Just tossing it out there; I'M FAT!!

[Ski_Pro_3]

Finally weighed the truck with the camper, full water, propane, fuel, generator, dog, etc., all loaded up and ready to go. You name it, we packed it.

2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Package w/diesel, 6 speed manual tranny and 4x4 short bed truck and all the bells and whistles for suspension mods; overload springs, air bags, shocks, sway bars, rims Toyo 3750lb rated tires, etc.

2012 Lance 855S camper with solar panels, AC, 2 stage heater dual propane tanks 2 batteries, packed with enough food for a week for two people and a dog and full 30 gallons of fresh water.

Rear axle 7250 pounds
Front axle 4550 pounds

Total; 11800 pounds.

I have NO idea what my truck is rated at. I peeled off the door stickers when I bought the camper so I wouldn't let it worry me!

She drives like a dream; just went up to the mountains fishing for trout, then straight to the central valley for a few days of goose hunting. Total 500 miles of driving from sealevel to over 6,000 feet with lots of 70mph freeway speed limit. I never drove over 63mph. I stopped a couple times to check tire temperatures. By my hand, they were just barely warmer than the ambient air temps so I knew they are not getting hot flexing. Running full air pressure in rear tires, 65psi in front tires and 30psi in the air bags.


Anyways, I always find it interesting when other guys post up their stats so I thought now that I found a REAL scale, I'd do it too.

Cheers!

[_DJ_1]

mdamerell wrote:

skipro3 wrote:


Total; 11800 pounds.

I have NO idea what my truck is rated at. I peeled off the door stickers when I bought the camper so I wouldn't let it worry me!

That's one way to deal with a 8,800# GVWR :S

Actually it is 9900 in reality. The only difference between the 2500 and 3500 is a couple leaf springs and the fender emblem. Same axles, brakes, etc. And he has increased his spring capacity with the bags.

People who think they are getting a truck with bigger axles, brakes and whatever for $700 more sure makes me wonder. :h

[billtex]

skipro3 wrote:

billtex wrote:

billyray50 wrote:
My 2006 Dodge weighed 7300 with mods..

skipro has a dual cab w/manual...should we guess what you have?

I believe billyray and I own the same trucks, except his is a long bed.

(click on 'view profile' under his name from a post of his...)

folks should fill out their Sig....would eliminate a lot of guess work and searching in threads...
Back on topic...

[Artum_Snowbird]

All I can add to what has already been said is that putting 19.5's and Michelins onto my SRW made a huge difference in how the rig handled, and my peace of mind. Every time I see blowout pictures on here and elsewhere, I remind myself that my tires are only carrying 80% or less of their weight rating. It's a lovely thought when you hit a pothole or a railroad track and just keep on rolling.

[dadwolf2]

So that's what I need to do get that new bigger camper! Thanks Skip. Does the sticker residue come off cleanly or do I need some GooGone?

[Ski_Pro_3]

billtex wrote:

billyray50 wrote:
My 2006 Dodge weighed 7300 with mods..

skipro has a dual cab w/manual...should we guess what you have?

I believe billyray and I own the same trucks, except his is a long bed.

(click on 'view profile' under his name from a post of his...)

[Dirtpig]

as long as you are at or under your tire load ratings on the rear tires i wouldnt sweat it and keep on campin!

[billtex]

billyray50 wrote:
My 2006 Dodge weighed 7300 with mods..

skipro has a dual cab w/manual...should we guess what you have?

[billyray50]

My 2006 Dodge weighed 7300 with mods..

[billtex]

skipro...I would be very curious to know what the 855S weighs. The numbers you posted-witout weighing your truck-don't mean much.

Best GUESS is your truck weighs 7100#-7400#?

This mean your 855S locked/loaded = 4400#-4700#?

Anyone have same truck that can comment?

Bill

[sabconsulting]

skipro3 wrote:
...Driving with a load should always be done with the understanding that all the components are being worked harder than empty and therefore the driving needs to be adjusted accordingly; Drive slower, longer distances to the guy in front, longer braking distances, etc...

Exactly.

I wonder if truck manufacturers quote low gross weight figures to cover themselves against law suits from idiots loading a vehicle up to max gross weight then trying to drive it like a BMW. There may also be an ulterior motive to up-sell customers higher-rated trucks. However, does the law of unintended consequences mean that everyone now assumes manufacturers under-quote the weight?

What happens if everyone assumes a truck can carry 11000 lb even if the sticker says 9000 lb, but then someone in the design department in future decides they can save money by fitting lighter-duty versions of certain components "because it is only a 9000 lb gross weight truck". I recall reading John Z deLorean's book about GM and the way they tried to skimp on certain components like tires resulting in poorly handling cars.

Now you have weighed the truck fully laden it would be interesting to weigh it empty, so we can see how much the fully-loaded camper weight differs from its dry weight.

PS - camper looks good on your truck.

Steve.

[sidney]

How does a full size TC on a short bed effect the handling. My short bed Ram 3500 had a "center of gravity" work sheet in the glove box. But I think it was only considering a long bed application.

[Reddog1]

I coupled my 1996 Dodge DSL (12-valve) 2500 2WD to my 1988 11.5 foot Bigfoot TC (1500 series) in April 2004. I have put over 120,000 miles on it since then, many of them flat towing my Samurai. I have added an anti-sway bar, air bags, adjustable shocks and 19.5's. I have made a long list of modifications to my Bigfoot.

I have weighed my truck several times, without the tailgate. It weights 6200 lbs empty. With the TC loaded (water and all) total weight is 10,400 lbs. Overall weight is about 1,600 over the number on the door. Each axle is under the numbers on the door sticker. My Samurai weighs about 2500 lbs (loaded). The decat on my Bigfoot says it weighs 1,900 pounds, but in reality 4,200 loaded.

All these years, the truck gets between 12.5 MPG and 13.5 MPG loaded and pulling the Samurai, between 11.5 MPG and 12.5 MPG.

My previous truck was a duelly. I only complained about it when it was time to buy tires. I have no complaints with my single rears, and really have no interest in a duelly.

Wayne

[fla-gypsy]

SMH

[Ski_Pro_3]

I've worked with engineers in the mountains around here who thought like that; took the company SUV up to job sites, then turned around and went home only to ride their brakes until they faded to nothing! They radio me for help, by the time I get there the brakes and fluid are cool enough to proceed. I then tell them to use engine braking coming down the grades by dropping into 1st or 2nd, not in DRIVE. The light bulb comes on and they understand completely why, just never considered it.

My truck as the Cummins Jake brake installed. That works great! Saves my brakes and since it's factory, it works with my manual shifting/clutch operation.

[mkirsch]

skipro3 wrote:
Yea, I'm not concerned at all about weight police, but I don't ignore the input. Someone might have a valid point other than just that the factory says it's max. I think the factory lists a max for the Nat'l Highway Safety testing. It's what they were guaranteeing them to pass the test with. Anything past that weight, they would not certify. Not that it was going to cause catastrophic failure or anything. Driving with a load should always be done with the understanding that all the components are being worked harder than empty and therefore the driving needs to be adjusted accordingly; Drive slower, longer distances to the guy in front, longer braking distances, etc...

EXACTLY, but the average Joe off the street doesn't have the foggiest. They think that they can put 5000lbs in the back of a truck like yours and drive it like a Corvette.