CTD 3500 owners

[kimomjtb]

What are your thoughts,about this set up? We have a
2003 CTD 3500 quad cab larrimie. 5.9 automatic 4wheel drive
Michelin lt265/70R17. Air bags, new heavy duty shocks
Bully dog, tranny was rebuilt 2 years ago with heavy duty parts

Just purchased a

2015 Palomino Columbus

Hitch Weight 1940lbs
UVW 12,320 lbs
GVWR 15,940
CCC 3620lbs
Exterior Length 41'1

I had one person say it was too,heavy of a trailer for our truck...Thoughts? If so what are our options for trucks? Can't really afford to get a new one but if needed what is going to be bigger than we already have? Thanks

[AH64ID]

Here is one example of 2013+ wheels on a 3rd gen.

[transamz9]

AH64ID wrote:
Sorry but Ram still uses 8x6.5" bolt pattern. 2013 is the year they added 18's to the HD lineup and they fit just fine on older trucks as long as the truck hasn't been converted to manual hubs. While most of the wheels have changed from 2010 to 2014 there are a couple DRW wheels that carry the same part number between those years.

To the OP you need to get to a scale. The 18's from a 13+ will only get you up to 7K with the wheel rating, thou the tire rating may be higher. Your 03 wheels and tires will get you to 6390lbs.

I know what you are saying and I looked it up on Tire Rack myself before hand but I am here to tell you from personally switching the 18's from my 2013 over to my 2005. My factory 18's will not go on my 2005. The 17's from the 2005 did go on the 20013 but the studs were not centered in the holes and the brake calipers on the front of the 2013 scuffed the inside of the 2005 factory wheels. Here is a couple of pictures. One is of the Factory 18's and the other is with the Factory 2005 wheels that I would not drive because the lug nuts will not seat because the studs were off center. No I did not take close ups at the time. I was just trying to find a vibration problem and was trying to eliminate the tires.

[Old-Biscuit]

bbaker2001 wrote:
ok, I will ask before I buy.
just found a 2003 3500 ram
46000
in showroom condition
has done all regular maintenance
looking at 30 ft 5th.
where can I find the specs like GVRW and axle weights. I do not want to go over.
I want a 3500 because of cargo capacity, but I think the 2003 is not better than a 2500 2014.
is it still a good deal at 23,500

Probably should start your OWN thread,
Will get more responses asking questions about the truck in your own new post.

[bbaker2001]

ok, I will ask before I buy.
just found a 2003 3500 ram
46000
in showroom condition
has done all regular maintenance
looking at 30 ft 5th.
where can I find the specs like GVRW and axle weights. I do not want to go over.
I want a 3500 because of cargo capacity, but I think the 2003 is not better than a 2500 2014.
is it still a good deal at 23,500

[AH64ID]

Sorry but Ram still uses 8x6.5" bolt pattern. 2013 is the year they added 18's to the HD lineup and they fit just fine on older trucks as long as the truck hasn't been converted to manual hubs. While most of the wheels have changed from 2010 to 2014 there are a couple DRW wheels that carry the same part number between those years.

To the OP you need to get to a scale. The 18's from a 13+ will only get you up to 7K with the wheel rating, thou the tire rating may be higher. Your 03 wheels and tires will get you to 6390lbs.

[jus2shy]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

jus2shy wrote:
Huh, last I checked, my aam's were still 8 X 6.5 or 8 X 165.1mm. At least when I last looked at wheels for my truck.

Ok Rusty JC what is da facts here?

Feel free to punch in your exact vehicle on Tire Rack and it pulls up wheels for your vehicle. For my Truck (and I just did a 2015 in case there were any changes), it brings up a list of wheels and shows what bolt pattern they use. They were listing rims at 8 x 165 mm which is basically the exact same thing as an 8 x 6.5" wheel. Thinking about getting some wider tires for my truck (not really taller, just wider) so I get better flotation on sand. In order to run a wider tire on stock suspension, I need to have a rim with a shallower offset along with more width for the tires I'm interested in. My OEM 18" wheels are only 8" wide and have an offset of around 57mm. Most aftermarket 18" wheels that are 9" wide have 12mm, 18mm, or 20mm worth of offset. Enough to bring the entire wheel assembly 1" further away from the frame allowing wider (and taller) tires to be used on stock suspension and achieve full-lock with no rubbing. Seems like the tallest tires ran on our RAMs with the radius arms and all stock suspension is 35.1" after lots of searching on all the forums. Only needed mods are slight trimming of the fender liners at the bottom which I can live with.

For the curious, I'm particularly looking at 295/65R18 or 305/65R18 since they're roughly the same diameter as the stock 275/70R18's on a RAM. And if that's not enough, I want a rim widee enough to handle 35x12.5's or 325/65R18's which are roughly 1.5" taller.

[Cummins12V98]

jus2shy wrote:
Huh, last I checked, my aam's were still 8 X 6.5 or 8 X 165.1mm. At least when I last looked at wheels for my truck.

Ok Rusty JC what is da facts here?

[Cummins12V98]

Bummer!

Thanks

[jus2shy]

Huh, last I checked, my aam's were still 8 X 6.5 or 8 X 165.1mm. At least when I last looked at wheels for my truck.

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:


Old-Biscuit has it right. You will most likely be over your rear tires carrying capacity.

A 16K 5er and yours will easily get there will have a minimum 20% 3,200# pin and easily up to 25% 4,000#.

So now you have a choice of blindly towing it like most will do or installing a set of much higher load range "E" tires from a new RAM or 19.5 tires and wheels or better yet get a truck that the new RV is within it's ratings.

Of course all JMHO!

First off do you know if he has E rated tires at 3195 or 3640. My previous truck 99 Superduty 350 came stock with LT265/75/16 E rated at 3640 My current truck 2014 Ram stock is LT 275/70/18 E rated at 3640.

[transamz9]

2013 and newer. I tried putting my new truck's wheels on my 2005 and they will not go on. I checked and yes the 13's and up went to a metric bolt pattern.

[Cummins12V98]

Where do you draw the line on 4th gen? I have a set of take offs from a 2010 3500 SRW on my 98 RAM 2500. This is the first I have hears that 4th gen won't fit prior RAM's can anyone else verify this?

[transamz9]

4th gen wheels are metric and will not fit a 3rd gen. Also my particular 3rd gen with factory rated tires has 3600# of capacity left with full fuel, hitch, me, wife and my 60# worth of dogs. He needs to weight the truck and loaded fifth wheel or it's all a guessing game.

Yes my rear axle is less than 2800# on my 3rd gen.:W

[transamz9]

SouthernLoCo wrote:
I pull a 2015 Jayco Seismic (dry weight of about 15K). I had a Dodge 2500 with firestone airbags, a Banks exhaust brake with the 5.9 Cummins. I had no problems pulling in OK, AR, TN, etc. However, Monarch Pass did the 2500 in! It got us home, but the tranny was shot. I loved this truck, but the tranny could not pull my heavy girl in the mountains.

I got home, and traded for a 2015 RAM 5500. Put a CM flatbed on it and B&W flatbed Companion hitch. The truck has the Aisin 6 speed tranny and I got 4.88 gears. My world is totally different now! Love this truck and feel much safer pulling with it. Pulls that 44ft fifth wheel like its a little wagon.

When I began the fifth wheel buying journey, I thought I could modify my undersized pickup and be okay. I was dead wrong. Get a tow vehicle that is more than you'll need. There is nothing more stressfull than having all your kids, two dogs, and gear on a trip. Then praying you'll make it home. I had to learn the hard way....

You could have bullet proofed your trans and been fine. The problem with people modding is most don't know what to mod. IMO, add on air bags are no different than someone putting spacers in a coil spring for a lift kit.