if i where to re gear from (3.42) to (3.73) would that give me the maximum towing and if so would it also work with a 6inch bds and 35s

newdude · April 3, 2023

13 minutes ago, buttemines said:

what would you have to do to convert the truck to the max towing truck

You can't retrofit the higher "legality" of the truck's GVWR, and at the end of the day its still a 1/2 ton. 9000-10000lbs camper can be high tongue weight real fast and leave you with nothing for people and gear in the truck.

So you can get the Max Trailer radiator, the springs and shocks, gearing and the 9.75" axle and it will mean nothing if an accident happened, they looked at the GCWR and GVWR and said "unsafe overweight".

LDM · April 3, 2023

2 hours ago, buttemines said:

what would you have to do to convert the truck to the max towing truck

You can't. Go buy a Max Tow truck if you want one and then don't put a lift/big tires on it if you actually want to tow something.

swathdiver · April 5, 2023

I don't know where people get the idea that the numbers on the stickers are law.

If you want to beef up your truck's towing prowess, you increase the rear spring capacity at minimum which will allow you to increase your payload and towing ability. 4,200 pound (combined) spring packs minimum. Gearing helps too, especially with the smaller engine.

LDM · April 6, 2023

On 4/5/2023 at 2:19 PM, swathdiver said:

I don't know where people get the idea that the numbers on the stickers are law.

If you want to beef up your truck's towing prowess, you increase the rear spring capacity at minimum which will allow you to increase your payload and towing ability. 4,200 pound (combined) spring packs minimum. Gearing helps too, especially with the smaller engine.

Because they actually are law. Depending on the state, you can get fined for towing overweight all the way up to having your vehicle and trailer impounded. Also, if you are in an accident your insurance company can deny your claim and you can be held criminally liable as well. "Beefing up" your towing capacity doesn't exist even if what you do technically gives you more capability. If you are towing over the limit of any of those numbers on that sticker, you don't get to say "Well, I upgraded my truck with better springs, its ok."

swathdiver · April 7, 2023

3 hours ago, LDM said:

Because they actually are law. Depending on the state, you can get fined for towing overweight all the way up to having your vehicle and trailer impounded. Also, if you are in an accident your insurance company can deny your claim and you can be held criminally liable as well. "Beefing up" your towing capacity doesn't exist even if what you do technically gives you more capability. If you are towing over the limit of any of those numbers on that sticker, you don't get to say "Well, I upgraded my truck with better springs, its ok."

Ok, give me chapter and verse, Illinois and Federal if you please.

LDM · April 7, 2023

1 hour ago, swathdiver said:

Ok, give me chapter and verse, Illinois and Federal if you please.

You are perfectly capable of doing that yourself. Google is your friend. Or you can feel free to call around to the local police departments and have them explain it to you. You can also call your insurance company and ask them what they will do if you get into an accident while towing over the limits on your sticker.

Once again, you can't increase the numbers on your truck by making modifications to it. If it comes from the factory with a 10K limit, you get caught towing over that limit and you can be held liable for it. This fact isn't going to change because you want to pretend otherwise.

KARNUT · April 7, 2023

I towed from the 70s to the end of 90s. My 1 tons pulled a gooseneck trailer registered for 25K combo from Texas to NJ and Florida. Texas to Oklahoma a lot. My gooseneck trailer weighed 7K by itself. I even pulled it with some 3/4 ton diesels. Most of the stopping power was the responsibility of the trailer just like most semi. My insurance company was well aware and insured accordingly. I stopped at weight stations and had some safety checks there. All my trucks were modified for my amusement not because they needed it. One ton trucks have recently stated they can pull that weight. The only difference is the HP and TQ. I worked them and they handled it. Stopping was never a problem. Some people just don’t know what they’re talking about.

Edited April 7, 2023 by KARNUT

Grumpy Bear · April 7, 2023

I don't tow crap and don't haul much but I do know I was given an option on plating it for multiple weight classes. That leads me to believe and yes maybe in error that it is the tag limit you cannot exceed. :dunno:

Pepper is a tall car with an open trunk. :rollin:

KARNUT · April 7, 2023

Not my old rig but similar. That would be over 20K combination. Very common set up for owner operators.

swathdiver · April 7, 2023

13 hours ago, LDM said:

You are perfectly capable of doing that yourself. Google is your friend. Or you can feel free to call around to the local police departments and have them explain it to you. You can also call your insurance company and ask them what they will do if you get into an accident while towing over the limits on your sticker.

Once again, you can't increase the numbers on your truck by making modifications to it. If it comes from the factory with a 10K limit, you get caught towing over that limit and you can be held liable for it. This fact isn't going to change because you want to pretend otherwise.

LDM, I expected this kind of response sadly. You are yacking without facts.

You can take your 2018 Sierra over to your local DMV right now and register it as a Class 2B, 3, 4, 5 or just about whatever you want with some caveats. This is Federal law and mirrors every state that I spot checked.

LDM · April 7, 2023

9 minutes ago, swathdiver said:

LDM, I expected this kind of response sadly. You are yacking without facts.

You can take your 2018 Sierra over to your local DMV right now and register it as a Class 2B, 3, 4, 5 or just about whatever you want with some caveats. This is Federal law and mirrors every state that I spot checked.

And you are still wrong like I already said. Illinois has a very nice amount of info on their DMV sites, maybe you should go spend a little time educating yourself and stop being this ignorant.

Any trailer over 10K in Illinois requires you to have a CDL. So no, I can't register it as my truck as any of those things here in Illinois as I don't have a CDL, just a standard Class D license. Maybe you should try to learn something before you spout nonsense like this.

swathdiver · April 7, 2023

1 hour ago, LDM said:

And you are still wrong like I already said. Illinois has a very nice amount of info on their DMV sites, maybe you should go spend a little time educating yourself and stop being this ignorant.

Any trailer over 10K in Illinois requires you to have a CDL. So no, I can't register it as my truck as any of those things here in Illinois as I don't have a CDL, just a standard Class D license. Maybe you should try to learn something before you spout nonsense like this.

Ok, you're right, I don't know and am ignorant. Please show me the Illinois regulations. I've spent the last 50 minutes and my eyeballs hurt.

Remember, the original subject was whether or not you can tow more than your pickup truck is rated for regardless of what kind of license the driver possesses. We can use your truck for the example.

LDM · April 7, 2023

1 hour ago, swathdiver said:

Ok, you're right, I don't know and am ignorant. Please show me the Illinois regulations. I've spent the last 50 minutes and my eyeballs hurt.

Remember, the original subject was whether or not you can tow more than your pickup truck is rated for regardless of what kind of license the driver possesses. We can use your truck for the example.

My truck has the Max Tow package, so it can technically tow 11,800 pounds. However, because I live in Illinois, in order to tow that much I'd need a Class A CDL as any trailer with a GVWR of 10,001 or higher must have that class. I also need to have a trailer plate with a 10,001-15,000 pound classification. As my truck weighs less than 8,000, I still use the standard B class plate for my truck.

Can I tow more than the rating on my truck or licensing in IL? Sure, if I want to deal with the fines, possible impoundment of my truck, trailer, and cargo, as well as the time to deal with all this. Oh, and as I said before, you tow above the limits here, insurance will deny any claim if you have an accident and you can also be held criminally liable for damages due to exceeding the weight limit. IL police or sheriffs can pull you over if they believe you are over the limit, force you to go to a weight station, and verify your weight. If you are over, they can pretty much do whatever they want after that.

Maybe the laws are different in Florida and they don't have the type of stuff we do up here. Don't know and don't really care, I don't tow there. I do know that everything I said in my original post about how making modification does not change the tow rating of your vehicle legally, especially here in IL. You can't change out any equipment that would make your vehicle have a higher tow rating and then make it legal. IL goes by that sticker and its licensing/plate requirements. You have a truck with a 5K tow limit, you get caught towing 7K, you will have to deal with the consequences. Modifying your springs, shocks, rear end, or anything else may improve how the vehicle tows and makes it better. But you can't take a 5K truck, add any of those things, and legally make it tow a higher number. Not in this state.

swathdiver · April 7, 2023

47 minutes ago, LDM said:

My truck has the Max Tow package, so it can technically tow 11,800 pounds. However, because I live in Illinois, in order to tow that much I'd need a Class A CDL as any trailer with a GVWR of 10,001 or higher must have that class. I also need to have a trailer plate with a 10,001-15,000 pound classification. As my truck weighs less than 8,000, I still use the standard B class plate for my truck.

Can I tow more than the rating on my truck or licensing in IL? Sure, if I want to deal with the fines, possible impoundment of my truck, trailer, and cargo, as well as the time to deal with all this. Oh, and as I said before, you tow above the limits here, insurance will deny any claim if you have an accident and you can also be held criminally liable for damages due to exceeding the weight limit. IL police or sheriffs can pull you over if they believe you are over the limit, force you to go to a weight station, and verify your weight. If you are over, they can pretty much do whatever they want after that.

Maybe the laws are different in Florida and they don't have the type of stuff we do up here. Don't know and don't really care, I don't tow there. I do know that everything I said in my original post about how making modification does not change the tow rating of your vehicle legally, especially here in IL. You can't change out any equipment that would make your vehicle have a higher tow rating and then make it legal. IL goes by that sticker and its licensing/plate requirements. You have a truck with a 5K tow limit, you get caught towing 7K, you will have to deal with the consequences. Modifying your springs, shocks, rear end, or anything else may improve how the vehicle tows and makes it better. But you can't take a 5K truck, add any of those things, and legally make it tow a higher number. Not in this state.

But your still making claims without showing the law. Show us the statutes and or regulations for Illinois.

I have shown the laws for Florida, Pennsylvania and Federal Law on this and other forums over the years.

LDM · April 9, 2023

On 4/7/2023 at 3:29 PM, swathdiver said:

But your still making claims without showing the law. Show us the statutes and or regulations for Illinois.

I have shown the laws for Florida, Pennsylvania and Federal Law on this and other forums over the years.

Once again, look them up yourself. I have a feeling you've been told this more than one before by other people than me. I'm not here to do your own research, anyone in IL that tows knows this information because they did exactly that. Or should have so they don't end up getting in trouble with the police and DMV. You can read through the IL Combined Statues and the DMV website to look up all this information yourself. Or call a DMV here and get someone to tell you it (good luck with that one though). Everything you need is right here: https://www.ilsos.gov/

I've lived in IL my entire life (unfortunately) and own a 10K car hauler trailer, as well as a 3K utility trailer. I put the information for the various classifications in this part of my previous post, along with the class info, exactly like you asked since you spent 50 minute looking up info and couldn't find anything. The fact that you think I need to spend my time giving you all this info is pretty damn funny. Federal law is pretty much an after thought here as everything in IL has far higher requirements. Hell, just to get a Class A CDL you have to have blood pressure lower than 140/90 or you need medical checkups and verification of medication every year. All so the state can steal more money from the people who live here. But I suppose that is another issue entirely.

My truck has the Max Tow package, so it can technically tow 11,800 pounds. However, because I live in Illinois, in order to tow that much I'd need a Class A CDL as any trailer with a GVWR of 10,001 or higher must have that class. I also need to have a trailer plate with a 10,001-15,000 pound classification. As my truck weighs less than 8,000, I still use the standard B class plate for my truck.