GMC 2500 13,000 lbs No WDH

[2edgesword]

My son in law recently sold a TT that had a 9,000 lbs GVWR. The guy that purchased it showed up with a GMC 2500 to tow it a few hundred miles home. There was no WDH setup on the trailer so I was surprised when the new owner hitched it to the ball attached the chains and left.

I have an F-250 with a 6,000lbs tow limit without WDH so I check the specs for the GMC and was surprised to find it had a 13,000lbs max towing capability without a WDH. What about this truck manages even transfer of weight to both axles without a WDH?

[harmanrk]

My 2017 F250, with the heavy tow package and the 3 inch receiver, is rated at 2100 tongue weight, 21000 trailer weight both WD and conventional. Not a bad hitch on a rated to tow 17600



The new trucks are truly amazing.

[2edgesword]

KD4UPL wrote:
For some reason most people towing RVs think they need a WDH. Most people towing trailers in general do not. Take a look at all the contractors towing flatbed, equipment, and dump trailers. Take a look at all the race car guys pulling big car haulers. The vast majority of them don't have a WDH.
The Superhitch on my dually is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight WDH or not. I tow my flatbed with excavation equipment on it loaded up to about 14,000 pounds. It rides really well.
The main reason RVs so often need the WDH is that there is very little you can do to alter the tongue weight. There's not much movement in the furnishings and gear like there is when loading cars, tools, and equipment.
The buyer of this trailer, I'm assuming, was picking it up empty. I would think it was sold that way. So, no water, food, gear, etc. in side. He may find that when fully loaded, particularly if the fresh water tank and large storage compartments are in the front, that he will need a WDH to deal with the heavy nose weight.

The buyer was a contractor that normally pulls heavy loads with the truck so I'm assuming he knew what he was doing. But I had been telling my son in law that I couldn't pull it without a WDH and that he would needed a WDH once he got his truck not knowing the right truck could pull it without a WDH.

[ktmrfs]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

2edgesword wrote:
My son in law recently sold a TT that had a 9,000 lbs GVWR. The guy that purchased it showed up with a GMC 2500 to tow it a few hundred miles home. There was no WDH setup on the trailer so I was surprised when the new owner hitched it to the ball attached the chains and left.

I have an F-250 with a 6,000lbs tow limit without WDH so I check the specs for the GMC and was surprised to find it had a 13,000lbs max towing capability without a WDH. What about this truck manages even transfer of weight to both axles without a WDH?

Contrary to the RV board spew......many more people are towing heavy trailers around with HD trucks without WD hitches, than are towing with them, such as contractors, hotshotters, you name it. Most of them are also using pintle hitches. Despite whatever the tow rating on the truck is, the OEM hitch on a GM 2500HD after 2013 through current model year is 2000 lbs TW, either WD or WC, and 20000 trailer weight.

not on my 2015.5 2500 Denali. It is 2000lbs WD, 1500 WC, 13,000 max trailer weight.

[Grit_dog]

KD4UPL wrote:
For some reason most people towing RVs think they need a WDH. Most people towing trailers in general do not. Take a look at all the contractors towing flatbed, equipment, and dump trailers. Take a look at all the race car guys pulling big car haulers. The vast majority of them don't have a WDH.
The Superhitch on my dually is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight WDH or not. I tow my flatbed with excavation equipment on it loaded up to about 14,000 pounds. It rides really well.
The main reason RVs so often need the WDH is that there is very little you can do to alter the tongue weight. There's not much movement in the furnishings and gear like there is when loading cars, tools, and equipment.
The buyer of this trailer, I'm assuming, was picking it up empty. I would think it was sold that way. So, no water, food, gear, etc. in side. He may find that when fully loaded, particularly if the fresh water tank and large storage compartments are in the front, that he will need a WDH to deal with the heavy nose weight.

Ture statement above!
However this has been turned into a profit center for RV dealers and has proliferated the entire industry.
Case in point, there's a hot shot driver on another forum who hauls new campers exclusively. With a 3/4 ton. He gets close to 100kmiles a year. Doesn't own a wdh.
If a setup needs weight distribution, it needs it, if it doesn't, then it's a placebo to add it.

[JCK]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

George3037 wrote:
My 2016 GM 2500HD with tow package has the same factory hitch as JCK's truck. 2 1/2" receiver tube, 1500TW and 13,000 max trailer weight. Not the 2000/20000 hitch.
I still use a WD hitch for my heavier trailers.

They must have taken a step back for 2016.
From my 15 GMC 2500 SLE, DC, 8' bed.

As always we should refer to owner manuals for your year truck. I did find a truck my year with a 2000 lb..WC rating. You have to have the long box to get that kind of rating .

[KD4UPL]

For some reason most people towing RVs think they need a WDH. Most people towing trailers in general do not. Take a look at all the contractors towing flatbed, equipment, and dump trailers. Take a look at all the race car guys pulling big car haulers. The vast majority of them don't have a WDH.
The Superhitch on my dually is rated for 1,700 pounds of tongue weight WDH or not. I tow my flatbed with excavation equipment on it loaded up to about 14,000 pounds. It rides really well.
The main reason RVs so often need the WDH is that there is very little you can do to alter the tongue weight. There's not much movement in the furnishings and gear like there is when loading cars, tools, and equipment.
The buyer of this trailer, I'm assuming, was picking it up empty. I would think it was sold that way. So, no water, food, gear, etc. in side. He may find that when fully loaded, particularly if the fresh water tank and large storage compartments are in the front, that he will need a WDH to deal with the heavy nose weight.

[Ivylog]

blt2ski wrote:
One can vary how much comes off the FA with a stiffer rear spring set. Having the rear set a bit higher so it takes more drop of rear to make the frame level to going downward so you start removing weight from the front axle. .

Pure BS. Heavier springs do not change the fulcrum point...the rear tires.

[Grit_dog]

Yup, don't magically need a wdh just because you hook a travel trailer to your truck. Common RVer misnomer.
Only need it if your hitch and/or rear springs can't handle the tongue weight.

[Ralph_Cramden]

2edgesword wrote:
I hadn’t started looking into HD trucks until my wife decided we HAD to have a bigger trailer. Pardon my ignorance but I had no idea that there were trucks that could handle loads as high as 2,000/20,000 without a WDH. Thanks for the replies and education.

My 2015 2500 conventional trailer tow rating is 13000, its hitch capacity however is 2000 lbs either weight distributing or weight carrying and 20000 lbs overall. That doesnt mean I am towing 20K with it, just that they put a much higher rated hitch on the truck.

[2edgesword]

I hadn’t started looking into HD trucks until my wife decided we HAD to have a bigger trailer. Pardon my ignorance but I had no idea that there were trucks that could handle loads as high as 2,000/20,000 without a WDH. Thanks for the replies and education.

[Ralph_Cramden]

George3037 wrote:
My 2016 GM 2500HD with tow package has the same factory hitch as JCK's truck. 2 1/2" receiver tube, 1500TW and 13,000 max trailer weight. Not the 2000/20000 hitch.
I still use a WD hitch for my heavier trailers.

They must have taken a step back for 2016.
From my 15 GMC 2500 SLE, DC, 8' bed.

[George3037]

My 2016 GM 2500HD with tow package has the same factory hitch as JCK's truck. 2 1/2" receiver tube, 1500TW and 13,000 max trailer weight. Not the 2000/20000 hitch.
I still use a WD hitch for my heavier trailers.

[JCK]

The sticker on my hitch
V 5 13000 GVW
1500 lbs. weight Carrying. Which means no weight distribution hitch
See truck in signature

[Ralph_Cramden]

2edgesword wrote:
My son in law recently sold a TT that had a 9,000 lbs GVWR. The guy that purchased it showed up with a GMC 2500 to tow it a few hundred miles home. There was no WDH setup on the trailer so I was surprised when the new owner hitched it to the ball attached the chains and left.

I have an F-250 with a 6,000lbs tow limit without WDH so I check the specs for the GMC and was surprised to find it had a 13,000lbs max towing capability without a WDH. What about this truck manages even transfer of weight to both axles without a WDH?

Contrary to the RV board spew......many more people are towing heavy trailers around with HD trucks without WD hitches, than are towing with them, such as contractors, hotshotters, you name it. Most of them are also using pintle hitches. Despite whatever the tow rating on the truck is, the OEM hitch on a GM 2500HD after 2013 through current model year is 2000 lbs TW, either WD or WC, and 20000 trailer weight.

[blt2ski]

One can vary how much comes off the FA with a stiffer rear spring set. Having the rear set a bit higher so it takes more drop of rear to make the frame level to going downward so you start removing weight from the front axle.
I noticed this going from 6400 to 8400 lb springs. Weight taken off front went from 350-400 lbs to 250-300 lbs with a 1500 hw trailer.
I've noticed anything over around 400 lbs off of the 8 lug SW trucks I've had, it helps to have WD bars installed from a handling prospective. You are not required legally to have any bars towing. Only fro a warranty standpoint.

Marty.