5th wheel towing 3500 SRW

[NomadRam]

Hi ya'll,

New to the page, hoping some of you can help.

Wife and I are going full time in a 5th wheel. Jayco Northpoint with GVWR of 17,500.

Got a 2023 3500 SRW Diesel SO 6.7I6 Diesel to pull it. 6'4" bed with a payload of 4190 and rear axle rating of 7K giving a max trailer weight rating north of 20K.

Felt really comfortable with this set up but after reading some posts here starting to thing I should have gone with a dually. Am I in trouble?

 

[AH64ID]

What's the pin weight?

How much stuff do you haul in the bed?

 

[NomadRam]

What's the pin weight?

How much stuff do you haul in the bed?

Listed Hitch weight is 2905, wont be using the bed for anything besides the 5th wheel - but my wife and I and our 4 (yes 4) medium sized dogs will be in the cab

 

[AH64ID]

You should have around 4K to play with on the rear axle, so as long as that pin weight isn't horribly inaccurate and/or the wife doesn't load the bedroom with a thousand pounds of stuff, you should be alright. I would get it weighed right away, and then again once loaded.

 

[unclelala]

I wouldn't, I would go DRW, you could have a pin weight of 3500 lbs loaded up and not to mention your pooches, people gear in the trailer etc. If you were going only to a couple spots a year well maybe. But IMO no
Edit: I forgot to mention...Im a granny worrywart.

 

[tchur1]

Youre right on the edge. Likely around 3500lbs pin weight. The 2905 you mention, is that factory listed pin weight? If so, assume that its well under what you will have on the pin when actually traveling. If the 2905 is what you have already scaled then you will have ~1klbs to play with for hitch, humans, gear etc.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

You have more than enough truck just load the trailer accordingly.

 

[Cseybert]

Stay out of the high crosswinds.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Listed Hitch weight is 2905, wont be using the bed for anything besides the 5th wheel - but my wife and I and our 4 (yes 4) medium sized dogs will be in the cab

Real world pin weights are typically in the 18-22% range. On the high side that puts you in the 3600lb or so area if at max GVWR on the 5th wheel.

I'd say you'll probably be close on RAWR (which is probably limited by wheels/tires) but the scales don't lie. If you have auto level air and trip well over payload, you could trip that code.

 

[BikePilot]

I'm no expert on it, but I think that if you avoid packing super heavy and keep good tires on the truck that it'll tow it just fine. I'd make sure to use tow haul mode and lock out 6th to keep the transmission happy. That said a drw ho 4.10 gear truck is going to be a more relaxed experience and give you more headroom to go nuts bringing anything you like with you.

 

[popeye2002]

Just replaced my 2008 RAM 3500 SRW because I was 1,000# over cargo limit hitched up to my 2010 35' Montana 5th wheel (Gross 14k#) Pulled just fine but I'm not going to knowingly run that much over what the door sticker says was my max payload. I think my max was 10,000 on my 2008 and my actual CAT was 11,100 on the truck itself. in the details both of my axles were just shy of the rated limits but those added together is more than the truck is rated for. Many opinions out there but I'm telling you this new 2023 RAM 3500 DRW feels so much safer and comfortable to me.

 

[AH64ID]

Just replaced my 2008 RAM 3500 SRW because I was 1,000# over cargo limit hitched up to my 2010 35' Montana 5th wheel (Gross 14k#) Pulled just fine but I'm not going to knowingly run that much over what the door sticker says was my max payload. I think my max was 10,000 on my 2008 and my actual CAT was 11,100 on the truck itself. in the details both of my axles were just shy of the rated limits but those added together is more than the truck is rated for. Many opinions out there but I'm telling you this new 2023 RAM 3500 DRW feels so much safer and comfortable to me.

In most states payload and GVWR are marketing/emissions numbers. If you weren’t exceeding axle ratings then you weren’t overloaded.

That being said, going from a 3rd Gen to a 4th and now 4.5 the difference is staggering. These current trucks are insanely capable and make long days towing very easy.

 

[popeye2002]

In most states payload and GVWR are marketing/emissions numbers. If you weren’t exceeding axle ratings then you weren’t overloaded.

That being said, going from a 3rd Gen to a 4th and now 4.5 the difference is staggering. These current trucks are insanely capable and make long days towing very easy.

I'm not here to debate your comment, I'm going to politely agree to disagree. I worked in Quality Assurance for many years and it's hard for me to go against what the manufacturer publishes on the truck. I don't always agree with the documents but for me -- I go with what it says. don't forget, I pulled like that for many years and she handled just fine but once I got on the scale, that was my excuse to step up. along with recently retired and planning to travel more.

 

[AH64ID]

I'm not here to debate your comment, I'm going to politely agree to disagree. I worked in Quality Assurance for many years and it's hard for me to go against what the manufacturer publishes on the truck. I don't always agree with the documents but for me -- I go with what it says. don't forget, I pulled like that for many years and she handled just fine but once I got on the scale, that was my excuse to step up. along with recently retired and planning to travel more.

For starters take a peek at some state statues and look for “payload” or “GVWR” as legal weight limits. QA is very important, but so is understanding marketing vs actual limitations. Your previous 08 is a great example, as the differences between a 2500 and 3500 SRW were minimal.. yet there were GVWR differences that didn’t correlate to real world differences.

Absolutely nothing wrong with stepping up, your new truck is far more capable than the numbers indicate. You’re going to love the new truck and what it brings you.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Just replaced my 2008 RAM 3500 SRW because I was 1,000# over cargo limit hitched up to my 2010 35' Montana 5th wheel (Gross 14k#) Pulled just fine but I'm not going to knowingly run that much over what the door sticker says was my max payload. I think my max was 10,000 on my 2008 and my actual CAT was 11,100 on the truck itself. in the details both of my axles were just shy of the rated limits but those added together is more than the truck is rated for. Many opinions out there but I'm telling you this new 2023 RAM 3500 DRW feels so much safer and comfortable to me.

I'll just point out that a 19+ 3500 GVWR is likely 12,300 or at the lowest, 11,800. Stronger frame, bigger brakes, just a more capable tow vehicle all around.

 

[Firebird]

If he's going full time, that camper will be loaded to the max! For peace of mind, amazing stability and margin, I would go dually on that beast. My son pulls a similar weight 43' unit, he traded out for an HO dually, and he's so happy he did. He's full time also.

 

[Nick]

Hi ya'll,

New to the page, hoping some of you can help.

Wife and I are going full time in a 5th wheel. Jayco Northpoint with GVWR of 17,500.

Got a 2023 3500 SRW Diesel SO 6.7I6 Diesel to pull it. 6'4" bed with a payload of 4190 and rear axle rating of 7K giving a max trailer weight rating north of 20K.

Felt really comfortable with this set up but after reading some posts here starting to thing I should have gone with a dually. Am I in trouble?

 

[Nick]

You are defiantly in dually territory . I pull a 5 th wheel and I weigh 15 k loaded and I am about 200 lbs over on my rear axle . I do have a 50 gal tank in the bed and an air ride 5th wheel which adds weight. Just go to a Cat scale and you can weigh it , it will show you each axle weight and go from there . Any platform scale will do the job .

 

[CdnHO]

Since you already have the truck and presumably the trailer, load it up like you would full timing and take it to a CAT scale. Then weigh the truck by itself with full fuel, dogs and wife. Then do the math. That takes the guesswork out of it.

 

[Firebird]

Since you already have the truck and presumably the trailer, load it up like you would full timing and take it to a CAT scale. Then weigh the truck by itself with full fuel, dogs and wife. Then do the math. That takes the guesswork out of it.

Good advice, you will probably be surprised at how heavy you are.