Weights and capacities - Sierra 2500HD D/A
I have another thread going over on the 5th wheel forum as my wife and I contemplate retirement (2nd time around) and we consider going full-time (or most-time) in a fifth wheel. ken56 has a good thre...
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I'd load it up to the GCWR or over. I run trucks over all the time with no problems. GVWR I would also run right up to the rating and over. I ignore GVWR and look at axle and tire ratings. That's how it was done when I was a commercial truck driver. If it works for the trucking industry it will work with an RV.
Going by your rear axle rating you could carry about 3,000 pounds of pin weight. However, the 11.5" AAM axle in your truck is rated by AAM at just over 10,000 pounds. If you add 19.5" wheels and tires and either upgrade the springs or add airbags you could carry much more weight in the rear.
If you're going to spend the money on wheel, tires, springs, air bags, etc. You would probably be better off just trading the truck for a dually.
In my own '05 Chevy dually I normally tow up to 16,000 pounds the rear receiver (aftermarket) while the truck may weigh up to 10,000. This is for work pulling equipment trailers and hauling tools. When I use this truck for RVing I put my TC on the back. The truck with family and camper and pulling my boat weighs about 13,500. The GVWR is 11,400 but I'm not over the tire or axle ratings. I have driven many thousands of miles safely this way.
There are, however, a lot of people who will swear I'm going to kill someone. What they don't realize is that many many "hotshot" type truck drivers haul this way legally with dually pick-ups all day long and go thru scales, DOT checks, etc.
Going by your rear axle rating you could carry about 3,000 pounds of pin weight. However, the 11.5" AAM axle in your truck is rated by AAM at just over 10,000 pounds. If you add 19.5" wheels and tires and either upgrade the springs or add airbags you could carry much more weight in the rear.
If you're going to spend the money on wheel, tires, springs, air bags, etc. You would probably be better off just trading the truck for a dually.
In my own '05 Chevy dually I normally tow up to 16,000 pounds the rear receiver (aftermarket) while the truck may weigh up to 10,000. This is for work pulling equipment trailers and hauling tools. When I use this truck for RVing I put my TC on the back. The truck with family and camper and pulling my boat weighs about 13,500. The GVWR is 11,400 but I'm not over the tire or axle ratings. I have driven many thousands of miles safely this way.
There are, however, a lot of people who will swear I'm going to kill someone. What they don't realize is that many many "hotshot" type truck drivers haul this way legally with dually pick-ups all day long and go thru scales, DOT checks, etc.
