Truck and trailer near max load, still need more gear...

Looking for tips and tricks to finish loading my 2003 dodge ram 2500 diesel, 6speed 4x4. At truck scale it was weighed with me in it and a full tank at 4017 fromt and 2593 rear for a total of 6610 pounds. According to Dodge, the curb weight of the truck is 6514 pounds. I weigh 220 and misc tools under rear seat it's close. Aftermarket aluminum rims might make up the difference.

So truck is 6610 pounds. Payload is 1990 pounds, minus wehicle weight and scale difference means I'm left with 1786 pounds to carry;
In the bed goes a 98 Suzuki king quad 300 that's 700 pounds (600 with front and rear box in which is a chainsaw, hatchet, 10L fuel and recovery gear). Also in the bed is 2 heavy steel loading ramps. I will start weighing everything to make a list. They feel about 35 pounds each. 916 pounds of payload left.

The toy hauler is almost at its 9580# capacity; 5500 empty, 3000 pounds of toys, 400 pound fuel, 200 pound water in tank and 100 pound bottled water, and some odds and ends. Also have 2 30 pound propane tanks are half full. take off another 110 pounds, that leaves only about 200 pounds left to carry. Going to load it to limit tongue weight to 1000 pounds, or roughly 10 percent. Tires have been upgraded from D to E, they have a bit of a margin left.

Now that tongueweight puts 1000 more pounds on the truck, there is nothing left. Does the weight distribution hitch get added to truck or trailer weight? That's probably an easy 100 pounds- bolted to the truck, so adding it to the truck capacity; overloaded by 100 ponds and still have not added any food, tools, clothes or other odds and ends. My son and a week worth of clothes is an easy 200 pounds. Trailer spare tire in bed of truck or trailer takes off another 60-ish so 400 pounds overloaded.

I need a bigger truck. With a 12800 towing capacity I could have gotten away with everything in the trailer, but didn't want to go with a fifth wheel as I need the bed free...

What option I have? He can I squeeze every pound of weight into this setup?

Edit: I read payload wring, it's not 2490 it is only 1990 pounds.

Seeking Advice

18 Replies

mpierce
Explorer
Jun 27, 2016
So, it's maxed out. You are fine. Either go with it, or trade for a bigger pickup.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 26, 2016
Maybe I'm the only one who still doesn't see a problem.
First + or- 100lbs on the front axle, who cares, it's not nose light by any means.
You won't be over the stated gvw by much. Not sure you'd get a second look. My self and a gaggle of people I've seen towing in Canada wouldn't meet 9kgvw by a long shot.
If the Mounties are really out to get ya, the best mod you can do is put a set of 3500 badges on the side of it! Seriously.
You're hauling and towing a very modest load and you've re figured the weight 3 times and it's not any lighter. Your options are get a 3500 for the upgraded gvw sticker or stop obsessing about the 9k.
bandit86
Explorer
Jun 26, 2016
pira114 wrote:
According to my manual, a WDH increases the towing max and cargo max. Have you factored that in?

Never heard of that. The factory hitch is 5000 pounds/ 10,000 pounds with wdh, that's not what you mean?

I really miss reasonable towing weight limits. My land rover discovery was 5500 pounds high range, 7700 pounds low range to account for lower speed. Lower speed means you can tow more and stop easier. My Mercedes unimog 406 had a much better, gear rated towing. My 6 speed ram with same weight and 240 more up should tow more.
See below. On the left is weight in metric tons, on the right Gang is gear, and speed.

Back to reality.

Went to the scale with the trailer 3/4 loaded for the trip. I think my WDH is inadequate as my front axle is 110 pounds lighter, rear axle load is 1000 pounds heavier ( truck is 890 heavier with trailer, almost the same 930 pound tongue weight that I measured with my bathroom scale contraption)

What I read on the scale;
Truck Weight. / Weight with trailer attached
Front 4521 /4412
rear 2919. /3907
Trailer axles are 8121#

Trailer GVWR rating is 9950 pounds; minus 8121 axle weight= 1829, and the 900 pounds increase on truck i think means I'm left with 929pounds of cargo capacity left, does that sound correct?

My next problem- on the door sticker it says GVWR of 9000 pounds, do I go by that, or the claimed maximum 1990 pound payload in the manual. That would mean my truck is 7439 with me in it, and 8319 with trailer attached. Add my 700 pound atv and it's maxed out
pira114
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2016
According to my manual, a WDH increases the towing max and cargo max. Have you factored that in?
mpierce
Explorer
Jun 26, 2016
keymastr wrote:
Try disabling the trailer brakes and seeing how well it stops. I would be far more concerned about braking and handling than Axle ratings. If your truck controls the load well then no worries.

I have no experience with Canadian enforcement so no comment on legalities.

Exactly. Canada does things different. If I am under on my tires, under on the axle and suspension, and it stops well, does not matter what the sticker says. Here. CA, or some provinces, may well be different.
mpierce
Explorer
Jun 26, 2016
romore wrote:

The reduced payload on a drw 4x4 is because the truck is heavier and load capacity is reduced by a corresponding amount.

He said towing capacity. Towing is reduced, but PAYLOAD is significantly increased in a dually.
keymastr
Explorer
Jun 25, 2016
Try disabling the trailer brakes and seeing how well it stops. I would be far more concerned about braking and handling than Axle ratings. If your truck controls the load well then no worries.

I have no experience with Canadian enforcement so no comment on legalities.
bandit86
Explorer
Jun 24, 2016
I know the truck will pull it no problem, I'm really just worried about the registered and loaded weights because Ontario is pret stupid when it comes to enforcement and fines. Hence why I want to stay within the legal limts somehow
IdaD
Explorer
Jun 24, 2016
romore wrote:
Hate to break it to you but suspension upgrades and heavier tires are not going to increase your legal payload, you are still stuck with the factory rating. Your only solutions are less toys or more truck.
The reduced payload on a drw 4x4 is because the truck is heavier and load capacity is reduced by a corresponding amount.

I'm not aware of any state where the factory payload rating means anything from a legal standpoint. Generally speaking you're legal up to whatever level you're registered at, although in many cases statutory exceptions can eliminate those limits too (commonly farm vehicles are exempt, but so are RVs and a bunch of others in Idaho).

As long as OPs tires and suspension are up to it he's fine, and if they're not that can easily be fixed.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Jun 24, 2016
I have a '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins NV5600 2wd quad cab and OEM LT265/70-17 E tires and OEM aluminum wheels.
Your trucks rear axles will weigh in the 2800-2900 lb range. Actual scaled weights are in 20 lb increments.
My scaled weights on my 2wd Dodge/Cummins is 4060 front and 2820 rear. Most 4wd that year models weigh in the 7200 lb range and 2wd in the 6800-6900 lb range
Anyhow our trucks were manufactured before the tire placard payload stickers became mandatory. My '03 doesn't have one nor are they anything used for any legal load purposes.

Our 3rd gen 2500 trucks have a 6000 RAWR. My 2wd rear axle weighs 2820 lbs which leaves a 3180 lb payload. Your 4wd trucks rear axle may weigh 100 lbs or so more than the 2wd truck so you may have around 3000 lb payload. All depends on trucks actual axle weights.

I pull a 11200 lb 5th wheel trailer with no problems at all.
In fact I pull a 16k GN tri axle stock trailer that is easier for the truck to handle than the RV trailer. With three 7k axle braking and being a stock trailer I can panel off heavy stock toward the rear of the trailer for any hitch load I want.

All trucks should be weighed to finds its safe and legal payload.