Ok here is the question.................

Dodge says My truck has a 9K GVWR
They say My truck weighs 6800
They say my paylaod is 2200
and finally that my truck has 5200/6010 GAWR


Which number should I really be worried about staying within? I am not talking "legally". If you look at those numbers they are not consistant. If I were a NFL lineman and had 3 of my line team mates in the truck with me and had a fifth wheel hooked up the maximum pin weight, or the maximum payload that I could haul could only be about 600lbs. That is if you go off the GVWR. It just seems to me that if you stay with in the GAWR you still would be fine.


I am sure this has been answered but I could not find the exact answer. I am looking to get a toy hauler with a pin weight of 1700 or 2100 lbs and am strugling with numbers.

 

As I understand it ... payload is the weight that you can put in the truck box. Your towing capacity is probably 16,000 or maybe even a little more combined weight. Combined weight is the truck and trailer. I could be wrong but that's how I understand it.

 

Thats just it. They say the GCWR is 20000, the GVWR is 9000, the towing weight is 13000, and the GAWR is 5200/6010 (or 11210 combined).

If I loaded the truck to its rating I would have nothing left for pin or hitch weight so the towing weight would be moot.

 

According to the Dodge Towing Guide ( http://www-5.dodge.com/vehsuite/Towi...icle=ram_truck ) the payload for my truck is 2042 lbs
Then I add:
7 lbs/gal x 34 gal = 238 lbs fuel
200 lbs Leer top
450 lbs for wife, daughter (when grown) and I
= 888 lbs

2042 - 888 = 1154 lbs left for gear etc.
Really it's not that much.

 

your GAWR is the gross weight allowed on either axle (not necessarily both at the same time).
If you set a block of steel in the bed of your truck. It should be possitioned so that there is no more than 5200 lbs on front axle while not exceeding 6010 on the rear axle.
Say you have a 60/40 split on weight (Im using it for easy math), thats 4080 lbs on front, 2720 lbs rear. if you set 3000 lbs right in the middle of your truck, that puts another 1500 lbs on each axle. this overloads the front axle (5580 total)

 

Strick, don't you just love the corporate world of computing GVWR? You also need to keep your tire load capacity(s) in mind too - eg. don't exceed them on a per axle basis.

As far as calculating the load capacity of a 2500, your math is correct. That capacity isn't a very big number. If you go by the book, most folks need a 3500.

Instead of relying on printed number on a piece of paper, you should weigh your truck and start from there. Add in some tools, a jack, + other junk, the "empty weight" grows incredibly fast.

 

Strick - Since you're not talking legally, I'd follow this line of thought. Others may not agree, but to me it makes sense.

1. Most important - Tires, I would not want to exceed the tire ratings.

2. Important - Axles - Theoritically you'll overload the rear axle just before the tires, but my opinion is that the tires are more subject to failure at max load, than is the suspension. Both have a 'factor of safety' but tires deal with what I feel is more critical issues than the suspension. Sharp objects and road imperfections the tires take head-on, but provide at least some dappening for the suspension to deal with. To me, tires are critical, more so than the axles/suspension.

3. GVWR - Especially on a 3/4 ton, I feel these numbers are more subjective. I won't start the discussion on why ... it could go on for a long time.

Personally I would not want to overload any of the 3 (tires, GAWR, and GVWR), but if we are throwing out the legality issues, I would be less concerned with GVWR (especially with a 3/4 ton) than tire rating and AWR's. YMMV.

- JyRO

 

It is not that I want to throw out the legality of it, it just doesn't make any sense to me. They are setting the GVWR lower than any of the components and lower than the same components that are on the 3500.

Like I said in my example......If I was a big guy and had 3 big helpers with me and we were going to mulch someones house, according to DC I could only haul 600-800lbs of mulch. That just seems really weak out of a HD pickup (I know it is a light duty truck but it is a heavy duty PU)

 

JyRO - How about a #4 - Brakes! I always thought stopping power was somehow taken into account on GVWR as an unlisted, but limiting factor.

spunbearing - Payload is defined as Gross Vehicle Weight minus Empty Weight... nothing to do with bedload.

Strick - The sum of the two axles does not have to equal GVWR..it's obviously good that the sum is more. These two weights are just additional info should you, for example, be loading something very heavy right on top of the rear axle. Pin Weight and/or tongue weight have to be factored into payload but towing weight assumes trailer brakes...and is more of a drivetrain limit than a vertical load limit.

I agree with JyRO...we run out of useable tires before we need to worry about axle load or too much payload.....at least on the Dodge CTD.

But we do have to stop it sometime.

RJ

 

I agree about the brakes also but the 2500 is the exact same drivetrain and brakes as the 3500.

And yes the tires weight is big also, I am still running the stock 'E' rated tires. I do agree that you have to limit it somewhere but it seems that you would be hard pressed to find any thing that the 2500 could tow/haul thatwould not "ovreload" it and still function as a "work" truck.

 

Question - The axles are the same on the Third Gen 2500 & 3500?? On 2nd Gen trucks they are very different! Dana 70 vs Dana 80 in the rear.

My 2500 is heavier than most, since adding a new front bumper....I'm at 7595 lb with me and full fuel. Gross is 8800 lbs...with towing package. I don't think 1200 lb "Useful Load" (payload minus me and full fuel) is all that terrible. I actual figure 1500 lb useful load - get no sag and don't even hit overload spring...on a smooth road. That's 3/4 of a ton!

RJ

 

From Strick:

And from rjohnson:


You fellers aren't trying to turn this into a philisophical discussion on why 3/4 ton trucks have a 8,800 lb GVWR, are you? I don't mind going down this road, but all my info is just my opinion ... based on having worked, and currently working as a design engineer for an OEM. But those kind of discussions sometimes wind up getting a thread locked. I don't mind pushing my GVWR in my 2500, but I wouldn't ... naw, naw, naw ... I ain't sayin' it!

- JyRO

 

I am not trying to turn anything into a philisophical discussion, that would just end up hurting my head.

The GVWR is what it is I guess.

But don't let that stop you from posting your thoughts on the subject. I am truely just looking for info, I really do not have an opinion on this. Just collecting info.

 

I would love to hear from a desigh engineer...going down that road! Has to be more knowledgable than my doing what seems to work for me.

Opinions welcome on 8800 lbs...or any other subject. This IS General Discussion!

Anyone know about same axles on 3rd Gen trucks for 2500 & 3500?

RJ

 

I gotta throw in my 2 yen on this subject.

First, look at the weight rating on the tires. 235-85-16 single 3370# at 80 PSI

Second, LOOK AT THE WHEEL RATING!! Mine say 2500#

The tires are higher rated then the wheels????

The springs should carry all this with no problem.

Lastly. the DOT always have the ACE in the hole. They ALSO have the last word
when they hand you your ticket.

I pull a 53 ft car hauler with a 67 ft total length, tip the scales at 14,400 EMPTY
and as high as 36,000 LOADED. with a 1st gen 5.9 in my ForCum.

Most DOT cops will fall back to the tire rating in an overweight "condition"


Oooppps that was 3 1/2 yen...... sorry!