Max Legal/Safely Towing Weight

I am trying to determine how much weight I can legally and safely tow with my vehicle trailer combination. I have already looked at the door tag and owners manual for my truck, and it mentions no where what the max towing weight is. My trailer also does not mention what the max load is, the stickers that were on it are rubbed off, they probably had that information. I have looked online numerous times for this info before asking here.
My truck is a 1995 GMC 2500 4 wheel drive extended cab, with automatic transmission. My trailer is a 2004 Fox trailer, 18 foot equipment trailer with fold down ramps, side rails are 6 inch channel and crossmembers are 3 inch channel. The tires are load range D ( 2540 lbs ) 15 inch tires. 2 & 5/16 Ball. I think the hitch is cat 3, but not sure, 2 inch receiver. I do not have the weight distributing stuff that I may need to put on the hitch.
Thanks for any information you may share.
 
Does the trailer have 5, 6 or 8 bolt hubs? You can measure the size of
your axle and # of leaf springs and get a pretty good idea of what you
have.

With 15" tires, I would guess 3,500lb axles on the trailer. So 7,000lb
axle capacity minus the weight of the trailer...so your trailer has a
capacity of roughly 5,500lbs. I don't know the specs of your truck,
but being a 3/4 ton I would think it is rated for more than that.
Unless you get a larger trailer, say a 20,000lb capacity gooseneck,
you should be fine legally. As your setup now and assuming the axle
size of your trailer, your maxed out at about 5,500lbs of cargo
safely.
 
With 15" tires, most likely you have
3500# axles for a 7k capacity. Truck
is likely around 7500. That is a max
gross weight of 14,500#. You can
usually weight at a local rock yard
and get an idea of your weights
 
This is from the 1996 owner's manual. As you say, the 1995 manual doesn't have this information
and directs you to your dealer for trailer tow ratings which is odd. Anyway, if the '95 and '96
trucks are similar than this should give you an idea based on your engine and axle ratio. The 1996
trucks did have the "Vortec" engines with significantly more power but I don't know if that
increased the towing capacity.
a196993.jpg
 
Thanks everyone for the replies and information that y'all have given me. The info from the 96 owners manual should be the same as mine, pretty much, I don't know if they left it out of the 95 owners manual or if I could be missing a page, but it is not in mine. At least now I have an idea what my truck can safely handle. Although I may have been overweight a time or 2 in the past according to these numbers. Looks like I need to invest in a newer / and or heavier truck to be able pull more weight. Maybe one day, but for now, thanks to all that replied.
 
(quoted from post at 17:17:40 08/11/15) Isnt that info found on your registration card or title?

No, it is not, at least not in my state. The weight that is on the truck registration is what I register it for, you can register it for more than standard which is 4000 pounds, if you do not specify what you want they issue the registration with the standard weight. But you pay more if you register it for more than the standard 4000 pounds. My truck registration says 4000 pounds, which is standard, my truck alone weighs more than that. I have been lucky and never been checked.
The trailer title says nothing about weight capacity, just "trailer" that is all that the title says. The trailer registration also just says trailer, no weight at all listed. That is how mine is, I have looked at the title many times including since I posted this,and it is not on there, I also called the trailer manufacturer, and the company is no longer in business, and its a 2004 trailer.
 

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