Weight Calculations

Trailer Newbie wrote:
My truck is a 2002 Chevy Avalanche, 1500. The owner's manual says the max towing weight is 7300 lbs. and the gross combined weight is 13000 lbs. The dry weight of the truck is 5437 and the max weight is 6800, leaving a max truck payload of 1363.

If I allow 745 lbs for people, fuel, and supplies, my truck weight would be 6182. As I understand it, I have to include the tongue weight of the trailer in the truck weight. So, that would leave 618 lbs. available for the tongue weight.

If the truck can tow 7300 lbs. and my anticipated payload in the trailer is 609 lbs, then that would mean the max dry weight of the trailer would be 6209 lbs.

Your Av may have a tow rating of 7300 lbs as does my 2005 Av and as did my previous 2006 Silverado but that doesn't mean you can tow a trailer anywhere near that heavy as you'll easily exceed the truck's real world payload capacity LONG before your GCW comes anywhere near it's GCWR of 13000 lbs. Our previous 24' KZ Spree had a GVWR of 6000 lbs and typically averaged 5500 lbs loaded & ready to camp, average gross tongue weight 750 lbs, and certainly was the heaviest I'd ever want to tow with a GM 5.3L coupled to a non tow friendly 3.42 axle via the older wide ratio 4 spd transmission. These days I tow a 19' couple's trailer typically averaging 4500 lbs loaded & ready to camp, average gross tongue weight 600 lbs, with our 2005 Av - same engine, same axle, same transmission - and although this trailer weighs 1000 lbs less I still have to tow in 3rd with Tow/Haul engaged. Remember, when towing any full height trailer it's not just about weight but also significant wind resistance at highway speeds that will tax your vehicle to it's limit. Advice from my own personal experience - dry weight of any trailer you intend to tow with your Av should be restricted to no more than 4500 lbs.