Goldstalker wrote:
That has no bearing it could be 12,000lb GVWR just means it has stronger axles. It only matters how much "stuff" you are gonna load into your camper and you just need to be smart about it. If it weighs 5500lbs empty then load about 1000lbs worth of gear and you will be fine.
Yes and no. I know of several trailers that have 10,400 worth of axles and frame, but have the GVWR around 8K.
Yes the important part is the actual weight, and without weighing the trailer it's hard to guess.
Without hardly anything in my trailer I am around 8,00lbs over dry weight, and then throw water, etc... A GVWR can give you a good starting point for a loaded guess. Its not uncommon for dry weight to not include certain options, such as a/c, 4 seasons package, etc. Not all mfgrs do this, but some do.
When I was last trailer shopping it seemed the GVWR was more based on average use than actual structural limits. All the GVWR's of the brand I was looking at were about the same weight over the empty weight.
So yes you do need to weigh them, but on a TT (not a toy hauler) the GVWR can be a good starting point on weight.
ravenfan1 wrote:
7200 lbs
Unless you don't take water with you I would guess that's too much trailer for that rig.
Assuming your Avalanche has the HD cooling package the GCWR is 14,000. The curb weight is ~6,200, giving you the 7,800lb tow rating.
With the curb and dry weights combined you have a total of 11,700. That leaves you with 2,300 lbs of room to spare for water, food, clothes, and people in the Avalanche.
You are also limited to 1,100 lbs of tongue weight with a WDH. I know my 29' TT is heavy on the tongue, around 1,250 with careful loading and easily exceeds 1,400 if I am not careful on how I load it. It might also be something to consider.
On a 1/2 ton it's generally not recommended to run right up against the GCWR, especially with something that tows much heavier than it is due to the frontal area and drag. (My old 4K lb 18' TT towed harder on flat ground than a 15K lb dump trailer from the drag alone).
I'll be honest, people that tow heavy with 1/2 tons always think it's acceptable. There is a big difference on the TV from a 7K lb cargo or flatbed trailer to a 7K lb travel trailer or 5er. Size is a big factor in what the TV can handle on a emergency stop.
It's always amazes me how big people go with little trucks. It's no different with slide-in campers. Just because the seller/mfgr said they can do it they will, they never actually weigh the things and see how far above limits they are.
IMHO it's always better to have more truck than you need, but I do live in mountain country which biases my opinion.
