Silverado 3500 HD capabilities

[rmk700]

The specs say for a 2015 Chevy Silverado 3500HD, Double cab, long box, 6.0 vortec, 4X4.

GVWR is 11,000 lbs. + Max Conventional Trailering, 4.10 Rear Axle 13,000 lbs. = GCWR 24,000 lbs.
GVWR is 11,000 lbs. + Max 5th Wheel Trailering, 4.10 Rear Axle is 13,900 lbs. = GCWR 24,900 lbs.

This tells me that GCWR (gross combination weight rate) should be max 24,000 lbs. & 24,900 lbs.

Why does Chevy say GCWR max 20,500 lbs? What am I missing?

2015 Silverado 3500HD Trims: Extended & Crew Cab WT & LT | Chevrolet

 

[tcartwri]

The gas motor simply does not have the performance for that kind of weight.

 

[Diamondpilot]

They rate to the weakest link. Just because the axle is rated for a certain weight does not mean the chassis, suspension, transmission,tires, engine, or other components are.

Chris

 

[Flying MXZ]

And I don't think you can put 11,000# on the truck axles (~4000# in the bed) AND tow 13,000#. Towing 13,000# requires no extra load in the truck.

 

[rmk700]

You get a nice truck 7'000 lbs. and a nice gooseneck flat bed 6'000 lbs. and can only legally haul a tiny 3.75 ton. ?????

Just for the record, I got the truck just don't have a gooseneck trailer yet.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Is this in the work truck package? I wasn't aware you could get the gas engine in anything in the 3500 until I saw a dually with it awhile back.

 

[tcartwri]

You get a nice truck 7'000 lbs. and a nice gooseneck flat bed 6'000 lbs. and can only legally haul a tiny 3.75 ton. ?????

Just for the record, I got the truck just don't have a gooseneck trailer yet.

You will never be checked to see if you are over your 'suggested' manufacturers GCWR. You will however be scaled for individual axle over loads and truck and trailer GVWR's. You will also be checked for an adequate RGW on your trucks registration. That's what happens in the real world.

There are people who will claim you can be sued for exceeding the 'suggested' GCWR in the event of an accident. I have yet to see any of those people provide a case reference for such a thing.

Prepare for the experts counter point....

 

[94BULLITT]

The specs say for a 2015 Chevy Silverado 3500HD, Double cab, long box, 6.0 vortec, 4X4.

GVWR is 11,000 lbs. + Max Conventional Trailering, 4.10 Rear Axle 13,000 lbs. = GCWR 24,000 lbs.
GVWR is 11,000 lbs. + Max 5th Wheel Trailering, 4.10 Rear Axle is 13,900 lbs. = GCWR 24,900 lbs.

This tells me that GCWR (gross combination weight rate) should be max 24,000 lbs. & 24,900 lbs.

Why does Chevy say GCWR max 20,500 lbs? What am I missing?

2015 Silverado 3500HD Trims: Extended & Crew Cab WT & LT | Chevrolet

They want you to buy a diesel.

 

[blacktruck]

Hmm, a subject that I can comment on. I'll try to further muddy the waters here if possible.

The GVW is the maximum weight of the truck and load. That is weighed as a stand alone vehicle with load.

The chart tells you the maximum weight of the trailers are 13K (bumper pull) and 13.9K (gooseneck).

You are adding the maximum trailer weight to the gross weight of the truck (two separate vehicles) and coming up with the 24K & 24.9K. That is not the correct way to do that.
The GCWR is the calculated maximum weight of the combined truck and trailer with load included.
The GCWR is the maximum combined weight that can be safely carried/pulled by this vehicle. That would not be the maximum weight of both separate vehicles combined. You have to factor a safety margin in. Also I've owned a number of the 6.0 engines and the 6.6 DMax also. The 6.0 is a great engine but is not quite enough to pull that kind of weight efficiently or economically.

 

[buickanddeere]

For that kind of money and hauling . Why not consider a real truck instead of a pickup?

 

[AKfish]

I thought the GM gas engine was a 6.2L?

Every time I read one of these threads on towing limits and vehicle capacities everything devolves into a jumble of semantics and differing legal interpretations by state or Canada.

Good grief!

I open the door of my truck and look at the sticker on the door panel (or the owner's manual) and it states the GCWR - gross combined weight restriction. Truck+Trailer+Cargo=GCWR. Simple.

I look at the sticker on my truck's trailer hitch. It's just a Category III hitch. Towing weight limit is 7,500lbs. Tongue weight is 10% or 750lbs. Simple.

AKfish

 

[RollingsFarms]

6.2 is only used in 1/2 tons. For now anyways. There's talk of it replacing the 6.0 eventually but who knows.

 

[timswi]

6.2 is only used in 1/2 tons. For now anyways. There's talk of it replacing the 6.0 eventually but who knows.

Yeah, the 6.2 has a ton of 'nads but it is a high revver..The 6.0 is the torque motor of the two. Both certainly have their place..I'm partial to my 6.2 at the moment.

 

[rmk700]

They want you to buy a diesel.

The diesel and gas engines have the same Max Conventional Trailering Rear Axle wt. 13,000 lbs. The net payload on the gas engine is higher. Heavy diesel engine.

The diesel has much better numbers with gooseneck trailering though.

 

[rmk700]

I thought the GM gas engine was a 6.2L?

Every time I read one of these threads on towing limits and vehicle capacities everything devolves into a jumble of semantics and differing legal interpretations by state or Canada.

Good grief!

I open the door of my truck and look at the sticker on the door panel (or the owner's manual) and it states the GCWR - gross combined weight restriction. Truck+Trailer+Cargo=GCWR. Simple.

I look at the sticker on my truck's trailer hitch. It's just a Category III hitch. Towing weight limit is 7,500lbs. Tongue weight is 10% or 750lbs. Simple.

AKfish

My door does not list GCWR, only GVWR. It is deep in the manual though.

It can be a little confusing and that's why I ask here. Like others are saying there are other factors, but I really took it as truck GVWR and max trailer wt. could be added together for GCWR..... but now I know.

I also now know that max load/cargo wt. really isn't much in the pickup world.

 

[buickanddeere]

Yeah, the 6.2 has a ton of 'nads but it is a high revver..The 6.0 is the torque motor of the two. Both certainly have their place..I'm partial to my 6.2 at the moment.

Being a 'high revver" is not a crisis. Down shifting to climb a hill is nothing to worry about. We are not comparing a 1000HP 1800rpm marine diesel to a 1000HP 900rpm marine diesel being operated 24/7 .

 

[Diamondpilot]

My door does not list GCWR, only GVWR. It is deep in the manual though.

It can be a little confusing and that's why I ask here. Like others are saying there are other factors, but I really took it as truck GVWR and max trailer wt. could be added together for GCWR..... but now I know.

I also now know that max load/cargo wt. really isn't much in the pickup world.

Let me simplify this. The GVWR is simply the maximum weight that can be on the trucks tires at any one time. It's that simple. The GCWR is the maximum weight that can be on the trucks tires and the trailer tires at any one time. So let's say the GCWR is 22,000#. If the truck were to weigh a 8,000# empty the max trailer weight would be 14,000#. It's that simple.

Chris

 

[MikePA]

GVWR - Click for Wikipedia definition
GCWR - Click for Wikipedia definition

Matches Chris' explanation (not that there was any doubt )

 

[buickanddeere]

Yeah, the 6.2 has a ton of 'nads but it is a high revver..The 6.0 is the torque motor of the two. Both certainly have their place..I'm partial to my 6.2 at the moment.

It wasn't that long ago a 318 in an 18 wheeler was considered lots to haul a 40 ton load coast to coast over two mountain ranges. Now we heard that 335HP and 380lb ft of torque in a pickup hauling a cattle trailer or some bales of hay isn't enough power .
Oh give it a rest. What next 1/4 mile drag races with a load of steers ?

 

[rmk700]

Let me simplify this. The GVWR is simply the maximum weight that can be on the trucks tires at any one time. It's that simple. The GCWR is the maximum weight that can be on the trucks tires and the trailer tires at any one time. So let's say the GCWR is 22,000#. If the truck were to weigh a 8,000# empty the max trailer weight would be 14,000#. It's that simple.

Chris

Ok, my truck curb wt. is 6680 lbs and max trailer conventional wt. is 13000 lbs. max gooseneck trailer wt. 13900 lbs. It's close to 20,500 lbs GCWR. However..conventional wt. is under GCWR by 820 lbs and gooseneck is over by 80lbs. and that's not including passengers, fuel, and cargo in truck.

I know the definitions. It's the madness wt. number methods the manufactures come up with that seems odd.