Hi everyone.
I have a 2008 dodge ram 3500 srw long box extended cab truck I have done a complete delete with an h&s computer and the h&s tran program .
This is where I need help. We are thinking on buying a voltage 3905 fifth wheel toy hauler that has a dry weight of 15600 lbs. we hooked up to the truck and it was stitting pretty level and and I still have a lot of travel left. So do you think my truck can pull it ok? I have the 6.7 .
The trailer is a tri axle too . Thanks for your help

 

That trailer is child's play for your truck. Whether it's within the rated weight might be another question. You'll have to look it up.

 

Agree with the above, for a SRW, you may be out of line with the pin weight.

 

I am not; I repeat not a member of the weight police!!!!

This depends on what gearing you have in your truck. If you have the 4:10 gear set than you can tow this trailer per Ram.

I have included a link to the Ram Body Builders Guide which provides towing information for most of the Ram years of trucks.

http://www.rambodybuilder.com/year.pdf

You will need to click on the model year, then the Ram icon, style of cab and then under Technical Information: the information is listed under base weights/GCVW/payload and then model of truck.

Hope this helps.

Jim W.

 

I have to comment that I am not the weight police either, but I encourage you to do some more research before you pull the trigger and regret it.

I have no qualms about the engine/drivetrain being up to the task. Or even the springs (you can always add air bags if needed)

I am concerned on pin weight and tire capacity.

Using rough math in my head and a 25% of trailer weight being pin weight, you are close to 3500 lbs on each tire... which is going to be very close to the rating of the tire depending on brand and etc. There is also brake capacity to think about as well.

I checked the chart in the link above and you have a 3k bed weight limit before you put in a hitch. I think you are about 12-1500 lbs over the limit before you even put so much as silverware or bedding in the trailer.

So, be careful and do some research and better math than mine before proceeding.

 

Isn't a 3500 DRW?

 

I returned from a long trip yesterday towing my 13,700lb gross 5ver with my mini max/trans tune on my 2011 SRW crew cab 3.73 gears, the last day saw a strong head/cross wind and there were times my EGT was getting up there even on the flat so had to switch to 5th gear in the 68RFE and also lower speed. In my opinion the truck will pull it but at what expense, the biggest problem will be the fact that the trailer is a triple axle which will give away the fact it's heavy, over weight is overweight even if it's an RV, I would do the math very carefully for tire and axle loading, personally I would say you are in dually territory.

 

No.... I have a 3500 SRW...

The OP:

Hi everyone.
I have a 2008 dodge ram 3500 srw long box extended cab truck

 

I went back to the dealer and got some more info it has a pin weight of 3150and I'm running michelins e rated tires.. It seems to me that all these numbers must be on the low end of the limits? Cuz we went camping this last wknd and I went looking at rigs with that same dry weight (15600) to see what they use to pull them . What I found was one had a drw 3500 and two that had 2500 srw that have been pulling for years that way? So I'm thinking that the 5 times a year that I pull this rig I should be fine ? Cuz my truck is my daily driver and when I need to get a new truck I will get a drw . Thanks for all your input and I will at the door tag on my truck too.

 

I have a 2014 2500 and after calculating my available payload (family of 5), it didn't leave me much for the pin weight or weight of hitch. I have accepted the fact in my situation, I can only tow a big TT and not a big 5ver (like I would want).

I would not gauge what other people tow as an indicator of what you can safely tow. Personally I would do the math on your truck and available payload based on your family size and what you would be packing in the truck. Then calculate the pin weight based on the gross trailer weight.

That pin weight that you got from the dealer is probably a "dry pin weight". Do not make your decision based off that.

 

A CAT certified scale (truck stop) will tell you the numbers you need to know. Weigh your truck with full fuel tank, all the stuff you normally carry and the family. Stop back with the trailer loaded. The 3 step scale will tell you the difference and how much you actually have for pin weight.

Being a toy hauler, pin weight will be greater WITHOUT toys loaded in the garage. Leverage effect of toys in the back. The axles are set up to keep a safe pin weight with the max garage loading, my garage has a 2,000# limit. I have weighed my trailer with my different toys loaded and then with garage empty - definitely heavier tongue weight empty! I have use of truck scales at work anytime I need them, so I have weighed more than once to check my weights.

You don't want to exceed max axle rating, max tire capacity, or GVWR of the truck (that is the max the truck weighs loaded). Tire capacity can be changed with different rated tires.

Just because others tow without regard for manufacturers rating, do you really want to put your family at risk for equipment failure?

 

With the dry pin weight alone you already exceed your weight limit. Add a couple hundered for the hitch... start adding family and yourself... see where this is going?

Most Michelin "e" rated tires in the Dodge stock size (265/70r/17) are rated at 3200 lbs. x2 that is 6400 total weight they can handle.

With your truck weighing about 7750 and a 60/40 weight split that is 3100 lbs. Add 3150 pin weight and you are at 6250. Add the hitch and your are at 6450 and now exceed the weight limit of your tires. Add yourself, and family and stuff in the cab to that. Anything into the bedroom area add directly to that. Anything into the kitchen (forward of axles) will be a partial weight penalty. You are well over your safe maximums just on the tires. of course, only a scale can give you the accurate weights and a clear picture. But my estimates are close enough to give a prudent person pause.

As said before I am not the weight police nor your spouse or parent. You're going to do what you want to do. But at least now you do so informed.

Don't let the ignorant acts of others make you a Darwin award winner. It's not about just "5 times a year". It's that one time nothing goes right that counts.

 

Ok thanks for all the help . I guess I need to upgrade my truck to a dually then . Thanks again to all

 

I have almost the same truck - mega - short box. I finally just called the Dodge dealer for the final number. Not what I wanted to hear but better to be safe than sorry. I'm going to try to stay around 12,000 lbs. Not ready to trade trucks just yet.

 

Good choice! Way to keep it safe and best of luck.