need help with pulling 5th wheel weights

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goofy

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Jul 26, 2007
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i have a 97 gmc turbo diesel. I'm having a problem figuring my 5th wheel pulling cap.my book says gawr ft is 3800.gawr r is 6000.
gvwr is 8600. i have a 410 full floating axle which the book says can handle a max trl.weight of 8600 but then the book says a max 5TH wheel rating of 10000 lb. now---- does this mean I can have 8600 dist. properly on my ft. and rear axles and pull a 5th wheel weighing 10,000lb???
 
The numbers you quote is the maximum rating for the front axle (3800Lbs), rear axle (6000Lbs) and gross vehicle weight rating (8600Lbs). These are the maximum weights your truck is rated for. To calculate what you can carry, you need the curb weight of your truck - go to a scale and get it weighed. Subtract that from the GVWR and the result is the payload (what you can actually carry and be within limits).

The reason the fiver weight is higher (which is normal across all brands) is that it is calculated by taking the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of your truck and subtracting the actuals actual weight. That leaves the weight that is available for a gooseneck/fifthwheel. Other than insuring the fiver GVWR is below the figure obtained above is that you need to make sure that what ever the loaded pin/gooseneck weight will not exceed the gross axle rating (gawr) for the rear axle and does not add enough weight to exceed the GVWR of the truck. The pin will be anywhere from 15% to 25% of the trailer weight.

Larry

 
goofy said:
i have a 97 gmc turbo diesel. I'm having a problem figuring my 5th wheel pulling cap.my book says gawr ft is 3800.gawr r is 6000.
gvwr is 8600. i have a 410 full floating axle which the book says can handle a max trl.weight of 8600 but then the book says a max 5TH wheel rating of 10000 lb. now---- does this mean I can have 8600 dist. properly on my ft. and rear axles and pull a 5th wheel weighing 10,000lb???
Click to expand...

In evaluating a tow rating for a truck, you need two data:  the gross vehicle weight of the trailer (GVWR) and its pin weight.  The GVWR of the trailer must be less than the tow rating of the tow truck.  We like to take a safety factor of 10%, so you would want to use 90% of the tow rating for the comparison -- in your case it would be 9000 lbs.

The pin weight of the trailer plus the truck's rear axle weight must not exceed the GAWR.    To find the rear axle weight you must weigh the truck.  Get two weights, one with both axles on the scale and one with the front axle off the scale.  The latter weight is the rear axle weight.
 
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