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Will a 3/4 ton do

rarin_2go
Explorer
Explorer
I have an rv that is at the 14000 GVWR. I need a new tow vehicle and was wondering if a 2500 or 3/4 ton truck would safely tow this. I would appreciate your knowledgeable input on this. Would this being a 5th wheel make a difference?

Thanks
Mike
160 REPLIES 160

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
Exactly and is more of OPs waiting for what they want to hear...

Selective adherence to ratings...even the most anti-rating advisors revere some ratings



mkirsch wrote:
But if the numbers don't matter, then why do the numbers on the tires matter?

Asking for a friend.
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
mkirsch wrote:
But if the numbers don't matter, then why do the numbers on the tires matter?

Asking for a friend.


Frankly, they don't. Not to a tee anyway. I really don't like going here, as enough folks on rvnet get offended and head for their safe space when I talk about axle ratings...
But, similarly, how much factor of safety is cooked into tire weight ratings?
Guys like capriracer will say 0. "Tires are tested to max rated load, pressure and temperature and no more." Not sayin he aint right.

But take a smidge of gearhead, pushing the limits and hold some my beer type activities that involve using tires above their rated loads with what I understand about basic corporate liability, and I'll tell you that there ain't a big name tire out there that won't run a fair bit more than it's rated load and relatively safely. How much more, idk.
BUT, do you think that a mfg with as deep pf pockets as (fill in the blank) would make tires, especially truck tires that they know are going to get used and abused by folks like me and other who do far more stupid human tricks than I'm comfortable with, that will blow out at 5lbs, 50lb or even 500lbs over load?
Doubt it. Otherwise there would be a string of lawsuit cases against the mfgs so long it wraps around the block and down the street.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
mkirsch wrote:

Asking for a friend.


No you're not....lol:B
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
But if the numbers don't matter, then why do the numbers on the tires matter?

Asking for a friend.

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.

blt2ski
Moderator
Moderator
Considering the OP has been registered since 2004.has a whopping 51 posts and replies......
Chances of getting a reply from home is pretty small.
If he finds a truck with 4500 lbs of payload, he should be fine, no matter if badge a 15, 25, 35 or.....


Marty
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer

Grit dog wrote:
ford truck guy wrote:
well......

8 pages of normal RV.Net truck capability arguments and the original OP ( rarin'2go ) was a 1 and done poster on THIS thread.....

I will say that is is/was interesting reading all the response.. what did I learn??

Grit know a TON about trucks and thier capibilities, as do a lot of others..
Cummins HATES IPA
and a Toyota can tow a space shuttle !


Add Grit LIKES IPA to your list of takeaways! Not the trying to be cool with your hipster buds, stifle the bitter beer face like. I just like 'em!
High octane beer! What's not to like??


:B
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
ford truck guy wrote:
well......

8 pages of normal RV.Net truck capability arguments and the original OP ( rarin'2go ) was a 1 and done poster on THIS thread.....

I will say that is is/was interesting reading all the response.. what did I learn??

Grit know a TON about trucks and thier capibilities, as do a lot of others..
Cummins HATES IPA
and a Toyota can tow a space shuttle !


Add Grit LIKES IPA to your list of takeaways! Not the trying to be cool with your hipster buds, stifle the bitter beer face like. I just like 'em!
High octane beer! What's not to like??
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
ShinerBock wrote:


In regards to the previous comment about tires. I had a family member who bought a 3500 especially for the added payload rating over the 2500 and a week later put large 20" rims and tires that had a load rating about a thousand pounds less than the factory rims and tires which essentially made his truck a 2500 since the tires were the limiting factor.


Oh, totally. I could mod a dually into a useless POS if I tried hard enough, but I was speaking in general terms, presuming the theoretical "dually" had tires and wheels that didn't make it worse than how it was born.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
ShinerBock wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
What’s really funny and to share, while protecting the identity of the guilty, is one person, who fits the bill in the above category apparently, got so wound up over their position, or maybe my position which was contrary (and correct btw ;)) they cussed me out privately!
To that person and those like you, you should take a step back and if something like this thread causes you enough anger or frustration to lash out like you have turrets, then maybe find something else to do, as it’s not healthy for you to participate in this game!

Btw sorry _______. I only try to provide the best info for folks who are asking a question and admittedly aren’t well read. The collateral damage comes with choosing to dis spell the uninformed wrong answers, objectively and with fact, in an effort to steer the person with the honest question in the right direction.


WOW! I don't think I have ever been that into an online convo to cuss someone out in a PM. Don't get me wrong, I will post massive posts to prove my point(if I have nothing better to do at work) or if I feel I am right about something, but to spend the time to cuss someone out in a PM is on another level.

In regards to the previous comment about tires. I had a family member who bought a 3500 specially for the added payload rating and a week later put larger 20" rims and tires that had a load rating about a thousand pounds less than the factory rims and tires which essentially made his truck a 2500 since the tires were the limiting factor.


I believe the person Grit is referring to, did take his advice, and move on. Too bad, but I think he has deeper issues than this forum! I hope he takes care of himself, and becomes a happier/healthier person.

I agree downgrading the tires, makes little sense, when wanting a higher payload. Hope you gave him some helpful advice.

Jerry

ShinerBock
Explorer
Explorer
Grit dog wrote:
What’s really funny and to share, while protecting the identity of the guilty, is one person, who fits the bill in the above category apparently, got so wound up over their position, or maybe my position which was contrary (and correct btw ;)) they cussed me out privately!
To that person and those like you, you should take a step back and if something like this thread causes you enough anger or frustration to lash out like you have turrets, then maybe find something else to do, as it’s not healthy for you to participate in this game!

Btw sorry _______. I only try to provide the best info for folks who are asking a question and admittedly aren’t well read. The collateral damage comes with choosing to dis spell the uninformed wrong answers, objectively and with fact, in an effort to steer the person with the honest question in the right direction.


WOW! I don't think I have ever been that into an online convo to cuss someone out in a PM. Don't get me wrong, I will post massive posts to prove my point(if I have nothing better to do at work) or if I feel I am right about something, but to spend the time to cuss someone out in a PM is on another level.

In regards to the previous comment about tires. I had a family member who bought a 3500 especially for the added payload rating over the 2500 and a week later put large 20" rims and tires that had a load rating about a thousand pounds less than the factory rims and tires which essentially made his truck a 2500 since the tires were the limiting factor.
2014 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD
2016 BMW 2.0L diesel (work and back car)
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 3.0L Ecodiesel

Highland Ridge Silverstar 378RBS

well......

8 pages of normal RV.Net truck capability arguments and the original OP ( rarin'2go ) was a 1 and done poster on THIS thread.....

I will say that is is/was interesting reading all the response.. what did I learn??

Grit know a TON about trucks and thier capibilities, as do a lot of others..
Cummins HATES IPA
and a Toyota can tow a space shuttle !
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
MFL wrote:
^^Made a great start to my day Grit! That is hilarious! Nice of you to share! I have to say, while you may have been unjustly cussed out in this instance, it only makes up for when you should have been cussed out, and were not! 🙂

Jerry


Lol, yeah you’re probably right!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
If TV's fell out of the sky from going over ratings like airplanes would, then both the regulatory folks and owner/drivers would think differently...because when a TV is over and breaks or some such...they just roll to a stop on the side of the road


Ditto other types of people movers.

We were in the ski lift business for years (late 60's to early 70's), until lawsuits became outrageous & jury's applied 'current' safety standards to systems built, installed & approved/certified years to decades ago. Resort owners cutting budget & went over the ratings to have components run too hot, towers getting bent (they bypassed the cable derail sensors) and more



spoon059 wrote:
BurbMan wrote:
You obviously know more about trucks than I do...I do not know for a fact that the axles on a 2500 and 3500 are the same. I only posted the results from my trip to the scale and compared them to the ratings on my truck and the ratings published for a 2500.

I've been contributing to this forum since 2001, 11+ years before you joined, so if anybody is trolling it's you. The OP asked a question about weights and you're trying your best to turn this into an argument.

I believe that ratings are there for a reason, you obviously think they are concocted for political reasons have have no basis in fact. As my Dad used to say, "You're entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong it may be."

The ratings are for warranty and registration purposes only. You can register a Tacoma to 14,000 lbs and load it up and be perfectly LEGAL, though I doubt it would move very far.

There used to be a larger mechanical difference between 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, but the manufacturers long ago realized that it is much cheaper and easier to put essenentially the same rolling chassis under either truck and change the spring pack and the sticker on the door to meet the DOT requirements for a class 2B truck.
The spring pack is easy to overcome, with helper springs, Timbrens or air bags.
The sticker can simply be ignored and your truck registered for whatever weights you are willing to pay.

My Ram has AAM 11.5" axles in the rear. They are rated to 12,000 lbs by AAM, derated to 7,000 lbs for the 3500 and 6,500 lbs for the 2500 with 18" rims, and 6,000 for the 2500 with 17" rims. Same axle.
The brakes, wheel studs, engine, transmission, rear differential, bumpers, bed, body, tires, radiator, etc are exactly the same. The frame is slightly different, just due to the shock mounts from the 2500 coil to the 3500 leaf. Ram rates the coils at 500 lbs lower than the leaf springs. If that 500 lbs worries someone, they can put bags or Timbrens to make up the difference.

The only reason that truck manufacturers make a 3/4 ton these days is to get into the class 2B market, which only allows a vehicle a max GVWR of 10,000 lbs. You can by a Ford F350 with a 10,000 lbs sticker, does that make it any less capable than an identical F350 with an 11,500 sticker?
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
^^Made a great start to my day Grit! That is hilarious! Nice of you to share! I have to say, while you may have been unjustly cussed out in this instance, it only makes up for when you should have been cussed out, and were not! 🙂

Jerry

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
What’s really funny and to share, while protecting the identity of the guilty, is one person, who fits the bill in the above category apparently, got so wound up over their position, or maybe my position which was contrary (and correct btw ;)) they cussed me out privately!
To that person and those like you, you should take a step back and if something like this thread causes you enough anger or frustration to lash out like you have turrets, then maybe find something else to do, as it’s not healthy for you to participate in this game!

Btw sorry _______. I only try to provide the best info for folks who are asking a question and admittedly aren’t well read. The collateral damage comes with choosing to dis spell the uninformed wrong answers, objectively and with fact, in an effort to steer the person with the honest question in the right direction.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold