2018 Ram 2500
Trying to figure out the towing capacity for 2018 Ram 2500 6.4 hemi with 3.73 axle short bed crew cab. We are looking into buying a 14000 lb fifth wheel. Has anyone pull this heavy of a fifth wheel w...
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all what Grit said plus, a 2018 crew cab short box 2500 will defiantly exceed the payload capacity if the 5th wheel is properly loaded. with a payload of only 3000 lbs, a 14000lb 5th should have a pin weight of approximately 3500lbs. then add 200 lbs for the 5th wheel hitch and we are at 3700lbs and we haven't filled up the gas tank or put people or pets in the truck yet.
now Grit will probably tell you Dodge's run on unicorns and pixi dust and will handle it.. most truck will but it will not be safe with out some modifications to the suspension and then you will still be non compliant with the Law haha
Most 5th wheels are designed to have about 20-25% of the GVW on the king pin. It is important to check what the manufacturer says. Many people don't properly load their trailer, nor even look to see what the cargo capacity is. Sometimes the cargo capacity on an RV is so low that you can't carry water, let alone anything else. Many 5th wheels have around 1500 pounds of cargo capacity, which is insanely low. My 5th wheel is rated for almost 3300 pounds of cargo. Many people do not realize just how much clothing and food weigh, let alone everything else thrown into a trailer. Some people add cargo or bike racks on the rear of their trailer. These racks can weigh 100 pounds empty.
The OP didn't state if the 14000 pounds was GVWR or empty weight. If we assume it is GVWR then the king pin should have between 2800 and 3500 pounds. If it is 14000 pounds curb weight, empty, then he's truly over loaded. He didn't even say which 5th wheel, so we are left guessing.Some 2500's lightly configured may have a 2800 pound cargo capacity. But that doesn't include the 5th wheel hitch (about 250 pounds or 40 pounds for an Anderson hitch), tools, passengers, drinks, snacks, (upgrades to tires, wheels, suspension) etc. I doubt that you can find a 2500 with 3200++ pounds of cargo capacity.
RAM 2500's are "derated" to 10000 pounds of GVWR for cost savings. Good luck getting over 3000 pounds of cargo capacity from a RAM. I looked at the cost difference between a 2500 and 3500 and chose a 3500 SRW.
Will the RAM 2500 pull the 5th wheel. Yes, just not legally or, IMHO safely. The spring shocks on the 2500 are for better ride comfort compared to heavy leaf springs. Many many people report that their 2500's rear sways while pulling near max load 5th wheels. I've talked to many people who have traded up because of how bad the sway is when it's windy and/or going through mountains or along winding roads near rivers/creeks.Once you get to this size 5th wheel, you really want a long wheel base. For RAM this means a Crew Cab with 8 foot bed or the Mega Cab with short bed. The long wheel base increases stability, people forget that they are pulling a trailer that may be 25-35 foot behind their truck. You want the truck in charge, not the trailer. Such a truck is about 22 foot long, with a wheel base around 14 foot long.
What is truly scary is that people buy oversized 5th wheels for their 2500's, when often they are close to needing a DRW (I've seen people towing 40 foot toy haulers with 2500's). These tend to be the same people driving 70, 75, 80 mph or even faster down the freeway. I've seen people pass me while I'm going 85 mph (in Montana) while towing a large 5th wheel (and sometimes a 2nd trailer). A heavy truck and 5th wheel might take twice as long to stop at 70 mph as 60 mph, at 80+ mph it takes many football fields to stop.
RV's will have blowouts, it's not a matter of if, just when. I can't imagine going at those speeds while a tire blows.
Personally, I limit myself to 63 mph max, unless needing to go a few mph faster to pass. I don't doubt for a minute that my 2019 RAM 3500 SRW Crew Cab Long bed with HO engine can pull my 35 foot 5th wheel at 100 mph going over a mountain pass. It is a towing beast. Curves, potholes, rocks in the road, crazy drivers pulling in front of you and then slowing down, or pulling onto the freeway at 45 mph, sudden stops because of accidents, road construction, a police car on the side of the freeway or grandma going 40 mph on the freeway will always be a thing.Most 5th wheels are designed to have about 20-25% of the GVW on the king pin. It is important to check what the manufacturer says. Many people don't properly load their trailer, nor even look to see what the cargo capacity is. Sometimes the cargo capacity on an RV is so low that you can't carry water, let alone anything else.
wow a lot of words to agree with what I said. 3500lbs for if it came in at 14000lbs as you have to be able to tow the max it could weigh up here. so it doesn't matter if your 5th weighs 12000 empty , you have to be set up as if it weighs the 14000lbs it says on the sticker. and there is never a 5th made that the water isn't accounted for in the gvwr. if it is it is because you use the allotted water weight for junk. I am assuming that the 14K is the gvwr because that's the only weight you can find just by looking at the outside of the rv and what most people look at for weight.
While that truck is out matched for that size camper, much of your info is fairly misinformed. ^
Well, yeah it will handle a 4klb pin weight with just some airbags. Not unlike your Ford. Although the Ram 2500 coils are not my first choice for heavy loads, they doo fine. They also make heavy duty coils for about the same $ as a basic set of bags.
The parts of the truck that care about the pin weight from a structural standpoint are the same on a 2500, 3500 and dually, save for springs.
Yes the OE rims will be at or near their load rating. I won’t digress into the millions of miles that are racked up on slightly overloaded (based on conservative mfg ratings, imo) srw rims without issue.
And there’s not a “law” to break regarding this unless maybe the OP is your neighbor. Not a thing in the US of A.
“Safety” of it is all relative. But to your point, someone who’s got a wholly underpowered truck asking this basic of a question may want or need to err on the side of being extra safe with the equipment to help with their lack of experience.
But regardless, the powertrain is wholly under sized for pulling that kind of weight and wind resistance unless out in the prairies, IMO.you guys can't get a fine for being overloaded in the US of A? if not why are so many people posting about it all the time?
ya I am not sure why they ever went to coil springs in a 3/4 ton, I can see in a 1/2 ton but oh well.
and the parries can be the worst toing you ever do, I have got my worst fuel milage in the flat lands because of the dam head and side winds. I live in the heart of the rocky mountains and usually don't get great milage to start with but I go to Alberta of Saskatchewan if the wind is up say good buy to any fuel savings 🤣
Stir crazy,
Yes, I can get a fine for being overloaded per say. It will not be because I am over a manufacture limit! It will be because I have not bought enough tonnage. IE in my 1500's case, If I had bought gotten a 6000 gvw plate vs the 8000 I chose, went down the road at 7200 lbs per GM's warranty weight rating, I am 1200 lbs overweight per my paid for registration. "GENERALLY SPEAKING" I would not get an actual ticket. Probably a 10 day up my registration by 2000 lbs to 8000. We buy tonnage here in Wa state by 2000 lbs increments. I had this happen in my dump truck one. Cost to me, $15-20 IIRC. Approximate cost per ton I pay for my trucks. Personal or commercial use.
I've seen a person or two in Oregon say they got weighed and had to buy a new truck with correct tonnage to pull there RV. I would swag probably they had not BOUGHT enough tonnage for the truck/trailer combo they had to pull their RV. All they really had to do was pay more tonnage on their current truck/trailer combo. BUT the story goes they had too small of a truck!
A vehicle with a gcwr of 12K with a V6 vs a V8 at 15000. The V6 rig at 15000 is no less or safer than the V8. OTHER THAN it can pull grades faster! Or it might be able to pull a steeper grade in 1st grade with-out stalling. Then again, as I have had rigs with BIGGER Motors get out pulled by rigs I've owned with smaller motor, due to lower overall gears in axel and transmissions, allowing them to pull a steeper grade without stalling.
Above hence why a GCWR is a performance rating. WHAT is the spec that this rating meets? What I want the truck to do, vs you, vs an engineer at the manufacture? OR how much does the manufacture want to limit their warranty pay out for parts that break.
I only know of one jurisdiction that truly enforces the manufactures weight ratings, that is British Columbia. IF a US state only enforces the manufactures ratings, then as I've noted many times, that state is not enforcing the "Federal Bridge Laws" which is the truck weight law in our country. That states federal dollars for road maintenance and new roads can be withheld. This is the engineer spec that LEO/CVEO enforce. What the roads are designed to carry per axle. A state can go higher, ie Wa st if you have a dually you can put 600 lbs per inch width of tire on that vehicle up to 20K lbs per. singles it is 500 lbs. If a state enforces less than 500 lbs, they are going against the minimum std of the FBL. A state can allow more. More damage to the roads can occur.
With ALL the above said for who knows how many times I have posted this, an leo/cveo can get you off the road if you are a menace to society. Generally speaking, it can be because of weight only. Brakes are over loaded and do not meet a field test, ie stop on a level from 10 mph in X feet. Battery on the towed rig has a 11.5V or less to activate the trailer brakes. Trailer brakes so not hold the Truck at a stop or at least have all the tires locked up when starting up. I do not know of a law that says the truck has to stop the trailer! These are things that can stop most of us, as we have some time or electric braking system. Surge has other field tests to see if the brakes work etc for the trailer or some laws state "Towed vehicle" meaning a literal trailer or a towed car.
I can give more examples etc of what can get you off the road. Literally being overweight as most of us would think of being overweight is few and far between. Even with semi commercial vehicles.
Marty
