Another Tow Question

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Tongan310

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Alright I know this subject has been beat to S***. Bare with me. So I keep googling/looking through the forums and I can't find out what I can legitimately can tow with a 5th wheel.

So for starters I have a 97 c3500 crew cab long bed with 7.4/4l80e. So for starters I know my GVWR is 10k I have 2 damn things that tell me this on my driver door. (One is Factory the other is from Travel Time Vans which says the truck has been altered) Looking up my VIN it says I can tow 12500 but a 5th wheel will be rated higher... That's where I am stuck. I would normally turn to GCVWR number but on my truck that is non existent.

So correct me if I am wrong. Does that mean I can load up til I hit my pin weight/GVWR? When looking up GCVWR I find nothing on my truck including through VIN lookup which is odd because when I lookup the duramax I have it brings back all that information...

Little more info on the Travel Time Vans Sticker:

GAWR - F = 4100lbs
GAWR - R = 7500lbs
(It then says with what kind of tire/size and PSI ratings)
Based on internet search the truck has a 1k GVWR over the factory.
 

Biggershaft96

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So if your gvwr is 10k take your truck over a scale and subtract what it weighs for 10k. Then add that number to the 12,500lbs tow rating and boom thats how much your trailer can weigh. But there can only be 12,500lbs on the trailer axles. Whatevers leftover from the actual weigh to the 10k gvwr needs to be over the back tires of the truck. If that makes sense. Kinda hard to explain. Gcvwr should be 22,500 if the gvwr is 10k and its rated to pull 12,500lbs. Weigh it with a full tank of fuel and you in it.. I wouldnt trust a sticker thats not from the factory either.
 

Tongan310

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So that's how it would work? 12,500 was for a normal tow ball. Add my extra GVW (That's about 4k) then that's the amount of weight it can handle for a 5th wheel? (16,500?) Sound right?
 
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