Towing capacity/GCWR?

[Coal creek Chris]

Anybody out there have ideas on what the combined truck/trailer/load weight rating is for my truck? Or if I can figure it out from the VIN or the codes in the glove box? I might get a used 10k rated trailer and wondering if this is too much for my truck or a good match. Its a 1989 V3500 chassis cab, 454/TBI, manual trans, 4WD, dual rear wheels.

 

[Keith Seymore]

Axle ratio?

 

[Blue Ox]

Start reading...

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/1985-gm-towing-guide-and-1981-dealer-towing-video.16699/

 

[Coal creek Chris]

Axle ratio?

Good question and I don't know the ratio. But I can say that the engine revs quite high in top gear if I go much over 55. Just by ear since it has no tach. 45-55 mph max seems like the happy zone for the engine.

 

[Coal creek Chris]

Start reading...

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/1985-gm-towing-guide-and-1981-dealer-towing-video.16699/

Thanks Blue Ox. Very helpful. So it looks like a DRW chassis cab 7.4 motor has a gross trailer weight of 10k with 4.10 axle ratio and 12k with 4.56 ratio. Seems like either axle ratio means a 10k rated trailer would be a decent match for my truck. Thanks for the help.

 

[Grit dog]

IMO it depends less on the rating and more about the condition of the truck, type of trailer and where in CO you plan on towing the trailer.
And how fast, or slow, you want to get there.

 

[Coal creek Chris]

IMO it depends less on the rating and more about the condition of the truck, type of trailer and where in CO you plan on towing the trailer.
And how fast, or slow, you want to get there.

Great points. It's a flatbed equipment trailer. Typical use would be about an 80 mile round trip, loaded one way, empty the other, about 50/50 hilly and flat terrain. Usually 45-50 mph max speed and more like 30-40 max speed loaded in the hills. I don't rush. I think of the truck almost like a tractor rather than a truck if you know what I mean.