Towing Capacity GMC 3500 Dually

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04-05-2008, 09:48 PM

#21

stainless

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Quote:

Originally Posted by pookie

I just went out to my truck (08 ford f450). The hitch says 16k wd 8k otherwise. I tow a fountain 47 but with a gooseneck. It tows and stops great but to be legal, no 1 ton works without a wd setup on a conventional (tag) trailer. GM 3500 dually is rated at 12k weight distributing only. There is no way to get around this (hitch,airbags,etc.). Even the 450 needs wd to legally pull 16k. It also warns on the hitch and in the owners manual not to modify the hitch or replace it.

I saw the same thing when i was looking at f 450's this is the factory ford hitch 8 k on the ball non wt distributing .... why not just do the wd setup it's not that hard ?

04-05-2008, 10:17 PM

#22

stainless

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Out of the owners man ... k-3500 crew cab dual rear wheels gcrw 23,500 /max trailer wt 15,900 lbs/ * trailer rating limited to 13000 lbs with wt distributing hitch/ the gcrw is tot allowable wt of completly loaded veh and trailer inc pass cargo equip and conversion.... hope this helps this is for an 08 gmc

04-05-2008, 10:32 PM

#23

Kims

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bgchuby01

california DOT says that if the trailer axels have the ability to haul over 10,000 lbs total even with the boat off of it then you need a CDL lisense to tow it. Now most calif hp will not hassel you for that but you never know.

Just looked it up and here in NV you need a "J" rating added to your DL if the trailer rating (and NOT the actual weight) is over 10K, no CDL needed. Kind of ironic that I have to take a test for this, the vehicle I operate for a living weighs in at 409000lbs and goes 500+ MPH... Oh, well, I will do it once I get the right equipment..

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgchuby01

Kim if you are in the las vegas area the nevada highway patrol are pretty easy with a personal truck and boat. I go in and out of boulder city with alot of customers boats and never have a problem. I leave the boulder airport with the 46 skater terrilble all the time without an oversize permit going south to I-40 east. If you are just going to tow local then a one ton will be fine. If you are going to travel cross country then a bigger truck may be the way to go.

I am right in the middle of LAS, and have flown into Boulder several times. Going local (Mead, Havasu etc..) I am fine with what I have, safety wise. I am just trying to get to the bottom of what it takes to be legal. What I am seeing right now is that no GM one ton will make me legal, WD or not. A Ford 350 on the other hand will make me legal, since their published max trailer weight is 15.000lbs. Ofcourse, I will also take into consideration the GCWR, but by keeping the gastank below 250 gallons, I should be fine there as well. Weight of truck and driver 8000 lbs, weight of empty boat and trailer 11.660lbs, gives me 3840lbs for fuel, water, pax, gear, and eqipment. What gets me is that the statues clearly states weight rating and not the actual weight of the trailer. Not many legal towers out there with boats over 27'... Haven't had a Ford since the 80's, but it looks like one will be comming my way shortly...

04-05-2008, 10:33 PM

#24

Kims

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Quote:

Originally Posted by stainless

That is correct and that means you can NOT tow a trailer RATED for 15000lbs, regardless of what the weight of the trailer actually is.

04-05-2008, 10:39 PM

#25

tblrklakemo

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kims

Thanks for all the responses.

However, I am still wondering about the real answer - what is the max towing capacity, no fifth wheel, no WD hitch, legally with a GMC Dually 1 ton 2001-2007?

Whatever your max ball tongue and trailer weight on your hitch says. It cannot exceed the gross combined weight the truck is rated too. Your factory hitch is limited in the fact that it needs a WD setup to get past the tongue weight issue legaly.

Last edited by tblrklakemo; 04-05-2008 at 10:47 PM.

04-05-2008, 10:41 PM

#26

stainless

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the gm gets much better fuel mileage than the ford and the ford hitch clearly states 8k max wt carrying only 500 lbs more than the gm i dont know where the 15 k non wt dist is coming from

04-05-2008, 10:46 PM

#27

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there is a company out there that makes a wd setup that works with surge brakes .. just can't remember where i saw it?

04-05-2008, 10:51 PM

#28

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kims

That is correct and that means you can NOT tow a trailer RATED for 15000lbs, regardless of what the weight of the trailer actually is.

My interpretation is that gm says you can tow any trailer up to an actual weight of 13k lbs IF you are using a wd setup. The rating of the trailer makes no difference its the actual loaded weight that counts.