2011 Ram 3500 Mega SRW 5th Wheel Towing 17K?
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 17,00...
Forum Discussion
Actually the 2013 Ram 1-ton has a brand new frame and this was used only in the 1-ton trucks in 2013 and now is used for both 2500 and 3500 trucks.
This is from Ford but applies to all pickup trucks
"Gross Axle Weight Rating is determined by the minimum component of the axle system (axles, computer-selected springs, wheels, tires) of a specific vehicle. Front and rear GAWR's wiill, in all cases, sum to a number equal to or greater than the GVWR for the particular vehicle. Maximum loaded vehicle (including passengers, equipment and payload) cannot exceed the GVW rating or GAWR (front or rear)."
The minimum component is almost always the rims and tires which is why a DRW that doubles the number adds to the rated load capacity at the rear axle.
Towing capacity depends in part the payload capacity of the truck but more important is the engine type and gears provided. With GM the gas engine equipped trucks with the 4.10 gears have a 25% higher tow rating than the same trucks with 3.73 gears.
You can upgrade your wheels and tires to 19.5 ones for around $3500 and increase the rear axle load capacity by 37% (4400 versus 3200). The other option is to get a lighter trailer.
Friends drove a 2500 SRW diesel powered pickup towing a 28' 5th wheel trailer for years and then decided to buy a larger one which they used for two years and regretted the entire time having the longer and heavier trailer. The diesel pickup had no difficult with the 13,5000 lbs of trailer load.
The majority of people towing 5th wheel trailers are using SRW trucks with fewer than a fourth using a DRW pickup. They have made it work by choosing something that is not the largest and longest and heaviest.
Shorter trailers are going to make getting into campground spaces easier and more will be available in public campgrounds the shorter the trailer.
This is from Ford but applies to all pickup trucks
"Gross Axle Weight Rating is determined by the minimum component of the axle system (axles, computer-selected springs, wheels, tires) of a specific vehicle. Front and rear GAWR's wiill, in all cases, sum to a number equal to or greater than the GVWR for the particular vehicle. Maximum loaded vehicle (including passengers, equipment and payload) cannot exceed the GVW rating or GAWR (front or rear)."
The minimum component is almost always the rims and tires which is why a DRW that doubles the number adds to the rated load capacity at the rear axle.
Towing capacity depends in part the payload capacity of the truck but more important is the engine type and gears provided. With GM the gas engine equipped trucks with the 4.10 gears have a 25% higher tow rating than the same trucks with 3.73 gears.
You can upgrade your wheels and tires to 19.5 ones for around $3500 and increase the rear axle load capacity by 37% (4400 versus 3200). The other option is to get a lighter trailer.
Friends drove a 2500 SRW diesel powered pickup towing a 28' 5th wheel trailer for years and then decided to buy a larger one which they used for two years and regretted the entire time having the longer and heavier trailer. The diesel pickup had no difficult with the 13,5000 lbs of trailer load.
The majority of people towing 5th wheel trailers are using SRW trucks with fewer than a fourth using a DRW pickup. They have made it work by choosing something that is not the largest and longest and heaviest.
Shorter trailers are going to make getting into campground spaces easier and more will be available in public campgrounds the shorter the trailer.
