Towing weights

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TonyL

TonyL

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Joined
Dec 10, 2017
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Location
UK
Hi, I know this has been covered just once or twice!! but this Brit needs some clarification. We are looking at buying a fifth wheel for long term touring in the States and Canada. The GVWR of our intended unit is 12720 lb. I have seen several times that you should reckon on around 20% being on the pin, so about 2544lb. we are thinking about a Dodge Ram 3500 and it seems that the max towing weight is around 11200lb. does this mean for a travel trailer, or because part of the weight is on the box, it will be safe, legal and practical for our intended fifth wheel? I do not to go for a dually if i can help it.
regards
Tony
 
That 11,200 number doesn't sound right to me, but I'm not a fan of Dodge/Ram products and don't know much about them....it just seems low for a 1Ton truck.  Hopefully some Dodge/Ram experts will be along shortly to help you out!
 
Your numbers sound incorrect.  My 3500 RAM SRW has a payload of 4070.  Can handle that FW with ease.  Thus,  I don't know where you got your numbers.  Look at the door jam for payload numbers.
 
Hi Tony,
A 3500 Ram SRW (single rear wheel)  will be perfectly fine for a fifth wheel up to your 12,720 GVWR number.  The newest Rams should have a GVWR around 11,000 and a scaled weight, depending how its equipped around 8000 pounds.  Leaving you around 3000 pounds for pin weight.  My 2007 Quad cab 4X2 dually scales ready to go at 8000, so I would expect a SRW crew cab 4X2 to scale a bit lower.  If you loaded the fifth wheel up to its max of 12,720 that means your pin weight woild be around 2500 pounds.  So you should still be under all the important numbers.  BTW, the Ram is an excellent choice.  Especially with the Cummins motor.    Where are you planning to buy and what trailers are you looking at?  Dennis Dillon motors in Idaho is probably the lowest price dealer in the US.  Unless your buying a package, not advised, shop for your truck and trailer seperatly for the best bargains.
 
I'll disagree a bit - there are more than a few Ram 3500 SRW (single rear wheel) configurations that max out around 12,500 lbs for a 5W, i.e. the payload is in the 2500-3000 lb range. Most dual rear wheel models (duallies) will be above that, probably good for trailers of 15,000+. You can't go much by what somebody else has, except to note that it is a possibility. Pick-up truck payloads and tow capacities can and do vary widely based on the specific configuration, and I don't mean just engine size.

Another member is currently asking a similar question about his Ford F350 SRW diesel and shocked to learn that its max payload is limited to about 3000 lbs. See http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,110683.0.html

And there was another one recently with a Ram 2500 and pin weight problems.

I'm not saying "NO", just that you will need to be cautious about the specific truck you choose.
 
I do not know if this is a long distance, sight unseen purchase or not.  The REAL number you need is the yellow bordered placard on the driver door latch post.  It gives you the actual Payload for THAT truck as it left the factory, including that body, drive train, options, tires, etc.  I have found dealers reluctant to provide this information - or clueless to what I wanted. 

That real payload must be sufficient to carry the 20% of FW  GVWR and 200# for a FW hitch, plus all passengers and cargo carried in the truck.  While there are other specific weight limits, such as GCWR and axle WR, if you are within the truck GVWR, the others fall in line.  Note Payload = GVWR - actual empty weight.

If you must go by on line numbers, make sure you find a spec sheet that gives payloads specific to model, 2WD for 4WD, bed and cab choice, drivetrain, etc.  For a given model year, this table may be 20 or 30 pages long.  Make sure to read the foot notes.

A generic claim that, "A 3500 can tow up to 183,500pounds!!" is total hogwash for most of the trucks you would consider.

There are many 1 ton trucks (not all!) with SRW which will meet your needs.  Happy Hunting!
 
The 3500 SRW Ram with the small 5.7 gas engine has a 11k-12k tow ratings
The bigger 6.4 gas engine has 13k-15k  tow ratings.
The Cummins has up to 17k tow ratings.
All above is for a GN or 5th wheel trailer. Bumper pull (TT) are less.

Starting in '13 the 3500 SRW Ram can have up to  12400 GVWR and 7000 rawr. All depending on vehicle selections.

Any 3500 SRW from Ram won't have any issues pulling that size trailer. Safety and legal issues will be the trucks 7000 rawr as it carrying every thing in the bed and back of the cab. Front axle weights change little to non with a 5th wheel trailer.

Use this Ram Body Builders Guide holy bible from Ram for each year model weight specs....http://www.rambodybuilder.com/year.pdf
 
Good info from longhaul - that should help you determine which model of Ram 3500 will work for you.  I'd suggest a diesel-powered 3500 for a trailer in that weight range, but one of the larger V8 gas engines should perform decently, albeit with poor fuel economy.
 
a big ol' 3500 dually may not be the greatest vehicle for sightseeing in America.  Our parking spaces are intentionally getting smaller everywhere.

If you add up the cost of a new Ram 3500 truck and that 5th wheel... you may be the same money as a Class A motorhome and a tow car.

 
Hi Grashley,
yes this is a long distance enquiry, so I am unable to view any yellow stickers. At present I am trying to work out what size tow vehicle I will require for our intended chosen fiver. I know an a class and car may be similar costs, but as we currently have a pick up and fiver in the UK, that is what we want to stick with but hopefully the fifth wheel will be better built than what we have already.
regards
Tony
 
TonyL said:
Hi Grashley,
yes this is a long distance enquiry, so I am unable to view any yellow stickers. At present I am trying to work out what size tow vehicle I will require for our intended chosen fiver. I know an a class and car may be similar costs, but as we currently have a pick up and fiver in the UK, that is what we want to stick with but hopefully the fifth wheel will be better built than what we have already.
regards
Tony
Click to expand...

Tell the seller to take pictures of both stickers on the drivers door post. I suggest a photo of the engine compartment with the hood open too. On RAM diesel models, that will tell you what transmission it has too.
 
longhaul said:
The 3500 SRW Ram with the small 5.7 gas engine has a 11k-12k tow ratings
The bigger 6.4 gas engine has 13k-15k  tow ratings.
The Cummins has up to 17k tow ratings.
All above is for a GN or 5th wheel trailer. Bumper pull (TT) are less.

Starting in '13 the 3500 SRW Ram can have up to  12400 GVWR and 7000 rawr. All depending on vehicle selections.

Any 3500 SRW from Ram won't have any issues pulling that size trailer. Safety and legal issues will be the trucks 7000 rawr as it carrying every thing in the bed and back of the cab. Front axle weights change little to non with a 5th wheel trailer.

Use this Ram Body Builders Guide holy bible from Ram for each year model weight specs....http://www.rambodybuilder.com/year.pdf
Click to expand...

Pulling the trailer and supporting the pin weight are two separate things. Have to work with both.
 
Tony,
The link provided by LongHaul is exactly the charts I referenced and what is needed to get a better feel for the true capacity of a specific configuration.
 
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