Want to Learn More About Bumper & Hitch

[LTZ C20]

I apologize in advance if this would be better found in another topic, I thought Suspension but that doesn't appear to relate so Body sounded better.

I have a bumper and hitch on my truck that are pretty substantial in their size. I am trying to learn more about them. I'm on the fence a little in thinking that they are factory or not. I'm leaning towards factory or dealer installed due to their markings.

The bumper is the classic chrome, step bumper with diamond thread type top plate. The hitch is very large, it extends a good ways back on the frame, suggesting heavy duty. Both appear to have similar appearances in their finish, meaning that both look equally aged, both with faded gray or silver paint I'm guessing, possibly galvanized, not sure? The fitment of each piece to the other is dead on, it looks like they have never been messed with or either one replaced independently of the other.

The bumper has a few markings on it but the hitch has none that I can find, I've looking numerous times all over the thing and can't find anything. The markings on the bumper are:

"14043836      DC."
"V-5"
"  400 LB. TONGUE LOAD MAXIMUM"
"4000 LB. TRAILER LOAD MAXIMUM"



Based on my knowledge, the tongue and trailer loads are self explanatory, no questions there. Nor with the "V-5" marking, which is a Class 5 hitch. What I'm noticing is that the "14043836" just so happens to appear as a GM part number and the "DC." marking also appears to be some type of factory marking, my GM OE towing mirrors have the same "DC" marking on them as well. I know GM puts the tow ratings in about the same location on pretty much all of their bumpers and hitches. I've seen countless trucks with their ratings in that spot.

So are this bumper and hitch factory installed or dealer installed items? Possibly heavy duty because of the Camper Special option on the truck? I can post more pics if so desired.

Thanks in advance for all input!

[zieg85]

Better pictures of the bumper and hitch would tell.  From what I see that is a factory step bumper and the hitch if a 2" receiver should be a class 3.  I haven't seen a factory hitch on our years but that is not to say they didn't exist. 

[LTZ C20]

Better pictures here. The hitch is a 2" receiver yes, but with its size, everything I've seen that big is a Class 5.

[zieg85]

Factory step bumper for sure.  Do you have the RPO sticker shown a code for a factory hitch?  From what I understand Camper Specials are usually HD springs/shocks and sway bars.  The 88 on up GM trucks had them, don't know about the square body

[LTZ C20]

I have the RPO sticker but I don't recall ever seeing a hitch RPO on it. I do have RPO's, heavy duty power brakes, heavy duty power steering and 9 leaf rear springs and a front sway bar.

[Jason S]

It looks like a ball had been mounted to the bumper hitch plate at some point; which also looks like it would be a tight fit to have both a ball and a factory hitch. 

[LTZ C20]

I figured this as well but being that the end of the receiver sits back a few inches that would allow for a large, short nut to fit or the receiver wasn't used during that time. You can see tho that the hitch unit itself is quite large. Usually Class 3's are shorter in length and the Class 5's are longer, like this one.

[1967KaiserM715]

Might be class 4, class 5 moved to the 2.5" receiver size, pretty sure you can get a class 4 in either size.


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[Irish_Alley]

heres my take on the hitches might be a little more than you asked but oh well lol.
the class 3 is rated at 6,000 trailer and 600 tongue
the class 4 is rated at 10,000 trailer and 1,000 tongue
im trying to find more stats for our trucks. but with a trailer the main thing is the gcwr and this is based on your engine/trans/rear ratio combo.


GM C/K trucks with a 5.7L 350 cubic inch engine and automatic transmissions:
3.08 rear axle gear ratio = 10,000 lbs GCWR
3.42 rear axle gear ratio = 11,000 lbs GCWR
3.73 rear axle gear ratio = 12,000 lbs GCWR
4.10 rear axle gear ratio = 13,500 lbs GCWR
4.56 rear axle gear ratio = 15,000 lbs GCWR
5.13 rear axle gear ratio = 16,000 lbs GCWR

GM C/K trucks with a 5.7L 350 cubic inch engine and standard transmissions:
3.73 rear axle gear ratio = 12,000 lbs GCWR
4.10 rear axle gear ratio = 13,500 lbs GCWR
4.56 rear axle gear ratio = 15,000 lbs GCWR
5.13 rear axle gear ratio = 16,000 lbs GCWR

G91 = 3.08
GU4 = 3.08
GV3 = 3.08
GU6 = 3.42
GS3 = 3.73
GT4 = 3.73
H05 = 3.73
G84 = 4.10
GT5 = 4.10
GT8 = 4.10
GW8 = 4.10
G82 = 4.56
GS6 = 4.56
HC4 = 4.56
HF7 = 4.56
GJ2 = 5.13
GL0 = 5.13
HC7 = 5.13
HC9 = 5.13

more than likely you have 4.10 which puts you at 13000 gcwr. truck weights 4500lbs? so thats a gtw of 8500 if someone put a class 3 on that truck it would be a waist of money and my hitch on my 3500 looks about the same as that one. my gvw has been 12000 to 14000 with a dump trailer. BUT we're guessing at all this, i wouldnt put 10k on that hitch cause you dont know the true rating on it, you dont know what bolts are on it and you dont know the amount of stress or damage that has been done to it. if you really wanted a class 4 hitch then i would buy one and put it on with the right hardware


TRAILER CLASSIFICATION TYPICAL EXAMPLES TYPICAL GROSS TRAILER WEIGHT EXAMPLES TYPICAL HITCH TYPE

Light-Duty (I) Folding camping trailer, snowmobiles and personal watercraft trailers (trailer and cargo combined) Up to 2,000 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-carrying hitch


Medium-Duty (II) Single-axle trailers up to 18 ft., open utility trailers and small speedboats 2,001–3,500 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-carrying hitch


Heavy-Duty (III) Dual- or single-axle trailers, larger boats and enclosed utility trailers 3,501–5,000 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-carrying hitch
or weight-distributing hitch


Extra Heavy-Duty (IV) Two-horse, travel and fifth-wheel recreational trailers 5,001–10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-distributing hitch
 or fifth-wheel hitch


Maximum Heavy-Duty (V) Largest horse, travel and fifth-wheel recreational or commercial trailers 10,001 lbs.-and-above gross trailer weight Weight-distributing hitch, fifth-wheel hitch or gooseneck hitch

[zieg85]

heres my take on the hitches might be a little more than you asked but oh well lol.
the class 3 is rated at 6,000 trailer and 600 tongue
the class 4 is rated at 10,000 trailer and 1,000 tongue
im trying to find more stats for our trucks. but with a trailer the main thing is the gcwr and this is based on your engine/trans/rear ratio combo.


GM C/K trucks with a 5.7L 350 cubic inch engine and automatic transmissions:
3.08 rear axle gear ratio = 10,000 lbs GCWR
3.42 rear axle gear ratio = 11,000 lbs GCWR
3.73 rear axle gear ratio = 12,000 lbs GCWR
4.10 rear axle gear ratio = 13,500 lbs GCWR
4.56 rear axle gear ratio = 15,000 lbs GCWR
5.13 rear axle gear ratio = 16,000 lbs GCWR

GM C/K trucks with a 5.7L 350 cubic inch engine and standard transmissions:
3.73 rear axle gear ratio = 12,000 lbs GCWR
4.10 rear axle gear ratio = 13,500 lbs GCWR
4.56 rear axle gear ratio = 15,000 lbs GCWR
5.13 rear axle gear ratio = 16,000 lbs GCWR

G91 = 3.08
GU4 = 3.08
GV3 = 3.08
GU6 = 3.42
GS3 = 3.73
GT4 = 3.73
H05 = 3.73
G84 = 4.10
GT5 = 4.10
GT8 = 4.10
GW8 = 4.10
G82 = 4.56
GS6 = 4.56
HC4 = 4.56
HF7 = 4.56
GJ2 = 5.13
GL0 = 5.13
HC7 = 5.13
HC9 = 5.13

more than likely you have 4.10 which puts you at 13000 gcwr. truck weights 4500lbs? so thats a gtw of 8500 if someone put a class 3 on that truck it would be a waist of money and my hitch on my 3500 looks about the same as that one. my gvw has been 12000 to 14000 with a dump trailer. BUT we're guessing at all this, i wouldnt put 10k on that hitch cause you dont know the true rating on it, you dont know what bolts are on it and you dont know the amount of stress or damage that has been done to it. if you really wanted a class 4 hitch then i would buy one and put it on with the right hardware


TRAILER CLASSIFICATION TYPICAL EXAMPLES TYPICAL GROSS TRAILER WEIGHT EXAMPLES TYPICAL HITCH TYPE

Light-Duty (I) Folding camping trailer, snowmobiles and personal watercraft trailers (trailer and cargo combined) Up to 2,000 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-carrying hitch


Medium-Duty (II) Single-axle trailers up to 18 ft., open utility trailers and small speedboats 2,001–3,500 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-carrying hitch


Heavy-Duty (III) Dual- or single-axle trailers, larger boats and enclosed utility trailers 3,501–5,000 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-carrying hitch
or weight-distributing hitch


Extra Heavy-Duty (IV) Two-horse, travel and fifth-wheel recreational trailers 5,001–10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight Weight-distributing hitch
 or fifth-wheel hitch


Maximum Heavy-Duty (V) Largest horse, travel and fifth-wheel recreational or commercial trailers 10,001 lbs.-and-above gross trailer weight Weight-distributing hitch, fifth-wheel hitch or gooseneck hitch

Good info, put it in the tech section please

[Irish_Alley]

to add more confusion
16000 lbs


6000 lbs


15000 lbs


10000 lbs


12000 lbs


5000 lbs


im going to be a little more honest, i would trust that hitches limit as long as my tires were up to the job and my engine could move it along with a break away brakes for the trailer. your rust doesnt look that bad but i would think about the bolts cause you dont know who put them on. wouldnt be much to replace them with grade 8 bolts and theyre all we use at the shop besides a welder lol

[Irish_Alley]

miss anything?
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=33169.msg282039#msg282039

[zieg85]

Other than our 73-87 were much less due to the carb'd engine with the emissions I like the starting point.  I just took a trip down memory lane and went through all the paperwork in my 85C20.  In the glove box contains everything about the truck shy of the window sticker.  I even got the loan info when my uncle took delivery on 8-23-85 for it.  No where in any books that I found that mentions the towing capacities of each series but I remember reading it somewhere.  The 5.7L were gone in the 1/2 tons in the early 80's and 4x4's are less as a whole.

[Irish_Alley]

ive been searching all day looking for "our" GCWR but i cant find anything.

[zieg85]

I've seen it in print and I have it but not where I am vacationing.  I will look for it when I get home and let you know.