Trailer weight questions (GVWR/GCWR etc..)

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BrenttheMouse

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My truck: 2016 2500 5.7 4x4 crew cab short bed.

GVWR: 9,000 lbs.
GCWR: 18,300 lbs.
Payload: 2,370 lbs.
Max tow rating (per owners manual): 11,200 lbs.

Trailer:
GVWR: 14,000 lbs.
Unloaded weight: 4,820 lbs.

My question is, is this trailer too heavy for my truck? How much weight can I realistically put on the trailer and be under 26,001 lbs?
 

pacofortacos

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Well since your trailer GVWR is 14,000 lbs, you can only put just over 9,000 lbs on the trailer before the trailer max is hit.
Your trailer maxed out is too heavy for your truck.
IF your truck weight is 7000 lb empty and your combined is 18.3k lbs , your max trailer weight will be about 10k lbs or 5k lbs load on the trailer. Ball park numbers but close enough.

You realistically can put 5000 lbs on your trailer and still be under the 26001 lbs, so you don't need that CDL.
 

18CrewDually

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My truck: 2016 2500 5.7 4x4 crew cab short bed.

GVWR: 9,000 lbs.
GCWR: 18,300 lbs.
Payload: 2,370 lbs.
Max tow rating (per owners manual): 11,200 lbs.

Trailer:
GVWR: 14,000 lbs.
Unloaded weight: 4,820 lbs.

My question is, is this trailer too heavy for my truck? How much weight can I realistically put on the trailer and be under 26,001 lbs?

1. No, depending on actual weight of the truck and actual weight of the loaded trailer. Yes, if the combined weights are over 18,300.
2. Trailer cargo cap. 9,180
 

jvbuttex

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if the max is 18300, and the truck weighs in at 9K that leaves 9k for trailer of which 4820 is trailer empty. leaving 4280lb on teh trailer. What does your truck weigh when you have your trailer payload ready to go? That will be the key to getting more trailer load available. Less people and stuff in the truck, more trailer capacity to be under GCWR
 
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BrenttheMouse

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So I haven't actually bought the trailer yet... Those are just the numbers of a certain one I was looking at. The heaviest thing I plan on towing is a 6k tractor. Would this be the best trailer for this task?
 

pacofortacos

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If you can find a lighter trailer you would be better off. Aluminum trailers are nice.
The trailer weighs almost as much as your tractor.
A tandem with 2 6000 lb axles would be good.
Is the one you are looking at a dual or triple axle?

With the current trailer, you would be really close to the max combined with the tractor but it might work - get the truck weighed empty which I am guessing should be around 7000 lbs.
So tractor and trailer will be almost 11000 lbs + 7000 lbs (truck)= 18000 lbs ball park and bumping up against the GCWR. SO knowing what each thing weighs gets critical at that point.
 

18CrewDually

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Best trailer? Theres other variables like is it a beaver tail, ramps, is it wide enough, ect. But as far as weights are concerned it will work. You may be a little over on CGVWR but everything else is fine. A gas truck in the mountains of Maine you will know for sure you're towing. Make sure you pre-trip everything and that the trailer brakes are functioning. Hopefully you already have a brake controller in your truck, if not you will need it.
 

2003F350

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I would suggest that, if you're going to be towing heavy like that all the time, you have the wrong truck for the job and need to be looking for a different truck too. However, if it's only occasional and not cross-country, you will probably be okay. Just stay under the truck numbers and you'll be okay.
 
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BrenttheMouse

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I would suggest that, if you're going to be towing heavy like that all the time, you have the wrong truck for the job and need to be looking for a different truck too. However, if it's only occasional and not cross-country, you will probably be okay. Just stay under the truck numbers and you'll be okay.
I'd only be using this trailer to occasionally haul the tractor, definitely not everyday, and definitely not very far. I'd also be using it to haul hay in the summer
 
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62Blazer

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My truck: 2016 2500 5.7 4x4 crew cab short bed.

GVWR: 9,000 lbs.
GCWR: 18,300 lbs.
Payload: 2,370 lbs.
Max tow rating (per owners manual): 11,200 lbs.

Trailer:
GVWR: 14,000 lbs.
Unloaded weight: 4,820 lbs.

My question is, is this trailer too heavy for my truck? How much weight can I realistically put on the trailer and be under 26,001 lbs?
I know this post is a little older but will throw in my comments:
Anywhere close to 26,001 lbs. (assuming combined truck and trailer weight) will be a good bit overweight for both the truck and trailer.
The GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating...which is max weight) of the truck is not what it always weighs but rather how much total it can weigh (how much the manufacturer recommends) after loading it up with payload in the bed or cab. Stating that the payload is 2,370 lbs. basically states that the empty truck is around 6,600 lbs. Add a driver, passenger or two, fuel, a few things in the bed and you are easily in the 7,000 lb. range with the truck.
The GCWR (gross, or max, combined weight rating) is how much total the truck, with payload, plus the loaded trailer can weigh. So take that 18,300 lb. number minus around 7,000 lb. for just that truck and that leaves right around 11,200 lbs. mark which is approximately the stated max tow rating.
Now let's take an approximately 7,000 lb. truck and hook up the empty 4,820 lb. trailer for a weight of around 12,000 lb.
- "Legally" and per the truck manufacturer rating you can go up to 18,300 total, so if you are already at 12,000 that gives you 6,300 lb. of weight you can put on the trailer (and keep all the towing police on here happy.....). Again, 18,300 lbs. is the max the truck with a trailer is rated for which is nowhere close to 26k.
- Just per the trailer numbers you could put just over 9,000 lbs. on it but you would be technically overweight on the truck. Even if you did load the trailer to max you are at 14k on the trailer and a 7k truck for 21k lbs. total. Just to appease the towing police I'm not saying you should do this by any means.
In regards to how much weight you should tow, there is a difference between towing a trailer down a 50ish mph country road for a short distance versus towing 300 miles down a 70 mph freeway. Overall I think the trailer may be a little overkill for what the truck is "technically" rated for, but don't know if it is rated appropriately for the tractor as it depends on what size it is. For the trailer it could also be the deck size to accommodate the width and length of the tractor, and often to get a bigger deck you are limited with getting a heavier duty (heavier) trailer unless you custom order).
 

Believer45

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As info, the need for a CDL is related to the weight RATINGS of the truck and trailer, not the actual scaled weight of the truck and loaded trailer combined. If your truck GVW rating plus your trailer GVW rating is over 26,000 lbs you are in CDL territory. If your trailer GVW rating is over 10,000 lbs you are in CDL territory. There is an RV/recreational use exemption but you need to be careful how you use that.

Dave / Believer45
 

Gr8bawana

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As info, the need for a CDL is related to the weight RATINGS of the truck and trailer, not the actual scaled weight of the truck and loaded trailer combined. If your truck GVW rating plus your trailer GVW rating is over 26,000 lbs you are in CDL territory. If your trailer GVW rating is over 10,000 lbs you are in CDL territory. There is an RV/recreational use exemption but you need to be careful how you use that.

Dave / Believer45
None of this applies to recreational vehicles only commercial drivers.
 

Gr8bawana

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Unless you live in CA.
No you don't need a CDL even in CA.
Do you need a Class A license to drive an RV in California?


Renting an RV by State

California: California requires a non-commercial Class B license for RVs over 25,000 pounds and a Class A license for RVs over 10,000 pounds.
 

18CrewDually

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No you don't need a CDL even in CA.
Do you need a Class A license to drive an RV in California?


Renting an RV by State

California: California requires a non-commercial Class B license for RVs over 25,000 pounds and a Class A license for RVs over 10,000 pounds.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my statement. You said none of it applied but it does apply. Yes you don't need a CDL if you're not for hire, but depending on the weight of the trailer (10k+) and or the truck (tow rig) weight, you will have to upgrade your license to a B or A depending.
It is written out on they're website. Here's the link below. PA is similar.
 

Gr8bawana

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Funny how you like to ignore the sentence at the end of each section where it says "when towing is not for compensation".
 

18CrewDually

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Funny how you like to ignore the sentence at the end of each section where it says "when towing is not for compensation".

They state "when towing is not for compensation" to clarify even though you're non-commercial a Class-A restricted license is necessary if the vehicles above the described weights.
I'm not sure what you don't understand.



Section 12804.12(a) CVC classifies a restricted Class A DL, also known as a
noncommercial Class A DL, which allows the operation of a combination of vehicles
consisting of a two-axle vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds or more unladen when towing a
trailer coach exceeding 10,000 pounds GVWR, or a fifth-wheel travel trailer exceeding
15,000 pounds GVWR, when the towing of the trailer is not for compensation. This license
allows noncommercial (recreational) towing.
 

18CrewDually

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Maybe this will help too. They state "when towing is not for compensation" because if you were compensated (paid) it would automatically require a CDL. Being uncompensated allows you to utilize the minimal required Restricted Class A or B license when over the described weights and the Basic Class C license is not enough. Hope that clarifies it. Like I said in another post PA has a similar statute but rarely enforced. Plus I believe they only offer 2 testing locations for the RV applicable license.

 

jvbuttex

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Do I need a special license to drive an RV in California?

California: California requires a non-commercial Class B license for RVs over 25,000 pounds and a Class A license for RVs over 10,000 pounds.
 

Beech35

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What no one has mentioned so far is that you have to add the tongue weight of the trailer to the total weight of the truck. 10+ % of the trailer weight is the accepted amount for tongue weight. 4800 unloadied weight and a 6,000 lb tractor =10,800 trailer x 10% would be 1,080 tongue weigth leaving you 1300 something you can put in your truck.
 
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