Is there a clear line between 1 Ton and 3/4 Ton?

[elkbelch]

We have a 2011 Ram 2500 CTD, GVWR is 9600 lbs. Today we went to a CAT Scale and weighed in at:
GVW 7740 we are allowed 9600 leaving us 2160 lbs
Front axle was 4580 lbs with a limit of 5500
Rear axle was 3160 lbs with a limit of 6010 lbs
This was with 1 occupant, full tank of fuel, weekly groceries & 100 lb of chicken feed, tools, etc.

We've been tossing around getting a 1 ton DRW. We tow a 2011 Jayco Eagle 30.5 RLS 5th wheel GVWR 11,200 lbs. We have not been able to weigh it yet, it's about 3,000 lbs heavier than our previous 5th wheel that we pulled with our previous 2003 Dodge 2500. Our current 2011 Dodge does seem to handle it well. We weekend camp locally and plan to take a 3,000+ mile camping trip in the summer. We were all over the country in our previous combo, however, it was a lighter 5th wheel.

We seem to be right on the line between 3/4 ton & 1 ton, however, we like our current truck, don't really want to invest in a new one if we really don't need to as our current one is loaded with all options. We do have the load lifter 5,000's in the garage, just haven't put them on yet and we know we'll be ok everywhere except the GVWR.

Question: With respect to our current unit being a daily driver & planning a 3,000+ mile trip this summer...when do you decide it's time to move up to a DRW 1 ton?
What justifies the need for a DRW 1 ton in relation to GVWR, (i.e: 1 lb over, 25 lbs over, 500, 1,000 lbs over)?

[campigloo]

If stability is your concern, maybe you could add a dually conversion to your 2500.

[elkbelch]

Sorry transamz9, I guess you are referring to my practical advantage comment. If we go to a 1 Ton it will be the DRW. I say this because I can add suspension components to match the SRW. I cannot add the duals stability and the added tire support. In the 1 Ton SRW you are still limited by tires. We will just have to weigh the trailer, I am really only concerned by the pin weight at this point and it seems we will be under the RAWR. I am pretty sure we will stick with our current truck.

[transamz9]

elkbelch wrote:
We do plan to weigh the trailer on the truck as soon as the weather clears. By locally I mean 200 to 300 miles and we do make 1 long trip (1000 plus miles) to a different National Park every year. If we were to go the 1 Ton rout we would certainly go with a DRW as the SRW would offer little practical advantage our current truck. I really have no Idea how much weight we take along, a weeks worth of clothes for the four of us and we generally buy all our groceries before we leave. It will be interesting to see how much we do haul with us.

Not saying it's right or wrong but we see much larger units on 250/2500 series trucks all the time.

My 3500 srw has 2,100# more GVWR than your 2500. I have just under 3,700# payload.;)

[JIMNLIN]

What justifies the need for a DRW 1 ton in relation to GVWR, (i.e: 1 lb over, 25 lbs over, 500, 1,000 lbs over)?

IMO non of the above. Other folks have different opinions.
Out here on the road the truck makers GVWR doesn't determine how much load a truck can carry from any legal perspective. Thats what the trucks FAWR/RAWR/tire capacities do and in particular the RAWR is the most important as it will carry just about all of the hitch weight.
Your '11 trucks rear axle/tires weigh 3160 lb which leave them with a 2850 lb payload it can safely carry. The one ton SRW has higher rated tires/wheels and rear springs. The rest of the truck is the same.

The '11 DRW has those big 9350 RAWR. Many DRW trucks rear axle weigh in the 3400-3500 lb range which leaves around 5800 lbs for a max payload. Way overkill for a trailer the size your towing.

Some folks use the trucks GVWR to figure payloads on the trucks rear axle/tires and that OK. Doing so is also safe.

[coolbreeze01]

By the time you get to Idaho, you'll know if you want a 1-ton. Good deals there :C

[rhagfo]

john&bet wrote:

elkbelch wrote:
We have a 2011 Ram 2500 CTD, GVWR is 9600 lbs. Today we went to a CAT Scale and weighed in at:
GVW 7740 we are allowed 9600 leaving us 2160 lbs
Front axle was 4580 lbs with a limit of 5500
Rear axle was 3160 lbs with a limit of 6010 lbs
This was with 1 occupant, full tank of fuel, weekly groceries & 100 lb of chicken feed, tools, etc.

We've been tossing around getting a 1 ton DRW. We tow a 2011 Jayco Eagle 30.5 RLS 5th wheel GVWR 11,200 lbs. We have not been able to weigh it yet, it's about 3,000 lbs heavier than our previous 5th wheel that we pulled with our previous 2003 Dodge 2500. Our current 2011 Dodge does seem to handle it well. We weekend camp locally and plan to take a 3,000+ mile camping trip in the summer. We were all over the country in our previous combo, however, it was a lighter 5th wheel.

We seem to be right on the line between 3/4 ton & 1 ton, however, we like our current truck, don't really want to invest in a new one if we really don't need to as our current one is loaded with all options. We do have the load lifter 5,000's in the garage, just haven't put them on yet and we know we'll be ok everywhere except the GVWR.

Question: With respect to our current unit being a daily driver & planning a 3,000+ mile trip this summer...when do you decide it's time to move up to a DRW 1 ton?
What justifies the need for a DRW 1 ton in relation to GVWR, (i.e: 1 lb over, 25 lbs over, 500, 1,000 lbs over)?

My current comb is a '04.5 Dodge/Cummins with a 9000# gvw,'05 32' Montana with a gvw of 12,100#. My gcvw is suppose to be 20,000#. I have never been more than 19,800# gcw whether we pack for 1 week or 3 weeks. We buy supplies and do laundry as needed. I have towed from southern Indiana to Great Falls,Mt. several times,from Moab,Ut via I-70 home,to FT. Meade,MD and to Charleston,S.C. My rig rides level without supplemental suspension parts and I don't blind on coming traffic on dim headlights. Just for some folks my front and rear axle weights are not exceeded and I don't have an exhaust brake. I have currently 160+k on truck and it has been used as a dd since new. We are planning a month plus trip this summer. I don't need more truck. Just food for thought.

Dodge/Ram seem to have always been under rated. My rig came with tow and camper packages, but only a 8,800# GVWR. I also tow an 11,000# 5er at about 19,000 GCVW, no mods to stock suspension, truck sits level or even slightly nose down loaded. I did add a small chip as we tow hills constantly.

[john_bet]

elkbelch wrote:
We have a 2011 Ram 2500 CTD, GVWR is 9600 lbs. Today we went to a CAT Scale and weighed in at:
GVW 7740 we are allowed 9600 leaving us 2160 lbs
Front axle was 4580 lbs with a limit of 5500
Rear axle was 3160 lbs with a limit of 6010 lbs
This was with 1 occupant, full tank of fuel, weekly groceries & 100 lb of chicken feed, tools, etc.

We've been tossing around getting a 1 ton DRW. We tow a 2011 Jayco Eagle 30.5 RLS 5th wheel GVWR 11,200 lbs. We have not been able to weigh it yet, it's about 3,000 lbs heavier than our previous 5th wheel that we pulled with our previous 2003 Dodge 2500. Our current 2011 Dodge does seem to handle it well. We weekend camp locally and plan to take a 3,000+ mile camping trip in the summer. We were all over the country in our previous combo, however, it was a lighter 5th wheel.

We seem to be right on the line between 3/4 ton & 1 ton, however, we like our current truck, don't really want to invest in a new one if we really don't need to as our current one is loaded with all options. We do have the load lifter 5,000's in the garage, just haven't put them on yet and we know we'll be ok everywhere except the GVWR.

Question: With respect to our current unit being a daily driver & planning a 3,000+ mile trip this summer...when do you decide it's time to move up to a DRW 1 ton?
What justifies the need for a DRW 1 ton in relation to GVWR, (i.e: 1 lb over, 25 lbs over, 500, 1,000 lbs over)?

My current comb is a '04.5 Dodge/Cummins with a 9000# gvw,'05 32' Montana with a gvw of 12,100#. My gcvw is suppose to be 20,000#. I have never been more than 19,800# gcw whether we pack for 1 week or 3 weeks. We buy supplies and do laundry as needed. I have towed from southern Indiana to Great Falls,Mt. several times,from Moab,Ut via I-70 home,to FT. Meade,MD and to Charleston,S.C. My rig rides level without supplemental suspension parts and I don't blind on coming traffic on dim headlights. Just for some folks my front and rear axle weights are not exceeded and I don't have an exhaust brake. I have currently 160+k on truck and it has been used as a dd since new. We are planning a month plus trip this summer. I don't need more truck. Just food for thought.

[RCMAN46]

"To answer the op the only difference in modern 3/4 vs 1 tons is heavier spring packs and different stickered ratings."

That was true until the recent Ram 3500. It is my understanding the Ram 3500 has a different frame, running gear, suspension and transmission than the 2500.

The current 2500 trucks are about what a 1.5 ton truck was in the 60's was and the new Ram 3500 would be equal to a 3 ton truck of the 60's.

Each year they keep the same designation (2500 3500) but up the payload and towing capacity. 3500 of today is not the same as it was just 10 years ago.

[DutchmenSport]

I look at is like this: It's a status thing! 😄 Case closed!

However, in actual application, if you get a 1 ton, you'll never have to question towing ANYTHING ever again! (that's why I stayed with 1 ton's) ... and the "status" too! :R

[elkbelch]

We do plan to weigh the trailer on the truck as soon as the weather clears. By locally I mean 200 to 300 miles and we do make 1 long trip (1000 plus miles) to a different National Park every year. If we were to go the 1 Ton rout we would certainly go with a DRW as the SRW would offer little practical advantage our current truck. I really have no Idea how much weight we take along, a weeks worth of clothes for the four of us and we generally buy all our groceries before we leave. It will be interesting to see how much we do haul with us.

Not saying it's right or wrong but we see much larger units on 250/2500 series trucks all the time.

[rhagfo]

mdamerell wrote:
Short answer is pin weight. A 11,200# trailer will have about 2,240# (20%) pin weight. Rule of thumb is 15-25%. Depends upon the trailer and how its loaded.

That puts you over GVWR. But some will say you're still OK on your rear axle. It's your call.

Technical Specifications:
Length (ft) 33'-4"
Height (FT) 12'-8"
Dry Weight (lbs) 8,320#
Payload Capacity (lbs) 2,880#
GVWR (lbs) 11,200#
Hitch Weight (lbs) 1,805

I would disagree, looks like loaded to a normal load, about 1,500#, you are right at or a little under GVWR of your TV. Depends what you mean locally, less than 100 miles, or a couple hundred. You likely have no issue with that 5er. The difference in 2011, was springs and the GVWR on the VIN sticker.

lenr wrote:
You answered the big question—does your present truck handle the trailer well. Since it does, you’re good for now. So, my dually answer is “when you buy the next trailer” or “when you become uncomfortable”. The biggest problem with the 2500 will be pin weight capacity, not CVWR or tow rating. Running it a little heavy will only wear the axle out a little faster, not break it. Depending on how big you think that you might go with a trailer, you could consider a 350/3500 SRW size of truck. That will have the additional rear axle weight capacity.

That rig has the same rear axle as a one ton will not wear any faster than a one ton.

[tsetsaf]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
1500 truck......up to 10,000# GVWR trailer
2500 truck......up to 12,000# GVWR trailer
3500 SWR truck.....up to 14,000# GVWR trailer
3500 DRW truck.....anything over 14K


****** with properly equipped truck :B

You are fine with your GVWR 11,200# trailer

To clarify this generalization. My truck in sig is rated to 23k gvwr and it is srw. The limiting factor are the tires and what they can carry. My srw 3500 weighs in at just over 7k meaning I could technically carry/ tow almost 16k pounds as long as I do not overload the axles. Amazingly my srw is rated to carry MORE weight than the same year dually 3500; same gvwr but the srw is lighter leaving more capacity within gvwr. Would a dually be more stable? Yes.

Personally dealing with this now as we have purchased a larger trailer with gvwr of just over 15k. Need to scale it with the truck to see where the raw is... it will be close.

To answer the op the only difference in modern 3/4 vs 1 tons is heavier spring packs and different stickered ratings.

[Bedlam]

Get the weight of your rear truck axle with the FW attached and loaded for a trip. Most likely the axle will handle the weight (most of the axles were designed for 9K+ lbs), but you may be close to your tire limits and want to upgrade.

[deltabravo]

Dually might be cumbersome as a daily driver.

[lenr]

You answered the big question—does your present truck handle the trailer well. Since it does, you’re good for now. So, my dually answer is “when you buy the next trailer” or “when you become uncomfortable”. The biggest problem with the 2500 will be pin weight capacity, not CVWR or tow rating. Running it a little heavy will only wear the axle out a little faster, not break it. Depending on how big you think that you might go with a trailer, you could consider a 350/3500 SRW size of truck. That will have the additional rear axle weight capacity.