I have a 1996 Chevy Silverado 1500 4x4 with a 350 V8 Vortech engine (auto tranny, SWB, reg cab), it has a receiver hitch (for bp) on it. I am not sure what class it is rated for...where can I find that?I inherited this truck after my father passed away, so I don't know things like this about the truck.I would like to know its towing capacity. Does anyone on here know or know where I could find it?What would be the biggest trailer it could pull?Would it be able to handle a 2H gooseneck?
Posted 2009-02-08 8:50 PM (#99056 - in reply to #99014) Subject: RE: 1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity
Member
Posts: 13
Location: Kansas
Now I'll put my message in!!! I had a 1997 GMC 1500 4x4 with about the same motor as you have. I pulled a 3 horse Titan gooseneck with living quarters with it. I had no trouble pulling the trailer. I did put air bags under it, but actually probably wouldn't have needed them.
My sister has a 96 Chevy and she pulls a 3 horse steel gooseneck living quarters trailer with hers. She's had no trouble either. Hers is a longbed, but doesn't have the airbags. You'll probably have lots of people tell you you can't pull these trailers with that truck, but we have no problems with either truck's performance.
Posted 2009-02-08 9:06 PM (#99057 - in reply to #99014) Subject: RE: 1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Florida
I just recently bought a 2003 GMC Sierra 1500 4X4 with a 5.3ltr V8 (pretty much the same truck), tow package, extended cab, short bed and had the same problem - couldn't figure out what the reciever was rated. They are supposed to have a sticker with the weight rating, or have it stamped on, but mine had nothing. I finally called a couple of GMC/Chevy dealers, and they all told me the same thing - they only put class III hitch receivers on at the factory, which is rated at 6000lbs with a regular bp set up, but if you use a weight distribution hitch it ups the load to 8000lbs (just make sure all other components are rated the same or higher if you plan to pull that much).
Posted 2009-02-09 10:39 AM (#99072 - in reply to #99057) Subject: RE: 1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity and trailer brakes?
Veteran
Posts: 100 Location: Arkansas
My dad bought the truck used with the receiver already on it (so I don't know if it's factory or aftermarket). I never bothered to ask him what it was rated for or anything...the diagnosis of cancer came out of nowhere and after finding out, the receiver (or anything else for that matter) was the least of my (or anyone's) concern.I haven't crawled underneath to see if I can see anything but will soon when the weather clears up. I don't think a gooseneck would work with this truck just because it's a SWB reg. cab, it'll probably hit the cab on it. I am just wanting to know what the truck could handle without overloading it...I definitely want to be in the category of "more truck than trailer" though.I don't need anything bigger than a 2 horse trailer and don't need anything with LQ but a small dressing room would be nice to carry the extras in.Plus my Haflinger/Draft cross (only 14.3hh) weighs about 1500#'s maybe even a little bit more. I don't think I'll be hauling another horse with him most of the time but there might be a time that I do. And I want my truck to be able to handle it.This might be a stupid question, but should I worry about brakes on a 2 horse trailer? It's an '87 WW so they'd probably need redone. But you hear of alot of people that disconnect the brakes on a 2 horse trailer and keep using the trailer...so it got me to wondering if it was OK to pull without brakes or are the just being ignorant? Thanks for all the input, it's nice to see others that have had this kind of truck not have any problems.
Posted 2009-02-10 3:16 AM (#99139 - in reply to #99056) Subject: RE: 1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by Black Velvet on 2009-02-08 8:50 PM
Now I'll put my message in!!! I had a 1997 GMC 1500 4x4 with about the same motor as you have. I pulled a 3 horse Titan gooseneck with living quarters with it. I had no trouble pulling the trailer. I did put air bags under it, but actually probably wouldn't have needed them.
My sister has a 96 Chevy and she pulls a 3 horse steel gooseneck living quarters trailer with hers. She's had no trouble either. Hers is a longbed, but doesn't have the airbags. You'll probably have lots of people tell you you can't pull these trailers with that truck, but we have no problems with either truck's performance.
Hope this helps.
Care to state the GVWR of your horse trailer?
Care to state the actual weight of your trailer loaded?
Posted 2009-02-10 3:47 AM (#99141 - in reply to #99014) Subject: RE: 1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity
Veteran
Posts: 119 Location: Fort White, Fla.
I had a 2001 Dodge 4 x 4 with a 360 and auto trany in it with a four horse bd trailer and when I would haul two of my horses it was not to bad put I could fill the strain on the trany and when I put three of my horses in it was even worse I would be more concerned about the transmission lasting than anything else over time you may have problems just make sure you have the transmission serves regally
Posted 2009-02-12 5:28 AM (#99324 - in reply to #99014) Subject: RE: 1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity
Veteran
Posts: 213 Location: Virginia
I have nearly the same vehicle. The sticker on the window (yes, I STILL have it!! LOL) said that the maxiumum tow rating for the vehicle was 8,500lbs/3,856 KG (it has the factory installed tow package/rear end). It also said the tow rating must be reduced by the weight of all passengers and all cargo and any optional equipment added to the truck after mfg. I recently went to look at LQ trailers. There were only two GN 2H LQ trailers on the lot and they both weighed 5,800 lbs. empty. Fully loaded would put you right around the maximum rating, leaving little margin for safety.
Most of the 3H GN trailers with LQ were around 6,000lbs empty. Adding passengers, 3 horses plus hay, water, tack, tools, and all the other stuff packed in the trailer, you are easily over 10,500lbs. It would be dangerous to pull with this type of truck.
1996 Chevy 1500 towing capacity
