Towing with a 98.5

[dfoley]

I've been towing with a 98.5 standard cab 2wd auto diesel with a 3.54 rear end for about twenty years. I was pretty sure I was pushing the GCWR of 16k that is in the owners manual but all of the axel weights are fine for both the truck and fifth wheel. I weighed the combination the other day and found the GCWR to be 16700lbs. When I looked in the owners manual I couldn't help to notice that if I had a 4.10 rear end the GCWR is 18000lbs. If I had a five speed manual the GCWR is 20,000lbs. My question is what else "if anything" did they change on the truck to justify these higher numbers? I've bought brake shoes and pads, various suspension parts etc. and nobody has ever asked if I had 4.10 gears. My guts tell me this is a performance issue and not one of safety since I suspect all other parts are the same. But my guts aren't reality! Does anybody know?
David

 

[Ozymandias]

It is performance related, you want to get that load moving on an incline in First gear.

 

[GAmes]

It's the weak transmission. The 20,000 GCWR, IMO, for an NV4500 equipped truck is too high if that is any consolation. I only replaced or repaired mine 12 times before I upgraded to the G56 at 730,000. I've only had to repair the G56 twice during the 730,000 miles it has been installed. I'm pretty sure the first repair would have been avoided had I not used the ATF+4. I exceed 20,000 GCWR on a regular basis.

 

[NIsaacs]

If I had a five speed manual the GCWR is 20,000lbs.
David

The manual transmission trucks were a different animal than the autos in '98.5. Some differences were performance and some safety/durability.

The auto was rated 215/420, standard 235/460. Manual 2500 trucks had D-80 rear, auto D-70 rear. If your truck is a 3500 dually, then it has a D-80.

Options within the model also play a part. Such as camper special or snowplow prep.