Anybody know the GVW rating of our crewcab trucks?

[Mr Pops]

Anybody know the GVW rating of our trucks? More specifically, I'd like to know the GVW of my 1990 V3500 crewcab single wheel 1ton 4x4.
My glovebox has a sticker that says I can put a 2495 lb slide in camper on it, but I'd like to know what my total maximum weight of my truck is allowed (or designed) to be.

[86c20]

it is my understanding that it really depends on the year as some one tons are 9g up to 12 or 13g but would be nice to know the real numbers

[Mr Pops]

sorry, whats the g stand for?

[V3500KING]

I am pretty sure its 9,000 pounds. My 1990 V3500 dually is 12,000 pounds. Its 4500 for the front axle and 7500 for the rear axle.

[jimbonice]

Originally Posted by V3500KING

I am pretty sure its 9,000 pounds. My 1990 V3500 dually is 12,000 pounds. Its 4500 for the front axle and 7500 for the rear axle.

The actual gvw of your truck is 10,000 lbs, not 12,000 lbs. It may seem counter-intuitive, but you don't simply add the two numbers. The single axle models are either 9200 or 8600. See the attached pdf for a copy of the gvw from GM's literature.

[Mr Pops]

Originally Posted by jimbonice

It may seem counter-intuitive, but you don't simply add the two numbers..

Kinda like how the dually tire weight ratings work. The weight limit doesn't double even though you've doubled your tires.. I always thought that was strange.

[C-10 simplex]

Do you have a placard on your driver's door? It should say so there.

GVWR fascinates me ( mine is only 4900). But i think engine, trans and rear gear ratio also determine it. Not just chassis components.

Along with the pdf j.b. provided, i have seen gvwr's for 1 tons to be 8600, 9000, 9200, 9600, and 10000.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by C-10 simplex

GVWR fascinates me ( mine is only 4900). But i think engine, trans and rear gear ratio also determine it. Not just chassis components.

Along with the pdf j.b. provided, i have seen gvwr's for 1 tons to be 8600, 9000, 9200, 9600, and 10000.

Correct - weight carrying capability, "launchability" (aka gear ratios), ride/handling and braking all figure into the GVW rating.

K

[Mr Pops]

Originally Posted by C-10 simplex

Do you have a placard on your driver's door? It should say so there.

Original door is long gone.

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by V3500KING

I am pretty sure its 9,000 pounds. My 1990 V3500 dually is 12,000 pounds. Its 4500 for the front axle and 7500 for the rear axle.

Originally Posted by jimbonice

The actual gvw of your truck is 10,000 lbs, not 12,000 lbs. It may seem counter-intuitive, but you don't simply add the two numbers. The single axle models are either 9200 or 8600. See the attached pdf for a copy of the gvw from GM's literature.

Yep, you don't add those two numbers together, that is the maximum GVW for that particular "end" of the truck, but you still can't exceed the GVWR of 10k (if DRW). Let's say you have 10k GVWR on a GVWR, and you put on a snowplow, winch, and other accessories up front, and you put your truck on the scales and have 4500lbs up front, that leaves you with 5500lbs to put over the rear now since you have loaded up the front.

Originally Posted by Mr Pops

Kinda like how the dually tire weight ratings work. The weight limit doesn't double even though you've doubled your tires.. I always thought that was strange.

The reason for the dual tire rating being lower per tire is because of a few situations that can affect the load on the tires. One being the crown of the road, due to the uneven shape of the road, the dual tires are not going to be evenly loaded, generally the inner tire takes more of the load in this situation. Also, if you have unevenly worn tires in the back, say one 1/2 tread tire, and one nearly new, the newer tire has a larger overall diameter, although a small difference, it still hits the ground before the other tire, therefore taking more of the load. A difference in tire pressure, or even tire temperature will have the same effect. Because of this the tire companies apply a 10% or so lower rating to tires used in dual applications to account for these variations.

[Mr Pops]

Originally Posted by GCncsuHD

The reason for the dual tire rating being lower per tire is because of a few situations that can affect the load on the tires. One being the crown of the road, due to the uneven shape of the road, the dual tires are not going to be evenly loaded, generally the inner tire takes more of the load in this situation. Also, if you have unevenly worn tires in the back, say one 1/2 tread tire, and one nearly new, the newer tire has a larger overall diameter, although a small difference, it still hits the ground before the other tire, therefore taking more of the load. A difference in tire pressure, or even tire temperature will have the same effect. Because of this the tire companies apply a 10% or so lower rating to tires used in dual applications to account for these variations.

That makes sense.

[86c20]

sorry that g was ment to be a k. way to sleep deprived. now you mean to tell me that my 3/4 ton that is rated 8600 could be the same as a one ton? i know mine is a reg cab but still dont seem right to me. now i wonder what my one ton really is

[Keith Seymore]

9200 lbs.

I pulled up the free info packet from the GM Heritage Center archives. You can find them here:

http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-h...tion-kits.html

I chose the info packet for an 87 V3500, because if you check the 1990 model year stuff you get GMT400 info.

At any rate, 9200 lbs for single rear wheel; 10,000 for a dually, unless it changed from '87 to '90.

By the way, earlier in the info packet it also specifically showed "payload" for the various models; payload for the V3500 crew cabs was 3771 lbs (page 33).

K

[Mr Pops]

^^That's what I'm talkin about!!^^ Thanks!

[Stew_Magoo]

Mine scales in at 6500 with one half full fuel tank and me in it.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Stew_Magoo

Mine scales in at 6500 with one half full fuel tank and me in it.

That would be "curb" weight. GVW (gross vehicle weight, or the "heaviest" the truck can ever be) would be curb + payload.

K