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?

I think it just looked at towing and not payload capacity. Wasn't very useful to me.

I wouldn't put to much faith about tow ratings from a non Dodge/Ram publication. Dodge/Ram Body Builders guide website will have more up to date specs. The numbers the op posted are for a 3.42 gears in all three trucks. The 3.73 gear change is available in the DRW which makes a 18130 lb tow rating.

Again, towing ratings, unless your towing a flat bed or a bumper pull TT are not much use. Especially when it comes to fifth wheel towing. Then its all about availablr payload.

I got my Jan Trailer life mag yesterday in the mail. I never even looked at the tow ratings guide before I threw it in the garbage can. I have better luck looking on each trucks web site under towing capacity.

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

Trailer Life "Guide to Towing" | Good Sam Community

Kjun
Explorer
Dec 14, 2016
Why would FORD build a Aluminum bed for their trucks. Weight.
Whiskey_River
Explorer
Dec 14, 2016
So then about the only thing this "guide to towing" is good for is the various dealers to say to unsuspecting/uninformed potential buyers is "sure your truck will tow that rig"...
drsteve
Explorer
Dec 14, 2016
It's all about the weight of the truck. My 1500HD's payload rating is 2900 lb. My buddy has a 2500HD same year, same engine, but his is a 4x4 with the Allison trans, and he has less payload in spite of a higher GVWR, because his truck is heavier to begin with.
BenK
Explorer
Dec 14, 2016
Ditto and am always curious who folks insist on non-OEM sources for this kind of info... :h :S

Guessing that the OEM's have fine print modifiers that confuses so
many and the other-market providers of info most times leave off that
fine print...and/or...does NOT understand what the fine print does
to the chart numbers/ratings/etc...

JIMNLIN wrote:
I wouldn't put to much faith about tow ratings from a non Dodge/Ram publication. Dodge/Ram Body Builders guide website will have more up to date specs.

The numbers the op posted are for a 3.42 gears in all three trucks. The 3.73 gear change is available in the DRW which makes a 18130 lb tow rating.
bikendan
Explorer
Dec 14, 2016
IMHO, the TL Towing Guide is useless.
Doesn't provide payload capacities.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Dec 14, 2016
A couple of Dodge techs on one of the Dodge diesel forums did the math on base rates vs tow ratings on various Dodge/Cummins trucks.
Some models lost only 28-32 lbs of their tow rating. The biggest loser was a DRW QC long bed 4x4 lost a whoppin' 185 lbs.
I would say the tow rating are good enough.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 14, 2016
JIMNLIN wrote:
A couple of Dodge techs on one of the Dodge diesel forums did the math on base rates vs tow ratings on various Dodge/Cummins trucks.
Some models lost only 28-32 lbs of their tow rating. The biggest loser was a DRW QC long bed 4x4 lost a whoppin' 185 lbs.
I would say the tow rating are good enough.

It's just a guide.......good enough t get an idea on which trim level

Then get real numbers by opening door and checking 'numbers' on data stickers and certification labels.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Dec 15, 2016
Look about the same to me. Can you tell the difference between 16 and 16.5k behind your truck? I can't.

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