DDurfey

Well my RV addiction has gotten the best of me and now....the wife. We bought our fanciest RV two winters ago (91 corsair 27ft) and are now looking for the ultimate upgrade....buying new. I have a 2004 ram3500 ctd automatic with a utility body and ladder racks. It weighs right around 10k (ive put it across the scales a few times) and I want to know how big can I still go for a new camper? We have our eye on a few bumper pull 30ft campers with dual slides ranging in weight from 6900-8100lbs dry weight. My current camper weighed 5400lbs before putting our stuff in it and I just towed it for the first time with this truck and I barely knew it was there. I'm thinking my biggest concern is going to be tongue weight. Any pointers would be great the last person I want advice from is the salesman at the rv dealer I know his job is to sell sell sell and will tell you what you need to hear to make that happen. My biggest concern is safety for my family going down the road. No point in going if you don't get there in one piece.

SOhappy

No problem, at those weights you could get by with a 1/2 ton gasser. Your truck will pull 10k lbs up the nastiest grades just fine. I do recommend gauges though (tranny temp and pyro in particular).

DDurfey

What I found online says with the ctd and the a4 trans I can only have a total weight of 17000 or 19000 pounds. With the HO ctd and the a4 trans it goes up to 21000 or 23000 pounds. This all depends on the gears. Geuss I need to figure out my gears and am I ok to assume that with the programmer I have that I am now in the HO ctd category?

j_martin

Quit yer worrying. Hook up and go. If it's a little light in the steer axle (highly unlikely) put in a load leveling hitch.

Spend yer money on a good brake controller.

1STGENFARMBOY

This was our last camper, and would tip the scales at 8,100 loaded for bear.

My old 1st gen would handle it just fine and my 99 24v 2wd would go just-a-kiten.

you will be fine, but will need a anti-sway bar on the hitch, longer TT,s are deadly without one on a 6 lane with semi's passing on both sides.

Darwin

Fiftygrit

Your fine, WD hitch, my old TT was about 9k loaded, towed it down and back to AZ for 3 winters went over lots of mountain passes, now I tow a 5th wh 12k plus lbs and 2k lb tounge weight, still no problem, hook up and have fun.

CoastalDav

You should be good for at least a 35ft Fifth Wheel if you want it. Just stay around 14000 lbs and you won't have any problems. Here is a copy of the Dodge Towing Guide from 2004. Not sure about the specifics of your truck as far as 4x4 or 4x2.

See ya on the Big Road

Dave

2004 dodge ram heavy duty pickup 3500 SLT, QUAD CAB, 2WD, 8.0 FT Bed, 4-Speed Automatic Transmission, 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine - 610 lb-ft:

With 3.73 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 13900 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 11500 lbs
Payload [i] = 4545 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6955 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3960 lbs/3960 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4740 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 21000 lbs



With 3.73 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 14250 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 9900 lbs
Payload [i] = 3293 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6607 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3934 lbs/3934 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/6150 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 21000 lbs



With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 15900 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 11500 lbs
Payload [i] = 4545 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6955 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3960 lbs/3960 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4740 lbs/9350 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 23000 lbs



With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 16250 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 9900 lbs
Payload [i] = 3293 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 6607 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3934 lbs/3934 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 4750 lbs/6150 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 23000 lbs

bkrukow

Pick the one you want, hook on and go. Worst case scenario you may want a WD and sway control hitch. My Toy Hauler is around 9000 pounds empty and with my WD hitch it pulls fine. I have never weighed it loaded but rarely ever have any ATVs in it anymore. It does get heavy with 3-4 ATVs and all our gear in it.

This is when I brought it home sitting on a 6" drop receiver and no WD hitch. This TH is rated at 1200 pounds toung WT but in reality is more like 1600-1800 pounds. I have sense bought a 1 ton truck and added a WD hitch.

Jeff in TD

Is your truck a dually?

DDurfey

Ok...so from what I've gathered and read in the past few days I can be at 21000 total pounds. And what I was assuming in the beginning my biggest issue will be tongue weight. My truck already has 3k sitting on it with my utility body ladder racks and tools which leaves me about 1500 pounds for payload (tongue weight, wife, kid, dog, cooler in the cab). I'm already using a WD hitch and swaybar because of all the weight sitting on the truck. I tried towing it without the WD hitch after getting my lights working and I was not comfortable with it. What I may need to do is on my next scrap run take my ladders and flashing brake off my truck and see where that puts the truck. That'll probably gain me enough weight to be "legal" going down the road with a new trailer. Might look into a helper spring or air lift for the rear also I know when I got pellets last year it was a little hairy with another ton sitting in the bed coming down the highway.

AirLiftCompany

A WD hitch may even be a necessity depending on what class hitch you have on the truck, so it's a good thing you are using one. If the truck still seems to squat some or bounce around excessively while towing it may be wise to add air. The advantage the air would have is that it could help every day since you seem to be carrying quite a bit of tools and ladders.

If you need any help finding the right kit or have any questions don't hesitate to let me know, I would be happy to help in any way I can.

DDurfey

With the wd hitch the truck rode great with the camper and daily driving isn't an issue. If it was a 3/4 ton maybe but not in my case.

AirLiftCompany

The WD hitch can make a big difference. Thought I would mention the bags though since you brought them up in your previous post.

DDurfey

When we get the bigger camper it's definitely going to be an option. I don't want to add more leafs and stiffen the ride for daily use it rides great right now and I put on too many miles to get beat to death by the truck.

Busboy

That's the beauty of airlifts wireless controller you can adjust on the fly and not have a huge mess of air lines coming into the cab let alone finding somewhere to mount the non wireless controller.