2500HD Tow Capacity With A Gooseneck Hitch

[dozerman21]

Can anyone tell me what my '02 Silverado 2500HD with a Duramax can legally pull if I have a gooseneck hitch? The tag on the door says GVWR: 9200lbs, GAWR Frt: 4800lbs, GAWR RR: 6084lbs. I thought is was the combined weights, which is 20,084, minus the weight of the truck which I'm guessing is around 6,800lbs. That would leave me with 13,284lbs that I can pull, including the trailer weight.

Is this the correct way to figure, or am I way off?
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[hosejockey2002]

Yeah, you're way off. Those numbers on the door don't have much to do with towing a trailer (although they do come into play, more on that later).

Here's what they mean:

GVWR= Gross Vehicle Weight Rating- the amount your truck is not supposed to exceed fully loaded.

FGAWR= Front Gross Axle Weight Rating- the max. amount your front axle can carry

RGAWR- Same thing, but for rear axle.

The one thing you need that is not on the door sticker is your GCWR or Gross Combined Weight Rating. That's the total max amount your truck and trailer are supposed to weigh together. IIRC that figure is 20,000 for your Duramax, although you need to check your manual to be sure. That number is close to the figure you came up with, but only by coincidence. If you had a 6.0 gas engine, all those door numbers would be the same but your GCWR would be 16,000.

Having said all that, the main limiting factor for your truck pulling a gooseneck will be pin weight. The 11.5" AAM rear axle can carry a lot of weight (over 10K IIRC) but your tires are a limiting factor. You can probably pull a 12K gooseneck with a pin weight of 3k without any problems at all, and I'm sure many have pulled more than that, although they were probably exceeding some of the max. factory weight numbers.

[GravelyNut]

15100 to 15600 depending on the model with the DM. It's in the owner's manual if you have one. 15K lbs would be a safe figure. Max bumper pull with a factory hitch would be 12K or its labeled weight.

[GravelyNut]

Originally Posted by hosejockey2002

Yeah, you're way off. Those numbers on the door don't have much to do with towing a trailer (although they do come into play, more on that later).

Here's what they mean:

GVWR= Gross Vehicle Weight Rating- the amount your truck is not supposed to exceed fully loaded.

FGAWR= Front Gross Axle Weight Rating- the max. amount your front axle can carry

RGAWR- Same thing, but for rear axle.

The one thing you need that is not on the door sticker is your GCWR or Gross Combined Weight Rating. That's the total max amount your truck and trailer are supposed to weigh together. IIRC that figure is 20,000 for your Duramax, although you need to check your manual to be sure. That number is close to the figure you came up with, but only by coincidence. If you had a 6.0 gas engine, all those door numbers would be the same but your GCWR would be 16,000.

Having said all that, the main limiting factor for your truck pulling a gooseneck will be pin weight. The 11.5" AAM rear axle can carry a lot of weight (over 10K IIRC) but your tires are a limiting factor. You can probably pull a 12K gooseneck with a pin weight of 3k without any problems at all, and I'm sure many have pulled more than that, although they were probably exceeding some of the max. factory weight numbers.

It actually could be worse than 16K with the 6.0. 3.73 gears are only rated for a trailer of 8800 lbs in the 2001 book.

[albhb3]

Originally Posted by GravelyNut

It actually could be worse than 16K with the 6.0. 3.73 gears are only rated for a trailer of 8800 lbs in the 2001 book.

oops

[hosejockey2002]

Originally Posted by GravelyNut

It actually could be worse than 16K with the 6.0. 3.73 gears are only rated for a trailer of 8800 lbs in the 2001 book.

True, the 6.0 with 3.73 gears is rated at 14K GCWR, but if I'm not mistaken that combo is only found in the 1500HD. I know the OP's truck is a 2002, but in 2005 (the year of my truck) all 6.0 2500HDs had 4.10 gears and a 16K GCWR.

[GravelyNut]

Originally Posted by hosejockey2002

True, the 6.0 with 3.73 gears is rated at 14K GCWR, but if I'm not mistaken that combo is only found in the 1500HD. I know the OP's truck is a 2002, but in 2005 (the year of my truck) all 6.0 2500HDs had 4.10 gears and a 16K GCWR.

Came right out of my manual for 2001 for the 2500 series section.

[Gravel Rat]

Your brakes are the biggest problem you may beable to pull but not stop.

I would say 12,000lbs would be your max trailer weight and make d*mn sure the trailer brakes are in good shape.

A 12,000lb gooseneck what do you want 15% of pin weight so 1800lbs.