Think I'm legal

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Bill Nourse

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 20, 2021
Posts
89
Location
Bloomfield, NM
I think I have gotten legal. Just took delivery of a 2022 3500 CC SRW Duramax to replace my 2002 2500. 3927 useful on the door. Pin weight on the 5th wheel at 16,000 is approximately 3,200. Rear axle is rated at 7,500 with the 20" tires. Weighed the rear at Monticello, Ut. Port of Entry at 3460. Truck with me, fuel, tools and "Herbie the wonder dog" is 8,400. GVWR of the truck is 12,100. Total 5th Wheel tow rating is 29,700, 5th wheel GVWR is 16,500 max and I usually travel with minimum water.
Haven't pulled with it yet, but it definitely has more power and handles better. I was surprised to find that the turning radius was better than the 2002 even though it is 6" longer.
 
Unless your 2002 was a gasser the available load capacity was around 1800 pounds. Using the 20% number was a good start, but lacking real loaded ready to travel weights your only guessing. My 36 foot fiver showed 13,750 GVWR. Actual pin weight was north of 3400 pounds.
But Im glad you got sufficient truck finally.
 
If I'm reading your post correctly I'd say you are going to be pretty close to the edge just on the rear axle when you drop a 16k 5vr on it. The 3,200 pound king pin weight is just a guess I'm assuming, you really need to weigh it. My 40 foot toyhauler with the bike in the back weighs in right at 16,000 pounds. The actual kingpin weight is 3,640 pounds. Yours of course is going to vary but there's only one way to find out. If you are over on your tires or even close you might look into heavier rated tires, G or H rated?

As far as the tow rating, I'd take that with a HUGE grain of salt. Can it drag it? Sure but almost fifteen tons behind a pickup is not realistic. Just my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it.
 
Rear axle rate is 7,500 with the 20" tires. Actual weight on the rear axle according to the Port of Entry scale in Monticello, Ut. is 3,460 with me, tools, Hitch, dog and fuel. That leaves about 4,000 for hitch weight. How are you getting 15 tons??? That would be 30,000 lbs. I'm hoping you meant 15,000 lbs. or about 7 1/2 tons. Recently saw a road test where a 3/4 ton was handling 16 just fine although maybe not ideal. Here's that comparison between a 2500 Duramax and a 3500 Ram DRW. These guys test more trucks in a year than most of own in a lifetime. Does the 2020 Chevy Silverado HD Duramax Crush the new Ram HD Cummins on the World's Toughest Towing Test? (Ike Gauntlet Video) - The Fast Lane Truck
 
I think I have gotten legal. Just took delivery of a 2022 3500 CC SRW Duramax to replace my 2002 2500. 3927 useful on the door. Pin weight on the 5th wheel at 16,000 is approximately 3,200. Rear axle is rated at 7,500 with the 20" tires. Weighed the rear at Monticello, Ut. Port of Entry at 3460. Truck with me, fuel, tools and "Herbie the wonder dog" is 8,400. GVWR of the truck is 12,100. Total 5th Wheel tow rating is 29,700, 5th wheel GVWR is 16,500 max and I usually travel with minimum water.
Haven't pulled with it yet, but it definitely has more power and handles better. I was surprised to find that the turning radius was better than the 2002 even though it is 6" longer.
2021 Gm stepped up their game on the HD series trucks payload was increased a boat load. My 13 Silverado duramax crewcab srw 4x4 std box was 3813.
Im suprised your payload is so low. My buddys 2017 chev dually was 800lbs lower payload than my 17 ford dually his 2020 gm dually is 400 lbs more payload than my ford
 
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since your combined GVWR is over 26000 , does your state require a higher class of license ? I ask cause here in Tx we need a class A or B non-CDL depending on trailer weight.
 
You stated your PU is 12200 GVWR so with the 16500 GVWR your over 26000 GVWR unless the new math gives a different outcome.
 
The pickup is rated for 12,100, but it only weighs 8,400 loaded. The trailer is 16,000. New math, old math, the total weight across the scales is 24,400. A couple thousand under the limit. My license states COMBINED weight 26,001, not what the vehicle is rated for.
 
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