put my 19.5s on today

Next up, someone who tries to prevent someone from buying a bigger truck or even a DRW. What do you call the opposite of weight police any way? ;)

billtex wrote:



Our Airstream has 1100# tongue weight, even with all the******we can throw in/on truck, I can't imagine exceeding 7500# on the rear axle.
I would hope anyone towing heavy is using a WD hitch...but then again, I don't collect anvils ;).

TT has 1200-1300 of TW, and I do use a WDH.

1000lbs of ATV's, 400lbs of rack, fire wood, tools, extra water, gas, etc and I end up about 7,150 on most trips.

The highest I have scaled is 7340 (ooops, wrong tires) with my normal TW and 2/3 chord in the bed.

I am not sure I could exceed 7,500 on a normal trip either.. unless I put a 40 or 50 gallon water tank in the bed.

I have been higher, probably close to 8.5-9K on the rear axle but that was a short emergency trip this summer with my normal tools/etc in the tool box and a 11' Lance behind the tool box (i.e. 100% of the weight on the rear axle). The DRW that hauled it to where it broke down was 13K on the scale, or about 5K of camper.

AH64ID wrote:

billtex wrote:


slowmo is talking TT's...not sure why he would look at 19.5's...

I tow a TT and 19.5's are needed based on what I haul in the bed and the TW of the TT. Exceeding the OEM tire rating of 6390 is easy, and even exceeding 7K is easy. It get's hard to get above 7,500 thou.

You must be hauling your anvil collection around...!


Our Airstream has 1100# tongue weight, even with all the******we can throw in/on truck, I can't imagine exceeding 7500# on the rear axle.
I would hope anyone towing heavy is using a WD hitch...but then again, I don't collect anvils ;).

billtex wrote:


slowmo is talking TT's...not sure why he would look at 19.5's...

I tow a TT and 19.5's are needed based on what I haul in the bed and the TW of the TT. Exceeding the OEM tire rating of 6390 is easy, and even exceeding 7K is easy. It get's hard to get above 7,500 thou.

If slowmo is hauling something heavy in the back of the truck while towing his trailer, he could be close to his tire ratings. If his trailer is actually a FW or GN, then the pin weight may be enough to warrant 19.5's.

I used to haul over 1000 lbs or tools and parts in my truck and tow a tongue heavy toy hauler. I never had more than 5500 lbs on the rear axle, but I did have run the tires 80 psi to reduce squirm.

jimh425 wrote:
slowmover, feel free to start your own thread. In any case, the rear wheels are the the most important no matter if you have a 4x4 or not. There have been a few people posting here that have replaced on the rears. 19.5s don't have to be larger diameter than your stock tires. Look up the height of your current tires and then look up the height of 19.5s. The sidewalls are shorter on the 19.5s with all else being equal which can make the tires the same height.

slowmo is talking TT's...not sure why he would look at 19.5's...

slowmover, feel free to start your own thread. In any case, the rear wheels are the the most important no matter if you have a 4x4 or not. There have been a few people posting here that have replaced on the rears. 19.5s don't have to be larger diameter than your stock tires. Look up the height of your current tires and then look up the height of 19.5s. The sidewalls are shorter on the 19.5s with all else being equal which can make the tires the same height.

I've had my MY2004.0 CTD quite a while now. Am looking at replacing all the springs on this 2WD 2500 as age has taken its' toll and both the CTD and the TT will be near GVWR (18k GCWR). Might not be much margin left on OEM spec tires/wheels once hitched and WD applied.

Have always been curious abou the 19.5 wheel/tire "option":

Q #1 Is anyone running this size on 2WD and, if so,

Q #2 Are changes necessary (such as raising, "levelling", the front end)?


A correction/addition needed here:

" . . So if you want to talk design limits then you should know what they are first. Rundown of my truck, and any 04-12 Dodge and most 03 diesels.

Front axle and suspension, same 2500 to DRW. All rated at 5,200lbs(03-09) or 5500lbs (10-12)depending on year.

Steering, same 2500 to 3500 DRW on diesel. DRW gas gets hydro boost that SRW doesn't have.

Frame. Same, give the same wheelbase, 2500-DRW.


4WD and 2WD have differences

1] The 2WD MY2004 FAWR is 4,750-lbs. Tire pressure recommendation is 50-psi all around when empty.

(Why I have a thread on TDR asking for 3rd Gen final iteration [MY2009] 2WD spec from any other owner to post door placard spec. The OEM spring rating is not really to par and neither is the pressure recommendation).

2] Steering is rack & pinion

I put my 255/80R17 KM2 LRE's back on last week for fall hunting. I then did about 600 miles this weekend, 265 of which where at 21K GCW.

The LRG's handle the weight much better, and empty there isn't much difference. The LRE's are noisier, but exhibit the same characteristics of the LRG's. There is a little more road feel transmitted with LRG's, but not much.

They each have their purpose, I need the ability to air down the LRE's for fall hunting and will drop to 40/25 for 10 days or so next month. That's below the air required for the weight, but speeds won't exceed 20 for several hundred miles.

I drove the same 120 mile round trip on dirt, with a trailer, this summer with the 19.5's as I did this weekend. The 19.5's just don't do as bad as people think on dirt roads. They aren't crawling or mudding tires, but 99% of the time they operate the same.

The only time I feel any type of hard ride is empty, but it is not annoying just a truck...One fun thing I found being empty and having a little fun is how quick my truck is with the chip set up I have. Those guys in the rice burners that rev to 100K (exageration)...coming off the line and passing amazing to see the look on their faces....don't get to do that very often as the TC resides 98% of the time on the truck....and that is with dual 19.5's...even broke them free once...that was fun...must have been some sand or damp pavement. :>)