What's the best way to break my rig while towing?

[HadEnough]

I have a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 crew cab short bed.

It's got an Arctic Fox 811, 4569lbs, fully loaded and wet, in the bed.

I am getting ready to go south for the winter and need to bring about 15 trash bags of clothes and shoes, about 150 lbs of boat equipment, and another 100lbs of tools.

So I think I'm looking at bringing about 350lbs of junk along.

Would it be better to stuff all that into the crew cab, into the crew cab and truck camper? Or get an enclosed cargo trailer and tow it in that?

It's a one way trip and the extra junk would be left in the cargo trailer at a marina once I arrive there. It's a 1 way, 1000 mile trip on a smooth interstate.

Can I get away with this?

The 2500 is all modded out with ridiculously over spec rims and tires, extra leafs in the rear springs, exhaust brake and air bags. It's already set up with a frame mounted towing hitch.

Am I good to go with this?

[Ski_Pro_3]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Doesn't do a thing for RAWR which is 6000#

Sorry but you are WAY overloaded and NOT safe for travel.

Where did you come up with that number?

[Ski_Pro_3]

I also have the 6 speed manual and cummins diesel engine. You'll be fine which ever way you go.

[HadEnough]

Ah!!!!!!

It's the Cummins engine and 6 speed standard transmission. So I have the Dana 80. That's great news!

My tires, I can't remember off the top of my head, are several ratings above what was necessary for the Arctic Fox. They are commercial regroovable tires on the first set of grooves. About $250 per tire. I remember that off the top of my head.

So I lucked out and the previous owner set it up correctly for the TC.

I think because I can't find any cargo trailer for sale here in the north that's in my budget as well as the right size and actually still for sale, I'll either load it all into the rig or get the uhaul cargo trailer for this trip and take my time to find a good trailer deal in Florida.

I knew the truck was already loaded pretty heavy and while the load does nothing to slow this truck down, I didn't want to wreck the suspension or something. Might as well rent the trailer to see how it handles also. That way if it handles worse... I can just use my shipping container for storage in Florida and forgetthis whole trailer idea.

Thanks again for all the insight, information and examples.

[guidry]

Why not rent a small U-Haul trailer and tow it there. A one way rental would work.

[jaycocreek]

Actual manufacturer RAWR has my curiosity for some reason..In your case not knowing the specifics of your 2002 2500 Dodge,you either have a Dana 70 (7500 RAWR) or the Dana 80 (11,000 GAWR)..Derated by Dodge to the weakest link(tires etc)..

They put the Dana 80 (11000#) in "1994-2002 2500 equipped with manual transmissions and Diesel or V10 engines"..So if that is what you have,your good to go on the rear axle, with all your upgrades...

If you have the Dana 70 then your probably maxed out(7500#) or slightly over with an Arctic Fox 811 and any tongue weight from a trailer would put you even more over the RAWR..

The Dana 70 HD is rated at 10K I believe if that is somehow what you have..

JMHO

[Old-Biscuit]

Doesn't matter how much you have modded it out.....wheels/tires, leaf springs, air bags

Doesn't do a thing for RAWR which is 6000#

See as rear axle curb weight is roughly 3000# you are overloaded on RAWR

I am one that doesn't worry about GVWR/Payload numbers as they are MFGs numbers for warranty/Class Distinction and Registration Fees
BUT axle ratings are DOT Legal Ratings that need to be adhered to.

Sorry but you are WAY overloaded and NOT safe for travel.

[jefe_4x4]

A RAM 2500, even all upgraded will tow a LOT more than it can carry. My 2001 RAM 2500 has a 19,300 pound GCVWR. With the Lance on there I'm right at 10,400 pounds, wet.That's a lot of poundage left for trailer towing. Go with a one way enclosed cargo trailer. Just get one that exactly fits your needs. No more; no less. If you want it also for storage, buy a used one with the same parameters that has good seals. If for Florida, you might consider 4 land anchors and 2 -10K pound straps if another hurricane happens by. Only if you are going to be constantly on the road would I recommend loading more onto your traveling rig and no trailer. And even then, there would have to be a big diet on what you would take with several sessions of sifting and jettisoning of everything you are thinking about taking. Many people I know that live a more rural lifestyle have enclosed trailers that are specifically for storage. The ability to park one gets more difficult as you approach megalopolis. I've had many trailers in my time and they all had a specific use. I think i'm down to 4 at the moment. this one, a ConFer Toyota Land Cruiser jeep trailer broke a mainspring in the middle of the Visciano Desert around 1976. It was unfixable; you can see the piece of ironwood we tried to wire up; so we removed the axle and loaded it onto the tomba burro with the tongue on the roof, reloading the trailer and drove 100 miles of desert 2-track to Guerro Negro in Baja. We had to drive with the doors open to see around the bottom of the trailer.





jefe

[Ski_Pro_3]

Your best bet is to take advice from those who answer AND have a truck camper rig. The sticker on the door is for a stock rig. You already indicated you have after market tires, wheels, suspension, etc. The limiting factor is the axle rating.

I have the 2006 short bed diesel Dodge Ram w/4x4, 4 extra leaf springs on each side, air bags, 19.5 steel wheels, 14 ply commercial tires rated at over 5500 lbs each, yada, yada, yada. I haul my Lance 855S and loaded down, I weigh over 12,500 pounds with 7500 or so on the rear axle. I tow either a 5x10 trailer that weighs at least 2300 pounds or a Suzuki Samurai that weighs at least 2,000 pounds. The trailer is about 200 pounds of tongue weight on a 42" extension. Without the tow, I can and do travel all over the West at 65+mph without any issues at all. Towing the trailer with the tongue weight actually feels like a smoother ride. Probably because of the short wheel base on the truck. I towed my Samurai up and over Carson pass last weekend, topping at over 8,800 ft in elevation and this weekend I towed my trailer over 500 miles down from Sacramento to San Diego going over the Grape Vine at 4,400 ft elevation. The Samurai has brakes, the trailer doesn't and I couldn't really tell the difference, stopping power-wise.
If you are towing on relatively flat land, don't worry. If you are towing hills and mountains, just use common sense and allow enough room for braking.
Hell man! You got a Dodge truck! Act like it!!

[northshore]

I think I would be seriously thinking about the trailer idea... how big of a trailer are you thinking? It won't take much of a trailer to haul about 350lbs.
I don't really know the tongue weight on smaller enclosed trailers, but I have a smaller two wheel golf cart Ziemann trailer that the tongue weight is pretty minimal. I would drag that along if I were in your situation.
Just an idea

[Sprink-Fitter]

Why do you want to break your rig?

[Dennis12]

Hold it wide when needed and let her eat.

[GordonThree]

HadEnough wrote:
Thanks for the input, guys. I am not overly familiar with just how much you can load up a 2500.

There's a sticker inside the drivers door that states what the recommended payload numbers.

The number on my '17 2500 is 3306 lbs

... just for reference

[jaycocreek]

If I put the 350lbs into a trailer, is it better or worse, given the trailer has its own weight addded to the GVWR?

GVWR don't mean much in your situation but axle capacity does, when towing with a AF 811.As far as I can tell the AF 811 already puts about 7500(Total weight) or so pounds on the rear axle and adding a trailer ads more weight on that rear axle...

If your rear axle is rated for over 8K,go for it...Actual axle rated weight by the manufacturer, not the door sticker.

[SidecarFlip]

I bought a TC so I wouldn't have to haul the 'kitchen sink' along. I leave the 'sink' at home now.

[HadEnough]

I guess the verdict is that an extra 350lbs on the already 5000 lbs isn't a big deal.

It's like having 2 average size people added to the load, sitting in the crew cab.

The reason I put this in the towing forum is it's a towing question.

If I put the 350lbs into a trailer, is it better or worse, given the trailer has its own weight addded to the GVWR? It lightens the axles, but adds more weight overall.

I'm not sure what's right here which is why I had the thread in towing.