2011 Ram 3500 Mega SRW 5th Wheel Towing 17K?

NC Hauler wrote:

john&bet wrote:

wrasse wrote:
I currently have a 2011 SRW Ram 3500 Megacab with cummins 6.7 and looking to purchase a new 5th wheel toyhauler. The size I'm looking at 34-36ft will likely have a wet/loaded weight approaching 17,000 lbs.

I fully understand DRW is best but it's not an option for me as this is a multipurpose truck and I live in a crowded city.

According to factory specs...

My 2011 SRW Ram 3500 Megacab has payload of 2600 lbs, max trailer of 12,950 lbs

Interestingly the 2013 SRW Ram 3500 Megacab (basically the same truck frame, axle, brakes, rear tire rating) has payload of 4410 lbs, max trailer of 16,840 lbs


According to cummins forum guy, the changes from 2011-2012 to 2013 Ram were

Originally Posted by Jim W
The engine and torque converter were redesign for the 2103 model year. New cooling piston jets, a redesigned piston and if I remember correctly a new bed plate was added. Also the cooling system was redesigned to improve cooling; dual radiators, a redesigned charge air cooling upgrades along with dual transmission oil coolers. So the tow ratings were improved over the 2012MY by these changes. This was made very evidently to us at the CMEP plant when Cummins/Ram held the rally in June 2013.

None of these changes were to the frame, rear tire rating, axle, brakes, etc, yet the factory tow rating on the 2013 jumped up by a huge margin.

So it's a little confusing if it's worth the upgrade to the 2013 model or if it's just a marketing gimmick and the 2011 model tow rating was under rated.

I am thinking I am ok to go for it with my current truck but wanted to get more thoughts on people who have actually towed this weight with a similar SRW 1 ton truck.

This only address the engine changes not the whole truck. The same engine with a different tune, max. rpm of say 2500-2700 vs 3200 plus in pick-up mode. Way back when they started using the cummins engines they could not keep the rest of the drive line together. I used a 5.9L cummins with 180hp to move 75ton B-52 back in the early '80's. So the engine will move it ,but........ Your decision.

The Engine WILL move it...big improvement from the5.9 to the 6.7 with Aisin, but towing a B52....yeah, but it wouldn't be much fun....Engine isn't the only component in the towing equation....

Jim, moving that B-52 was really not that bad,but I wasn't trying to do 70mph HAHA, just walking speed. The tow tractor was also hydrostatic driven so that helps too. I spent 20 years in the big aircraft maint. field commonly known as crew chief. But that is a story for another time and place.