MikeyB

Big Ed,
I'm looking at my 2003 Dodge truck brochure and here's the ratings.

2500
QC 4x2 HO Max payload=2,780 max trailer=13,450
QC 4x4 HO Max payload=2,310 max trailer=12,950

3500 (Doesn't break down between SRW or DRW)
QC 4x2 HO Max payload=4,460 max trailer=16,300
QC 4x4 HO Max payload=4,470 max trailer=15,800

underwoodtransp

Thats what I see with mine as well. I have a 3500 drw and I thought it was somewhere around 16k trailer weight.

Jeff in TD

My 3500 SRW quad 4x4 lists 2680 payload, max combined 21000 for 13,650 trailer.

With 4.10 it woud be the same except 23000 GCWR and 15,650 trailer...

Big Ed

I'm not sure I'm following MikeyB on what he's trying to say but I will try and state my point to the best of my abilities.

My truck has more than enough tow rating for my needs since my camper weighs roughly 10,000 pounds loaded and my tow rating is 13,150. The problem lies in the fact that any fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer places a fair amount of weight directly over the rear axle. In my case I have have only around 1,200 pounds of available payload in my truck BEFORE I hook up my fiver. Once the fiver is hooked up and the landing gear is raised I add roughly 1,800 pounds to the bed of the truck. Whether the 1,800 pounds come from a pallet of bricks or my kingpin weight is irrevelent becuase it's still 1,800 pounds over the rear axle. Therefore, even though I'm under my gcvwr, and the published tow rating, I'm still over on the GVW.

Don't get me wrong, My truck handles my trailer with ease. My intent of this post was stricktly to point out how brand F raised the bar significantly when it comes to a tow vehicle as a whole. I will be honest in saying I've looked at several Superduty's recently but Ford has some catching up to do in both the diesel engine department and the fit and finish department before I would buy one.

jlasich

I think MikeyB is just stating that a lot people swoon over Ford's advertised 19,200 lb trailer weight rating, which is good, but like Mikey said, requires 4.30 gears, regular cab DRW with auto tranny. I agree that Dodge needs to up their ratings and they will, most likely next redesign that should be '08 (although I have heard of chassis changes for '06 but can't confirm this info). I don't think the GVW wars are hurting Dodge too much though. I noticed F-series sales are down this year from a year ago (so are Dodge's, though I think because of lack of a crew cab) and I doubt that the sales losses are from the F-150. I think the 6.0l problems are starting to show their effect. As it is right now, Ford will be lucky to sell 800,000 F-series trucks this year, a far cry from last year.

Festus

The Ford 6.0L still is having problems. Check the bottom of my sig. This is the fourth six litre I've had since they came out and it's the only one that hasn't eaten injectors and turbos like crazy...........yet - I'm still waiting. It does however have the same problem as all the others - no low RPM torque. I get to test these things in the most god awful places of northwestern Canada while pulling trailers. I'd never by one for personal use.

On edit by me: So I'm not accused of starting a war or bashing, the rest of the company truck has been great. I should have nearly twisted the frame right out from under her this spring break-up. She's still intact.

Now, having said that. I do like such ideas as an integrated brake controller, built in aux. switches, centre console instead of the flip down seat back, and a real crew cab. These are some of the items where DC is lacking in my opinion. But, before they start working on screwing those things up, we'll let them get door seals, lift pumps, and vibration items fixed first.

Haulin_in_Dixie

The information can be put out there but not many listen. The factory produces a truck with a weight limit. This limit (GVWR) has to do with a top heavy load in the pickup bed and how the truck will handle it, ie roll sway etc. The factory also sells and adds a trailer hitch which you can add a tag along trailer. This hitch will add its own sway factor and other problems. They give you a suggested GCWR for this combintation.

Please take note, the factory does not produce a fifth wheel or goose neck hitch and does not give ratings for this "remanufactured" combination. First off look at what a "combination" vehcile is. It is a single vehicle made up of two vehciles hooked together that can articulate. The GVWR goes out the window and does not apply to a combination vehicle.

So you add a gooseneck or fifthwheel hitch to enhance the weight carrying ability of the truck. The factory wants no part of this for frame reasons and others. You add a hitch, you hurt the frame you own it. Older truck drivers will know what I am talking about. A truck is purchased with a 25,000 to 30,000 GVW and a fifthwheel is added, now the truck is re-designated to 80,000 pounds GCWR. The original GVW has nothing to do with the load carrying capacity with a semi trailer on it. The pickup is no different.

When you put a gooseneck or fifthwheel trailer on a properly set up pickup truck, the gvw has no meaning any more. You are not using the vehicle to carry a load in the bed. All the top heavy problems are now carried by the trailer not the truck. With proper sized tires sway is not an issue on a combination. Any combination can be set up wrong, but properly set up it does not sway.

The figures in the manual are not legal numbers, but are manufacturers suggested ratings. The information on the door jamb is the legal stuff. It gives you a GVWR for carrying a pallet of bricks, and axle and tire ratings for combination weights.

No one does this and will not but it would be proper for the company that addes the fifthwheel and brake controller to add a remanufacturer sticker to give the new weight capacities. Big shops do this every day on big trucks. I doubt that a shop would want the liability involved to do one for an RV.

The law on trucks as published by FMCSA is a crazy thing. For example a fuel tank must have a spec plate that shows the capacity and drop test capabilities. It does not have any specs on who can do the testing or install the spec plate. It just must be there and say who tested it. Same thing applies to your weight capabilities, no GCWR on the spec plate, no legal rating on that.

To say it again differently, you have two ways of legally measuring the capacity of the truck, GVW if you are just carrying widgets on your truck, or GCWR of you are a combination vehicle. Dodges do not have a GCWR on the spec plate, so it is computed by the standard methods by law. That is eigher adding the GVW of the truck to the GVW of the trailer, or Adding the "GVWR of the truck to the weight of the trailer and an load theron" Which is used depends on what state you are in.

With a 5000 skid of bricks on the back of my truck it would be all over the road and you could not stop it, but with a 5000 pound hitch weight on a gooseneck ball it is safe, stable and handles well.

JohnnyH

If what Haulin says is true, I feel much better about the legal weight carrying abilities of my SRW 3500. I'm always below Axle weight and GCWR, but sometimes right at GVWR when towing.

Thanks for that explanation.

John

Chugiak

Having just sold my '00 F350 7.3, I can say that it was a great truck with an OK engine. I had one CPS fail, but other than that, sold it with 94K on it. It pulled great, but I did have it chipped to 315 hp to pull a 10,000 # trailer.

My new '05 CTD seems to be great, but I acknowledged the fact that I was buying an inferior truck with a superior engine. So far, I'm very pleased with both (other than the ride on the Dodge, which is kinda like a pogo stick). We'll see . . . .

Barry Smith

Sitting, waiting, watching........how long will it take????????






Anyone have any popcorn?????

1sttruck

A couple of related issues.... The Allison defuels in 1st and 5th as needed, to protect itself I guess, does the Ford or Dodge auto do the same ? I've read accounts here of people in older Dodges with manual trannys delivering slightly overweight loads, and newer Fords not being able to move the trailers. I guessed that it might also be defueling.

What is the ability to stop, start and move a maximum load on a decent grade, say 6% ? That seems like a real world test, maybe the best one, as seeing who can race up hills with light trailers at +80 mph doesn't seem useful.

MedicShawn

"Dodge Extends 'Ram Tough' Muscle and Performance with Introduction of 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Box-Off 4x2 Dual Rear"

Full article

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...16/081731.html

"Offered in ST, SLT and Laramie models and instantly recognizable with its massive, signature Dodge crosshair grille, the new 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Box-Off 4x2 Dually provides heavy-duty towing and payload capability with a maximum 11,000 lb. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), maximum payload capability of 5,550 lbs., and best-in-class maximum Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of 23,000 lbs."