Need help with load limits

Your payload is artificially limited on paper because of the class 2 max 10k lb GVWR. Check your axle and tire ratings and as long as you're within that you should be good to go. You probably have 6500 lbs of RAWR to work with and over 7000 lbs of tire rating, unless you have base 17" wheels which isn't likely with the CTD. You do have to take passengers into account.

Your truck would handle a 14k lb fifth wheel fine. You might find that it handles a bit better with bags or Timbrens but you can figure that out after you hook the trailer up and give it a try. I don't need Timbrens on mine but I do find that they improve the loaded ride a bit, particularly handling bumps at highway speed.

Agree with IdaD, as to using RAWR/tire rating. To get available pin, it is best to load gear, passengers, and pets in the truck, and go weigh the rear axle. This will tell you what is left for pin wt. Don't forget to add the weight of the hitch, if you don't already have one installed.

Jerry

MFL wrote:
Agree with IdaD, as to using RAWR/tire rating. To get available pin, it is best to load gear, passengers, and pets in the truck, and go weigh the rear axle. This will tell you what is left for pin wt. Don't forget to add the weight of the hitch, if you don't already have one installed.

Jerry

X2 ^^. Also load the fifth wheel hitch and make sure you have full fuel. The CAT scales will give you separate front (steer) and rear (drive) axle weights. Subtract these scale weights from the limits on your door sticker and that's your leftover payload (rear axle is most important, as stated).

Rob

This has been discussed......about 1000x on here and usually starts an argument.
But here's the facts.
Aside from an Aisin trans, you have the heaviest duty, most capable drivetrain offered. Same as offered in a 3500drw configured the same way, with tons more payload on paper and much greater towing capacity on paper as well compard to the 2500.
You have the same chassis as the above mentioned truck, minus the extra back tires and different rear suspension design.
You have the same rear axle that is rated from 6500 to up close to 10klbs depending on what class of truck it's in.
And most importantly, you have the truck sitting in your driveway.

The short answer, is with some rear suspension help, it will pull a 14k 5ver as well and as safely as anything on the road save for a drw truck (which is nice, but not necessary for your pin weight). You will also be under the real world ratings of all the important components (axle, tires/wheels, chassis, drivetrain), but over weight on paper on almost all of those criteria due to the truck being marketed as a class 2 truck.

Check your tires that will most likely be your weakest link, you will be over the door sticker or real close. I have a 2013 chevy 2500HD(GVWR 10,000lbs) and towing a 14,000lb gooseneck trailer at 13,000lb loaded I was 150lbs under my tire capacity of 6400lbs, this was too close for me so I upgraded my wheels and tires.

You will probably find you will end up doing some suspension upgrades to make the ride better, my truck felt squishy in the rear when loaded to max weight. Best bet is to get your TV weighed loaded to go and see what capacity you have left to work with.

Thanks all ! You've been a great help. Your input makes so much more sense. Going by the official payload of the truck all I could hookup would be an 8k# at most which is just ridiculous.

Now we'll wait until the RV shows to zero in on a final model(s).

If your loaded pin weight is over 3000 lbs, you'll likely need heavier duty rear tires/wheels and springs.

Here is a video that explains how to match your truck to your RV

Matching Your Truck to the RV

Safety is critical when towing an RV Trailer. This training video discusses the importance of understanding a Truck's ratings and how these ratings limit the size of the trailer that can be safely towed. You will be provided the tools and basic understanding needed to assist your endeavor to properly match a truck and trailer, so that you can enjoy RVing safely.

Here is a easy to use website to stubby pencil weights.

Towing Planner

Grit dog wrote:
This has been discussed......about 1000x on here and usually starts an argument.
But here's the facts.
Aside from an Aisin trans, you have the heaviest duty, most capable drivetrain offered. Same as offered in a 3500drw configured the same way, with tons more payload on paper and much greater towing capacity on paper as well compard to the 2500.
You have the same chassis as the above mentioned truck, minus the extra back tires and different rear suspension design.
You have the same rear axle that is rated from 6500 to up close to 10klbs depending on what class of truck it's in.
And most importantly, you have the truck sitting in your driveway.

The short answer, is with some rear suspension help, it will pull a 14k 5ver as well and as safely as anything on the road save for a drw truck (which is nice, but not necessary for your pin weight). You will also be under the real world ratings of all the important components (axle, tires/wheels, chassis, drivetrain), but over weight on paper on almost all of those criteria due to the truck being marketed as a class 2 truck.

Few things above are not quite true. The 2500's have coil springs verses leafs on the 3500's. The factory pucks are mounted differently on the 2500 vs the 3500's, so there appears to be some frame differences. 2500's pucks bolted to the side of the rails and the 3500 pucks sit on top of the frame with plates on both sides that are welded to the frame, requiring the bed to be raise to install them after the fact.

Chris

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
If your loaded pin weight is over 3000 lbs, you'll likely need heavier duty rear tires/wheels and springs.

Why? Other than the fact that he would be over his 10K lbs GVWR because of the class 2B rating, why would he need up upgrade springs or wheels/tires?

Those same exact tires, wheels and springs are rated to have a 3300 lbs payload in the 6.4 Hemi configuration with 17" wheels. We know that upgrading from 17" wheels to 18" wheels gives an additional 500 lbs of RAWR capacity, from 6000 to 6500 lbs. Lets not forget that those 18" wheels/tires are also rated to 7000 lbs on the 3500, so the "weak link" on the 2500 would be the coil springs, rated 500 lbs lower than the leaf system.

OP, check the registration laws in your state. In Maryland I can register my truck for whatever weights I am willing to pay. To be legal, my weights cannot be more than 1) my registered weight and 2)the combined rating of my tires.

I'm fairly certain your 18" tires are rated for 3500 +/- lbs, so if you have 4 wheels your tire rating is 14K lbs. Your combined axle ratings with 18" tires is 12K lbs. If you register your vehicle for 12K lbs, you are both legal AND within your axle ratings.

That is a cheaper way of "upgrading" to a 1 ton truck.