New 3/4 CC Dmax payload cap terrible!

[peejaykay]

I'm researching tow vehicles, and I discovered that when a 2014 Silverado 2500 HD is configured w/Diesel, Crew Cab 4x4 and Long Bed, the payload capacity drops to a pitiful 2552 lbs.

Which basically limits me to a 9klb "real world" loaded weight 5th wheel. That's terrible. How did I come up with 9k, you ask?

9000 x 25% = 2250 pin weight, loaded. Even if it was less, 20%, that's 1800lbs.

1800lbs + me (180) + wife (120) + kid (50) + dog (50) + stuff (300) + fuel (36gals * 7.15lbs/gal= 260lbs) = 2760lbs

So even at 20%, I have busted the payload capacity. Nevermind that the towing capacity for a 2500HD diesel is around 15K. That means nothing, if you bust the payload capacity when you hook up a loaded 9klb 5th wheel.

[catfishmontana]

gmcsmoke wrote:
1 ton srw ftmfw

Yep

[gmcsmoke]

1 ton srw ftmfw

[SKGCRD]

Funny when I go to purchase insurance for the actual weight towed the insurance company doesn't bring the caveat that one must be within a certain weight rating. All they want to know is if I have my heavy trailer license (over 10,000 lbs) and the total weight insurance of both the truck and tow unit. In my case 12,000 kg's. If you want to stop the self riotous "weight police" to stay away from you at the campground put on 3500 badges. 🙂

[45Ricochet]

APT wrote:


For $600-1000, I highly recommend people just get the SRW 1-ton for 800-1500 pounds more payload over 3/4 ton.

[peejaykay]

Haha, ok let me put things in perspective I guess! I'm 27, relatively young so I was never in the market for a truck to pull a trailer. Therefore, I was not aware of how far we've come in the past 5-10yrs with regards to truck capability.

I want to do some camping with the family, and I don't want to outgrow the trailer in a few years. So I'm willing to pony up the cash for the right model. Once you add up the laundry list...

Quad bunks, room for everyone + guests, dog, cat, gear, good insulation for year round use...and you're looking at a 12-15k 5'er. Makes you wonder how did these trucks pull the rigs "back in the day".

Anyways. I was surprised to learn you need a relatively new 1ton DRW to pull a fully featured, well equipped modern 5'er.

[Norskeman]

One of the reasons I traded a 2005 3500HD for a 2011 3500HD - GVWR of 11,600 Vs 9900 lbs.

I had my 2005 overloaded - pulled without any problems but towing with the 2011 is allot more stable. The 2011 weights probably 500 lbs more than the 2005. Added air bags and Bilstein shocks to both of the trucks

My last CAT scale:
Steer Axle - 4900 lbs
Drive Axle - 6060 lbs
Trailer Axle - 9220 lbs
Gross Weight - 20,180 lbs

[bmanning]

My 2002 F250 crew cab 4x4 7.3L had a payload capacity of around ~1400lb!

Compared to that, the 2014 you're talking about is a heavy hauler.

[TomG2]

There really is not much of a paradox, unless one looks at the archaic model designations like half ton, one ton, etc. It is easy to select a pickup which has adequate payload. Need to carry 3,000 pounds? Buy a model that gives you that much or more. The trick is to avoid the overblown "Tow rating" numbers.

[kw_00]

The gas version 6.0 will give you more payload in either the 3/4 ton or 1 ton SRW, just something to consider. If your towing 9k it won't be an issue with the 6.0, just FYI.

[rjstractor]

This does sort of illustrate the paradox of how trucks are rated. My 2WD regular cab gas 2500HD has the same GVWR as the loaded crew cab 4WD diesel of the same year. Since it's so much lighter empty it has a payload of just over 3900 lbs, enough to handle most fifth wheels. Of course, there's no room in the cab for the family and not enough motor to tow a 15K fifth wheel. 😕

But like others have said a 3500 SRW for a few hundred $ more gives you a healthy boost of payload on paper if that is what matters. Under the badging and ratings, the nuts and bolts of the two trucks are very similar and in many aspects identical. If it were me shopping for a truck to tow a good-size but not gigantic fifth wheel, it would be a 350/3500 SRW for sure.

[mowermech]

Wait a minnit, let me get this straight;
You are complaining that a 3/4 ton (1500 lbs.) truck only has a payload capacity of 1 1/4 TONS?
So, go get a 1 ton dually that has a payload capacity of 2 tons. YES, you CAN use a dually for a daily driver! I been there, did that.
Based on personal experience with that old truck ('94 dodge 3500 CTD dually), I agree with Marty; PAYLOAD is the ONLY important number. GCWR is basically a "happy with performance" number. I discovered that my rig was 3,180 lbs OVER the GCWR, but UNDER all other ratings. It did just fine going over the Rockies, the Sierras, and the Cascades.
Go trade for a one ton truck. SRW if you must, but I liked my dually!
Note: My old truck was registered for a GVW of 14,000 lbs (that is, VEHICLE weight, not COMBINED weight). I picked that number because I knew I would never exceed it. I was right!

[blt2ski]

Oh, you do realize those max tow ratings are with a single 150 lb driver, NO options, and just the trailer!

You also have your comments about perrysbury wrong. very wrong!

The fact remains as noted my many tow ratings mean squat in the real world! hence why some of us have our popcorn and beer out! Tow ratings are also not safety numbers, only a warranty/performance rating. All your insurance carrier will care about, is are you under legal ratings. Even your door tag numbers are NOT real rating numbers the LEO's on the side of the road worry about. Now look at those comments, and it is really time to get out the popcorn and beer!

Buy yourself a dually or the SW 3500, and be done with it. Your kid will be over 50 lbs, probably about 60 in a year, 70 the following.....add some air per say to your figures, and real world, the truck is probably limited to 8-8500 lbs in 5w form. At least you do not have a family of 6 that comes in at 1200-1300 lbs.........One needed a SW 3500 to pull a 6500 lbs ball mount and even then, I could not stay under the door placard gvwr, but I was under axel wt ratings, and the paid for gvw of the truck.

Marty

[MARKW8]

Why do people complain about a truck they haven't bought? If you have to have a 3/4, put airbags on and buy a trailer that won't exceed your tire or axle ratings.

Trucks are so much better today than even 10 years ago, let alone 20 or more. There were some big 5ers in the early 80s pulled by trucks noone today whould want. In nearly 14yrs here, I've never seen a first hand or maybe even second that someone was sued or fined after an accident. This for being overweight on a private vehical.

Mark

[hmknightnc]

Good Job. I think you are a little conservative on your calculations but certainly a correct way to do it. It really is amazing how many people think that the manufactures tow rating is a "I can tow anything, as long as it is less than the tow rating" rating. You certainly could tow a bumper mount flat bed loaded with bricks wieghing 15,000# with a pin wieght of 12% but no way you are going to tow a 15,000# FW with a pin wieght of 20% or higher with a 3/4 ton truck.

[therink]

This is the exact reason I sold my 3/4 ton and bought a 1 ton SRW. If I could do it over, I would have skipped the 3/4 ton altogether.