# Towing Capacity



## VINIFIREWOOD (Sep 9, 2013)

Earlier this summer I purchased a 92 Chevy Kodiak LoPro 60 series truck with 12 foot dump bed to replace my old worn out 78 GMC. Anyway as the thread title suggests, I am trying to figure out what the towing capacity is for this truck. I will only be pulling my skidsteer or chipper with it but would like to have the piece of mind that I am within the ratings of the truck especially if Mr. Dot happens by. The stickers in the door and elsewhere in the cab seem to give me everything but a gross combined weight ratio.
Here are the specs I have for the truck.
427 engine
Allison 545 auto
Gear ratio ? (will check tomorrow)
156" wb
22000 gvwr (15000 rear 7000 front)


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## MOE (Sep 10, 2013)

Should be plenty of truck for your skid steer or chipper. Just make sure everything is working ,(lights, trailer lights, trailer brakes, etc) and have good tires. MN state patrol loves to roadside inspect older trucks and trailers,(unless you're a farmer).


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## VINIFIREWOOD (Sep 10, 2013)

MOE said:


> Should be plenty of truck for your skid steer or chipper. Just make sure everything is working ,(lights, trailer lights, trailer brakes, etc) and have good tires. MN state patrol loves to roadside inspect older trucks and trailers,(unless you're a farmer).



Ya i'm not worried about it when the truck is empty but if it's loaded with chips with one or the other behind then I might be pushing the limits. Everything else on the truck and equipment is in check.


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## Goose IBEW (Sep 10, 2013)

This is a very good question. My '87 C70 has a 22k gross as well and I am wondering what it can tow. From what I have found, you should be able to tow what the gross at is so a 12 ton trailer would be pushing the envelope. I'd subtract any carrying weight from what you can tow. 8,000 lbs in the bed, 14,000lb trailer out back. I will be keeping tabs on this, hope someone else has some more insight.


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## greg storms (Sep 11, 2013)

VINIFIREWOOD said:


> Earlier this summer I purchased a 92 Chevy Kodiak LoPro 60 series truck with 12 foot dump bed to replace my old worn out 78 GMC. Anyway as the thread title suggests, I am trying to figure out what the towing capacity is for this truck. I will only be pulling my skidsteer or chipper with it but would like to have the piece of mind that I am within the ratings of the truck especially if Mr. Dot happens by. The stickers in the door and elsewhere in the cab seem to give me everything but a gross combined weight ratio.
> Here are the specs I have for the truck.
> 427 engine
> Allison 545 auto
> ...



I have a c8500 chevy truck with a cat3126 & allison 6 speed auto trans. I called allison (transmission) people & they were very helpful. I don't have the phone # on me (it's in the cab...allison manual). But,I found a sticker on my truck stating my max towing was 16000#. If you call allison with all the info, they can probably give you the trans's limits. I also had to get some parts break-downs on the truck chassis & found Rick Stockbridge from industrial parts ([email protected]) to be very helpful. He got the parts prints & sent them to me. I'd imagine he may be able to assist you. Btw, my gross truck wt is 34000#....I don't know if that limits the towing wt to 16#K , but imagine the combined 34#K + 16#K is the limit for my chassis/engine/tranny. Good Luck!


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## Bill Becker (Sep 11, 2013)

*Its how much you can stop.*

For me what is most important is how much weight you can stop, not how much you can tow. Most low profile trucks with smaller wheels have smaller brakes than the same truck with standard wheels.

I want good brakes on the truck and towed equipment with a good brake controller and I test how much I can stop by making a "panic" stop with partial and full loads.

I've also put heavier axles/hubs/wheels/tires on some of my chippers and trailers, not for the increased weight capacity but for the bigger brakes that come with them.


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## VINIFIREWOOD (Sep 12, 2013)

Bill thanks for the reply and I concur with it.

I would venture to guess that the breaking system is still adequate to stop the amount of weight that the truck is rated for. And I will say that this truck does have some good brakes. I have pulled my skid steer with it and turned the break controller off just to see how the truck will stop it in the event the trailer breaks should fail and it has no problem stopping.

From what I have seen. Single axle medium duty trucks like this don't exceed a 16000lb towing capacity with a tag hitch style trailer. 
So now to figure out the Gross Combined Weight Rating.


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## brushbandit (Sep 12, 2013)

You will have a problem with Mr. dot if your trailer is over 10k pounds and you don't have a Class A CDL. Irregardless of what the truck can tow.


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## VINIFIREWOOD (Sep 12, 2013)

brushbandit said:


> You will have a problem with Mr. dot if your trailer is over 10k pounds and you don't have a Class A CDL. Irregardless of what the truck can tow.



Absolutely will yup. I've got that covered.
Ratings on the truck are what I don't have.


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## john_bud (Sep 12, 2013)

brushbandit said:


> You will have a problem with Mr. dot if your trailer is over 10k pounds and you don't have a Class A CDL. Irregardless of what the truck can tow.



Actually, that's a good point. At 10, 001 pounds actual or plated trailer total, he will be hammered for over 26, 000 total weight (actual or plated). Also crossing state lines over 10k total actual weight of truck+trailet needs a usdot.


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## Goose IBEW (Sep 13, 2013)

I have class A CDL as well. Problem is you get 10 different interpretations from 10 different people. For conversation sake; my truck has a 21,200lb gross weight rating on the door jamb. The way I read the law, I should be able to tow 9,999lb trailer and be under CDL even if the combined weight goes to 31,199lb....correct? I'm not sure nor do I know who to ask for validation.

As far as the truck goes, shouldn't a GM dealership be able to answer your questions with the vin number?


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## MSgtBob66 (Sep 16, 2013)

*Vini, I have the answer to your question...*

I am a MN DOT inspector during my day job as a mechanic. Call Chevy with your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and ask for the Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (CGVWR) (or something like that). THEN you have the answer. That being said, you are under MN rules when you go over 26001 lbs. until you cross state lines, then the fed rule of 10001 lbs apply. There is a lot of info for DOT stuff on the mechanical/safety inspection side of the house that tree guys don't know about. Of course, this is the info that gets owner/operators into trouble...

PM me at [email protected] or call me at 612-702-4832 with questions concerning DOT stuff.

You will probably help me out with tree questions I have.

S/F & Good Luck

BOB


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## VINIFIREWOOD (Sep 16, 2013)

MSgtBob66 said:


> I am a MN DOT inspector during my day job as a mechanic. Call Chevy with your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and ask for the Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (CGVWR) (or something like that). THEN you have the answer. That being said, you are under MN rules when you go over 26001 lbs. until you cross state lines, then the fed rule of 10001 lbs apply. There is a lot of info for DOT stuff on the mechanical/safety inspection side of the house that tree guys don't know about. Of course, this is the info that gets owner/operators into trouble...
> 
> PM me at [email protected] or call me at 612-702-4832 with questions concerning DOT stuff.
> 
> ...



Bob
I tried my local dealer that also had a medium duty dept when GM was still making those trucks. They informed me that since that line of trucks has been discontinued they no longer have access to that information.
I may try another dealer just for the hell of it. Seems odd to me that this seems to be so hard to find


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## MOE (Sep 16, 2013)

MSgtBob66 said:


> I am a MN DOT inspector during my day job as a mechanic. Call Chevy with your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and ask for the Combined Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (CGVWR) (or something like that). THEN you have the answer. That being said, you are under MN rules when you go over 26001 lbs. until you cross state lines, then the fed rule of 10001 lbs apply. There is a lot of info for DOT stuff on the mechanical/safety inspection side of the house that tree guys don't know about. Of course, this is the info that gets owner/operators into trouble...
> 
> PM me at [email protected] or call me at 612-702-4832 with questions concerning DOT stuff.
> 
> ...



Bob, that's great to know and very generous of you. It's more helpfull than you realize with deciphering DOT laws. I've called The st cloud regional office with a few questions over the years and it's a very frustrating process because if it's not real clear, no one wants to answer it and you get passed around. I've been told on a couple questions,(most recently regarding the reconstruction inspection for the dump truck I built) that it's the officers interpretation. Meaning no answer and I could still get nailed depending on the officer. Thanks Andy


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