We bought a 2014 Ram Mega Cab 4x4 a little over a year ago hoping to upgrade to a nice 5th wheel. At the time coming from a half ton truck I thought a 2500 would tow anything, after all the max trailer weight I can tow is 16,720. But, I didn't think of pin weights, etc..My truck specs are:GVWR: 10,000GCWR: 25,000Payload: 1890Base Weight Total: 8114Trailer Plus Equipment Max Rating: 16,720Door Sticker says not to exceed cargo capcity of: 1503The 5th wheel we want is a Coachmen Brookstone 395RL and it's specs are:Hitch Weight: 2830UVW: 13940CCC: 2660So any help on what I can tow max with a 5th wheel. I started reading and it seems I've found contradictory things on the net and the salesman will reassure me I can tow anything I may buy.Regards, Richard

Sadly 2500 mega cabs have always had low ratings. Heck, even the 3500 SRWs are shy on ratings. If you really want to tow a fiver with a mega, you need to really consider dually.There is really no way anyone should be towing a monster fiver like this one with anything less than a dually.Your talking about a trailer that will have a pin weight around 3000 pounds.

donn0128 wrote:Sadly 2500 mega cabs have always had low ratings. Heck, even the 3500 SRWs are shy on ratings. If you really want to tow a fiver with a mega, you need to really consider dually.I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?Which is a bummer cause we paid a premium for the truck new and we love it. I was just blissfully ignorant after 10 years with a half ton that a 2500 would solve my problems. All I paid attention to was the max towing weight of 16,500. :(

Payload is the hitch weight plus everything else you put in the truck. Passengers, dogs, luggage, ice chest----everything

dicksenn wrote:I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?Yes, that's the main issue. Pin weight is hitch weight. And sadly, it's a little worse than that. The 1890 payload number is likely a generic number for Mega Cab 2500s, a maximum number. The door sticker of 1503 is more likely the accurate one, specific to your exact truck. Every option you add decreases your available payload. They all weigh something.That leaves you about 1300lbs short of having enough payload for the Brookstone, in a perfect world.But there are other factors as well. That 2830lb hitch weight is for an empty camper. By the time you add options and pack it, it will probably be hundreds of pounds heavier than 2830 pounds.And then there are the other weights to factor in. A fifth wheel hitch will be anywhere from 75-200lbs. That has to be added to your truck's payload, reducing the available payload even further.As does the weight of any passengers or gear you load in the truck, unless you're driving alone. 150lb spouse? (Don't tell us. ;) )That comes off the available payload. Kids? They do, too. With a family and a hitch and a bit of gear, it would not be hard to bring that 1503lbs down close to 1000lbs remaining. Or even less.You may be able to fit a decent travel trailer into the payload of your Mega Cab, but any larger fifth wheel will probably push you well over your payload limits. It's a painful lesson that many before you have learned, unfortunately.

jtallon wrote:dicksenn wrote:I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?Yes, that's the main issue. Pin weight is hitch weight. And sadly, it's a little worse than that. The 1890 payload number is likely a generic number for Mega Cab 2500s, a maximum number. The door sticker of 1503 is more likely the accurate one, specific to your exact truck. Every option you add decreases your available payload. They all weigh something.That leaves you about 1300lbs short of having enough payload for the Brookstone, in a perfect world.But there are other factors as well. That 2830lb hitch weight is for an empty camper. By the time you add options and pack it, it will probably be hundreds of pounds heavier than 2830 pounds.And then there are the other weights to factor in. A fifth wheel hitch will be anywhere from 75-200lbs. That has to be added to your truck's payload, reducing the available payload even further.As does the weight of any passengers or gear you load in the truck, unless you're driving alone. 150lb spouse? (Don't tell us. ;) )That comes off the available payload. Kids? They do, too. With a family and a hitch and a bit of gear, it would not be hard to bring that 1503lbs down close to 1000lbs remaining. Or even less.You may be able to fit a decent travel trailer into the payload of your Mega Cab, but any larger fifth wheel will probably push you well over your payload limits. It's a painful lesson that many before you have learned, unfortunately.Painful dream crushing lesson indeed! You want to trade me your 3500?I'm still somewhat dumbfounded at the payload capacity, it's a huge truck. I either need to find a bumper pulls with a floor plan similar (really love the rear living, plus bunkhouse) or find a used 3500. This sucks!

2014 Ram Mega Cab - Towing Capacity Help | Good Sam Community

dicksenn
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
jtallon wrote:
dicksenn wrote:

Just a quick look online it seems that 2014 Mega Cab Dually's are listed at dealers for what my clean trade value is. I guess I could always see if one of them wants to deal, I'd just hate driving a dually all the time just to tow on weekends.

I had a crew cab dually for a while. A dually isn't that bad to get used to... as long as you don't have to do a lot of parking in the city.

But check the door stickers on any you look at, to get the accurate payload numbers. And read up on here what to expect for real world payload numbers, beyond just the dry pin weight. You'll be towing a new fiver before ya know it.

Well, that's the drawback..I'm in Tulsa so City driving is daily thing. The one I just found has a max payload of 5470lbs and max towing of 23,300, quite a big difference.

Bummer is we just sold the wife's 2014 Ram 1500 to get an older model paid off vehicle (2005 Suburban fully loaded) because we decided we wanted to dedicate more time to camping with a nicer trailer.
DakotaDad
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
dicksenn wrote:

Well, that's the drawback..I'm in Tulsa so City driving is daily thing. The one I just found has a max payload of 5470lbs and max towing of 23,300, quite a big difference.

Bummer is we just sold the wife's 2014 Ram 1500 to get an older model paid off vehicle (2005 Suburban fully loaded) because we decided we wanted to dedicate more time to camping with a nicer trailer.

Well, don't take my word as gospel. Test drive one, and see if it's workable for you! Some people don't mind driving them anywhere. You're certainly on the right track with those numbers.

Could also pick up a little inexpensive econobox car as a daily driver just for city duty.

Get a little creative, and I'm sure you'll find a way! There's always a way...
MitchF150
Explorer III
Apr 19, 2016
That really does suck for payload on a 2500.. Heck, my F150 has more payload, per the yellow sticker...

Hope you can find the rig that works for you.

Mitch
Me_Again
Explorer III
Apr 19, 2016
Get a different truck or a nice bumper pull. Watch your numbers carefully with a 3500 SRW. Our 3500 SRW with Aisin, Demco picture frame, B&W slider, and stuff in the bed boxes only has 3300 left for pin weight and puts it a little over the trucks GVWR.

Chris
GBuilders
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
I have the 2014 Megacab DRW 4x4 and I don't have the exact numbers but with the 3:73 and the Aisin tranny I can tow over 20k I believe. My old 07 MC DRW had a GCWR on 10,000 which is pretty low for a dulley, but the new ones have a much higher GCWR. You may try to find a used MC DRW and sell your. They hold their value very well. Good Luck.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Apr 19, 2016
dicksenn wrote:
donn0128 wrote:
Sadly 2500 mega cabs have always had low ratings. Heck, even the 3500 SRWs are shy on ratings. If you really want to tow a fiver with a mega, you need to really consider dually.

I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?

Which is a bummer cause we paid a premium for the truck new and we love it. I was just blissfully ignorant after 10 years with a half ton that a 2500 would solve my problems. All I paid attention to was the max towing weight of 16,500. :(

This has been hashed out about 100x here........but your stickered payload is maxed out at 1890lb to stay within the 10000lb class 2 truck limit.
The springs may need a little help with that much pin weight, but don't freak out. You bought just as heavy duty a truck as the 3500 save for the 10k sticker and in your case coils instead of leafs and about 1000lb lighter spring rate. You can still pack a 3klb pin weight easily with that truck. Past 2500lbs it starts squatting pretty good. $350 for a set of Timbrens or a little more for airbags and you're set.
Paul_Clancy
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
X2. The one ton srw guys won't like this but it is a numbers game for tax and license. The dually does have the real advantage of extra stability towing. At any rate springs, wheels and tires are easy upgrades. Personally I'd be going dually for that 5ver.
APT
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
2800 pounds dry, 3500 pounds loaded pin weight. Plus a 250 pound receiver, some people in the cab, stuff around the pin and whatever you needed that huge back seat for. You really wat over 4000 pounds of payload, which in Cummins world that's probably a dually. You can tow nearly any travel trailer, so I'd look for one of those.
MudChucker
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016

That does seem unusually low for a 2500 but i dont know that a dually would be needed.

This is the sticker in my new 6.7
IDoMyOwnStunts
Explorer
Apr 19, 2016
I guess it all depends upon whether you want to stay within the official ratings. If not, then the only difference is 500 lbs between the rear axle on the 3500 mega cab and the rear axle on the 2500 mega cab (6500 vs 7000). Same front axle. Tires are more than capable. You can weigh your truck in camping configuration and then decide if you want to use the axle weights or the GVW as your limiting factor. If you want to use axle weights, then you've got a lot more options. But you really need to weigh your truck. Then you'll know.

You'll probably find that you would still need a dually for the fiver in the original post which can have a pin weight exceeding 4000 lbs if loaded up fully, but there are fivers that weigh much less than that one. If you use axle ratings, you aren't limited to travel trailers and you don't need to trade in your truck for a dually.