Hi Adam
I agree, it actually sounds proposterous! Unlike what I assume to be
the majority of members of this List, I use my truck for work daily. Mine
has the optional 2,000# factory GVW rating and trailer hitch. My trailer
weighs only 550# empty and @ the tongue about 270#. When pulling around
2,500# combined trailer cargo and trailer weight and little or nothing in the
truck it drives as though there was a giant hand behind pushing strongly
forward. If I add about 1,000# truck cargo it tends to handle better except
for stopping power. I never feel safe driving more than 50mph with loads and
loaded trailer and then keep several car length distance if possible from the
guy ahead of me.
I've only had a full 2,000# load in the truck alone several times. The
body rubber suspension limit bumpers are about 3" off the rear axle and the
tailpipe may be even closer to the ground than 3". The rear suspension
bottoms almost constantly over very minor road surfaces. Front seems to take
2,000# very well. Incidentally, when hauling dirt, concrete chunks, bricks,
sand, etc., you reach a 2,000# load without filling the 6.5' cargo bed to the
side tops. So with products that have a high weight density you do not fill
the cubic capacity of the cargo box to reach maximum load capacity even with
the optional 2,000# pkg.
At around 15k mi I replaced the factory shocks with Bilsteins and at the
same time both F&R stabilizer bars with Hotchkis mounted in poly bushings.
These larger diameter bars made a tremendous improvement in overall safe
handling for a loaded truck and especially with a trailer too. The factory
setup was too tame and the trailer tended to whip the truck like a dog whose
tail is too big for his body! This was especially noted when loads are real
ly heavy and the suspension is almost fully compressed.
Cheers
Paul Sahlin
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