2wd's have greater towing capacity than 4wd's

[Benny00Z71]

I was reading in my owners manual and it says the towing/hauling weight capacities are greater for 2wd trucks compared to the 4wd drive trucks with the same rear diff. Anyone know why this is?

[squeaky3]

i belive it is because there is less parts under the front end, making the truck slightly lighter allowing for the tow rating to be slightly higher since the truck is lighter

[88GMCtruck]

Adam is correct. 2wd weigh less than a similar 4wd truck, therefor have a higher GVWR

[Drumaniac3000]

Adam is correct. 2wd weigh less than a similar 4wd truck, therefor have a higher GVWR


Just to clarify, IIRC the GVWR usually stays the same but the payload capacity goes up due to the truck being lighter.

[88GMCtruck]

GVWR = gross vehicle weight rating. Although you are correct, GVWR is the combined weight of the truck + cargo and is likely the same for either.

[speedracer326]

Maybe to a commercial driver, but if my GVWR was 6200 truck and trailer I'd be screwed.

[Benny00Z71]

I think the key is truck + cargo with GVWR. Essentially everything the wheels of the truck are carrying. Trailers have their own GVWR. A 'maxed out' truck and trailer would be a truck meeting it's GVWR with it's cargo and pulling a trailer meeting the max towing capacity of the truck whatever that may be. Specifically what I was asking about was why can a 2wd pull more wieght than a 4wd. The answers make sense. I was thinking it might have something to do with the lack of 4wd parts as well...

[Benny00Z71]

EDIT; a maxed out TRUCK would be a truck meeting it's GVWR and pulling the max trailer weight. A maxed out trailer would be one meeting the trailers GVWR.

[Drumaniac3000]

GVWR = gross vehicle weight rating. Although you are correct, GVWR is the combined weight of the truck + cargo and is likely the same for either.

Yep, same max number with a lighter truck equals more payload capacity.


I think the key is truck + cargo with GVWR. Essentially everything the wheels of the truck are carrying. Trailers have their own GVWR. A 'maxed out' truck and trailer would be a truck meeting it's GVWR with it's cargo and pulling a trailer meeting the max towing capacity of the truck whatever that may be. Specifically what I was asking about was why can a 2wd pull more wieght than a 4wd. The answers make sense. I was thinking it might have something to do with the lack of 4wd parts as well...


EDIT; a maxed out TRUCK would be a truck meeting it's GVWR and pulling the max trailer weight. A maxed out trailer would be one meeting the trailers GVWR.

A maxed out truck would be one that is loaded to GVWR via cargo and trailer tongue weight while towing a trailer large enough to reach the truck's GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).

Dead weight wise would be both truck and trailer loaded to the GVWR of each- this number may be over the GCWR number though so proper handling of the load becomes questionable. (eg. half ton truck pulling 18k rated trailer- the truck could in theory support it when loaded correctly but in no way safely control it- way over GCWR).

[speedracer326]

That's where GCWR is kind of a grey area, to me it's more about feel especially when you start modding your truck. According to my owners manual, the more power the truck has the more it's rated to pull. 2wd/4wd, engine, and differential ratio seem to be the only players. Half tons are rated to pull heavier than an otherwise equivalent 3/4 ton, it's retarded. I lost some faith in the numbers game right there, and determined, IMO, GCWR can be whatever as long as the truck comfortably handles it and you don't exceed any GVWR's. GVWR's are a little tougher to crack though, there are quite a few variables there and one can only speculate the effects of various modifications based on the many configurations of factory trucks and their associated GVWR's. For example, my truck, GVWR 6200 RAWR 36XX. Suburban with only a heftier rear leaf pack has a GVWR of 7000 and RAWR of 4000 (equal to the rating of both rear aluminum Z71 wheels) but has the same brakes front and rear. Light 3/4 tons 4600 RAWR and 7200# GVWR with 4+1 leaf pack and 14BSF and associated larger rear brakes.

[Benny00Z71]

A maxed out truck would be one that is loaded to GVWR via cargo and trailer tongue weight while towing a trailer large enough to reach the truck's GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating).


This is a great description.