2014 Ram Mega Cab - Towing Capacity Help

[dicksenn]

We bought a 2014 Ram Mega Cab 4x4 a little over a year ago hoping to upgrade to a nice 5th wheel. At the time coming from a half ton truck I thought a 2500 would tow anything, after all the max trailer weight I can tow is 16,720. But, I didn't think of pin weights, etc..

My truck specs are:
GVWR: 10,000
GCWR: 25,000
Payload: 1890
Base Weight Total: 8114
Trailer Plus Equipment Max Rating: 16,720
Door Sticker says not to exceed cargo capcity of: 1503

The 5th wheel we want is a Coachmen Brookstone 395RL and it's specs are:
Hitch Weight: 2830
UVW: 13940
CCC: 2660

So any help on what I can tow max with a 5th wheel. I started reading and it seems I've found contradictory things on the net and the salesman will reassure me I can tow anything I may buy.

Regards,
Richard

[APT]

2800 pounds dry, 3500 pounds loaded pin weight. Plus a 250 pound receiver, some people in the cab, stuff around the pin and whatever you needed that huge back seat for. You really wat over 4000 pounds of payload, which in Cummins world that's probably a dually. You can tow nearly any travel trailer, so I'd look for one of those.

[Paul_Clancy]

X2. The one ton srw guys won't like this but it is a numbers game for tax and license. The dually does have the real advantage of extra stability towing. At any rate springs, wheels and tires are easy upgrades. Personally I'd be going dually for that 5ver.

[Grit_dog]

dicksenn wrote:

donn0128 wrote:
Sadly 2500 mega cabs have always had low ratings. Heck, even the 3500 SRWs are shy on ratings. If you really want to tow a fiver with a mega, you need to really consider dually.

I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?

Which is a bummer cause we paid a premium for the truck new and we love it. I was just blissfully ignorant after 10 years with a half ton that a 2500 would solve my problems. All I paid attention to was the max towing weight of 16,500. 😞

This has been hashed out about 100x here........but your stickered payload is maxed out at 1890lb to stay within the 10000lb class 2 truck limit.
The springs may need a little help with that much pin weight, but don't freak out. You bought just as heavy duty a truck as the 3500 save for the 10k sticker and in your case coils instead of leafs and about 1000lb lighter spring rate. You can still pack a 3klb pin weight easily with that truck. Past 2500lbs it starts squatting pretty good. $350 for a set of Timbrens or a little more for airbags and you're set.

[GBuilders]

I have the 2014 Megacab DRW 4x4 and I don't have the exact numbers but with the 3:73 and the Aisin tranny I can tow over 20k I believe. My old 07 MC DRW had a GCWR on 10,000 which is pretty low for a dulley, but the new ones have a much higher GCWR. You may try to find a used MC DRW and sell your. They hold their value very well. Good Luck.

[Me_Again]

Get a different truck or a nice bumper pull. Watch your numbers carefully with a 3500 SRW. Our 3500 SRW with Aisin, Demco picture frame, B&W slider, and stuff in the bed boxes only has 3300 left for pin weight and puts it a little over the trucks GVWR.

Chris

[MitchF150]

That really does suck for payload on a 2500.. Heck, my F150 has more payload, per the yellow sticker...



Hope you can find the rig that works for you.

Mitch

[DakotaDad]

dicksenn wrote:


Well, that's the drawback..I'm in Tulsa so City driving is daily thing. The one I just found has a max payload of 5470lbs and max towing of 23,300, quite a big difference.

Bummer is we just sold the wife's 2014 Ram 1500 to get an older model paid off vehicle (2005 Suburban fully loaded) because we decided we wanted to dedicate more time to camping with a nicer trailer.

Well, don't take my word as gospel. Test drive one, and see if it's workable for you! Some people don't mind driving them anywhere. You're certainly on the right track with those numbers.

Could also pick up a little inexpensive econobox car as a daily driver just for city duty.

Get a little creative, and I'm sure you'll find a way! There's always a way...

[dicksenn]

jtallon wrote:

dicksenn wrote:

Just a quick look online it seems that 2014 Mega Cab Dually's are listed at dealers for what my clean trade value is. I guess I could always see if one of them wants to deal, I'd just hate driving a dually all the time just to tow on weekends.

I had a crew cab dually for a while. A dually isn't that bad to get used to... as long as you don't have to do a lot of parking in the city.

But check the door stickers on any you look at, to get the accurate payload numbers. And read up on here what to expect for real world payload numbers, beyond just the dry pin weight. You'll be towing a new fiver before ya know it.

Well, that's the drawback..I'm in Tulsa so City driving is daily thing. The one I just found has a max payload of 5470lbs and max towing of 23,300, quite a big difference.

Bummer is we just sold the wife's 2014 Ram 1500 to get an older model paid off vehicle (2005 Suburban fully loaded) because we decided we wanted to dedicate more time to camping with a nicer trailer.

[DakotaDad]

dicksenn wrote:

Just a quick look online it seems that 2014 Mega Cab Dually's are listed at dealers for what my clean trade value is. I guess I could always see if one of them wants to deal, I'd just hate driving a dually all the time just to tow on weekends.

I had a crew cab dually for a while. A dually isn't that bad to get used to... as long as you don't have to do a lot of parking in the city.

But check the door stickers on any you look at, to get the accurate payload numbers. And read up on here what to expect for real world payload numbers, beyond just the dry pin weight. You'll be towing a new fiver before ya know it.

[dicksenn]

jtallon wrote:

dicksenn wrote:


Painful dream crushing lesson indeed! You want to trade me your 3500?

I'm still somewhat dumbfounded at the payload capacity, it's a huge truck. I either need to find a bumper pulls with a floor plan similar (really love the rear living, plus bunkhouse) or find a used 3500.

This sucks!

It does suck. No doubt. Lots of us have been there before, thinking we had enough truck, and finding out we were short.

It's poor consolation, but you're not the first to have it happen, and you won't be the last. I just wish it was a less expensive mistake...

Just a quick look online it seems that 2014 Mega Cab Dually's are listed at dealers for what my clean trade value is. I guess I could always see if one of them wants to deal, I'd just hate driving a dually all the time just to tow on weekends.

[DakotaDad]

dicksenn wrote:


Painful dream crushing lesson indeed! You want to trade me your 3500?

I'm still somewhat dumbfounded at the payload capacity, it's a huge truck. I either need to find a bumper pulls with a floor plan similar (really love the rear living, plus bunkhouse) or find a used 3500.

This sucks!

It does suck. No doubt. Lots of us have been there before, thinking we had enough truck, and finding out we were short.

It's poor consolation, but you're not the first to have it happen, and you won't be the last. I just wish it was a less expensive mistake...

[IDoMyOwnStunts]

donn0128 wrote:
Sadly 2500 mega cabs have always had low ratings. Heck, even the 3500 SRWs are shy on ratings. If you really want to tow a fiver with a mega, you need to really consider dually.

There is really no way anyone should be towing a monster fiver like this one with anything less than a dually.
Your talking about a trailer that will have a pin weight around 3000 pounds.

Disagree with your dually comment, not the mega comment. I've got the payload for it (3840 with Big Horn Short Bed trim), but not the engine. A Cummins Ram 3500 SRW Long Bed could do it and still be well within ratings.

[thecdnmole]

I recently bought a Ram 2500 on the premise that my 2011 Chev 2500HD handled the fifth well for the very short time I used it. But, then this winter reality set in as follows...

Truck CGVW - 9900 lbs
Truck FGVW - 6000 lbs (weighed - 5060 lbs)
Truck RGVW - 6500 lbs (weighed - 3675 lbs)

So, looking just at rear weight, I could do almost 3000 lbs., but if you look at the total, then 9900-5060-3675=1165lbs of payload! Looking at a 3500 today, bumps up GVW to 12,900 lbs with probably not much difference in empty truck weight. Should have bought a 3500 SRW truck!

[dicksenn]

jtallon wrote:

dicksenn wrote:

I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?

Yes, that's the main issue. Pin weight is hitch weight. And sadly, it's a little worse than that. The 1890 payload number is likely a generic number for Mega Cab 2500s, a maximum number. The door sticker of 1503 is more likely the accurate one, specific to your exact truck. Every option you add decreases your available payload. They all weigh something.

That leaves you about 1300lbs short of having enough payload for the Brookstone, in a perfect world.

But there are other factors as well. That 2830lb hitch weight is for an empty camper. By the time you add options and pack it, it will probably be hundreds of pounds heavier than 2830 pounds.

And then there are the other weights to factor in. A fifth wheel hitch will be anywhere from 75-200lbs. That has to be added to your truck's payload, reducing the available payload even further.

As does the weight of any passengers or gear you load in the truck, unless you're driving alone. 150lb spouse? (Don't tell us. 😉 )That comes off the available payload. Kids? They do, too. With a family and a hitch and a bit of gear, it would not be hard to bring that 1503lbs down close to 1000lbs remaining. Or even less.

You may be able to fit a decent travel trailer into the payload of your Mega Cab, but any larger fifth wheel will probably push you well over your payload limits. It's a painful lesson that many before you have learned, unfortunately.

Painful dream crushing lesson indeed! You want to trade me your 3500?

I'm still somewhat dumbfounded at the payload capacity, it's a huge truck. I either need to find a bumper pulls with a floor plan similar (really love the rear living, plus bunkhouse) or find a used 3500.

This sucks!

[DakotaDad]

dicksenn wrote:

I'm realizing that now, but for pin weight is that the Hitch Weight? 5th wheel list 2830 as the hitch weight and my payload is 1890, that's the main issue correct?

Yes, that's the main issue. Pin weight is hitch weight. And sadly, it's a little worse than that. The 1890 payload number is likely a generic number for Mega Cab 2500s, a maximum number. The door sticker of 1503 is more likely the accurate one, specific to your exact truck. Every option you add decreases your available payload. They all weigh something.

That leaves you about 1300lbs short of having enough payload for the Brookstone, in a perfect world.

But there are other factors as well. That 2830lb hitch weight is for an empty camper. By the time you add options and pack it, it will probably be hundreds of pounds heavier than 2830 pounds.

And then there are the other weights to factor in. A fifth wheel hitch will be anywhere from 75-200lbs. That has to be added to your truck's payload, reducing the available payload even further.

As does the weight of any passengers or gear you load in the truck, unless you're driving alone. 150lb spouse? (Don't tell us. 😉 )That comes off the available payload. Kids? They do, too. With a family and a hitch and a bit of gear, it would not be hard to bring that 1503lbs down close to 1000lbs remaining. Or even less.

You may be able to fit a decent travel trailer into the payload of your Mega Cab, but any larger fifth wheel will probably push you well over your payload limits. It's a painful lesson that many before you have learned, unfortunately.