Pickup truck tow vehicle stability tests

NC Hauler wrote:

AH64ID wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
So it boils down to a wash depending on who you agree with. And add into it that a 2500 is the same as a 3500 sans rear springs. So in that sense a 2500 could tow what a DRW does. That makes sense doesn't it? :)

In the 13 and up RAM trucks the 2500 SRW is not the same as the 3500 SRW.

No it's not, thou the frame is still the same and the axle is still overkill... no real difference for the end user in the AAM 11.5 vs 11.8... so in a way his statement isn't too far off. Springs/Suspension is the biggest different.

No easy way to tell what that 2500 suspension can really handle thou.

per AAM, 11.5 rated for 11,500# for the 11.8 it's 11,800# per AAM, but heck, they may have lied about it...and if one compares the spring pack of a 2500 to a 3500 dually...er WOW, HUGE difference. BIG difference as you stated with front and rear suspension, and enough to MAKE a BIG difference in GVWR difference from a 2500 of 10,000# to a 3500 dually with 14,000#....yeah, I know the dually is heavier, that's "kinda obivious"...and only 3500 SRW and 3500 DRW get the Aisin transmission which means more HP and more TQ., and only dually get's the 3:42, 3:73 and the 4:10, which gives more and more GCWR...mine is rated at GCWR of 37,500#, but it's 2 yrs old...

Yes there is a small difference, but it won't effect the end user as I stated.

Where did you get 11,500# from? AAM told me 4950 kgs, which is 10,912lbs. I know you got the 11.8" specs from them, so I would guess that is where you got the 11.5" specs... I suspect they told one of us bogus numbers. Either way the ratings are well above the RAWR on any Dodge/Ram that uses the AAM 11.5" or 11.8" axle.

When there was a spring pack difference between 2500 and 3500 there wasn't that much difference in the main leafs. There was a design difference 4/1 on the 2500 and 3/1 on the 3500 but there was only a 7% difference in ratings. The overloads do add a decent amount, as they carry a rating of about 46% of the main pack meaning the DRW has 57% more capacity in terms on lb/in. That is once the overloads engage. On my 4/1 leaf pack (3500 SRW) I have to be above 6K lbs on the rear axle to get the overlaods to engage. Now that there isn't a spring pack on the 2500 it's harder to compare.

Front suspensions are the same 2500 thru 3500 DRW in 14+, the only year they were different was 13.

I have always said that the GVWR ratings between 2500, 3500 SRW, and 3500 DRW are about marketing first and capability second. A 2500 and 3500 SRW both have the same actual limit, the tires, but the RAWR, GVWR, and GCWR are different... that's a marking difference. Why does a 3500 SRW have a 12,300lb GVWR when the FAWR+RAWR=13,000 and the frame is the same as the 14K lb GVWR DRW? Simple.. the SRW has to be rated lower than the DRW. Why is the DRW (FAWR+RAWR=15,750) limited to 14K GVWR? To be a Class III pickup.

If Ram were to discontinue the 3500 SRW tomorrow I would be willing to bet the 2500 numbers would change to match the 3500 SRW numbers without any physical differences (except that 18's would be standard instead of an option to allow for the 7K RAWR). Zero axle or suspension changes would be necessary.

Sorry for the derail, I find these conversations interesting and enjoyable.

NC Hauler wrote:
wished I'd just purchased a nice 2500, it'll do everything my 3500 dually will do...cept for payload, cept for RAWR, cept for GCWR, but other than that.....they're the same:)

There are distinct differences, and not all of them account for the difference on paper... but many of them will make for an easier driving experience. The J2807, which is a great test, gives DRW vehicles easier requirements to meet. It's one reason that a DRW vs a SRW with the same powertrain/gears can be rated higher. Nothing wrong with it, just need to know that if you were to have a DRW rated at 27K lbs towing and a SRW rated at 27K lbs towing the SRW would have more power to meet the SRW requirements, and would out accelerate and hold speeds better than the DRW.