2003 2500HD Weight - Is this right?

[jrlogan10]

We are looking to buy our first 5th wheel, and have been looking at the Crusader 315RST. The GVWR for our truck is 9200lbs. I should state that the 2500 4x4 is a crew cab, long bed with the 8.1L engine. The pin weight of the 5th wheel is stated as 1953 dry. After getting the 5th wheel hitch installed I took it to a CAT scale and had the truck weighed. To my surprise, with myself about a 1/4 tank of gas and the hitch the truck came in at 7400lbs. That would only leave me with about 1800lbs for the pin weight plus the other cargo. Does the weight of this truck sound right? That means technically I could only have a 5th wheel with a pin weight of 1200 or so.

[Herk7769]

Yep, you are right on.


My 2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax has a GVWR of 9200 pounds as well.

My 9,000 pound 5th wheel maxes out the trucks available payload and carries a 1450 pound loaded pin with my DW, dog, generator, hitch, and 2 spare diesel cans.

You need to move your 5th wheel expectations down a few thousand pounds. Shop in the 9 - 10 thousand pound range.

[davel1971]

you are correct, but yet so you many people pull just as much trailer with a 1/2 ton with 1/2 that much engine. You always have to wonder, were all these numbers made up by engineers or lawyers.

[Herk7769]

Lawyers or engineers; in the end, does it matter?

It's like passing a sign that says "Beyond Here Be Dragons"

[jrlogan10]

Thanks for your input, it really helps. I just wanted to make sure I was calculating everything correctly.

[MillerTime]

Yep. My 05 4x4 crewcab shortbed duramax with 35" tires and 1/2 tank of fuel weigh 7330lb - and I have the 9200ln gvw also

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Lawyers or engineers; in the end, does it matter?

It's like passing a sign that says "Beyond Here Be Dragons"

matter to who? I think most 3/4 and 1 tons are very underrated. My 2009 GMC 2500 was only rated to tow just over 9k, but most half tons now are rated for 10K+. Shouldn't even be possible, with lighter truck, smaller axles and brakes, and P rated tires.

[MillerTime]

I think the "most half tons" is actually very few. There are some options available on them, but most people dont get those options, and most dealers wont either.
The dealer I worked at till last month probably had 1000-1200 vehicles on the lot and I bet money there was not 2, 1/2 tons with the hd tow options on the lot. Heck 6.2 gm vehicles are hard to find unless you look at denalis or escalades.
I worked on a 2012 cc fx4 ecoboost this week that had the door cargo capacity of 1141lb- heck my wifes impala is over 900lb.
There maybe 1-2 dozen or so on rv forums that have these optioned 1/2 ton trucks, but dont think that they are the norm. These options cost alot of $$$ and the added "unseen " expense makes the not smart money for dealers to stock, as sales numbers wont point them that way.

[WFD]

GM increased the GVW on the 2500HD from model 2010 and up when they re-designed/re-engineered the truck frame but it is just a modest increase of a few hundred pounds.

[jevanb]

so you are saying you have 4284lbs on the axle now with hitch, fuel and you???? seems pretty high . I have a 06 CC 4x D/A with a heavy superglide and i am under my weight rating buy almost 1k, 5160lbs pin weight cat scaled verfied, and a 6084 rear axle rating. My total truck weight off the cat ticket with 5er attached is 4440 front 5160 rear =9600lbs 400 over weight and I care not, if i left the kids at home i would be good

[davel1971]

doesn't matter how you option it, it still has less brakes, less spring capacity and lighter duty tires than any 3/4 ton. Figures should be much further apart, IMHO.

[Kaboom]

My 2013 2500hd cc 4x4 duramax weighed 7880 lbs. Full tanks, DW, dog and myself. No hitch installed. gvwr is 10,000.

[Todouble]

Originally Posted by jrlogan10

We are looking to buy our first 5th wheel, and have been looking at the Crusader 315RST. The GVWR for our truck is 9200lbs. I should state that the 2500 4x4 is a crew cab, long bed with the 8.1L engine. The pin weight of the 5th wheel is stated as 1953 dry. After getting the 5th wheel hitch installed I took it to a CAT scale and had the truck weighed. To my surprise, with myself about a 1/4 tank of gas and the hitch the truck came in at 7400lbs. That would only leave me with about 1800lbs for the pin weight plus the other cargo. Does the weight of this truck sound right? That means technically I could only have a 5th wheel with a pin weight of 1200 or so.

I have this exact model and I can tell you our pin is actually about 2450 loaded and we don't have a whole lot of stuff on board. Try the 295rst crusader. Slightly shorter but the kingpin is about 600 lbs lighter and pretty much the same floorplan

[dsrace]

what's a 1 ton rated at?

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by dsrace

what's a 1 ton rated at?

depends on if dually or not of course. My 2014 1 ton crew cab long bed single rear wheel Duramax has a GVWR of 11,600. Payload of 4143. Towing capacity of 13,000 bumper pull and 16,800 with 5th wheel.

[Herk7769]

Seriously, By getting the 2500HD with the diesel and Alison Transmission I thought I was "doing good." What I accomplished was an easy to tow, but extremely heavy, tow vehicle that had little remaining payload to carry the pin weight of the 5th wheel.

My next truck will be a 3500HD.

[davel1971]

with a little over about 2400 pin weight (I'm estimating), my truck almost sits level. Still about a inch high in the rear. I will never have less than a 1 ton as long as I'm camping.

[jevanb]

funny thing, my trailer sticker says 11500 and the cat scale says 9840 on the axles, that leaves 1660 pin which is the advertised weight of the camper pin. add the 250lb superglide and all our camping stuff which is in front of the trailer axles, I would think that pin # would be higher.. guess it need to get the truck axles weight with out the trailer. I have had it on the landfill scales and I always see 7100LB. so if that is the case my 4440 FAW and 5160 RAW scaled with trailer, I should have around 2600 on the rear axle, dont think I have more then 4k on the front axle empty, the truck only squats 2 inches to level.. math sucks and my head hurts figuring this out so off to the scale I go in a few months then I will have the correct #`s. as for the Op just buy it you will be ok...

[Kaboom]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Seriously, By getting the 2500HD with the diesel and Alison Transmission I thought I was "doing good." What I accomplished was an easy to tow, but extremely heavy, tow vehicle that had little remaining payload to carry the pin weight of the 5th wheel.

My next truck will be a 3500HD.

I thought the same thing and was planning on purchasing a toy hauler 5er next year. Then I realized that the 2500hd D/A was a heavy truck and after weighing the truck and estmatinig the added hitch weight I would only have approx. 1600 lbs of payload left. I have not been able to find a TH5er with that low of a pin weight once loaded, or at last one we like.

Next truck will be a 3500 DRW.

To the OP just run all the numbers, look at signature lines on the forum and see what others are towing and with what. Then make your decision. Best wishes in what ever you decide.

[davel1971]

a single wheel 3500 like I have has a substantial increase in payload, 60% more than the same configuration in a 2500, for hardly any price difference, and fits in same parking spot