Help with payload

The 3rd gen 3500 DRW Dodge has those big 9350 RAWR.
Many DRW Dodge trucks rear axle of that era may weigh in the 3500-3700 lbs which leaves around 5500 lbs for a payload.
Just like any trucks on the road separate front and rear axle weights are necessary so the owner doesn't over load the trucks front or rear axles. A single gross weight won't tell you if a axle/tire is over loaded.

The 3500 DRW Dodge is one of the more popular trucks for LTL commercial haulers that carry loads up to max axle and do it safely for several hundred thousand miles.
Dodge gave you a truck with certified axle ratings. Use them. The rest of the trucking world on the road does.

Your numbers are correct. What your missing is that most everyone carrying a TC is over their GVWR and has modified the truck in some way to help handle it.
You say you weighed the truck and it was 7662? How did you arrive at that weight. I've never seen a truck scale that weighed in less than 20 pound increments, most of them weigh in 100 pound increments.
Did you remove the tailgate before you weighed it. That will come off with a TC so that helps some.
For what it's worth my '05 Chevy dually has a GVWR of 11,400 but I weigh in at about 13,500 with the family, camper, and boat hitched on behind. I don't have stock tires, shocks, or hitch and I added air bags.

Easily carried a 4000 pound camper on my '05 in signature. I did add Energy Suspension Bumpers for the overloads. They take about ten minutes to install and are less than $100. Their benefit is to engage the overloads sooner for stability. It is a very worthwhile addition and when the camper if off the truck has no affect on how it handles. Even though you don't want to modify your truck, get these.

Second I added Air Lift air bags. Inexpensive for what they do for leveling the truck and camper side to side and for being able to change the air and therefor the truck for differing loading situations, including hard cross winds. If you get these you will have a good handling truck/camper combo.

I use Torklift tiedowns as they are frame mounted and stout. Get a rubber mat and place it between the truck bed and camper to keep the camper from moving around. Carry 70+ pounds in the duals when camper is on. With these minor accessory items your truck should be able to handle up to gross with no issues. Rams are tough!

mdamerell wrote:
In 2005 the tow wars started. Like you my 2004 F350 DRW is rated at 11,500#. The new trucks are rated much higher around 14,000#. So that's a 2,500# increase in capacity. The other thing is some people never weigh and just believe the salesman.

The Ram 1-ton trucks over the past 10 years have gained 3,000 lbs. in weight so GVWR is nebulous to say the least and heaven help the occupants in any passenger car in a collision.

Payload is a calculated number based on the weakest link and the greatest number of possible passengers (calculated at 150 lbs. per available passenger seat and subtracted from "payload").

The real world limiting factors are the frame, the leaf springs, axle and wheel bearings, and the tires. With DRW the tire are not the limitation at the rear wheels. Older Ford trucks had a rear axle and wheel bearings rated for 8900 lbs. and this becomes the weakest link.

Weight the truck at a CAT scale and subtract the drive axle weight from 8900 lbs. and you have a good ballpark figure for the maximum load you want to add to the bed of the truck.

If with the camper in the bed the truck sags in the back then you will need to add more leaf springs as with Supersprings to gain more support. This is easily done and costs less than $500 - talk to the people at Supersprings for advice for your specific truck and load.

Ernie

Hi I'm Doug from Iowa as well and I organize the Rally for the MidWest Truck Campers. I would like to invite you to this summers rally. I've had many potential TC'ers come to rallies in the past and get a load of info from TC'ers. We all love to help and share info. Check us out.
Here is a link:
https://midwesttruckcampers.wordpress.com/2015-midwest-truck-camper-rally/


Now your Truck. Yes your figures seem correct to me.
You say you see many trucks with bigger than necessary TC's on them. Well they have modified their truck which you said you don't wish to do.

This Modification does NOT increase Payload, it just HELPS support it and makes the truck EASIER & SAFER to handle the load of the TC, and its contents. It helps control sway and or roll of the vehicle which with out these products in my opinion will not make it feel very safe to drive for the truck from the factory is set up for a middle of the road payload. So for a Big overload the suspension needs help.

I'm sorry but in my OPINION and its just that my Opinion you will want these items on your truck. My suggestion and your headed in the right direction. Always ask someone who own's and drives a truck and TC. Another words don't always believe a salesman at a RV dealer.

One thing for stability you'll need a swaybar on your truck. This will improve vehicle roll or sway to left, and right in turns.

two you'll want to look into suspension help. Everyone has their own opinion here and what they like or what works for them. you'll get a lot of info here with different suggestions.

Here is what I have, and I have just done a blog report on it. So their are pictures and my ramblings of installation. I recommend Torqlifts products because I've used them and they seem solid, and yet simple. I'm not fond of airbags for I run into a lot of people who usually end up with a leak. Plus I would think if you get any air in a line that it would freeze in the wintertime and something wouldn't work correctly.

link to my suspension installation:
https://midwesttruckcampers.wordpress.com/torklift-international-ambassador-program/stableloads/


Yes your going over your recommended weight rating but most all do. Remember lawyers set those weight ratings. if you go over 1500 lbs. your not going to break anything but it you go ridiculously like 5,000 I would start to question things. I was 1200 lbs. over my weight limit.
I asked my ford service tech about weight on my front axle because I was considering putting a motorcycle on the front. He said don't worry about going 1000 lbs. over the front axle rating. Now thats a Ford Super Duty. I wont vouch for other brands.

Good Luck and have fun with the experience. Let me know if i can help. I'm on the Western half of Iowa. How about you?

Doug

If you do not want modify your truck, your numbers are correct.

In 2005 the tow wars started. Like you my 2004 F350 DRW is rated at 11,500#. The new trucks are rated much higher around 14,000#. So that's a 2,500# increase in capacity. The other thing is some people never weigh and just believe the salesman.