Understanding my max tow rating, capability and if lift will hurt towing

Donstar · June 18, 2020

15 hours ago, Tom Hole said:

Step 3: Go out to your truck and open the driver's door. There are a couple of stickers on the B pillar. One of them says "The weight of all occupants and cargo should never exceed: XXXX". Tell us what that number is. This is your payload capacity and represents your payload as the truck rolled off the assembly line. Anything you have added (lift, bigger tires, people, tools, etc...) will reduce your payload capacity.

I believe the modifications also render the payload number invalid. This should be added to your figures to be ignored, imo. (Step 2: Ignore the max tow rating and the GCWR. )

corn18 · June 18, 2020

7 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I believe the modifications also render the payload number invalid. This should be added to your figures to be ignored, imo. (Step 2: Ignore the max tow rating and the GCWR. )

Those mods don’t impact the numbers. You can’t raise your GVWR with mods and you don’t lower it either.

now, would I tow at max weights with a lifted truck? Dunno. Would have to have some experience towing with a lifted truck to answer. I can tell you that towing at max weight in a 1/2 ton was fine for me, but I wasn’t lifted.

dieselfan1 · June 18, 2020

20 minutes ago, Tom Hole said:

now, would I tow at max weights with a lifted truck? Dunno. Would have to have some experience towing with a lifted truck to answer. I can tell you that towing at max weight in a 1/2 ton was fine for me, but I wasn’t lifted.

I can tell you first hand that my truck with a 9" lift and 37" tires will not tow 9100 lbs. I'm not regeared but even if I was it still isn't doing it. I've towed my 25' travel trailer that weighs around 5000 lbs empty and it had all it could handle compared to my stock truck.

corn18 · June 18, 2020

40 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

I can tell you first hand that my truck with a 9" lift and 37" tires will not tow 9100 lbs. I'm not regeared but even if I was it still isn't doing it. I've towed my 25' travel trailer that weighs around 5000 lbs empty and it had all it could handle compared to my stock truck.

That would be my expectation. Besides the power part, I have heard that lifting a truck affects handling and sway while towing.

dieselfan1 · June 18, 2020

On 6/18/2020 at 10:10 AM, Tom Hole said:

That would be my expectation. Besides the power part, I have heard that lifting a truck affects handling and sway while towing.

I have a custom made 13"( yes 13") drop hitch with no sway or weight distribution. Just a straight drop hitch. She sways a lot when a semi passes . I won't take it on the interstate or go over 60 just for that reason.

My stock truck 75 mph all day long with a W/D anti sway hitch.

I may need to get some braces made for the 13" hitch I'm sure that would help

truckguy82 · June 19, 2020

I dont understand, every time I have towed serious weight it feels like it’s no problem.

I prefer common sense and morals over the law. So the manufacturer recommendations be damned.

Towed a 13k lb dumb trailer, really felt like no problem at all.

Put 3500lbs in my bed on accident, was not a big deal. 2500lbs felt like I could daily drive it with that weight in there.

what I have never towed is something physically big like a 25ft+ trailer. So maybe we should differentiate between physical size and towing capability. I don’t think the truck has a problem with the weight

corn18 · June 19, 2020

1 minute ago, truckguy82 said:

I dont understand, every time I have towed serious weight it feels like it’s no problem.

I prefer common sense and morals over the law. So the manufacturer recommendations be damned.

Towed a 13k lb dumb trailer, really felt like no problem at all.

Put 3500lbs in my bed on accident, was not a big deal. 2500lbs felt like I could daily drive it with that weight in there.

what I have never towed is something physically big like a 25ft+ trailer. So maybe we should differentiate between physical size and towing capability. I don’t think the truck has a problem with the weight

That's just stupid and irresponsible.

truckguy82 · June 19, 2020

You’d have to know the distances to know how stupid.

I took max capacity seriously until I realized the corvettes rating was 500lbs

How it feels is far more important to me than the rating.

3500lbs was for 2 miles, definitely felt undersprung. Didnt realized how much top soil weighed. But never hit the bump stops. Thats some serious springs we have to not hit the bump stops and definitely not on a smooth road.