Opinions on payload on my 2015 Siverado HD Diesel

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Papadude

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May 14, 2017
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35
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Hello,
We are starting to look for a new 5th wheel and I am confused with my cargo rating on my truck.  The door sticker says 2,404 lbs and 10,000 GVWR.  The weight of the truck is about 7880 lbs, (from the dump transfer station receipt).  That figures out at 2,120 payload.  So my problem is that according to the brochure on a Cougar 5th wheel trailers, I need to stay with a half ton towable.  For instace a 30 RLS has a dry weight of 8825, carrying capacity of 2175, and hitch weight is 1690.  My calculations are a gross trailer weight of 11,000.  20% hitch weight would be 2200, 25% would be 2,750. 

I called the Chevy dealer where we bought the truck, and according to my build sheet he said the payload was 3,501 lbs. max payload.

Are my numbers right?  I don't want to believe I bought a new truck with a max trailer rating of 17,100 lbs that will only haul a half ton towable.
 
You have your numbers figured correctly. The person you talked to at the dealership doesn't know squat except how to read a brochure, and doesn't have a clue about the infamous "yellow sticker" which is where your real numbers come from. Believe it, that's all your truck can handle, a "1/2 ton towable" model, and maybe not that. You still have to subtract another 150-200# from the payload for the fifth wheel hitch. I recommend you start looking at travel trailers. Sorry for being so blunt.
 
Don't rely on a dump station scale receipt.  Do a search and find your nearest CAT certified scale, usually located at almost every truck stop and get an accurate weight of the truck.  Go there with a full tank of fuel and only you in the driver's seat.  Once you get your scale ticket, subtract that number from the GVWR of your truck....10K and you will be within a few pounds of knowing exactly what your payload capacity of the truck is.  Once you have that number, you can then start adding all of the weight that you are going to put IN the truck AND ON the truck.....passenger(s), tool box, grill, campfire wood, air compressor, etc.  Anything and everything that goes on or in the truck counts against your payload number.  So if for instance when you got your CAT scale ticket and did the math, you have 2100 lbs of payload capacity, you would deduct all the weights that I just mentioned from that number.  After that, you now know how much you have left over for the pin weight and 5ver hitch.  I'm not familiar with the Chevy's payload on a 3/4 Ton truck, but I'm very familiar with the Ford 3/4 Ton trucks.  I had a 2011 F250 Crew Cab, 4x4, Diesel with the short bed and I had a whopping 2148 lbs of payload capacity as the truck was built.......not very much.
 
His scaled weight from the transfer station may actually be close. There's 284 pounds difference between the sticker and the scale. Subtract driver's weight from the 284 and then subtract the weight of anyone else and everything else that's been added to the truck in the 3 years since it was new. Probably pretty close.
 
kdbgoat said:
His scaled weight from the transfer station may actually be close. There's 284 pounds difference between the sticker and the scale. Subtract driver's weight from the 284 and then subtract the weight of anyone else and everything else that's been added to the truck in the 3 years since it was new. Probably pretty close.
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You may be right kd, but if it were me, I'd still probably go to a certified CAT scale.  IIRC, they are guaranteed to be within 20 lbs of actual weight.....thus the certification.  And, the OP didn't really say.....there may have been a few things added to the truck after it was build; by him or if there was a previous owner....like maybe different wheels, a too box, etc.  I know that with the later model Ford trucks, the payload stick is based on the "as built" and with a full tank of fuel, and they don't even allow for the weight of the driver anymore.
 
I agree, CAT scales will be more accurate. I've got two certified scales here at work. (grain elevator) The big plus about weighing any truck is that everything that has been added is getting weighed. Stuff like a bedliner, that emergency roadside kit ya' threw under the seat, those 14 ratchet straps tucked under the other seat, etc. All that stuff adds up after a while.
 
Oldgator73 said:
Is your truck  crew cab, xtra cab or single cab? 4x2 or 4x4? That curb weight seems a little high. Anyway, I think there is way to get all the info on your truck using the VIN.
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It is a crew cab, 4X4
 
xrated said:
You may be right kd, but if it were me, I'd still probably go to a certified CAT scale.  IIRC, they are guaranteed to be within 20 lbs of actual weight.....thus the certification.  And, the OP didn't really say.....there may have been a few things added to the truck after it was build; by him or if there was a previous owner....like maybe different wheels, a too box, etc.  I know that with the later model Ford trucks, the payload stick is based on the "as built" and with a full tank of fuel, and they don't even allow for the weight of the driver anymore.
Click to expand...

I am the original owner, I have a 5th wheel mount installed, the scale weight is without the mount, just the rails and attaching hardware to the frame.  Nothing else added. Except my weight of 200 lbs.
 
kdbgoat said:
His scaled weight from the transfer station may actually be close. There's 284 pounds difference between the sticker and the scale. Subtract driver's weight from the 284 and then subtract the weight of anyone else and everything else that's been added to the truck in the 3 years since it was new. Probably pretty close.
Click to expand...

yup, if you subtract my weight I got 84 lbs, that's probably the 5r hitch rails and attachment hardware to the frame.
 
Oldgator73 said:
I made the mistake one time of weighing before we went to the Golden Corral. Put my CCC way off.
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It's a good thing you didn't weigh yourself after going to the Golden Corral.  :'( :-\ ;D
 
  When I first joined the forum it took me a little while to get over Kdbgoat?s bluntness. But he?s almost always right, dang it.  ??
 
Are my numbers right?  I don't want to believe I bought a new truck with a max trailer rating of 17,100 lbs that will only haul a half ton towable.
Click to expand...

Not sure where you got the "half ton towable" from, cause any half-ton truck will be even more limited when it comes a 5W trailer.  If you are referring to the ad brochures from RV manufacturers, those are great works of fiction!  However, the numbers you have are probably right, and the Payload listed on the door sticker is official and within 100 lbs of actual, per the prescribed federal government weighing method.

The Max Tow Rating is for all types of trailers. Your truck could easily tow a big flat bed trailer loaded with bricks, to the tune of 17,000 lbs. That type of trailer has a low tongue weight and very little wind resistance, so pulling power and chassis strength are the primary requirements.  A 5W RV, however, places a high percentage of weight on the hitch (truck bed) and thus Payload (Cargo Capacity) becomes a key limitation.  You run out of Payload long before you run out of grunt strength.

For the same reason, most half ton trucks cannot tow those 5W's advertised as "half ton towable". Few half tons can carry more than 1500-1600 lbs of cargo, so they are limited to 5W with a GVWR well under 8000.  Many crew cab, fancy trim half tons would struggle with even a 7000 lb 5W because they often have cargo ratings in the 1200-1400 lb range.
 
As the old TV show said, JUST THE FACTS!

Your payload is 2404, per the government mandated, factory applied yellow placard, as Gary explained.

By definition, Payload is an empty truck, full fuel tank, no passengers or cargo.  As you found, adding your weight and other stuff like 5er rails and subtracting for low fuel, the numbers agree.

The salesman has no clue!!!!  That huge number is likely for the base reg cab 2500 with no options, which are only sold as work trucks.  It does NOT apply to your truck!  It is the biggest Payload ANY 2500 could possibly have.

Also YOUR truck does not have a Max Tow wt of 17,100#.  The bare naked 2500 with the big payload has that Max Tow.  The fine print will tell you that must be reduced by the weight of all installed options, cargo and passengers in excess of the 2 passengers at 150 # each that are included.  Note also Gary's comments.

As kbdgoat said, you may want to look at TT!
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Not sure where you got the "half ton towable" from, cause any half-ton truck will be even more limited when it comes a 5W trailer.  If you are referring to the ad brochures from RV manufacturers, those are great works of fiction!  However, the numbers you have are probably right, and the Payload listed on the door sticker is official and within 100 lbs of actual, per the prescribed federal government weighing method.

The Max Tow Rating is for all types of trailers. Your truck could easily tow a big flat bed trailer loaded with bricks, to the tune of 17,000 lbs. That type of trailer has a low tongue weight and very little wind resistance, so pulling power and chassis strength are the primary requirements.  A 5W RV, however, places a high percentage of weight on the hitch (truck bed) and thus Payload (Cargo Capacity) becomes a key limitation.  You run out of Payload long before you run out of grunt strength.

For the same reason, most half ton trucks cannot tow those 5W's advertised as "half ton towable". Few half tons can carry more than 1500-1600 lbs of cargo, so they are limited to 5W with a GVWR well under 8000.  Many crew cab, fancy trim half tons would struggle with even a 7000 lb 5W because they often have cargo ratings in the 1200-1400 lb range.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was quoting the manufacturers brochure, the Cougar half ton towable is the model type, not necessarily able to be towed by a half ton truck.  I just thought that a 2500 HD Duramax Diesel truck should be able to tow a larger trailer than that...that's what I get for thinking!
 
Papadude said:
Yes, I was quoting the manufacturers brochure, the Cougar half ton towable is the model type, not necessarily able to be towed by a half ton truck.  I just thought that a 2500 HD Duramax Diesel truck should be able to tow a larger trailer than that...that's what I get for thinking!
Click to expand...
The biggest problem is that lately the 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks all have this massive very menacing looking grill that imitates a semi truck. That coupled with the ads on TV showing trucks pulling massive loads and salesmen who would lie to their mother to sell a vehicle gives many newbies the feeling their truck can pull anything. But it is not just the ability to pull. There was an episode of Top Gear where they took three 1/2 tons and each one was able to tow a 727 without issue. The real problems comes with being able to stop safely in a reasonable distance and being able to control the RV during high winds and semi trucks passing you. If you want to tow a large vehicle with a small truck it will be a real white knuckle experience. You cannot get too much truck but it is easy to get too much trailer.
 
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