Tow Police Needed

[slickstoff]

Ok Tow Police,

I have a 2018 Megacab 6.4 with 4.10 gears. Online trailer tow ratings show a max tow rating of 15240lbs with max payload of 2910lbs. With my configuration my door payload sticker reflects 2790lbs.

Being that I tow a 5th wheel I wanted to know if 5th wheel numbers were different than trailer tow numbers. I contacted Ram and they advised my application from my VIN allowed a max 5th wheel towing of 25000lbs and a max payload of 5000lbs. They further directed me to the owner's manual which states the same on page 434.

I have followed the tow and payload numbers at the top and my 5th wheel is way under those numbers. But now I am confused with the new 5th wheel towing numbers, not that I am going to upgrade to a heavier 5th wheel, just curious.

Thanks

 

[Darkside]

I would definitely stick with the numbers you found online, whoever you spoke to sounds like the gave you the max numbers “when properly equipped”, not the numbers for your exact truck… When I look up my truck by the VIN towing is 16,268lbs for a 2500 crew cab 8’ bed 6.4L and 4.10 gears.

 

[JohnWedell]

The 25,000 lbs is the gross combined weight (Truck & Trailer). Subtract the truck weight (With everything in it) from 25,000 and that is the max trailer weight.

 

[gimmie11s]

Is this truck a one ton or 3/4? What is GVWR? Have you entered your VIN into the tool on the Ram website that will spit out the actual numbers for your specific truck?

GCWR is not printed or listed anywhere on the vehicle (neither is max trailer weight) so the GCWR has to be calculated by taking your curb weight and adding it to your max trailering weight.

 

[DevilDodge]

2018 mega cab with 6.4l and 4.10

Is it a 2500 or 3500?

The truth of the matter is the 6.4l HEMI has the same GCWR for both 2500 and 3500. So that would be 22800.

Your payload is in your door jamb.

GVWR minus payload equals base weight

GCWR MINUS base weight equals max towing.

This is not max trailer.

Mega Cab is a heavy beast. If yours is a 2500...you will find a 1500 type payload.

If it is a 3500 you will find a 2500 payload.

Having the 6.4 over the Cummins will help the payload.

I see you said your door sticker says 2790.

You now have all the numbers

 

[DevilDodge]

If you read our many forums threads about towing you will find 3 truths.

The charts are only for tradesman trim.

The configurators give a false number. Most are again based on the maximum capacities not the specific trucks.

The VIN lookup is the most accurate...not the towing number is not a trailer weight. It is the maximum weight the truck and trailer can weigh.
This number does not even have a driver or a hitch.

So you atleast have to take the weight of a driver and hitch from it. Then any passengers or cargo. And the pin weight needs to stay under axle GVWR. (Or truck GVWR since you called the tow police.

The issue with this site is...plenty have decided GVWR is stupid.

So you will get plenty of answers.

With the 6.4l...3.73 is 19800 and 4.10 is 22800

The 25000 number they gave you is a 3500 DRW 2019 and newer number

 

[DevilDodge]

So with the numbers you did give I can tell you what @gimmie11s means in a different route.

2500 has 10000 GVWR

3500 has 11200 GVWR (going off a 2014 chart...the 2018 might be 11400)

GVWR is also on your door jamb.

Based on charts going with 2500

10000 minus 2790 equals 7210

22800 minus 7210 equals 15590

So that is your max towing.

15590 minus driver and hitch equals max trailer. Then you start doing bumper pull tongue weight or 5th wheel pin weight.

So you also have to add driver weight and hitch weight to base weight or subtract from payload.


Or do what most do...buy a trailer and tow away in happy bliss

 

[DevilDodge]

So with the max ratings of 2910 and 15240 we can do this like @gimmie11s said to double check the GCWR I gave.

So 2910 gives a base weight of 7090

15240 plus 7090 equals 22300.

I have been at the 5th Gen site too much. I forgot the HD configurator gives a 470lb allowance for driver passenger conventional hitch and options

So...22800

Edit: charts give the 470lb allowance. The configurator by VIN does not.

 

[slickstoff]

Thanks for all the input and hard numbers. Yes my Ram is the 2500, so thank you all for clearing that up. I knew better than to ask Ram lol.

 

[DevilDodge]

Thanks for all the input and hard numbers. Yes my Ram is the 2500, so thank you all for clearing that up. I knew better than to ask Ram lol.

RAM wasnt wrong. They answered the question correctly. They gave you the max towing for your configuration.

You have to be very specific when asking. Just like here. Had you said 2500 from the start i could have just jumped right to your answer.

But. Because we have done this so many times I was able to take the numbers you gave and got the number you needed.

And i have learned after being on these forums for so long...people do not read the thread. They jump right to answers.

You have a 4th Gen and posted in the 4.5 section. So people gave 4.5 gen answers.

The 4.5 gen went from 22800 to 24000. So you have to watch the answers you are given also.

The 3500 questions get even harder as there are even more answers.

I really love it when someone asks a question and gives no engine info. That gets really fun