Hauled 5 yds. of mulch in my short wheel base 2500 - think that it was about 3500 lbs. or so. It was loaded pretty high, but I was surprized that the suspension did not handle the load any better - the truck squated about 4.5" & seemed to sway real easy.

Thought it would do a little better, but I guess that I should complain - it got the load home, and I never felt out of control or as if the truck was driving me. Just had to be a litle more careful.

 

I think (someone correct me if i'm wrong) the 2500's are rated for 9900 gvw. Which means the truck should be able to handle ~2400lb (9900-7500 truck weight = 2400).

That might explain the sway.

Tony

 

I had to put airbags on mine to haul a pallet of chemicals. It sagged way down & I didn't feel comfortable doing it if I didn't have to.

 

If I had to do this often, I would put in airbags or helper springs. Like I said, it handled it, just not as well as I would have liked.

 

I believe that the SRW 3500 has a 9900 lbs. GVWR. I think that the 2500 is only 9000. I don't know the wqeight of my truck but think it's closer to 7200 lbs. So, yes, I knew that I was a little overloaded based on door sticker, at least.

 

You were over payload by about 1750-2000 lbs.

 

Put some air springs,& sway bars on it.I haul a 3000# slide in camper for a couple months @ a time hunting.No problems.

 

You got 5 yards of mulch in your truck? Last time I put 5 yards of mulch in anything was a 12x8 dump trailor and it was falling out of the trailor because it was so full! WOW! It must of been a pile about 16 feet tall in your short wheelbase truck!

 

It was a pallet of bagged mulch:
45 bags @ 3 cu.ft. per bag = 135 cu.ft = 5 cu.yds.
With the bed being 6.25 ft. long & 5.5 ft. wide, 135 cu.ft. works out to be a pile just under 4 ft. tall, which is about what it was!

The bags were strapped down to make sure they would not topple off of the top/sides.

See, you can get these baby short beds to do some work...you just have to wiork harder to do it. GOD I WISH I GOT A LONG BED!!!

 

I have a 2500 CTD and I haul a Lance 845 truck camper on mine all the time. Dry weight, 2400lbs, wet weight, probably 3400lbs???. I have Firestone RideRite airbags and a Helwig sway bar, don't know it's back there. I also pull a 3500lb boat.

 

Dont feel bad about your 2500. I have a 06 3500 dually and it squats almost as bad as my 2500. I put my timbren springs on it that I had on my 2500. They cure the problem but it rides stiffer. All 2500 & 3500 trucks made today seem to have softer springs in them. Look at the 2 generation dodge trucks now they had some real springs.

 

I'm kind of old school when loading a p.u. bed.

I keep checking the rear leaf springs to see how close they're getting to not having any bow in them, or are almost horizontal or straight across. Then I stop loading.