[Faster7]

99 ECSB silverado 2500LD 4x4. Manual shift tcase, LQ4 6.0 with 4l80e. I haven't found a trustworthy GCWR rating, should be able to pick up a factory owners manual this weekend and see what was in there.

I'm likely swapping the 9.5" 3.73 rear for a 10.5" 4.10 rear I picked up, and on the fence about pulling out the front diff/tcase, swapping in 2wd 4l80e, and running 2wd full time. Tow guides for the 99/00/01 don't show a real big tow difference from LD to HD trucks that I have found but in later trucks it looks like the difference from the 9.5 to 10.5" rear along with likely stouter springs helped enough in cargo weight capacity to jack the fifth wheel trailer rating a good ~4000lbs over the 9.5" rear trucks.

I'd ASSumed the 1500HD trucks had the taller frame from the 2500HD and 3500 but seems some suggest that it's the same as my 2500 frame, in which case I could likely go off 1500HD numbers since the axle/spring package would be the other big difference between my truck and a 1500HD, and with swapping the axle if I also put airbags on it it's likely a wash.

I think I'll be operating in a good safe margin if I stay under the GCWR rating of a 4.10 geared 2500HD but really looks like a crap shoot on guessing what GM would have put the towing / 5th wheel towing capacity at if they'd have built a truck this way. Anyone want to guess?

 

[SkyHigh98]

Why don't you start out by stating, directly, what you are trying to achieve. I get that you want to increase your towing capacity... but why? What, exactly, are you planning on pulling? How heavy is it?

You do realize that you can swap the gearing in the rear end without changing the entire axle, right?

 

[03SMURF]

I think you will surpass braking capabilities long before you overload any of those axles.

 

[Faster7]

Why don't you start out by stating, directly, what you are trying to achieve. I get that you want to increase your towing capacity... but why? What, exactly, are you planning on pulling? How heavy is it?

You do realize that you can swap the gearing in the rear end without changing the entire axle, right?

It's a super high mileage truck ---- so a ~130k mile 4.10 geared disk 10.5" that happened to come with a pair of nearly new tires bolted on for $125 was a win-win-win. I'll service the bearings and brakes on the 10.5 and put fresh fluids in it and go.

I know the range of things that I wouldn't plan to tow REGULARLY without a dual rear tire truck, but what about getting CLOSE, where is that line? I know if I was operating under the factory ratings then I'm far from that line.

My boat and trailmanor camper are both easy to tow--- I'm curious when I'm done freshening this truck whether I'd be under a sensible GCVW rating by towing them as a double, would be ~8200-8500lb worth of towed weight plus passengers and gear. It would certainly be under even the most pessimistic ~10,200lb rating I've found, but unsure still about GCVW.

If a situation came up that I needed to run a friends triple axle car hauler empty somewhere, I'm sure I'm fine, but what about if it's behind a broken diesel dual rear wheel truck that is scaling at ~9000, if I loaded the truck on the trailer, would I be within reason or wayyyyy over?

 

[bigblue4x4]

Just looked through my owners manual and the 2500LD and HD have the same tow rating
8000lbs with 3.73's and 10,000 with 4.10's

You will need to watch you axle rating on the sticker in the door jam,just because you upgraded axles does not mean your fine with the DOT
if you get pulled over and they weight your truck they go by that sticker

 

[Faster7]

Just looked through my owners manual and the 2500LD and HD have the same tow rating
8000lbs with 3.73's and 10,000 with 4.10's

You will need to watch you axle rating on the sticker in the door jam,just because you upgraded axles does not mean your fine with the DOT
if you get pulled over and they weight your truck they go by that sticker

Thank you. Anything in the book about combined weight? I can certainly stay under the numbers on the sticker for axle weights.