I am thinking of getting a trailer for the wife when camping as she likes more space when camping with the kids. I like having the TCer as we use it for a lot more when camping then just sleeping in as I like to have it a washroom and a place to put the dog should we want to do something during the day and want to leave the dog in the cool camper but still close to us, place to store my cameras, etc, etc.So I am thinking of buying a small hard side trailer to tow with the camper on the truck (she does not like tent trailers and I am not a fan of setting them up and taking down). We have a heavy duty hitch already on the truck but my question is the weight of the trailer.From what I can find out the truck can pull 8000 lbs - 2002 GMC 2500HD 6L 4x4(I do not have the original manual so I am pulling this from a number of sources)Truck camper 1600 lbs dryTrailer 3272 lbs dryThat should still give me 3128 lbs for people, gear, food, water, etc.Okay so what am I missing??? Seems too easy of a calculation.

Check the cargo capacity on the sticker in the drivers door jamb. It's not just about what you can pull, but also what you can carry. There is also a gcwr (gross combined weight of loaded truck and trailer).

I`d make sure the trailer you tow has elec brakes for sure, I think a lot of the smaller ones wont, they can be added fairly easily if you make sure the one you buy has backing plates on the axle to mt them on

2500 HD has a GVWR of 9200. I can't recall what the tow capacity is - 9600 I think.You are well within the limits and capabilities of your truck. Stop thinking and debating it, and just go buy a trailer and make the wife happy. :-)

Question- Will you be needing a hitch extension? We had a Reese Tow-Beast 2.5" square (to work with the factory Ford hitch on our Super-Duty). The Tow-Beast extension was cut to 3' long. We used it with a load-leveling, anti-sway setup, and a small 2-horse trailer (probably around 5000# loaded.When we upgraded our horse-trailer to a bigger unit, we upgraded the truck hitch to a TorkLift Superhitch with a 3' cantilevered extension. We kept the Equal-Izer load-leveling, anti-sway setup. We had a lot more peace of mind towing a heavy load behind the TC after the upgrade. The TorkLift stuff is rock solid.If you don't need an extension- even better. I would still invest in something to level the load, and give you some anti-sway capability. You'll have a lot of load on that back axle and tires. Good luck with whatever you decide.

For the sake of discussion only, the specs on a 2002 GMC 2500HD SL, 4x4, Ext cab, long bed most likely are:Truck GVWR 9200 Payload 3807 Tow 10300 Curb 5393Trailer:GTW 7000 (a guess)Curb 3272Assuming:3272 = Trailer2000 = Trailer load5393 = Truck3507 = Truck loadGTW = 5272GVWR = 8900For load I used: 400 = 2 pax & cab stuff @ 200 ea2500 = Camper (1700 dry + 800 water, propane, food, & stuff) 527 = Tongue weight (10% of trailer GTW) 80 = Hitch & suchDoing the math … it seems like you've around 300# of load & a thousand plus of tow available. No idea about axel weights or how such a set up would drive over the river & through dale … & I could be totally wrong about all this ...

Towing Question | Good Sam Community

Photomike
Explorer III
Aug 04, 2014
twodownzero wrote:
I would weigh your truck with the camper on. 1600 lbs seems very light. What kind of camper is it?

Sorry about the delay, got busy.

It is an older Northern Lite.

Here are the specs on one of the trailers that I am looking at:

Exterior Length 16'6"
Exterior Width 7'
Exterior Height w/ A/C 9'10"
Interior Height 6'4"
Bed Size N/A
Dinette Bed Size 60"x80"
Sofa Size N/A
Axle Weight (lbs.) 2,313
Hitch Weight (lbs.) 170
Dry Weight (lbs.) 2,483
GVWR (lbs.) 3,670
Cargo Capacity (lbs.) 1,187
Fresh Tank (gal.) 25
Gray Tank (gal.) 32
Black Tank (gal.) 25
LP Bottle (lbs.) 40
Power Conv. (Amps) 35
Elec. Ign. Furn (BTU) 16K

I will keep doing some more research. The good thing is that the weight of the food, gear and other personal things will stay the same it will just be distributed to the TCer and the trailer.

Thanks again,
handye9
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2014
Here's a calculator where you can plug in your actual weights, with various hitch extension lengths, and it will calculate trailer weights for you.
bobndot
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2014
Mike, I would weigh your rig. I think it might be a little more # , if you still have the NL .
If the GM is a 2002, I would look at the possibility of a new hitch . The older OEM GM's were not all that strong and might be a little rusted by now. My OEM had some stress cracks , so I changed it .
I have a GMC 04' and I had to install a Curt 2.5" with an extension that allows the use of regular 2" hardware.

If you need one, here is one option that I used :
Curt 2.5" recvr.

this is the extension with reducer. I cut mine down to the right length.
http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Draw-Tite/RP45292.html

My Cargo pro is about 1200# dry incl. my finished interior cargo racks, carrying about 800# of camping/fishing gear.
racedrvr
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014
I have a 2004 2500 HD and have towed trailers with the truck camper loaded for many thousands of miles. You must be aware of the fact that the tongue weight of the trailer will be critical in that a lot more than just the tongue weight will be added to the rear axle of the truck when using a long extension in your hitch. Here's a picture of one of my setups.
Super_Dave
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014
You have a light camper and your trailer weighs about the same as a decent boat. You are just doing what truck campers were designed for. It appears that your error is adding haul weight to pull weight to compare against the 8,000 lbs you stated.
twodownzero
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014
I would weigh your truck with the camper on. 1600 lbs seems very light. What kind of camper is it?
Bigimac
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014
For the sake of discussion only, the specs on a 2002 GMC 2500HD SL, 4x4, Ext cab, long bed most likely are:

Truck
GVWR 9200
Payload 3807
Tow 10300
Curb 5393

Trailer:
GTW 7000 (a guess)
Curb 3272

Assuming:
3272 = Trailer
2000 = Trailer load
5393 = Truck
3507 = Truck load

GTW = 5272
GVWR = 8900

For load I used:
400 = 2 pax & cab stuff @ 200 ea
2500 = Camper (1700 dry + 800 water, propane, food, & stuff)
527 = Tongue weight (10% of trailer GTW)
80 = Hitch & such

Doing the math … it seems like you've around 300# of load & a thousand plus of tow available.

No idea about axel weights or how such a set up would drive over the river & through dale … & I could be totally wrong about all this ...
2Gordons
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014
Question- Will you be needing a hitch extension?

We had a Reese Tow-Beast 2.5" square (to work with the factory Ford hitch on our Super-Duty). The Tow-Beast extension was cut to 3' long. We used it with a load-leveling, anti-sway setup, and a small 2-horse trailer (probably around 5000# loaded.

When we upgraded our horse-trailer to a bigger unit, we upgraded the truck hitch to a TorkLift Superhitch with a 3' cantilevered extension. We kept the Equal-Izer load-leveling, anti-sway setup. We had a lot more peace of mind towing a heavy load behind the TC after the upgrade. The TorkLift stuff is rock solid.

If you don't need an extension- even better. I would still invest in something to level the load, and give you some anti-sway capability. You'll have a lot of load on that back axle and tires. Good luck with whatever you decide.
trail-explorer
Explorer
Jul 30, 2014
2500 HD has a GVWR of 9200. I can't recall what the tow capacity is - 9600 I think.

You are well within the limits and capabilities of your truck. Stop thinking and debating it, and just go buy a trailer and make the wife happy. :-)
okan-star
Explorer
Jul 29, 2014
I`d make sure the trailer you tow has elec brakes for sure, I think a lot of the smaller ones wont, they can be added fairly easily if you make sure the one you buy has backing plates on the axle to mt them on