1989 D250

The new rams starting in '94 were 8,600 GVWR. I suspect yours is slightly less. I would guess the truck weighs between 6,000 and 7,000. You could probably get by with an 8 or 9 foot non-slide hardside camper.
What you really need is the axle weight ratings. I don't know those off the top of my head. If you stay under your tire and axle ratings with the camper you should be fine.

From what little I've been able to find, they are saying the front is 4000 and the rear is 5450. That seems insanely high to me. Also, I've only been able to find that the truck weighs 39**lbs. Which seems extremely low to me. Especially since the motor weighs 975lbs alone.

My 92 W 250 4X4 Cummins 5 speed has a GVW of 8510 and is the same body style as the 89 (thats by the Door sticker)

I really don't see a problem if you stay under the axle and tire rating as it rides like a JackHammer with the almost Cast Iron springs.

My 96 with the same options has a GVW of 8800 Not 8600. I am close to that with my Apache 865 with AC etc. These are Both Regular Cab.

These Old Trucks are a lot lighter than you think as most are standard cab and not the busses you see now. My 96 with me in it and tank full scaled at 6520 and the box empty. Never weighed the 92.

Fuller_Johnson wrote:
My 92 W 250 4X4 Cummins 5 speed has a GVW of 8510 and is the same body style as the 89 (thats by the Door sticker)

I really don't see a problem if you stay under the axle and tire rating as it rides like a JackHammer with the almost Cast Iron springs.

My 96 with the same options has a GVW of 8800 Not 8600. I am close to that with my Apache 865 with AC etc. These are Both Regular Cab.

These Old Trucks are a lot lighter than you think as most are standard cab and not the busses you see now. My 96 with me in it and tank full scaled at 6520 and the box empty. Never weighed the 92.

I had an 89 250 with the Cummins, and I'm pretty sure the 8510# is right on.

Ok so what's the axle rating then?

rooney77 wrote:
Ok so what's the axle rating then?

the front should be #3,850 and the rear is most likely #5,500..should be a dana 61..3:07 geared dana 60..at least that is what the early 90 D250 parts truck i had spec'd at..

all the early D250 trucks had the #3,850 front ends the 91 1/2 up had #4,000 also got heavier frames...the 3:07 gear was due to no overdrive transmissions..i think you could get 3:55 and 4:10s..with those highway driving is no fun... have only seen two axle ratings on the old 250s #6,200 being on w250s with the dana 60 front

Well... I went out to the shed (-2F) and looked at the sticker again. The front axle is 4060 and the rear is 6084. This does seem strange to me as the Original tires seem to be load range D but the total is for 2 load range E 235X85X16 tires now days.

My rear is a 3.55 as I have the 5 speed with a overdrive. Could be with the auto and 3.07 they aren't rated as high ?

Added later:

I looked at Dodgeram.org and didn't find much on these old trucks there. But did find out on other sites that 3 different tires were offered including the 235X85X16 E so thats where mine gets the rear axle rating of 6084 and the GVW of 8510

What yours came with is anybody's guess ???

Look at dodgeram.org

I would replace the tires before I hauled anything of size with it. In fact I'm still going through the barely livable brakes (on an empty truck). I know my rear is a dana 70 and has 3.07 gears. Beyond that I can't seem to find any reliable info. The 5500 has come up a few times but I've seen so many different numbers tossed out I'm not sure who to trust.

You won't be hauling too much weight with that gear ratio. Truck will be good with 2000# camper but you'll be in 2nd gear for every little grade.