GM Sierra 1500 Double Cab 4WD 5.3L V8

Ken9XL · November 8, 2020

First - Unknown if I am listing this topic in the correct area. I apologize in advance if I am not. Please, inform so I may correct.

My pick up truck came through with Tire & Load Rating sticker in the door jamb only. Nothing pertaining to the Vehicle Weights or Ratings.

The only beneficial information I found on the door frame listed the Payload or weight of cargo & passenger at 1726 lbs.

I own a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE Double Cab 4WD w/5.3L V8 engine rear axle ratio 3.42.

The Tow Rating as listed by the Good Sam Towing Guide is 9200 lbs. I am a little puzzled as to why my weight rating sticker was not on my drivers door.

After writing to the dealership / manufacturer all I received was the Curb Weight at 5263 lbs, GVWR at 7200 lbs, and GAWR /FT-RR (front & rear) both at 3950 lbs.

My vehicle build out sheet and VIN Decoder are useless.

After looking up my GCWR online, I found a generalized weight for my vehicle at 15,000 lbs. Unknown if this weight is correct for my truck.

I currently own a Hitch which is rated at 1200/12000 lbs .

I am guessing 1200/12000 is max 1200 lb hitch maximum weight and 12000 lbs maximum trailer load.

I would like to purchase a Travel Trailer and know my truck limits, since dealers seldom know or care.

I am not even sure of the weights given by the dealer or manufacturer are correct.

Maybe someone can help clear up this confusion so I will know what I will be able to tow and remain safe or within limits.

I was trying to fill in the weights on the Travel Trailer Weight Calculator at http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml which was recommended to me.

Some calculations I am missing regarding my towing limits are -

> Tow Vehicle Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight Rating =

> Tow Vehicle Maximum Tongue Weight Rating =

> Tow Vehicle Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) =

I am hoping someone can help me locate or calculate these weights. Maybe there is a better online calculator.

Any help one can supply will be greatly appreciated. I hate guessing or approximating.

I do realize weighing my vehicle is best, but finding a location close by along with time involved does not work into factor very easy.

Thank-you in advance

GOMD · November 8, 2020

https://media-dmg.assets-cdk.com/teams/repository/export/490/0af5895e110058c850050568b6442/4900af5895e110058c850050568b6442.pdf

amxguy1970 · November 8, 2020

> Tow Vehicle Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight Rating = 9200lb

> Tow Vehicle Maximum Tongue Weight Rating = 1200lb per your hitch but it is recommended to be between 10-15% of the trailer weight not to exceed 1200lb

> Tow Vehicle Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) = 7200lb per your

All the numbers you have and that file linked by GOMD will give you everything as that is a GM official file. Your payload will probably be your limiting factor, so go by your door jamb as that is specific and made for your vehicle. I would make sure you weigh your truck at a local scale, but figure your trailer tongue weight will be around 10% of the trailer weight dry (unloaded). You should be able to adjust the tongue weight some but the trailer will also have its own GVWR so don't exceed that, and make sure the whole thing is under your GCWR with passengers and gear/liquids (fuel, water, etc).

Tyler

evad · November 8, 2020

idk but i wouldn't go by tow ratings for the 1500... the 6 spd gear ratio's are widely spaced and weezy even with the 3.42 gear , if you are thinking of a travel trailer over 5000 lbs you might be better off to get a 2500....... just my opinion tho

Ken9XL · November 8, 2020

https://media-dmg.assets-cdk.com/teams/repository/export/490/0af5895e110058c850050568b6442/4900af5895e110058c850050568b6442.pdf

Thank you! Never received that book with my truck.

All weights listed just confirmed weights dealership forwarded to me.

It did explain trailer weight rating and I question it.

Book states 9200 lbs maximum but calculations using GCWR vs curb weight = 9737 lbs.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Ken9XL

Ken9XL · November 8, 2020

19 minutes ago, amxguy1970 said:

> Tow Vehicle Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight Rating = 9200lb

> Tow Vehicle Maximum Tongue Weight Rating = 1200lb per your hitch but it is recommended to be between 10-15% of the trailer weight not to exceed 1200lb

> Tow Vehicle Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) = 7200lb per your

All the numbers you have and that file linked by GOMD will give you everything as that is a GM official file. Your payload will probably be your limiting factor, so go by your door jamb as that is specific and made for your vehicle. I would make sure you weigh your truck at a local scale, but figure your trailer tongue weight will be around 10% of the trailer weight dry (unloaded). You should be able to adjust the tongue weight some but the trailer will also have its own GVWR so don't exceed that, and make sure the whole thing is under your GCWR with passengers and gear/liquids (fuel, water, etc).

Tyler

Thank-you for that information. I will keep Tongue Weight Rating percentage factor in mind.

I appreciate it and now must take into consideration any Travel Trailer I may look to purchase.

Ken

dieselfan1 · November 8, 2020

All your numbers are right. It's rated to tow 9200 lbs.You are not going to tow 9200 lbs. comfortably. Period.
You can if it's a load of steel on a flatbed. ( No wind resistance)
A travel trailer is like towing a parachute. You need ponies under the hood and gears. 6 ain't enough.
I have a dbl cab 2018 5.3 6 spd. 3.42 that I use to tow. I have a 25' travel trailer( flat front) 6200 lbs loaded.
It struggles in the wind. And on grades. 9 mpg at best. 6 mpg in a headwind. Flat highway no wind I might get 10 mpg.
This is all fact. Not my buddies or a freind. This is my real world experience. Anyone that says they can do better is full of Schitt

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dieselfan1 · November 8, 2020

Cat scales tell the exact weight.

Heres my slip from before I took a trip last month to Wyoming. My daughter moved there so I took all her stuff in my TT. BTW I was overweight.

Take me to jail

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Ken9XL · November 8, 2020

3 hours ago, dieselfan1 said:

All your numbers are right. It's rated to tow 9200 lbs.You are not going to tow 9200 lbs. comfortably. Period.
You can if it's a load of steel on a flatbed. ( No wind resistance)
A travel trailer is like towing a parachute. You need ponies under the hood and gears. 6 ain't enough.
I have a dbl cab 2018 5.3 6 spd. 3.42 that I use to tow. I have a 25' travel trailer( flat front) 6200 lbs loaded.
It struggles in the wind. And on grades. 9 mpg at best. 6 mpg in a headwind. Flat highway no wind I might get 10 mpg.
This is all fact. Not my buddies or a freind. This is my real world experience. Anyone that says they can do better is full of Schitt

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

My truck is a 2016 SLE double cab 5.3 V8 6 spd w/3.42 axle ratio. Wow! Thank you for the information

Ken9XL · November 8, 2020

14 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

Cat scales tell the exact weight.

Heres my slip from before I took a trip last month to Wyoming. My daughter moved there so I took all her stuff in my TT. BTW I was overweight.

Take me to jail

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Funny, that sticker you are showing me is no where to be found on my truck.

I bought the truck off the lot with 16 miles on it November 2016, so I consider it new.

I looked on all four door jambs, front, back, and door itself, nothing found.

No where on truck does it appear as if something had been removed, like left over paper or sticky residue.

I even checked the glove box where a sticker sits for loading a box camper. Still nothing.

If sticker is yellow, I am sure I would have found it. Wonder if they just plain forgot mine.

I asked the dealer and GMC, they both tell me it must have been removed.

JimCost2014 · November 9, 2020

1 hour ago, Ken9XL said:

Funny, that sticker you are showing me is no where to be found on my truck.

I bought the truck off the lot with 16 miles on it November 2016, so I consider it new.

I looked on all four door jambs, front, back, and door itself, nothing found.

No where on truck does it appear as if something had been removed, like left over paper or sticky residue.

I even checked the glove box where a sticker sits for loading a box camper. Still nothing.

If sticker is yellow, I am sure I would have found it. Wonder if they just plain forgot mine.

I asked the dealer and GMC, they both tell me it must have been removed.

If you are talking about the yellow sheet, that is a scale ticket. In this case a private entity, but similar as what you would get from a weigh station on the highway.

The numbers are showing the weight at different spots on the truck, and a grand total.

Edited November 9, 2020 by JimCost2014

dieselfan1 · November 9, 2020

That is a weigh ticket from a Cat scale. They are at truck stops.
It weighs each axle on the truck and the axles on your trailer.

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CamGTP · November 9, 2020

The tow rating sticker does not exist on the K2XX trucks, that is only on the 2019+ model year trucks.

The only thing you will find on your 2016 is the VIN sticker that shows the build date and gross vehicle weight without the trailer.

I stole this from google but it looks like this.

dieselfan1 · November 9, 2020

If you haven't got your trailer yet, beware of the trailer weight. It can be confusing. The salesman will tell you you can pull a 10,000 lb trailer with a Chevy Colorado.
The empty weight should be stated somewhere on a sticker .
The CCC (cargo carrying capacity) of that trailer can vary a lot.
Do you plan on going cross country?

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diyer2 · November 9, 2020

I have a 12 Sierra 5.3 6 speed 3.42's. I live in the mountains of Colorado. I purchased this truck knowing the heaviest thing I would tow regularly was my boat. It weighs about 3500-4000 lbs. The truck does OK with this except pulling grades. You have to down shift to kep up your speed. This causes higher RPM's. Sometimes running it harder than I like so I just find a gear and slow down. The 6 speed trans is the killer.

I have towed heavier 8-9 K pounds and it works hard in the mountains.

I agree with evad and dieselfan1.

If I was towing heavier I would definaely get a 2500 with the big gasser at minimum. More gears in the trans the better.