Help with weight

[Trailer_Newbie]

Hi, We're in the planning stages of getting a TT for an extended trip. My wife wants plenty of room, but I'm concerned about the safe towing weight. The models she typically likes would end up weighing almost 6000 lbs. loaded.

We have a 2002 Chevy Avalanche 1500 2WD with the factory trailering package with the following stats:

GVW: 6800
GCVW 13,000
Dry Wt: 5437
Max Tow wt (via owner's manual) 7300
Rear axle ratio: 3.73

I've looked at several formulas that yield max values from 3750 to 5570. Given that they are all different, some (or all) of them must not be correct.

Can anybody give me an accurate max towing weight that will be safe and not destroy my transmission?

Also, are there cost-effective things I can do to the truck to increase it's safe towing ability?

Thanks so much for any help you can offer.

[bikendan]

Trailer Newbie wrote:
Thanks so much for all of the information and advice!

it would help a lot if you posted the payload capacity, from the driver's door yellow sticker.
it's actually as important as towing capacity, in some ways, MORE important.

[Trailer_Newbie]

Thanks so much for all of the information and advice!

[fla-gypsy]

Loaded weights above 5k will result in marginal results IMO. Not saying it can't be done safely, it just won't be any fun at all.

[mkirsch]

When they say "divide by .13" above, I find it MUCH easier to simply MULTIPLY BY SEVEN.

Load up, weigh your truck, then take the remaining payload and multiply it by 7 to get a good estimate of how much you can tow.

There is a little "fudge factor" built into that 7, because the trailer is ALWAYS heavier than you think it is, especially if you don't weigh it.

One thing I do recommend is, load everything you possibly can into the trailer. Cooler of drinks? Trailer. Bikes? Make 'em fit in the trailer. You can tow 7 times as much as you can haul. You want that truck bed EMPTY when you're talking about something with a limited payload capacity like an Avalanche where you're only starting out with 1350lbs to begin with.

[bikendan]

i own an 2007 Avalanche and they don't have very good payload capacities.

my HTT weighs around 5200lbs. loaded for camping.

the real limitations is the payload capacity. i also have the 3.73 rear end and 4spd. trans. with factory tow package.

i wouldn't tow any TT over 6000lbs. UVW from the factory.

[Old-Biscuit]

handye9 wrote:
It's not possible for any of us to give you a max towing weight. We don't have a clue about what kind of passenger / cargo weight you're going to carry. We can offer tips on doing the calculations, only you can figure your true towing capacity.

Some tips:

1. Your advertised max tow weight of 7300 lbs, most likely was calculated using a 150 lb weight for the driver, and considered zero weight for aftermarket accessories, passengers, or cargo.

2. Your 6800 GVWR minus 5437 curb weight, indicates a payload (capacity to carry things) of 1363 lbs. Payload gets used up by the weight of aftermarket accessories, fuel, people, pets, cargo, weight distributing hitch (about 100 lbs), and trailer tongue weight (about 13 percent of loaded trailer weight). As the tow vehicle is loaded with all the things listed above, it's max tow capacity is going down, pound for pound. If you put 700 lbs of fuel, people, cargo, and a WD hitch in / on the tow vehicle, you would be maxed out on payload and GVWR with 663 lbs of tongue weight.

3. If you divide your available payload by .13, it will show you an approximate loaded trailer weight that will put you on the edge. NOTE --- On the edge, can be an unpleasant towing experience. Give yourself some cushion.

4. Average trailer load (dishes, bedding, camping gear, groceries, water, etc) is 800 to 1000 lbs. Add that to the unloaded weight of the trailers you are looking at.

5. Average tongue weight is 12 - 13 percent of loaded trailer weight.

6. Travel trailers are about as aerodynamic as a brick wall. Towing them is nothing like towing a boat or a small utility trailer.


Here's a link to an online calculator.

The above post does a good job of providing you with the needed info.

The only thing I would add is load your vehicle up 'camp ready' (fuel, you, ALL passengers (human/pets), any stuff in cab (backpacks etc) and go to a CAT Scales and get weighed.
You will then know real world payload available (GVWR/6800 minus your actual camp ready weight) for tongue weight.

Share this with your wife and show her that she will have to be happy with a different lighter trailer......and if she can't get on board with that-----perfect reason for NEW TRUCK
Life is about compromises. New trailer that current vehicle can safely tow and therefore is more enjoyable to tow
OR New Trailer and NEW Truck that can safely tow the new trailer safely and therefore enjoyment for ALL.

[jmtandem]

The models she typically likes would end up weighing almost 6000 lbs. loaded.

If mamma is not happy, nobody will be happy. Get a bigger truck/tow vehicle and you will be happy and she will be too!

[handye9]

It's not possible for any of us to give you a max towing weight. We don't have a clue about what kind of passenger / cargo weight you're going to carry. We can offer tips on doing the calculations, only you can figure your true towing capacity.

Some tips:

1. Your advertised max tow weight of 7300 lbs, most likely was calculated using a 150 lb weight for the driver, and considered zero weight for aftermarket accessories, passengers, or cargo.

2. Your 6800 GVWR minus 5437 curb weight, indicates a payload (capacity to carry things) of 1363 lbs. Payload gets used up by the weight of aftermarket accessories, fuel, people, pets, cargo, weight distributing hitch (about 100 lbs), and trailer tongue weight (about 13 percent of loaded trailer weight). As the tow vehicle is loaded with all the things listed above, it's max tow capacity is going down, pound for pound. If you put 700 lbs of fuel, people, cargo, and a WD hitch in / on the tow vehicle, you would be maxed out on payload and GVWR with 663 lbs of tongue weight.

3. If you divide your available payload by .13, it will show you an approximate loaded trailer weight that will put you on the edge. NOTE --- On the edge, can be an unpleasant towing experience. Give yourself some cushion.

4. Average trailer load (dishes, bedding, camping gear, groceries, water, etc) is 800 to 1000 lbs. Add that to the unloaded weight of the trailers you are looking at.

5. Average tongue weight is 12 - 13 percent of loaded trailer weight.

6. Travel trailers are about as aerodynamic as a brick wall. Towing them is nothing like towing a boat or a small utility trailer.


Here's a link to an online calculator.

[MitchF150]

Has the Avalanche ever been worked hard before? If so, how did it feel doing it? By "hard", I mean pulling a grade in 2nd gear and your foot is to the floor and it can't go any faster? 😉

When you say an "extended trip", I assume that means being on the road for several weeks to maybe even a month or longer?

Can you, as a driver, stand hearing your engine pull 4000 rpms for minutes at a time pulling a long grade? Or gearing down and managing your brakes and speed on a long downhill grade?

I'd be more concerned about the 14 year old truck if all it's done is run down the road and has never towed anything before..

Good luck!

Mitch

[MFL]

I am guessing that you have the 5.3 V8. The earlier models were down on power, so from the experienced person above, with more HP, I'd say his actual weights would be about right.

On the plus side, you do have the tow package, which should include a transmission cooler. The 3.73 gears are a plus too. It is the idea of an extended trip, that makes me think it could strain an older vehicle.

Jerry

[JIMNLIN]

Can anybody give me an accurate max towing weight that will be safe and not destroy my transmission?

Also, are there cost-effective things I can do to the truck to increase it's safe towing ability?

The vehicle is 14 years old so much depends on engine size/has it been abused or serviced per GM schedule/high millage/etc.

The wife just sold her '06 1500 crew cab chevy Z71 5.3 3.73 axle/295 hp. It had a 7400 lb tow rating but I sure wouldn't want to pull a 7000 lb RV trailer with it.
I used it to pull a 10k car hauler/tractor which grossed around the 6800-7000 lb range with the loader and box blade removed.
It did ok on the flats but I sure wouldn't want to pull a tall 6k-7k boxy RV in the hills or mountains or into high heads winds like we have out here.

For a tow vehicle that old/low hp engine I would stay under 5k-6k actual wet weight.

[mikeh449]

you want the truth you would be better off trading it in on a 3/4 ton not much that you can do to yours to help it