Are 250/2500 trucks limited by their Class?

to add: Chrysler advised when I wrote to them about the math error on my door sticker (5200 front + 6200 rear = 10000 ) they replied that some jurisdictions require a CDL for vehicles over 10000 GVWR so the industry prints a door sticker to meet these less than 10000 GVWR requirements.

Chrysler did not make an error. Or, if they did then all of the big three make the same error intentionally. It is not an error, but there is a reason the numbers do not add up. I have never seen where the GVWR is equal to the axle ratings on a pickup. It is always lower. A CDL is typically not needed until the truck weighs 26,000 pounds, far more than most 2500/3500 trucks weigh at gross. However, the magic 10,000 pounds starts to become important to some homeowner groups, a few roads and bridges, and some state registrations. Even speed limits on interstate highways can be different for trucks that weigh more than 10,000 pounds. I think Washington State has a max limit of 60 mph for over 10,000 pound trucks while the cars, motorcycles and other vehicles under 10,000 pounds can go a higher speed.


As you get into the larger trucks it is almost all about axle ratings. Often 18 wheelers have to move their trailer's axles front or back a few inches to stay within the axle rating even if the total truck's total weight is within the gross weight rating. Moving the trailer's axles spreads weight to other axles so the truck is at or under all three axle ratings. When they roll across scales, each axle is weighed.

There is a lot of information on gvwr in the truck camper forums as many cabover campers exceed the gross weight of the truck by a few pounds but stay below the axle, tire and wheel ratings.

Some states allow the owner to register the truck at a differing gross weight number than what is posted on the door information. Typically that saves the owner some money if the truck will be used to carry less weight than the max gross weight of the truck.

Now the big three are in towing and payload wars. It is intense and we will likely see all three keep upping the payloads and tow ratings on 150/1500's, 250/2500's and 350/3500's as that is what is selling now. Just ten years ago the high output Cummins Ram had a tow rating of around 16,000 pounds (depending on axle ratio), today it is up to about 30,000 pounds. With the 6.4 gas engine in a one ton 3500 dually Ram, the payload is around 6000 pounds, a number unheard of ten years ago for a pickup. Gross weights are now up to 14,000 pounds. And the axles, springs, tires and wheels can typically carry even more weight.