Help with Final Choice: Silverado or Ram 1500

[smcken2973]

Yesterday I posted on confusing towing numbers. Last week I purchased a 2015 Ram Big horn with 5.7 hem and 3.92 axle. Payload of 1390 (on the door post sticker) and max of 15,900. Towing a 7500 trailer I learned from this group that I would at best max out the payload and possibly exceed. (900 tongue: 350 me, wife dog; 100 for hitch)

I was not happy! I decided to stop by the local chevy dealer on a lark and to my surprise they were able to get me into a 2015 Silverado with a 5.3 L V-8 for only 2 thousand more dollars. Payload of 1720 (on the door post sticker) and max of 11200. Now pulling a 7500 loaded trailer I have wiggle rom of 200-300 pounds.

Wife loves the Dodge and thinks the silverado rides like a truck but she also really likes the trailer. Interesting side note, my insurance agent owns the same Big Horn and said "don't worry about exceeding the payload, you'll be fine, no worries." Thanks for all the replies and help on my earlier post.

Thoughts-Sggestions.

[CWSWine]

NHTSA says this about about Overloaded Recreational Vehicle (RV).
The manufacturer’s certification label must show the GVWR. The GVWR must not be exceeded by overloading the vehicle.

[JIMNLIN]

But, the GVWR takes into consideration more than the axle ratings.. takes into consideration braking, suspension etc...

Actually the suspension and braking are a function of FAWR and RAWR.

NHTSA says this about components of the GAWR:
"Gross Axle Weight Rating is the rated load-carrying capacity of an individual axle and wheel assembly. (It represents the load that may be steadily sustained by the components in the system; i.e., tires, rims, hubs, bearing, axles, brakes, suspension, sub frame, etc. with the GAWR limited by the components with the lowest working rating".

OP
...if you decide to go with a 1500 GM look at the NHT package with the higher 7600 GVWR and 4400? RAWR package for 2000 + lb payloads.

Your 1500 Ram has a 3900 RAWR. The rear axle can weigh in the 2400-2500 lbs which leaves around 1400-1500 lb payload.

[larry_barnhart]

pitch wrote:
Larry Barnhart, you have proper tool for the job you are doing towing the 5,ver.
OP has the proper tool for doing the job he needs done.

I agree that is the best and the reason I might have said it poorly.

thanks chevman

[icanon]

Walaby (Mike)

Nicely said.

[Walaby]

At the end of the day, it matters not what we think, but what you are comfortable with.

If you are searching for justification for a 3/4 ton, there are folks who can provide logical arguments for that.

If you are searching for justification for a 1/2 ton, there are folks who can give you ammo for that too.

If you want someone to confirm your decision to operate within a certain percentage (over or under) of a particular value, be it GVWR, GAWR, GCWR, that can be found too.

There are some who feel like exceeding the GVWR is okay, as long as you don't exceed the axle rating or the tire rating. That might be okay for them, and might be okay for you too. But, the GVWR takes into consideration more than the axle ratings.. takes into consideration braking, suspension etc... And yes, there is also the fact that there are probably millions of people that exceed GVWR daily with no mishaps.

And, of course, there are some who say the manufacturer (Dodge for example) underestimates their true capacities. Not sure how one could know or prove that, but there are folks that believe that too.

Look. At the end of the day you need to assess the risk yourself and decide how much margin you want or need, if any. You also have to decide if the drive-ability and comfort is worth more (or less) than the extra 300 lbs of payload.

Im on the side that would say don't trade one half ton, for another. But, if you can make the numbers work, and you are happy with that too, then by all means do what makes you happy and hook up and maybe we'll see you on the road.

Mike

[SouthpawHD]

I'm going to agree with last few posters - buy the right tool for the right job. Why buy 3/4 ton as your DD to tow with a few times? Why buy a 3/4 that does NOT fit in the garage just to tow a few times each year?

I bought a 1/2 ton Max Tow for the reasons above.

And to be clear, we are NOT talking about safety here, the OP has acknowledged he is within the manufacturers specs.

Sure, there is NO debating that a 3/4 ton will tow it better. A 1-ton will tow even better. A Mack truck will tow it even better than that. But where does it all stop...

Good luck to the OP. And for what it's worth, I paid a few thou$and more to trade in my '14 1/2 ton regular for the '15 1/2 Max Tow, and couldn't be happier.

[pitch]

Larry Barnhart, you have proper tool for the job you are doing towing the 5,ver.
OP has the proper tool for doing the job he needs done.

[larry_barnhart]

I feel it is the most comfortable to have the truck large enough to handle the tow without fighting the tow. The reason for us having our dually. I listen to others during the winter months telling stories that I have not experienced when they tow with a smaller truck and same or larger fifth than we have.

It is all about enjoying the drive.

chevman

[pitch]

icanon has it. Nobody is talking grossly over weight here. You are not a danger to anyone.
It is absolutely stupid to buy a 3/4 ton for a few weeks of trailer towing. If your wife doesn't like the ride of a half ton chevy, she will be real unhappy with a 3/4 ton truck.
Buy the tool you need for the job. You wouldn't buy a JD 4430 to mow your lawn with, you don't need Snap-On tools for repairing the kids bicycle, you don't need a HD truck to tow your TT!
Put some LT C rated tires on your Ram, some 200 dollar air bags if you think necessary to eliminate sag and go camping!

[icanon]

I know I'm going to get kicked around here so be it.
How many Rams, Fords, Chevys are out there hauling TT and they are exceding thier limits?
And if people say you're looking for trouble then why aren't there more accidents? More uncontrolled situations more of anything? If you're over the limit by a hundred or two and drive cautionly and reasonably then you shouldn't have any problems. I've seen and talked to people at campgrounds all over the place who are over the limit and drive 10's of thousand of miles and NOT have any problems. There are probably thousands out there who either know they are and don't and still able to drive safely and don't have any problems. There are more accidents when people driving over the TT's tire speed limit than there are uncontrolled situations due to over weight limit. Yes it's good to check your TV weight limits but you don't have to go lose any sleep over it.

So let the bashing begin, I'm able to take it.

[evanrem]

how does the current rig tow? I agree with what many said about switching just to get a few hundred pounds is not worth it. I have towed a trailer for the last 5 years at the max for my 1500 Silverado if not over a bit as we added more stuff. I had the opportunity to borrow a friends 2500 diesel chevy and the tow was so much better and more relaxing.

[abc40kids]

Friend of mine went thru this same thing several months ago. He test drove the new F-150, the Ram 1500 and the Chevy 1500. He ended up with a new Chevy 2500, crew cab, gas with 6' bed and loves it. After towing all these years with a 1500 he can't believe he didn't do it sooner.

[ChooChooMan74]

Is the 7500lb the "dry" or gvw of the trailer? If itnis dry, then imho, pushing the limits of most 150/1500 series. If it is GVW, then I say make the wife happy. I love my Ram, and if i am a tad over on GVW, I am not going to sweat it. I love the ride the ram gives me.

[Sport45]

I may be missing something here, but it sounds like the OP bought a Ram 1500 last week. He wasn't happy so he traded it in on a Silverado 1500 for $2000 more. Now he's asking if he should buy something else?

I'd stop buying until I knew what I needed. A 250/2500 series truck is probably in order though.