What it Really Weighs

This why a I drive an F150 FX4 with 10,500# capacity and built in brake controller. I don't have to worry. I can tow pretty much anything I need to. That being said, I would never tow anything that exceeded 80% of my rated towing capacity. It is just not worth the risk.

[Mr. Adventure]

That's a great tow vehicle, but not for the other 95% of the driving I do.

Be sure to use a WDH, because the Ford Towing Guide says the max tongue weight without one is 500#:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...vF150sep09.pdf

Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure

That's a great tow vehicle, but not for the other 95% of the driving I do.

Be sure to use a WDH, because the Ford Towing Guide says the max tongue weight without one is 500#:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...vF150sep09.pdf

How do you find these so easily on the web?

I have a 2002 Chevy 150HD and because I bought it used I do not have an owners manual.

Since I bought the 2008 GMC 2500HD long bed two years ago I no longer use the Chevy for towing the TM, but I might at times.

It sure would be nice to know if I am overloaded at all towing the TM. I am certain that I am overloaded when I put two motorcycles in the back of the truck, based on rear end sag. I was unable to remove the wheel from the tongue jack.

[Mr. Adventure]

PopBeavers,
I just use Google searches, and sometimes it's easier than others to find what you're looking for. Ford and Toyota are currently providing lots more good towing information online than they used to.

You might check to see if the parts dept at a dealer can order one for you.

With a Google search term of "owners manual" 2008 GMC 2500HD
I got these:

For your 2008 2500HD, there's this sales-ish brochure:
http://www.gmcertified.com/themes/de..._Sierra_HD.pdf

Yours is new enough that the 2011 model may give you some ballpark answers:
http://www.gmc.com/2011sierra/2500HD...pabilities.jsp

I also found this, that's just for one year newer. Check out page 15:
http://www.online-pdf-search.co.cc/s...owners+manual/

And then I found this really great site, where it says on p 5-59 max 600# tongue weight without a WDH and 1100 to 1500# with (registering and login required on the site, but you'll love it if you're not an old timer there already):
http://www.silveradosierra.com/downl...ado_owners.pdf

Originally Posted by Joseph

Note to new users.... as you can see, if you have read the post this far, ones choice of tow vehicle can be a most interesting and lively subject. Were even learning about the manufacture of rope, elevator cables, hydraulic hoses and space ships here... Just remember that however you go, go safe. Ask questions and do your own research to be able to make a informed decision that best fits you. But be safe first. Remember that however you go that trailer is going to be behind you every step of the way.

I agree 100% and have said this very thing in the past. DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK and MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS based on the facts of your TV.
Overloading your TV by 1000 lbs just because someone else is doing it doesn't make it ok. If you're going to error, error to the side of safety, not to the side of cost savings.
There are many users here that may have originally purchased their TMs while owning a marginal TV, but have since upgraded.

I have no trouble using a vehicle at its rated capacity; however, I recognize that doing so is tougher on the vehicle than using it at less than its rated capacity. That said, I now completely ignore the tow rating for my TV. After digesting the numbers associated with my TV/TM combo, the TV tow rating is a useless (or at least superfluous) rating.

The numbers I pay attention to are GCWR, GVWR, and the steer/drive/trailer axle ratings compared to actual weights for those same three axles. I have learned that with my TM fully loaded (~40% of the TV's tow rating), GVWR could be exceeded depending on passengers and truck bed contents.

Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure

That's a great tow vehicle, but not for the other 95% of the driving I do.

Be sure to use a WDH, because the Ford Towing Guide says the max tongue weight without one is 500#:
http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...vF150sep09.pdf

I do use a WDH but actually I don't need one with my set-up. I think that tongue weight is for a standard F150.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I do use a WDH but actually I don't need one with my set-up. I think that tongue weight is for a standard F150.

The 500# tongue weight limit is for every 2010 Ford 150 with the factory installed hitch receiver option, according to the Ford Towing Guide (http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...vF150sep09.pdf). Don't forget that a big part of the WDH is also keeping 250# or so forward on the front axle for steering and braking, not just reducing load on the rear axle. I think the the only reason I might not use a WDH with a 500#+ tongue weight is for cases where I was worried about adding to the load on the trailer tires (or if I was towing with a motorhome or a dump truck, of course).

Back in the days when large mainframes computers were, well large, there was a specific design criteria that is vaguely related to the present topic.

For a reliable, high performance affordable computer (not the sequence of those words):

Given two or more possible designs for a circuit, choose the the most reliable one.

Given two or more possible designs that are equally reliable, choose the one that is the fastest.

Given two or more possible designs that are equally reliable and equally fast, choose the lower cost one.

The other one is RAS (Reliability, Availability and Serviceability).

Reliability: it will hardly ever fail.

Availability: When a failure occurs it is isolated and the system will continue to function accurately, but performance may be degraded.

Serviceability; When it brakes it can be fixed without a shutdown.

These days, on a high end system, process chips, mother boards, memory, disks, etc. can be swapped out while the system is running, with no impact other than the machine runs slower.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could swap out the engine in your truck while driving down the road, repair a flat tire while towing.

But I am dreaming. If this could be accomplished for a truck and trailer, no one could afford it.

I wonder what the criteria is for cars, trucks and trailers? I suspect that for the TM that light weight comes a little bit before cost. I'm not sure where reliability fits in the picture.

Originally Posted by Mr. Adventure

The 500# tongue weight limit is for every 2010 Ford 150 with the factory installed hitch receiver option, according to the Ford Towing Guide (http://www.fordvehicles.com/assets/p...vF150sep09.pdf). Don't forget that a big part of the WDH is also keeping 250# or so forward on the front axle for steering and braking, not just reducing load on the rear axle. I think the the only reason I might not use a WDH with a 500#+ tongue weight is for cases where I was worried about adding to the load on the trailer tires (or if I was towing with a motorhome or a dump truck, of course).

Yep. That's why I use one. With the WDH I have to remind myself that I actually have something in tow.