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Nathanbates114
Lompoc
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Joined: 08/30/2021
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Hey everyone,
My wife and I bought our first travel trailer 2 years ago and we have been living in it full time and love it. We just had our first baby boy and the trailer we have now is starting to get cramped and we're looking to upgrade to a fifth wheel or larger travel trailer. My father in law said we can borrow his truck to tow and says it's a "2002 3/4 Ton Heavy Duty Diesel 4x4 Chevy (pretty sure it's a 2500) He says it can tow around 16,000-18,000 pounds but I'm having a hard time finding the towing capacity online. Can someone help me find the towing capacity?Or if you have the same truck, I would really appreciate it if you could give me the specs for this truck. Thanks in advance!
-Nate
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bucky
Raleigh metro
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Joined: 05/07/2003
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Your father in law is so wrong on this I don't know where to start.
Puma 30RKSS
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Tvov
CT
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Joined: 07/19/2003
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This site says 12,000lb tow capacity:
https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2002-Chevro........nded_Cab_6.6_ft._box_143.5_in._WB/specs/
_________________________________________________________
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor
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JIMNLIN
Oklahoma
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Joined: 09/14/2003
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Quote:it's a "2002 3/4 Ton Heavy Duty Diesel 4x4 Chevy
3/4 ton truck from that era had around 9000 gvwrs and 6084 rawr.
My 2500 Dodge/Cummins 305/555HO NV5600 tranny 3.73 gears has a 13400 lb tow rating. A '02 2500 GM diesel will have around the same tow rating.
A 13000 lb 5th wheel trailer can have around 2600-2800 lb hitch weight which will go over the truck 6084 lb rated rear axle. The weight of the hitch and other gear in the bed adds up also so your looking at approx 3000 lbs at the most for your 2500 truck.
3/4 ton trucks that era rear axle weighs in the 2700-2900 lb range. You have the truck so drop by a CAT scale and find the trucks front and rear axle weights with attention to the trucks rear axle numbers.....then do the math. You don't want to exceed GM 2500 6084 rawr numbers (tire/wheel/rear spring pack).
I would stick with a 12k-13k gvwr (9000 lb dry weight) 5th wheel trailer as a max size.
.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides
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MFL
Midwest
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^^Good info from JIMNLIN
While the truck may be capable of towing a heavier trailer, it can only carry the weight of the axle wt ratings. A FW trailer will have a pin wt of 20%, or slightly more. All this pin wt sits over the rear axle.
Jerry
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blt2ski
Kirkland, Wa
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i remember a lot of folks buying BIG 5w trailers on this forum at the time towing with a 2500HD. A year later trading them in on a dw rig. Towed fine, bottomed out the RA a lot.
limit on rear is due to the tires. reality tge springs are good to 6400. BUT, dump a 3-4000 lb pin load, you're in trouble. My 96 CC LB 6.5 with similar specs, was closer to 2200-2400 empty on the rear. My swag is the 02 will be around here, about 4400-4600 on the FA.
IF you pack heavy, you may overload this truck. if an occasional move, it will do the job legally if you have enough tonnage on it. A ball mount trailer you can pull about double the wieght of a 5w for a given chassis truck, dur to less hitch wieght. you may want to go to a longer TT.
GCWR on my 05 dmax was 21000 for a SW rig, 23500 for a DW rig. I believe the 02 was the same.
marty
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Bucky, tvov and Jimlin, in a word, WRONG.
Unless your personal limitations and 20 year old recollections are somehow of greater accuracy than what GM said their trucks are rated for in 2002.
2500 Duramax is rated over 16k with a 5ver.
No speculation and fond reflections or whatever needed.
And what does the Dodge have to do with it? Lol
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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OP, here’s the considerations you need to make (since you’re presumably considering buying dads old truck from him).
1. Miles and condition/maintenance of the truck. It’s over 20 years old and could be perfect or could be a heap.
2. Injectors. If it’s never had injectors replaced there’s a great chance it will need them tomorrow or next year. Min $3k for NEW , not reman, parts. And most shops will charge you at least half that much for install if you aren’t a decent diy guy.
3. Despite the weak 6klb rawr, the truck is capable of considerably more weight. OE rims and tire size are extremely limiting as are 3/4 ton springs. The axle and chassis are the same as a dually so suspension and the proper wheels, no problem exceeding 6k rear axle weight.
4. The rest of the truck is about as good as they get for overall reliability and durability depending on #1 above.
5. The LB7 is peppy, but it’s a turd by todays diesel standards. Decent programmers/tunes are readily available that make the engine very capable with no other supporting mods needed. (As long as you know how to drive to the capability of a stock Alli 1000. Which is easy, don’t giver more beans than she came with from the factory while in 5th gear. 1-4 will handle 60-90 hp tunes no problem if the trans is healthy).
6. I would absolutely own another LB7 Duramax. Great overall truck.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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And the factory hitch is limiting if considering a big bumper pull trailer. Also easily upgraded, bolt on, and only a few hundo for a bomb proof hitch.
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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The owner's manual says 12,000lbs towing max.
K-2500 Regular Cab Short Box HD (4WD)*
Engine Axle Ratio Max. Trailer Wt. GCWR
6000 V8 4.10 10,200 lbs. (4 630 kg) 16,000 lbs. (7 264 kg)
8100 V8 3.73 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)** 20,000 lbs. (9 080 kg)
4.10 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)** 22,000 lbs. (9 988 kg)
6.6L V8 Diesel 3.73 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)** 22,000 lbs. (9 988 kg)
K-2500 Regular Cab Long Box HD (4WD)*
Engine Axle Ratio Max. Trailer Wt. GCWR
6000 V8 4.10 10,200 lbs. (4 630 kg) 16,000 lbs. (7 264 kg)
8100 V8 3.73 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)** 20, 000 lbs. (9 080 kg)
4.10 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)** 22,000 lbs. (9 988 kg)
6.6L V8 Diesel 3.73 12,000 lbs. (5 448 kg)** 22,000 lbs. (9 988 kg)
* Weight-distributing hitch tongue weight 10 percent to 15 percent of hitch weight 1,200 lb. (544 kg) maximum.
Fifth-wheel hitch tongue weight 15 percent to 25 percent of hitch weight 2,500 lb (1 134 kg) maximum.
** Fifth wheel hitch rating; weight distributing hitch rating is limited to 12,000 lbs. (5 443 kg).
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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