What can my Suburban safely tow?

APT wrote:
You should have this sticker on the driver's door or door jam. Note what you have where mine says 2051. I suspect you have about 1400-1500 pounds available since you list GVWR at 7400 pounds, the 5.3L, and 4-spd trans. :(

My husband found the sticker!
We have a 6.OL with a 4.10 rear axle, if that means anything.

kw/00 wrote:
6.0 right? So is your burb a 2500 series then? That's usually the standard engine for the 3/4 ton, if so that's a good thing.

It is a 6.0 L, but it's a 1500, which is one of the things that makes it difficult to look things up because most of the information online is for the 5.3.

The biggest limiting factor on towing with a Suburban is the wimpy hitch that GM installs at the factory.

It is almost certainly limited to 500 pounds of tongue weight and 5000 pound tow rating.

And if memory serves, the hitch in that generation is very difficult to upgrade.

You should have this sticker on the driver's door or door jam. Note what you have where mine says 2051. I suspect you have about 1400-1500 pounds available since you list GVWR at 7400 pounds, the 5.3L, and 4-spd trans. :(

6.0 right? So is your burb a 2500 series then? That's usually the standard engine for the 3/4 ton, if so that's a good thing.

GCWR is fairly new rating and not listed widely, yet. Also note that many DO NOT
consider GCWR matters, so not many will have that info here on these
forums

Gotta grab these charts from the OEM the year they publish them...as they remove
them the next model/gen...as it is a source of liability for them it something
goes south (all OEMs has something go south sooner or later). This is the brochure
spec you need to get a hold of

GCWR GCWRchart

Generally, it is the curb weight + tow option + one 150lb driver + hitch + MTWR

Factored by components on the TV. Like the diff ratio, etc...also note that aftermarket
stuff like over sized tires, lift kit, etc, etc

Here is an old thread on this using my Suburban as an example


Help Understanding How Factories Detemine Truck Weights

BenK wrote:
This comes up all the time...and most who have not gone through this
before...go away to not talk about this again...deny and argue...or
some actually understand how this works-especially those who went
out and actually weighed their TV

Pure marketing with some reality sprinkled in...meaning how else can
the OEMs do this and still be competitive with the public who believes
the marketing data as gospel...AKA "King of the Hill" or "mine is
bigger than yours"

Reality, as how else can they provide a manageable level of rows/columns/etc

Meaning if they listed every option on a row with a column for the
various ratings.

Like a row for 4x4 and columns for MTWR, Payload, GCWR, etc

Then a row for 4x4 & AC and columns for MTWR, Payload, GCWR, etc

Then a row for 4x4 & AC & power seats/windows/locks and columns for
MTWR, Payload, GCWR, etc

and so on, and so on, and so on...betcha that would be dozens of sheets
and even more confusing than what we have now...where they define or
put into context with the fine print




This is my Suburban, as I've actually weighed it at a county weights
and measure certified (their sticker for that year) to be accurate
enough for commerce (sell by weight and charge money for that weight)

That 5,250 Lb CURB is on the California DMV data base and is provided
by GM, the OEM of my GMC Suburban. Against the VIN number.

These Calif SMOG test reports are official state documents and are
also legal documents that I'd use if I need to prove anything about
the data on my SMOG test/registration/etc

Have noodled what options I'd have to unbolt, cut out, etc in order
to get my Suburban down to the listed 'curb'...There wouldn't be any
carpet, sound insulation, 4x4, AC, automatic, etc, etc, etc

"Test Weight" is the 'curb' weight, not the actual...again, have
actually weighed it at a county weights and measure certified scale
at my local garden center

BenK wrote:
My Suburban GMT400/1996 was before the weight stickers on the the newer
TVs door...

So here are my numbers:

5,250 curb
8,600 GVWR

3,350 lb cargo/payload over curb


My 2014 smog certificate...note that this is an official state
document and the info supplied by each OEM for that VIN...
mysub mysuburban mysubsmog mysmog

mysubGVWR mysubdoor mysubdoorlable doorlabel subdoorlable


Mine weighs in around 7,200 at the local garden scales, county
weights&measure certified, with me (180) and toolbox (+200) and misc stuff (+50)

Also has full up option package, SLT, 4x4, big block, and over sized
wheels and tires

8,600 minus
7,200

1,400 lbs cargo/payload

All with a 6,000 RGAWR...that AAM rates at 10,000 GAWR. The 6K GAWR
GM lists is around 2,000 more than most 'half ton' TVs

Oh...also ordered the F60 option...which is the 1 ton front snow plow prep package
My FGAWR is 4,250 and near most half ton's rear GAWR.

And here is the glove box RPO code label listing every option that
my Sub left the factory with...plus I've added lots of stuff...how
many pages would the matrix listing each and each combo of options
take to list MTWR, GCWR, etc...


mysubrpo suburbanrpo mysuburbanrpo



{edit}...here is my 1980 Siliverado C10 Big Ten (1500HD of it's era)
and note the 'curb' vs GVWR

Ditto what would I have to unbolt/cut-out/etc to get it down to 'curb'


mytrucksmog mysilveradosmog trucksmog silveradosmog



Actual weight at the dumps...me (180), nephew (180), bed cap (~250),
over sized tires/wheels, tools, extra coolant, extra oil, etc, etc

This scale also had the county weights and measure certified sticker



mytruckweight truckweight silveradoweight truckdumpweight


vs it's door ratings label


mytruckdoorlabel truckdoorlabel mytruckgvwr truckgvwr

This one addresses diff ratio and how it affects MTWR/GCWR

changing gear ratio? myth?

handye9 wrote:
Forget about advertised tow ratings. They are a pipe dream. When they are calculated, there is no room for weight of any aftermarket accessories, passengers, or cargo. That's not how we as consumers, go camping.

In order to figure out your real world tow capacity, you need to look at the tire / loading sticker on your drivers door post. It will have a number for max cargo / passenger weight (AKA payload). That is the vehicle's capacity to carry the combined weight of aftermarket accessories, people, cargo, weight distributing hitch, and tongue weight from the trailer.

Take that number and subtract the weight of all your passengers, all your cargo, and 100 lbs for a WD hitch. The amount remaining is the vehicle's capacity to carry tongue weight from a trailer.

Divide this remaining capacity number by .15. That will tell you the approximate "loaded" trailer weight, that you may be able to tow. Keep in mind, towing at, or close to the max, can be an unpleasant experience.


Example:

Say the vehicle has 1300 lbs payload, you have 600 lbs of people, 100 lbs of hitch, and 100 lbs of cargo.

1300 - 800 = 500 lbs of payload available
500 / .15 = 3333 lbs loaded trailer weight
(this same vehicle with no passengers, accessories, or cargo, and a 150 lb driver, would have capacity to tow a 7000 lbs trailer)

Thank you! That's very helpful! :)
The weird thing is that my sticker doesn't show that number, only GVWR 7400llbs GAWR FRT and GAWR RR. I tried looking up the empty weight of my vehicle online and it looks like it's around 5600lbs, that isn't necessarily the true weight with the options in our car, but using that number I get a 1800lb payload.
So assuming we have 1,000lbs of payload available I'd be looking at around 6,600lbs loaded trailer weight. Is that right?

Forget about advertised tow ratings. They are a pipe dream. When they are calculated, there is no room for weight of any aftermarket accessories, passengers, or cargo. That's not how we as consumers, go camping.

In order to figure out your real world tow capacity, you need to look at the tire / loading sticker on your drivers door post. It will have a number for max cargo / passenger weight (AKA payload). That is the vehicle's capacity to carry the combined weight of aftermarket accessories, people, cargo, weight distributing hitch, and tongue weight from the trailer.

Take that number and subtract the weight of all your passengers, all your cargo, and 100 lbs for a WD hitch. The amount remaining is the vehicle's capacity to carry tongue weight from a trailer.

Divide this remaining capacity number by .15. That will tell you the approximate "loaded" trailer weight, that you may be able to tow. Keep in mind, towing at, or close to the max, can be an unpleasant experience.


Example:

Say the vehicle has 1300 lbs payload, you have 600 lbs of people, 100 lbs of hitch, and 100 lbs of cargo.

1300 - 800 = 500 lbs of payload available
500 / .15 = 3333 lbs loaded trailer weight
(this same vehicle with no passengers, accessories, or cargo, and a 150 lb driver, would have capacity to tow a 7000 lbs trailer)

jbarkley wrote:
Look on the Drivers side door jam for the numbers your looking for.

I did, and that's where I found the GVWR and the GAWR, but it does not list the GCVWR anywhere that I can see.

Look on the Drivers side door jam for the numbers your looking for.