RAM 2500 V10 model year 2000

[intravino]

Hi Guys,


Do you think that a RAM 2500 V10 5 speed manual is a good fit for a light truck camper (1500 to 2500 lbs) ?




Thanks for your time,

Intravino

[zzyzxpat]

Well said Burningman.

[burningman]

The rear and isn’t a Dana 80 it’s a Dana 70. Only the diesel powered, manual trans 2500 had a Dana 80.
The 70 has about a 7500 pound rating from Dana if I recall correctly. Just make sure you put on rear tires with enough load rating, and don’t believe any advertised camper weights, especially “dry weight”. You have to drive it on a scale. It’ll be more than anyone tells you.
However, it’s absolutely capable of hauling a pretty large camper.
Before ‘03, Dodge didn’t play the silly single rear wheel one-ton badging game (and sell you the same truck as a 2500).
They just built the 2500 with stout springs.

I always think it’s funny when people say you cannot increase a truck’s payload by installing bigger springs, yet they believe if the factory bolts the same ones in, it does!

[zzyzxpat]

Agree mostly with above. I have a 2000 Dodge 2500 4X4, Cummins, 5 speed, and outside of installing 2018 Dodge takeoff 18" wheels and tires, it is stock. I carry an AF 865 that weighs wet about 4100lbs and the overloads do not touch. They do slightly when I load 2 yards of road base, little shy of 5K lbs. I love the truck but will be selling it as I have a 2020 F350 on order, hope it's as good a truck as this one has been for 20 years.
My brother had a 2001 2500 with the V10, he was disappointed in the power towing his 24' trailer, but it was an automatic.

[zcookiemonstar]

My last truck was a 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 5.9 gas with the camper package. My real weight 2500 lb camper sat and rode just fine on it. With just us and the camper I was not even touching the overload springs. The 5.9 gas engine was a little under powered on big hills but fine otherwise. You should be good with the v10.

[JIMNLIN]

Grit dog wrote:
Yup.
And they have some power, especially with the 5 speed.
The NV4500 is a highly regarded and pretty bulletproof trans. Better than the automatic option at that time without a doubt.

Just to add to Grits reply is the 2500 V10 or Cummins with the NV4500 has a Dana 80 rear axle and HD rear spring pack. This combo has a huge main spring pack plus a upper over load spring pac. Much much more rear suspension than my 2500 2wd '03 3rd gen truck.
I sell firewood. One of my customers just loaded 5 rick of (green) Red Oak 22"-23" long on his '99 2500 Dodge/Cummins NV4500 4wd long bed. He put about 3 1/2 rick on his 12k flatdeck trailer and the rest on the truck.
Red Oak (green wood) weighs in the 2500 lb range per a rick. With around 3500 lbs in the bed I was surprised how little his trucks rear suspension settled.

You won't have any issues with that 2500 truck.

[Grit_dog]

Yup.
And they have some power, especially with the 5 speed.
The NV4500 is a highly regarded and pretty bulletproof trans. Better than the automatic option at that time without a doubt.

[noteven]

Yes

[Old_Days]

I used to have a palomino pop up camper that weighed around 2000 pounds ready to camp. I agree finding a hard side camper that weighs 2500 pounds wet will be a challenge.

[LadyRVer]

Kayteg1... I had a new 2019 Palomino Backpack Edition, hard side and it weighed it at about that.

[Lwiddis]

Good maintenance on this 20 year old truck?
Any road salt damage?

[Kayteg1]

What camper loaded will weight less than 2500lb?
You are not talking camper shell?
Yes, 3/4 tons truck will handle 2500lb camper if you really find one.