Trailer Life "Guide to Towing"

Whiskey River wrote:
Got my Guide to Towing yesterday. I have a Ram 2500 long bed diesel 4x4, manuel 6spd so I checked these 3 Ram trucks and am somewhat confused by what I read. Larger truck, less towing?
Ram 2500 RegCab long bed,4x4 diesel,manuel6spd & 3.42:1 16,450#
Ram 3500SRW RegCab long bed,4x4 diesel,manuel6spd & 3.42:1 16,520#
Ram 3500DRW RegCab long bed,4x4 diesel,manuel6spd & 3.42:1 16,130#

So each truck set up with the same spec's given in the "guide" the Ram 3500SRW can tow 70 pounds more than the Ram 2500. And the Ram 3500DRW tows 320# less than the Ram 2500. What am I missing here?

A lot of it is about the 3.42 axle and keeping it cool. All three trucks have the same GCVWR of 24,300#. The SRW 2500 base is 60# heavier than the base SRW 3500. The DRW 3500 is 385# heavier than the SRW 3500 and 320# heavier than the 2500. Its all about the keeping the GCVWR at a number that the differential oil will stay at a spec temp in their maximum tests. When you take the max trailer weight and add it to the empty truck weigh they allow you between 468#-480# of cargo or tongue weight in the truck to keep the GCVWR at their number. So basically they say you can pull a 4 wheeled wagon of that weight with a couple people in the truck. LOL