Need help with load limits

Here is a video that explains how to match your truck to your RV

Matching Your Truck to the RV

Safety is critical when towing an RV Trailer. This training video discusses the importance of understanding a Truck's ratings and how these ratings limit the size of the trailer that can be safely towed. You will be provided the tools and basic understanding needed to assist your endeavor to properly match a truck and trailer, so that you can enjoy RVing safely.

Here is a easy to use website to stubby pencil weights.

Towing Planner

If your loaded pin weight is over 3000 lbs, you'll likely need heavier duty rear tires/wheels and springs.

Thanks all ! You've been a great help. Your input makes so much more sense. Going by the official payload of the truck all I could hookup would be an 8k# at most which is just ridiculous.

Now we'll wait until the RV shows to zero in on a final model(s).

Check your tires that will most likely be your weakest link, you will be over the door sticker or real close. I have a 2013 chevy 2500HD(GVWR 10,000lbs) and towing a 14,000lb gooseneck trailer at 13,000lb loaded I was 150lbs under my tire capacity of 6400lbs, this was too close for me so I upgraded my wheels and tires.

You will probably find you will end up doing some suspension upgrades to make the ride better, my truck felt squishy in the rear when loaded to max weight. Best bet is to get your TV weighed loaded to go and see what capacity you have left to work with.

This has been discussed......about 1000x on here and usually starts an argument.
But here's the facts.
Aside from an Aisin trans, you have the heaviest duty, most capable drivetrain offered. Same as offered in a 3500drw configured the same way, with tons more payload on paper and much greater towing capacity on paper as well compard to the 2500.
You have the same chassis as the above mentioned truck, minus the extra back tires and different rear suspension design.
You have the same rear axle that is rated from 6500 to up close to 10klbs depending on what class of truck it's in.
And most importantly, you have the truck sitting in your driveway.

The short answer, is with some rear suspension help, it will pull a 14k 5ver as well and as safely as anything on the road save for a drw truck (which is nice, but not necessary for your pin weight). You will also be under the real world ratings of all the important components (axle, tires/wheels, chassis, drivetrain), but over weight on paper on almost all of those criteria due to the truck being marketed as a class 2 truck.

MFL wrote:
Agree with IdaD, as to using RAWR/tire rating. To get available pin, it is best to load gear, passengers, and pets in the truck, and go weigh the rear axle. This will tell you what is left for pin wt. Don't forget to add the weight of the hitch, if you don't already have one installed.

Jerry

X2 ^^. Also load the fifth wheel hitch and make sure you have full fuel. The CAT scales will give you separate front (steer) and rear (drive) axle weights. Subtract these scale weights from the limits on your door sticker and that's your leftover payload (rear axle is most important, as stated).

Rob

Agree with IdaD, as to using RAWR/tire rating. To get available pin, it is best to load gear, passengers, and pets in the truck, and go weigh the rear axle. This will tell you what is left for pin wt. Don't forget to add the weight of the hitch, if you don't already have one installed.

Jerry

Your payload is artificially limited on paper because of the class 2 max 10k lb GVWR. Check your axle and tire ratings and as long as you're within that you should be good to go. You probably have 6500 lbs of RAWR to work with and over 7000 lbs of tire rating, unless you have base 17" wheels which isn't likely with the CTD. You do have to take passengers into account.

Your truck would handle a 14k lb fifth wheel fine. You might find that it handles a bit better with bags or Timbrens but you can figure that out after you hook the trailer up and give it a try. I don't need Timbrens on mine but I do find that they improve the loaded ride a bit, particularly handling bumps at highway speed.