C3500 Chevy Dually Towing Specs
by Jason UnrauThe most important number when determining the towing specifications for a C3500 Chevy is the
. The GCWR is the total weight of the vehicle, the trailer and the contents of the vehicle including passengers. The GCWR for the 2015 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD is 30,500 pounds. Start by determining
the unloaded vehicle weight, known as the
. This number will tell you the payload that you can safely add to the vehicle.
Tips
Payload is the combined passenger weight, cargo weight, accessories or additions not originally on the vehicle, as well as the tongue or kingpin weight.
This Chevy Silverado 3500 HD has a curb weight of 7,055 pounds, and a payload of 4,345 pounds, which yields a total of 11,400 pounds. This number matches the gross vehicle weight rating. The GVW rating is the maximum that the truck is rated to carry without a trailer connected. Once you've determined the vehicle weight ratings, calculate the trailer towing capacity, as follows:
maximum trailer weight = GCWR - GVW
So, if the curb weight is 7,055 pounds, the total passenger weight is 1,045 pounds and there is no cargo, the gross vehicle weight would be 8,100 pounds. The gross combined rating would be 30,500 pounds, yielding a maximum trailer weight of 22,400 pounds. This means a hitch ball-mounted trailer can carry a maximum of 16,500 pounds, but a fifth wheel cannot exceed 22,400 pounds.
Warnings
Do not exceed the towing capacity, as this could cause serious injury.
Tips
The owner's manual also contains towing-weight specifications. Consult the owner's manual before towing.
Items you will need
Gross Combined Weight Rating
Curb Weight
Payload
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
References
Writer Bio
Jason Unrau is an automotive writer with 15 years experience in the automotive dealer environment, including 10 years as and automotive service consultant. He is a Certified Technology Expert, a regular contributor to Gearheads.org, and operates AutomotiveCopywriter.com.
