Ram 2500 Diesel

stapler101 wrote:
Color me dumb, but so many of the responses went over my head! Not saying that I don't appreciate everyone, but I guess I am more lost than ever. My concern is not just staying "legal" but staying safe.
I ordered Firestone ride rite air bag suspension boosters today.
Oh, I have 18" wheels
I have changed to another trailer 10,619 dry, 2300 hitch weight.
Is this closer in line with legal and safe?

I spelled it out to you in an earlier post. NO PICKUP will exceed the federal bridge weight laws, enforced at weigh stations. For a single axle with two tires has a max rating of 12K provided the tire ratings add up to 12K, that is two tires rated to 6K x 2 = 12K.

To meet your state vehicle licensing requirements for the truck you need to pay the higher $110 weight fee for 10,001 - 18,000 pounds, as your loaded truck will be over 10K.

Licensing in ones home state is honored by other states you may travel in. Total combination length varies by state and one must comply with each states length rules. 65' is the lowest that I am aware of, others allow 75'.

Dry trailer weights are not the best to go by. It is best to go by the manufactures GVWR for a trailer. Figure the percentage of dry pin weigh with dry trailer weight, and use that percentage to get an idea the pin weight will be close to for a fully loaded trailer. For the first trailer that is 2080/12443 = .167162 so .167162 x 15,500 = 2591 as and estimate of the loaded pin weigh. For the record a trailer with the low on a percentage of pin weight may not be the best towing trailer.

This new trailer choice with a higher dry pin weight may put you closer to the trucks 6500 RGAWR, than the first one. When we bought I Bighorn I called Heartland and ask how accurate the 2435 dry pin weight was. I was told it was quite accurate.

You need to factor in the 5th wheel hitch weight, anything that you plan on carrying in the truck bed as weight that goes on the rear axle. Passengers in the truck have a percentage of their weight on the rear axle.

The 6500 RGAWR is the number that you should carefully watch. Now the 3500 with the same rear differential, brakes, wheels and tires allows 7K. The tires are rated to 3640 each, so the manufactures rating is limited to 7280 max or less. So a LEO bent on finding something wrong could go by the GAWR on the B pillar or the max rating on the tires. So choice the number you feel comfortable with.