I found the original window sticker to the truck I am currently driving, it lists 6300# GVWR Package. I plan on towing my camper with this truck, so what exactly does this tell me? I assume it means it has a tow package, but the dang thing only has a bumper hitch, it does not have a receiver which I thought was odd. But I guess a previous owner could have removed that.

So, 6300# GVWR, is this a good thing?

 

A gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable total weight of a road vehicle or trailer that is loaded, including the weight of the vehicle itself plus fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight. In the United States, two important GVWR limitations are 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg) and 8,500 pounds (3,856 kg). Vehicles over 6,000 pounds are restricted from many city roadways (though there is some dispute about whether this restriction is for actual curb weight or GVWR), and vehicles over 8,500 pounds do not have to display EPA estimated fuel mileage or a Monroney sticker nor are they subject to state emissions testing.
Most U.S. cars have a placard (sticker) with this information. It is located typically either in the driver's side door or doorframe, owners manual, or also may be present on another sticker immediately under the hood near the radiator, although that sticker more typically contains information about the size of the motor, various fluid capacities, etc.
Most U.S. commercial trucks (especially semi-trailer trucks and dump trucks) are required by licensing authorities to have this information printed on the outside of the vehicle and for it to be clearly visible from a specified distance. Many do so by painting these numbers in a large font on the driver's side of the truck near the door.
Gross weight is often confused with curb weight, which represents the weight of the vehicle with no passengers or cargo. The difference between gross weight and curb weight is the total passenger and cargo weight capacity of the vehicle. For example, a pickup truck with a curb weight of 2000 pounds might have a cargo capacity of 3000 pounds, meaning it can have a gross weight of 5000 pounds when fully loaded.
For vehicles containing no fuel or driver, the gross weight is the sum of the tare weight (the unladen vehicle weight) and the weight of the load carried. For the measuring of loads picked up at a depot or materials yard (such as gravel or rock, or other bulk goods), the weight of the driver, fuel, and existing loads are assumed to be constant between the weighing of the vehicle upon entrance (tare) and laden (gross) upon exit. Such weights are determined by a specialized scale called a weigh bridge, and such scales will usually have a computing function within the display to compute tare weight. it has nothing to do with a tow package.

 

Thanks for the info, I never quite understood most of that stuff before. Never had a need to tow anything big until we upgraded from a popup camper to a bumper pull.

We have a 28 foot camper that I we pulled with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Now, let me tell ya, in a cross wind, that's not a whole lot of fun! The Jeep had a tow capacity of 6500 pounds I believe, and we certainly had it maxed out! Power wise, and stopping (trailer brakes of course) was no problem, but the short wheel base of the Jeep played a big factor.

Looking forward to pulling this coming spring with something that can handle it much better.

Thanks again!

Doc

 

You should be fine with towing your trailer.

One way you can check to see if you have the tow package is to see if you have the seperate transmission cooler. If your transmission lines run to the base of the radiator then you do not have it, the transmission cooler is like a small radiator just for the transmission and sets in front of the engine radiator. Also, if you have the towing package then the truck should also have come with the factory installed wiring harness for hooking up the trailer and also the factory installed adapter under the dash for hooking up the brake controller. A trailer hitch is not necessarily installed by the dealer unless you specifically order one.

 

Have not looked for a tran cooler yet, I will do that. I do not think it has a tow package though, I am sure it would list it on the window sticker. All it lists is the "4 pin trailer tow wiring". I suppose I should have a tran cooler installed before we pull the camper. We never pull to far, less than 5 miles, but I would rather be safe than sorry. The Jeep had a trans cooler from the factory, but I think all of the V8 Grand Cherokees have trans coolers, at least that year did from what I understood.

I gotta get a hitch and everything else, so might as well have that done LOL.

Doc

 

I don't know if you would need the cooler if you are only towing about 5 miles or so. The cooler is for towing over long distances and/or difficult driving conditions where the transmission fluid would heat up more than normal driving.

I had a 1993 Dakota with the 3.9 Magnum V6, auto transmission and no towing package. I towed a 3,000lb trailer from near Pittsburg to Baltimore, in August heat, without overheating the truck(temp gauge never moved more than any other time) and without any problems from the transmission either.

 

LOL, sorry, that was a typo. Thats what I get for trying to think and type at the same time. I ment to say we typically keep our camping trips to no more than 50 miles away. We have plenty of great campgrounds within 50 miles and if we want to go just a tad further we have Lake of the Ozarks. But even the campground we go to there is around 100 miles if that. I have made that a few times towing with the Jeep.