24 replies to this topic

[4llamas]

Normally I don't pay too much attention to such details, but since it was our first real vacation in the Hawk and a long trip I kept track of the fuel mileage and weighed the truck fully loaded for a two week trip. To be completely anal I should have weighed the truck and camper empty at the end of the adventure, but I didn't.
The trip was from western Oregon, to Moab, Ut, zigzag over to Cedar City, across Nevada and back to Oregon.

2001 GMC 1/2 ton, extended cab, 6.5 foot bed 5.3 liter Vortec engine, Firestone air bags. 3.73 gears in the rear end
GAWR front recommended: 3925 lbs
as weighed: 3440 lbs
GAWR rear as recommended: 3750 lbs
as weighed: 4140 lbs

3128 miles driven between first and last fill up.
230.9 gallons of gas consumed.
13.55 MPG:

I am pleasantly surprised with the gas mileage. It's not outstanding, but it ain't bad.

I'm not sure why the front weight would be so much less than recommended unless the rear axle was carrying some of the load. Or of course maybe it just isn't that heavy. The truck drove very well, it wasn't squirmy like you might expect if the front was lifted by the load in the rear. Just the facts, mam.

Llamas

[oldnslow]

GAWR is not a recomended weight, it is the MAXIMUM weight!
Your front is under maximum, but your rear axle is overloaded. Not good.
Thats why so many of us use 3/4T trucks even though FWC says they can be used on a 1/2T truck. Add beer, water, food, tools, etc and you are over the capacity of most 1/2T trucks.

[4llamas]

GAWR is not a recomended weight, it is the MAXIMUM weight!
Your front is under maximum, but your rear axle is overloaded. Not good.
Thats why so many of us use 3/4T trucks even though FWC says they can be used on a 1/2T truck. Add beer, water, food, tools, etc and you are over the capacity of most 1/2T trucks.

Thanks, I knew that, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one using the GAWR as a cautionary recommendation. Nor am I alone in regularly exceeding that amount. 3/4 ton suspension and brakes sure would be nice.
Enjoy

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

GAWR is not a recomended weight, it is the MAXIMUM weight!
Your front is under maximum, but your rear axle is overloaded. Not good.
Thats why so many of us use 3/4T trucks even though FWC says they can be used on a 1/2T truck. Add beer, water, food, tools, etc and you are over the capacity of most 1/2T trucks.

What are you talking about... just the beer puts you over the 1/2 ton truck rating!

[HERR42]

informative!

what would these specs look like if we replace the Chevrolet with a Toyota?

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Has anyone weighed their truck?

Weight of Hawk?

[chnlisle]

OK Since Salty is laying low for a while I'll do my level best to piss y'all off here.

It seems to me that with exception of satisfying your own curiosity, weighing the truck serves no purpose. If your camper is too heavy are you going to get rid of it? And if you don't there are about 9 million posts here on how to beef up the supension. Unless you're trying to make a decision to sell the camper, the truck or both I'm not sure what the point is?

[Mark W. Ingalls]

OK Since Salty is laying low for a while I'll do my level best to piss y'all off here.

I'm not sure what the point is?

buddy-

Have all your 1400+ posts had points?

pal

[Mark W. Ingalls]

BTW, I swapped my beloved '98 F150 Scab 4.6L 4x4 for a '06 F250 Ccab 5.4L 4x4. In town mileage went from 11 to 10 and wandering mileage went from 12.5 to 12.

Edna loves the new truck, 'cause she can lie down and sleep in the back seat while we're wandering. I miss the old one, 'cause it was so-o-o-o classic...

[chnlisle]

buddy-

Have all your 1400+ posts had points?

pal

Only 190 more to go.