Need help calculating tow setup

[Pfeifer6]

I've scoured the internet and can't figure this out. Could be because I have little experience with this type of thing. My husband is at work and we were planning on going down tomorrow to look at toyhaulers. How do I calculate what our truck can safely tow? It's confusing between tongue weight, gvwr, etc.

We have a 2005 GMC Sierra dually with duramax diesel

The three toyhaulers we liked so far have a GVW of 18,000 and a dry weight around 13,000. Do we need a bigger truck for those?

I appreciate any help, even a link to a website that could clearly explan this.

Thank you!!

[BenK]

Thank you for coming back and post your experience...

Many lurkers read this kind and am hopeful they will learn

Hope all goes well for you and family

Again, many thanks for this valuable post

[Pfeifer6]

Thanks for all of the replies, after doing a bunch of research and coming up with the answer that the truck might be able to pull it, we went for it and purchased toy hauler. This may have seemed like a foolish choice but really several things that we read said that the truck could do it and of course the dealer said it would be just fine! ( yeah if I had actually checked back on this post we may not have made that decision, but things are extremely hectic right now as we prepare to move and I have four small children and I homeschool them) 10 miles down the road that transmission went into limp mode and it took us twice as long to get home, stopping several times to get the truck out of limp mode. So now we are in the process of looking for another truck! Live and learn!! Thanks again for all of their responses and sharing the information that we needed.

[NC_Hauler]

First Dually I owned was an 05 Chevy D/A/LB/CC/4x4 in LTZ trim... If you are talking about towing a 5er with a GVW of 18,000#, (forget dry weight), which could have a pin weight over 3,000#, I'd say the 5er will be too heavy for that model year truck. Don't think you or the truck would like the towing experience.

I towed an 04' 4 slide ,37' Coachmen Somerset that had a GVW of 14,500#, loaded to right at 14,000#, pin weight of 2900#. I towed it through the mountains of SC, NC, TN, VA and WV, and climbing some of those mountains, truck always towed well, but you knew the 5er "was back there". If talking 5th wheel and GVW of 18,000#, I'd be going with a newer model Dually of 2013 and up.

[rhagfo]

BB_TX wrote:
Also look on the driver's door sticker to see what the max payload rating is. There should be a statement something like "Do not load in excess of ____ lbs".

Payload stickers didn't come out until 2006. 😞

They are helpful, but your true payload based on GVWR, always requires a trip to the scales!! Payload is GVWR - Scaled weight = Payload, really pretty simple. The yellow payload sticker is as it rolled off the assembly line. All items add on after it left the assembly line reduce that number.

The VIN sticker, about the same location, has all the information you need to calculate the payload of your rig.
GVWR
Front GAWR and rear GAWR, and the required tire size to get those ratings.

[goducks10]

According to the Trailer Life towing guide for 2005 it looks like you maybe can. 2005 GMC DRW. The 5th wheel tow rating is 16,700lbs and the GCVWR (5th wheel and truck) is 23,500. It depends on what the trucks GVWR is and how much the pin weighs on the 5th wheel.
Now if you load over 16,700 then you can't. You need to see what the payload capacity is for the truck.
http://www.trailerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Trailer-Life-Towing-Guide-2005.pdf

[BB_TX]

Also look on the driver's door sticker to see what the max payload rating is. There should be a statement something like "Do not load in excess of ____ lbs".

[camp-n-family]

Can you confirm if those are 5th wheel toy haulers or bumper pulls? I'm going to assume by the weights that they are 5th wheels. Either way, they will likely exceed your trucks capacity. Toy haulers are notorious for having high tongue/pin weights to counteract the weight added to the rear of the trailer. You'll likely need a dually with a payload rating in excess of 4,000lbs to handle a TH that heavy. The newer trucks can handle it, an '05? Probably not.

What do you plan on putting in it?

[lanerd]

It's not that difficult.

You need to know what the truck's tow capacity is, payload capacity and the GVWR. With those three things, and not exceed ANY of them, you can determine how much of a trailer you can pull. Do you know them? If yes, and still need help, let us know what they are and we can explain them to you in simple terms.

Ron

[Bumpyroad]

are you really planning on carrying 5,000 lbs. of "stuff"?
bumpy

[Old-Biscuit]

One good thing you have going for you...truck is a dually

BUT it is a 2005 model and the max towing rating for that year of truck was 12,000#

NEW model trucks can handle that 18,000 THs but not your year model.....dry weight is even more than max two rating


Look up your model here........LINK

Same link has a tow calculator.......LINK

New model truck OR a 12,000# GVWR trailer

[BenK]

You will need to gather some info and here is graphical representation of how
the ratings system looks like

Since shopping and no actual weights...guess until you actually
weigh everything.

So, recommend using their GVWR's for your guesstimations and
use the tongue/PIN percentage provided in the brochures to figure
them out at GVWR

Newbie...So I Need Help with WDH

BenK wrote:

borninblue wrote:
snip...


OK got little lost, there. The wife and I combined are about 350lbs, plus two small children. So I can load up how much in the bed? Man all these numbers minus this and that I am lost.

This quote below might help you see where on the food chain of ratings
down to pavement is whatever they are talking about

A generic graphical representation of how the ratings system and
the components that make up that system looks like

BenK wrote:
Hi Chad and WELCOME !!!

Lots to talk about and learn (everyone can learn something on this
topic)

Careful on what sales folks tell you...they are in it for their paycheck
Some know, some don't have a clue on the needed specifications and
how that system works (ratings system)

First, decide if you believe in the OEM ratings system or not.

If not, then do whatever and this discussion academic. Note that you
will then assume both the warranty and liability of the vehicle

If yes, then read up and hope my quote below will help you 'see' the
big picture. Most advice's have no skin in the game...so read up on
their old posts to see if they have similar values you do

Too many take any 'one' component in the 'system' as the basis for
their decision and/or advice. It is s WHOLE SYSTEM made up of components
and sub-systems. Again the diagram will show the inter-relationships

Then the MTWR (max tow weight rating)...the OEMs use a flat bed trailer
with almost no side/frontal area. That trailer is loaded with blocks
of concrete/etc and placed best to derive the highest MTWR...plus they
play it to have a 10% tongue weight...that provides the highest MTWR,
but few trailers actually have a 10% loaded tongue.

Higher tongue weight percentages tow better...on average or general rule

Good luck and keep posting on this thread to that other newbies can
learn from your experience

Ben

PS...used that 3 wheeled motor cycle to add a bit of whimsy and to
show that anything can tow just about anything...just how well is
the crucial point




Below quote from this thread: Where can I find GCWR?

BenK wrote:
Posted: 10/09/15 09:25pm
This quote from this thread might help you visualize how the system
looks like in graphical form



Contradicting Tow Vehicle Advise

BenK wrote:
Posted: 08/22/15 12:19pm
Welcome to both this forum and the world of RV'ing

Many times, salesman are not lying per say, but out of context in most all
cases.

Ditto advice on any of these freebie forums...it is worth the price paid. Also
learn to filter the advice to your needs and opinions. Many forget that newbies
do NOT have the experience and hard knock schooling to filter well...those
'sure you can'...'have been doing it for decades'...etc

I do NOT advise in that regard, but try to provide information
that the Newbie must find, weight and do the simple math for their
own Risk Management Decision (AKA...gambling)

First decide if you believe in the OEM ratings system and numbers...or not

If not, then academic and do whatever, but know you have taken the OEM(s)
off the warranty and liability hook and now own them...

The generic formula is:

GCWR => TV + Trailer + everything loaded

This has the OEM dialed in safety margins for longevity, safety
and to agency mandated MINIMUM performance...biggie for me is
braking the whole setup

Of course best to actually weigh everything, ready to go RV'ing,
axle by axle

Gather the information for both TV and Trailer: GVWR, F/R GAWR,
GCWR. Tongue percentage weight of ACTUAL weight is also needed

You will find that the MTWR (Max Tow Weight Rating) is bogus, unless
you have the stripper TV and 'dry' trailer that has a 10% tongue
weight percentage (it should be 12% to 15% and I prefer heavier)

Here is the graphical representation of how the ratings systems
looks like, or works. A bit of whimsy and mean it...anything 'can'
tow, but how well, how long and how safely is my goal...for a half
ton 'can' tow the Space Shuttle...but for how long...how well and
how safely???


howmuchcanitow howmuchshoulditow