What Is The Real Payload/towing Capacity?

Old International · January 10, 2010

it seems like everywhere i look i get a different answer

03 silverado 2500 HD 6.0 crew cab 4x4

online i see payloads between 3800-4100..towing capacity between 9,000-12,000

today i was reading consumer report magazine and it had my exact truck listed as 2,050 lbs payload and 15,000 towing capacity

i know my gvwr is 9200, its on the door....also the curb weight is anywhere from 5500-6700

builderpaul · January 10, 2010

it seems like everywhere i look i get a different answer

03 silverado 2500 HD 6.0 crew cab 4x4

online i see payloads between 3800-4100..towing capacity between 9,000-12,000

today i was reading consumer report magazine and it had my exact truck listed as 2,050 lbs payload and 15,000 towing capacity

i know my gvwr is 9200, its on the door....also the curb weight is anywhere from 5500-6700

You will get different answers because most trucks are outfitted different and carry around different equipment.

The only thing that can be advertised as absolute is the GVW (9200) and the GCWR (which is dependent on the rear end ratio, 14K for 3.73 and 16K for 4.10). These are the maximum weights your truck is designed for. All other ads will say "up to" x number of pounds.

Your payload is determined by weighing your truck, empty and subtracting that from the GVW. A 2wd reg cab will have a bigger payload capacity than a 4x4 crew because it has the same GVW but is a lighter truck.

Your towing capacity is determined by subtracting the weight of the truck, passengers, cargo, fuel. etc from the GCWR. That will give you the max towing capacity. (Remember towing capacity includes not just the trailer but what is loaded on the trailer also). So the more you put in the truck the less you can tow.

As you can see the consumer magazine was way off if they claimed towing capacity of 15K. They may have misprinted the GCVW.

Old International · January 10, 2010

it seems like everywhere i look i get a different answer

03 silverado 2500 HD 6.0 crew cab 4x4

online i see payloads between 3800-4100..towing capacity between 9,000-12,000

today i was reading consumer report magazine and it had my exact truck listed as 2,050 lbs payload and 15,000 towing capacity

i know my gvwr is 9200, its on the door....also the curb weight is anywhere from 5500-6700

You will get different answers because most trucks are outfitted different and carry around different equipment.

The only thing that can be advertised as absolute is the GVW (9200) and the GCWR (which is dependent on the rear end ratio, 14K for 3.73 and 16K for 4.10). These are the maximum weights your truck is designed for. All other ads will say "up to" x number of pounds.

Your payload is determined by weighing your truck, empty and subtracting that from the GVW. A 2wd reg cab will have a bigger payload capacity than a 4x4 crew because it has the same GVW but is a lighter truck.

Your towing capacity is determined by subtracting the weight of the truck, passengers, cargo, fuel. etc from the GCWR. That will give you the max towing capacity. (Remember towing capacity includes not just the trailer but what is loaded on the trailer also). So the more you put in the truck the less you can tow.

As you can see the consumer magazine was way off if they claimed towing capacity of 15K. They may have misprinted the GCVW.

it also had a ford f250 extended cab long bed 4x4 curb weight as 8200 lbs...theres no way thats right

Kodiak450 · January 10, 2010

Unless that F250 comes with optional bullet proof armor protection. Mine weighs just over 6,000 empty. Some oil change tech told me I weighed over 10,000 once, and he got to that number by adding of the GVW up, which I knew was incorrect. Whats really funny is my BMW X5 weighs the same as my 2500, thats because BMW uses thick steel and the doors are soild just like benz's.

pwall · January 10, 2010

Although mine is a 3500hd DRW, so not a fair comparison to a F250........but mine wieghs 7950 lbs empty. I had it weighed, so I know it's accurate.

davzog · January 11, 2010

I buy wood pellets for my pellet stove a ton at a time....50 bags at 40 pounds each. When I buy them, the guy puts the entire pallet in the truck of my bed....

First time, I was concerned that I was overloaded, but I never even used tow/haul mode....the last time I bought a ton, the guy next to me loaded two pallets, or 2 tons, into his truck. He said he did this every year....he had an 04 Hd 2500 4x4. SO, I guess I was not overloaded....not sure I would put two tons in the bed. He said he drove 40 miles that way without any issues....ugh!!

vettelovralexand · January 11, 2010

I buy wood pellets for my pellet stove a ton at a time....50 bags at 40 pounds each. When I buy them, the guy puts the entire pallet in the truck of my bed....

First time, I was concerned that I was overloaded, but I never even used tow/haul mode....the last time I bought a ton, the guy next to me loaded two pallets, or 2 tons, into his truck. He said he did this every year....he had an 04 Hd 2500 4x4. SO, I guess I was not overloaded....not sure I would put two tons in the bed. He said he drove 40 miles that way without any issues....ugh!!

He was overloaded because his truck was surely over 5200lb likely by almost 1000lb. Not to mention it was probably way over the rear axle rating. And...tow/haul isn't recommended by GM until you reach 3/4 of your GCWR, so you were right to only leave your truck in drive. Otherwise you are just wasting fuel.

davzog · January 11, 2010

I buy wood pellets for my pellet stove a ton at a time....50 bags at 40 pounds each. When I buy them, the guy puts the entire pallet in the truck of my bed....

First time, I was concerned that I was overloaded, but I never even used tow/haul mode....the last time I bought a ton, the guy next to me loaded two pallets, or 2 tons, into his truck. He said he did this every year....he had an 04 Hd 2500 4x4. SO, I guess I was not overloaded....not sure I would put two tons in the bed. He said he drove 40 miles that way without any issues....ugh!!

He was overloaded because his truck was surely over 5200lb likely by almost 1000lb. Not to mention it was probably way over the rear axle rating. And...tow/haul isn't recommended by GM until you reach 3/4 of your GCWR, so you were right to only leave your truck in drive. Otherwise you are just wasting fuel.

I agree for sure he was overloaded....but, he was absolutely proud that the truck could handle the weight. I suspect is did not handle very well, especially in turns. DOn't knwo if he had air bags on it or not...did not look.

I was very surprised how well my truck drove with a true 1000 pounds in the bed....glad I have "E" tires...ha

Kodiak450 · January 11, 2010

1000lbs is nothing for a 3/4 ton, a 1/2 ton will handle it too! A stock 3/4 ton could take on 5000 lbs. Get an additional spring added, you can handle another 2000 lbs easily ontop of 5000 lbs. It literally takes 2000lbs now for my bed to start to drop with the added HD spring. Also noticed my tires do not wear out as fast with heavy payloads now. A wise investment for the price of almost two tires. Used to be, I would replace tires every 12 months, now they are exceeding 24 months of life before I replace them.

davzog · January 11, 2010

I would be afraid to put 7000 pounds in the bed....wouldn't the tires blow out and the rear end gears strip????

ATMINF · January 12, 2010

You can put about 3500lbs in the bed of the truck, and when towing you can tow 10,000lbs(as long as you have a good WD hitch, that is setup correctly.

Kodiak450 · January 12, 2010

I would be afraid to put 7000 pounds in the bed....wouldn't the tires blow out and the rear end gears strip????

Years ago I tore up my sidewalks and asphalt driveway apron so I could lay new concrete. I loaded the driveway apron and 4 flags of sidewalk into my F250 and the bed was considerably sagging. I didn't think I had that much weight at first, but after driving I knew I never hauled that much weight in my truck before. Before dumping the old concrete, you drive over this scale and stop and they weigh you. Total weight on the scale was 12,500 and change. So I figured I had somewhere about a 6000 lbs payload in the bed. The F250 had OEM springs (no added springs on that truck) and I know comapring my Silverado 2500 HD, it can handle much better payloads vs the F250 could when it was stock.

Having the added spring gives you 2000 lbs of payload to carry, so I would haul 7000 lbs in the bed if the payload would fit, but I would be at my max almost. As long as your bed is not sagging to the point of where you see your tires under stress, they wouldn'y blow out on you. Ofcoarse you would get some real horrible gas mileage with the more weight you haul. I think I literally was getting 5 mpg with the F250 with that concrete in the back.

chrisb1 · January 14, 2010

I have a 2008 2500HD Duramax Extended 6.5 box, full options, with a LEER canopy. My truck with no passengers and full fuel weighs 7250 pounds against a GVW of 9200. I can haul 1950lbs in the bed and cab

and still meet specs. I added Helwig sway front and rear, wireless airbags and dual Supersprings overloads, 285-70-17 Nitto Terra Grappler (3750lbs each) and the truck would not haul

an Arctic Fox 811 camper weighing 3500lbs empty. I could start, stop and no sway but the camper would pull the front end of the truck up and it was truly scary.

ATMINF · January 14, 2010

Chris your truck weight seems too high to me. I know my truck weight was about 5700lbs with just me and a tank of gas. I have loaded 2 tons of river rock in the bed and the rear end did squat down but it still had about 3in before the rear springs hit the bump stops, but the front end did not face up, it more squated down equally with the rest of the truck. I also remember I looked up the specs for my truck when I bought it, and I remember the GM site had my configuration as being able to hold a little over 3800lbs in the bed.

robertbick · January 14, 2010

I buy wood pellets for my pellet stove a ton at a time....50 bags at 40 pounds each. When I buy them, the guy puts the entire pallet in the truck of my bed....

First time, I was concerned that I was overloaded, but I never even used tow/haul mode....the last time I bought a ton, the guy next to me loaded two pallets, or 2 tons, into his truck. He said he did this every year....he had an 04 Hd 2500 4x4. SO, I guess I was not overloaded....not sure I would put two tons in the bed. He said he drove 40 miles that way without any issues....ugh!!

He was overloaded because his truck was surely over 5200lb likely by almost 1000lb. Not to mention it was probably way over the rear axle rating. And...tow/haul isn't recommended by GM until you reach 3/4 of your GCWR, so you were right to only leave your truck in drive. Otherwise you are just wasting fuel.

I agree for sure he was overloaded....but, he was absolutely proud that the truck could handle the weight. I suspect is did not handle very well, especially in turns. DOn't knwo if he had air bags on it or not...did not look.

I was very surprised how well my truck drove with a true 1000 pounds in the bed....glad I have "E" tires...ha

A ton is 2000 pounds, not 1000. I pick up my pellets one ton at a time too.