2015 Cardinal 3850RL

TXiceman wrote:
Billyray50, I am not talking about a SRW 3500...A dually has a heavier axle as well as the springs and two more tires.

Like Chris said same axle in 2006 3500..believe just a little longer for extra tire on each side for dually. rated the same. Now 4th generation and newer there are definite changes.

TXiceman wrote:
.A dually has a heavier axle

Both the GM and Dodge use the same basic AAM axle on the 2500 and 3500 SRW and a sightly narrower one on the duallies. For the new 850 Ft lb RAM's they have a larger diameter ring gear and pinon gear.

Billyray50, I am not talking about a SRW 3500...A dually has a heavier axle as well as the springs and two more tires.

Living in Tucson we keep our Bighorn covered. We have an Adco sunbrella cover. After learning how to fold it is easy to put on. If you get a cover PM me and I will let you know how we put the cover on. Even though we travel a lot, every time that we are home the 5th wheel is covered. Still looks new.

Chris, i agree with your statements. Each generation of trucks have different set ups. Do not even get me started on the weight police here! Lol.. I know my truck can tow more than stock 3/4 ton truck safely since my truck is truly more than a 1 ton SRW now and will buy future fifth with that in mind. Happy camping.

billyray50, again RAM dropped the factor rear sway bar on the 2003 and later 2500 and 3500 trucks, stating that the wider placement of the springs did not require it. Yes back in 06 the 3500 had overload type springs, but that was 8 years ago. They have changed things a couple time since then.

And yes one can increase the capability of a 2500 with aftermarket upgrades. Some people however get wrapped around the axle with factory GVWR and GAWR, and do not want to go that route. As increasing capability vs capacity are to different things to them, and believe that the vehicle placard is a legal document.

For that matter Dodge upgraded my 2001.5 2500 increasing its capability without increasing it's capacity placard, as it has the camper option (rear overloads and factory rear sway bar) and the option wider wheels with LT265/75R16E tires rated to 3415 each. Placard list the LT245/75R16E rated to 3042 each and RGAWR of 6084. They could have set the RGAWR at 6830, as that is within the capacity of the Dana rear axle.

As Jimnlin says, hot shotter's laugh at the RV weight police. Posts made here get reposted on their forums as jokes!

Now do not call the weight police, but I had a 11' Lance camper when I had my 93 Dodge RAM W250.



Chris

Me Again wrote:

billyray50 wrote:
Ken, Agree with you on air bags comment but at least in my situation the 3 rd generation Dodges the 2500,3500 SRW and dually have same 11.5 AAM axle. Rated at 10,800. 2500 is the same truck except for sway bar and upper overload leaf spring.

Get you facts straight, the RAMs have not had a rear sway bar after the 2002 MY. Last I looked, the 3500 had fewer heavier rear spring leafs than the 2500, without overload type leafs. The overload leafs may have come back in the last year however.

Chris

Chris, my facts are straight for 2006 dodge Ram. 1 ton and 3/4 Srw trucks are the same except for top overload and factory sway bar. Same brakes, power train, axle. I installed -1 ton Helwig sway bar because the truck has 1 ton axle. Added leaf springs, Bilstein shocks. Now mounted 19.5 vision wheels and 19.5 245 16 ply load H tires. I now have more payload capacity than a stock 3 rd generation 1 ton. Newer 4 th generation Dodges have wider longer leaf springs . The real limiting factor for. 3/4 or 1 ton as far as GVWR and GAWR is the limited stock wheel and tire ratings.

This pic is with 17'x8.0 stock forged aluminum wheels and Nitto Durra grapplers 285/75r/17s rated at 3970 lbs. at 80 psi. Hauled this 4000 lb. wet weight Lance over 8,000 miles. Then upgraded wheels to 19.5 visions rated at 4500 lbs. 19.5 Dyna Trac PD 890 245/70r/19.5 16 ply load H commercial tires for added support.



Traveled another 5000 miles with this setup with only 15 lbs. in air bags. Went to CAT scale and only 200 lbs. added to front axle. 3800 lbs. riding on rear axle. Do not even feel it on my truck most of the time. I was just trying to show than there update options for 250/2500,and 350/3500 trucks. That's all.

Some real world weights from Mike over on the Cardinal forum.

Ok weighed today with this thing packed for 9 months of travel and 1/3 tank fresh water.
Pin weight 3,124
Total Trailer weight 15,674
Gross combined weight 25,179

2014 3850RL "Alice"
2013 Silverado 3500HD Dually D/A 4x4 LTZ

He towed it with a SRW 3500 Chevy and upgraded to a duallie.

I quote from him.

"These larger trailer being so tall now 13 feet and with the manufactures moving the axles back more and more to put the weight on the truck to save a buck on tires is not a good thing and is making a very unstable environment while towing. Check your weights, do the research before you buy. These trailers are getting very heavy!"

TXiceman wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
Dealer has one near me. Just wondering about the residential style fridge. I would assume it works like a typical RV fridge?

Absolutely gorgeous 5'er. $69,000 seems like a dang good deal.

The residential frig is an electic unit with a mechanical compressor. The RV unit is a gas/electric absorption unit (a chemical process).

NorCold and Dometic have had lots of issues with their absorption units. If you can, get a residential frig with a larger battery bank and an inverter to run it on the road. Have a charge line installed on the tow vehicle back to the RV to help keep the batteries up.

A Cardinal will be too much trailer for a 3/4 ton truck due to the loaded pin weight (use 20% of the trailer GVWR). A 3/4 ton is limited on GVWR and GAWR and will exceed these values well before you reach the GCWR or maximum tow rating. Air bags and such are just a crutch and do nothing to increase the trucks weight ratings.

Soft covers are a real nuisance to put on a 5er. To protect the trailer in a Texas climate, nothing beats an enclosed storage unit, at least a shed roof over it.

Ken

That seems like it would really take a toll on the batteries if one were to dry camp for 1-2 weeks straight. Solar or running the gen often would be the only way to do that it seems. I see the plusses but only for elec hookup CG's.

billyray50 wrote:
Ken, Agree with you on air bags comment but at least in my situation the 3 rd generation Dodges the 2500,3500 SRW and dually have same 11.5 AAM axle. Rated at 10,800. 2500 is the same truck except for sway bar and upper overload leaf spring.

Get you facts straight, the RAMs have not had a rear sway bar after the 2002 MY. Last I looked, the 3500 had fewer heavier rear spring leafs than the 2500, without overload type leafs. The overload leafs may have come back in the last year however.

Chris