goes through the receiver.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Jan 09, 2015
A quick rundown of the truck is a GM 14-bolt 1-ton axle and drum brakes off a 2000 Chevy K3500, front suspension and disc brakes off a 1980 C20 pickup, master brake cylinder off a 1998 GMC C3500,

Looks like you did your homework upgrading the right components.
GM corporate 14 bolt 10.5" rear axle/suspension is a very tough rear axle for serious commercial haulers or just pulling a RV. I made a living using them for several years when I was on the road. No more load than your carrying/pulling it should last for several hundred thousand miles.

I would be concerned with the lessor rated hitch receiver. Receivers and fasteners and mounting systems and the frame can also be modified safely for more load or draw capacity your using..... if done correctly.
parcany
Explorer
Jan 09, 2015
Stationary, you did a great job on fixing up the Burb with all of that Heavy Duty parts. The only thing is, if you would ever get into a accident, and somebody gets hurt, [god forbid] unless the Burb is certified to 3/4 ton status, [because of the parts] you may be liable cause the sticker on the door post still has the sticker for a 1/2 ton. I owned a towing company and I don't remember how many times we got involved in moving trucks around so they could look them over and weigh them with whatever they had attached or on them. I would check it out.
stationaryfullt
Explorer
Jan 06, 2015
I'll try to upload some pictures tonight. Visually, the truck looks hideous because it still has the original paint job that's failed. I'm going to be getting it painted in a couple months when the weather warms up. The truck looks pretty boring... just like any other 3/4 ton Suburban would look. Are there any specific shots that want to be seen?
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jan 04, 2015
stationaryfulltimer wrote:
In terms of the receiver hitch, I'm as good as I have been able to find. So, I'm going to have to live within the 1200# tongue weight. I searched the PullRite website for a hitch to match my application, and the oldest they go back is 1995. I run into this issue all the time because as far as any aftermarket truck parts go, trucks older than 2000 don't exist any more. It's a shame...

In terms of custom work, I hit that point a LONG time ago. Everything was custom to put the parts I used on the truck. A quick rundown of the truck is a GM 14-bolt 1-ton axle and drum brakes off a 2000 Chevy K3500, front suspension and disc brakes off a 1980 C20 pickup, master brake cylinder off a 1998 GMC C3500, custom heavy-duty driveshaft with 1350 u-joints, and some more stuff I don't recall off-hand. It's a frankenstein of heavy-duty parts to make a good half-ton Suburban body worthy of hauling 10,000 pounds.

The tires are Michelin LTX/MS 235/85/R16 load range E tires aired to the 80 psi maximum. That wasn't the source of the sway. The trailer tires are Goodyear Marathons load range D aired to 65 psi.

Referring to the GM Restoration Kit data for my model year truck, they state the GCWR for the 5.7L engine with 4.10 gears at 13,500. So in that respect, I am over the GCWR. If I were to step up to 4.56 gears, my GCWR would move up to 15,000. The GCWR rating for the 7.4L engine with 4.10 gears is 16,000. However, the limiting factor based on engine size is the transmission backing it up. On my 700R4 transmission, I have a deep pan with integrated cooler, a 22K BTU external cooler, and tow in the recommended drive position to lock out overdrive. I don't have any slippage in the transmission and the ATF temperature never exceeds 175F when towing the camper. So, I don't know how to call that one...

I'm doing the best with what I have and what I like. The new trucks are both not appealing to me, and the $40K+ price tag is also out of my range.

I love your build! Personally, I'd like to see some pictures of your rig.

When I mentioned a custom hitch I wasn't talking about replacing your hitch...I was talking about strengthening yours...something like this

Thanks!

Jeremiah
campigloo
Explorer
Jan 04, 2015
I have to admire your efforts on the truck mods. Sounds like a Johnny Csh build. I have a trailer very close to the same size yours is. When I put new tires on it I went with E rated. I wasn't having problems that I was really aware of, but they do seem to carry the load better
Quality_Johnson
Explorer
Jan 04, 2015
I'm not one of the towing gurus that you can find here, but I just want to congratulate you on your obviously well thought out truck mods. Lots and lots of work goes into a project like that, and bucks too, even if you use exclusively junkyard parts.

Good job!
stationaryfullt
Explorer
Jan 04, 2015
In terms of the receiver hitch, I'm as good as I have been able to find. So, I'm going to have to live within the 1200# tongue weight. I searched the PullRite website for a hitch to match my application, and the oldest they go back is 1995. I run into this issue all the time because as far as any aftermarket truck parts go, trucks older than 2000 don't exist any more. It's a shame...

In terms of custom work, I hit that point a LONG time ago. Everything was custom to put the parts I used on the truck. A quick rundown of the truck is a GM 14-bolt 1-ton axle and drum brakes off a 2000 Chevy K3500, front suspension and disc brakes off a 1980 C20 pickup, master brake cylinder off a 1998 GMC C3500, custom heavy-duty driveshaft with 1350 u-joints, and some more stuff I don't recall off-hand. It's a frankenstein of heavy-duty parts to make a good half-ton Suburban body worthy of hauling 10,000 pounds.

The tires are Michelin LTX/MS 235/85/R16 load range E tires aired to the 80 psi maximum. That wasn't the source of the sway. The trailer tires are Goodyear Marathons load range D aired to 65 psi.

Referring to the GM Restoration Kit data for my model year truck, they state the GCWR for the 5.7L engine with 4.10 gears at 13,500. So in that respect, I am over the GCWR. If I were to step up to 4.56 gears, my GCWR would move up to 15,000. The GCWR rating for the 7.4L engine with 4.10 gears is 16,000. However, the limiting factor based on engine size is the transmission backing it up. On my 700R4 transmission, I have a deep pan with integrated cooler, a 22K BTU external cooler, and tow in the recommended drive position to lock out overdrive. I don't have any slippage in the transmission and the ATF temperature never exceeds 175F when towing the camper. So, I don't know how to call that one...

I'm doing the best with what I have and what I like. The new trucks are both not appealing to me, and the $40K+ price tag is also out of my range.