Help Determining Payload Of 3500 Srw

chiroken · August 27, 2009

Hello everyone, 1st time poster.

I'm in the process of searching for/buying a 3500 SRW truck to allow me to carry a camper and boat (boat=2500lb total weight, trailer in). I'm having a tough time getting a handle on the actual payload available to me and the police are tight about being overweight around here. I'm not willing to load 'er up on an extra leaf and air bags and be over weight.

I'm most likely going to go into an '06 4 door crew cab long box SRW, prefer gas however the vast majority out there are diesel. I understand GMC's have a sticker in the glove box that specifically gives the max payload? Each vehicle's number will vary depending on exactly what add-ons came from the factory?

What exactly does this number represent? The GVWR minus the curb weight (including gas and driver?)of the truck? Can anyone with this vehicle tell me what this value actually is, and which motor you have with your truck?

The campers I'm looking at make it close...a couple of hundred pounds can make me legal...or not.

Thanks in advance.

Draenor · August 27, 2009

Its on the door sticker , not the glove box.

chiroken · August 27, 2009

Its on the door sticker , not the glove box.

I believe the GVWR and the axle ratios are on the door, there is also information on the glove box sticker relating to either the camper weight or payload. The GVWR is useless unless I know the weight of my vehicle. Are you saying the curb weight is also on the door? The GCVWR is irrelevant as I am only pulling 2,500lbs.

pwall · August 27, 2009

Best thing to do is to have the truck weighted (spelling??). That will let you know for sure how much room you have left for your camper.

I had my truck weighted and I was surprised to see that it weights 7900lbs....empty. Just a tank of fuel and a truck cap.

96chevy7.4L · August 27, 2009

Hi my dually rear axle weight rating is 7500. That is what the axle is rated for. The truck empty on the scale for the drive axle is 4800. Which gives me about 2300 roughly in payload capacity with a tank of gas. If you buy a travel trailer be sure to ask what pin weight is on that model if buying a 5th wheel. Also ask what the tongue weight is roughly if it is a tag along. Once you get an idea of the weight go to a truck stop and get on the scales that will tell you the steering axle, drive axle, and trailer axles. As long as those weights it gives you don't exceed whats on the truck door or the trailer axle ratings your okay. Most a cop will do is put you on a set of portable scales. When you get weighed keep the ticket with you always. If you should get pulled over and they use the portable scales and you come up over weight and the truck stop scales say otherwise. The truck stop will go to bat for you. The national standard is a 10% variance. Just a lil insight. 8 bucks to get on the scales is well worth it. Just go get your truck weighed if nothing else and take the weight of the drive axle minus your rear axle weight rating and thats what you can carry.

chiroken · August 28, 2009

If you buy a travel trailer be sure to ask what pin weight is on that model if buying a 5th wheel. Once you get an idea of the weight go to a truck stop and get on the scales that will tell you the steering axle, drive axle, and trailer axles. When you get weighed keep the ticket with you always.

Good point to keep the weigh scales ticket. What I forgot to mention is I will most likely be bringing the truck in from elsewhere as there is next to nothing available near me. Good chance I can't get it weighed prior to bringing it in which is why I'm trying to get a handle on weights here on the forum.

As I mentioned, I'm looking to go into a truck camper rather than a 5th wheel. I will be pulling a boat, but at 2500lbs that is very little tongue weight.

$8 to get weighed!!! The local RV dealership said the lady at the office at the cement plant likes Tim Horton's coffee, that along with a polite "please" will getcha weighed lol!!

pwall · August 28, 2009

The local dump just 10mins from my place will weight as well...for a modest $35 fee.

96chevy7.4L · August 28, 2009

8 to 10 bucks at a Pilot Travel Center or a Flying J Truck stop. They have CAT scales which are the most accurate. And like I say keep the weight ticket that weight if some cop wants to weigh you and he says your over the CAT scales people will go to bat for you including going to court if it gets that far.

2COR517 · August 29, 2009

If you're looking for a decent slide in, you probably should be looking at a dually. I believe the GVWR on a 3500 SWR is going to be 9,900. The truck is going weigh probably 7K empty. The gas job will save you some weight over the diesel. That leaves you 2,900 for the camper, mama, and all your crap.

chiroken · August 29, 2009

If you're looking for a decent slide in, you probably should be looking at a dually.

We've decided against a dually, a 4 door crew cab long box is a big enough beast to drive. I'm not too keen on driving a dually and my wife is definitely not wanting to drive one either. That decision has got me where I am now, figuring out where I am with a SRW and figuring out just how much camper I can put in the back.

markw8 · August 29, 2009

My 2000, 2500 ext cab, 4x4 gasser, with a 2000 Lance 920 camper, grossed 9820# loaded with two people. 4100 frt 5720 rear. The gvwr was 8600# Rear axle rating was 6084#. Also this truck was B4 the current HDs, so was lighter in comparison.

What city or state are you from that they're hassleing non commercial trucks? I follow RV including truck camper specif forums, and that is virtually unheard of. It gets talked about, but never any thing first hand.

One more thing on your choice of truck, if You want to stay numbers legal. I still have the same camper, but now have an 08 GMC CC 2wd dually D/A. GVWR 11,400# On the scale loaded 2 people 11,600. 4760 frt 6840 rear. As you can see I'm still 200#s over. If it was a 4x4 I would be over the frt axle rating of 4800#.

Mark.

96chevy7.4L · August 30, 2009

driving the dually isn't bad. You get used to it. The advantage of the dually is if you get into bad weather with your camper in the bed or have a heavy trailer such as a 5th wheel or gooseneck teh dually will give more stability. You will find the SRW is okay but in bad weather with the weght on it it will try and roll on the sidewall of the tire. The 4 tires won't take no crap from it. I have seen this first hand. The only drawback to the dually is stay out of drive thru at the local bank as the outer tires will rub or in some cases get wedged in and you will have to back out or be dragged out NOT fun. Jut my opinion and experience.

96chevy7.4L · August 30, 2009

driving the dually isn't bad. You get used to it. The advantage of the dually is if you get into bad weather with your camper in the bed or have a heavy trailer such as a 5th wheel or gooseneck teh dually will give more stability. You will find the SRW is okay but in bad weather with the weght on it it will try and roll on the sidewall of the tire. The 4 tires won't take no crap from it. I have seen this first hand. The only drawback to the dually is stay out of drive thru at the local bank as the outer tires will rub or in some cases get wedged in and you will have to back out or be dragged out NOT fun. Jut my opinion and experience.

97SierraGMC · August 30, 2009

i drive my dads f350 4 door 8 ft box dually all the time its easy... its just like driving a normal pickup

that is the biggest truck out there as far a length, weight (8300 lbs empty) and everything and its EASY to drive you will thank your self for buying a dually they can haul anything

chiroken · August 30, 2009

What city or state are you from that they're hassleing non commercial trucks? I follow RV including truck camper specif forums, and that is virtually unheard of. It gets talked about, but never any thing first hand.

Thanks for your numbers. I'm in BC, north in Canada. I know they really were cracking down awhile back on weights and have again backed off. The police I believe are working with ICBC (our provincial automobile insurer) to increase "road safety". Let's be honest here, there are some out there that are so overweight it's ridiculous! Mind you it's more likely to be someone with palettes of cement blocks in the back of his Ford Ranger than a truck and camper.

As far as I know our insurance is void if in an accident and we are overweight. I have no doubt that the numbers on the stickers have some leeway as far as safety and a few hundred pounds is still safe as long as you drive appropriately with extra braking time etc...it's the insurance issue that also has me worried.