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

JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Apr 20, 2016
op wrote:
I just want to be safe as the first priority.

Howdy neighbor.
I'm just up the road aways from Tulsa.
Just to let folks know in Oklahoma we have no weights to register our private use trucks at nor do we have to buy any weights for our tags. That for our commercial side.

As long as you stay within the trucks axle/tire load rating (FAWR/RAWR) you and everyone on the road will be safe. A GVWR or GCWR or tire placard number on newer trucks or a tow rating aren't used for any legal purposes. Your payload number your looking at just became mandatory in '06 so trucks before that year don't have a tire placard payload number although some truck makers started before '06.

As with any truck the owner/operator needs to know the trucks front and rear axle weight numbers .
Your 3500 SRW Mega's rear axle may weigh in the 3000 lb range which leaves the truck with a 3500 lb payload. Payload means the hitch/occupants/junk we carry plus the pin weight.
Load the truck road ready and get some separate axle weights. Then you know what your working with. The 3500 SRW diesel powered truck will pull anything the DRW will but its way short on wheel/tire and rear springs
Oh yeah when you get a scale ticket keep it in the trucks glove box for future reference.
dicksenn
Explorer
Apr 20, 2016
JIMNLIN wrote:
op wrote:
I just want to be safe as the first priority.

Howdy neighbor.
I'm just up the road aways from Tulsa.
Just to let folks know in Oklahoma we have no weights to register our private use trucks at nor do we have to buy any weights for our tags. That for our commercial side.

As long as you stay within the trucks axle/tire load rating (FAWR/RAWR) you and everyone on the road will be safe. A GVWR or GCWR or tire placard number on newer trucks or a tow rating aren't used for any legal purposes. Your payload number your looking at just became mandatory in '06 so trucks before that year don't have a tire placard payload number although some truck makers started before '06.

As with any truck the owner/operator needs to know the trucks front and rear axle weight numbers .
Your 3500 SRW Mega's rear axle may weigh in the 3000 lb range which leaves the truck with a 3500 lb payload. Payload means the hitch/occupants/junk we carry plus the pin weight.
Load the truck road ready and get some separate axle weights. Then you know what your working with. The 3500 SRW diesel powered truck will pull anything the DRW will but its way short on wheel/tire and rear springs
Oh yeah when you get a scale ticket keep it in the trucks glove box for future reference.

Thanks JimNLin, axle weights are pretty much what I'm going with and I'm hoping to drop by a cat scale here in Tulsa this week or next to get some separate axle weights.

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2014 Ram Mega Cab - Towing Capacity Help

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