Greetings all.

I bought my 1 Ton Dually for the purpose of buying a 5th wheel RV and a 8' X 12' trailer to pull behind the 5er. :ro)

As I have been discussing this with people I have learned two things.
1. I can't legally tow a double trailer in all states.
2. I have to be concern about weight.

The second question got be thinking about "Well I would how much would a One Ton Dually haul?":help:

So why do they call a 3500 a One Ton?:idea:

I got thinking about 5ers and I know some of them can weight up to about 18,000 lbs. Then you think about 20% of that is on the tongue. That means 3600 lbs is sitting right over your rear axle. Well in my book 3600 is about 1600 lbs over One Ton.

A friend told me that a One Ton can handle easily a lot more than a One Ton.:ro)

I then when to a yard landscaping place and one of the guys said if I was some pea graval for my driveway I could put 2 to 3 tons in the bed of my truck. Again I thought "Why do they call a 3500 a One Ton?"

Well back to the 5er again I found out the weight restriction I had to concern myself with had to more with the type of driver license I had rather than the truck that I had. Because I could legally have only up to 26000 lbs GVW. But I was getting up to the limit of the truck as well at that weight.

My son who is a draftman/designer was telling me that when pulling the load of a trailer that that 18,000 lbs was all on my 5th wheel weight of my truck when starting and stopping. Except having trailer brakes would allow the trailer to bear some of it own weight. So when stopping I would have all that weight on my truck. Hummm So “How much weight can a One Ton Dually handle?”

The easy answer is :duh: “Well dummy just look a the sticker on the inside of your door and look at what the manufacture sets as the weight limits.”:idiot:

Well as I am writing this I can’t seem to remember what it is but let say safely (and I know it is more) that I have a upper limit of 15,000 lbs. Well if my truck weights say 9000 lbs. Would that mean that if I went back to that Landscaping place I could put 6000 lbs of pea gravel in my truck?

If so then why do they call a 3500 a One Ton?

Dually Club # 704

You can find the tow limits just about any where...the manual, a brochure or on line. Just remember, the ACTUAL towing capacity is figured by subracting the truck's actual weight from the GCWR (which is 23,500 for a GM dually).

The key with a fifth wheel is the pin weight, which is normally 15% to 25% of the trailer's GVWR...use the GW, because usually that's what they weigh when we are using them.

On 05 models or newer, the max cargo weight you can carry is on the Tire and Loading Information Sticker on the left rear door post.

Half ton, 3/4 ton and one ton are just names...have nothing to do with carrying ability. Just light duty, medium duty (although they like to call the 'heavy duty) and heavy duty.

Actually, your truck weighs closer to 8000# and the GVWR is 11400#. The door sticker Old Soldier told you about will be exact but you're around 3400# available for the total load with passengers, gear, pin wt. etc...

You can find the exact weight of your truck by subtracting the cargo capacity from the GVWR...11,400.

Actually, your truck weighs closer to 8000# and the GVWR is 11400#. The door sticker Old Soldier told you about will be exact but you're around 3400# available for the total load with passengers, gear, pin wt. etc...
if you can only hol 3400 pound in the bed of a dualy.. why place almos 9,000 lb sping between the bed and axle:rolleyes:? riddle me that


what weight and what a drw can handle and legaly question do some reading here
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=230483


as for tandem trailers... you will have to look for the law state to state... some require an edorsment others just have take a test that prove you kknow how to handle tandem trailers

Here is a link for the recommended tow ratings
http://www.trailerlife.com/output.cfm?id=42175