Question about fifth wheel towing.......

[wdk450]

Jeremy:
Here is a link to the Trailer Life 2007 Towing Guide, the industry "bible" of towing capacities: http://www.trailerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Trailer-Life-Towing-Guide-2007.pdf

Everyone,

I have been looking at getting into a 5th wheel, and I think I found one that we might be interested in. I just want to know how the weights all work out when you are looking at whether or not your truck can pull a particular trailer. Here is the info on the truck and trailer:

Truck:
2007 Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab Short Bed
6.0L engine
3.73 rear end
9800 lbs towing capacity
3217 lbs payload capacity

Trailer:
Unloaded Vehicle Weight: 9,280 lbs
Dry Hitch Weight: 1,749 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating: 11,250 lbs
Cargo Carrying Capacity: 1,970 lbs.

I know that towing a fifth wheel has a lot to do with payload. So my payload is 3217 lbs. The hitch weight is 1749 lbs, or lets just round it up to 2000 lbs loaded. So that means that I can only put another 1217 lbs of stuff (people, fuel, luggage) in my truck and still be legal. Is this statement correct?

I am not too worried about my gas mileage at all. My only camping trip more than 1 hour from my house, is a 5 hour pull up to the UP of Michigan once a year. So the fuel mileage between the gas and diesel don't really matter to me. And I have a work car, so the only time I really drive my truck is when I am pulling the trailer

I guess I just want to be more educated on how I can more easily determine if I can safely pull a trailer or not.

Thanks.

 

[RVNEWBIE]

That lil v6 is TWIN TURBOCHARGED! One to get going, and one to keep it going.

Joe

 

[Mike-and-Alice]

http://www.fifthwheelst.com/documents/2007_chevrolet_silverado_owners.pdf

I think your truck is on the middle panel of page 432 in this link if it is 2WD. If 4WD, page 434. (GM uses K for 4WD and C for 2WD). If you have the 6.0 gas engine, it looks like your max towing capacity would be (9800/4WD)(10,000/2WD) and, if 25% of that is on the hitch, you are well within the 3,217 payload. I don't think your truck was built with the 3.73 rear end, but if you want to be legal (and you do!), keep the max trailer weight to 9,800 (10,000 if 2WD). Otherwise you need a diesel truck. Note that your same truck with the 6.6 liter turbo diesel tows at least 5,000 more lbs.

 

[priorguy]

Just read the 2014 silverado half to is rated up to 12,000 towing now. "Best in class". The half ton towing race is on. What will the hemi Dodge do next year?


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