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18 - CREW CAB LONG BED 4X4 3500HO LARAMIE 3.42 GEARS TOWING

srwoodring

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Ok, I can't seem to get straight answers on this. I've looked at the towing chart by Ram. Maybe I'm reading or understanding it wrong. But, according to that chart my truck has a payload of 4320# and a max towing capacity of 16,850# with a GCWR of 25,300#. So does that mean the heaviest trailer I can buy is one with a GVWR of 16,850#? That seems small. that is a two axle toy hauler max. I'm looking at toy haulers with a dry weight of 16,800# and a GVWR of 20,000#. Or, do I add the payload and the max towing capacity and say I could get a trailer up to 21,170#? I really wish these charts just gave you answers like: your trailer weight can be up to xxxxx and your tongue weight can be up to xxxxx. I just want to make sure I'm not exceeding it's capacity. I understand the difference in payload vs towing. I'm just not sure I'm reading the chart right. I bought the darn 3500 to tow a triple axle trailer.
 
Ok, I can't seem to get straight answers on this. I've looked at the towing chart by Ram. Maybe I'm reading or understanding it wrong. But, according to that chart my truck has a payload of 4320# and a max towing capacity of 16,850# with a GCWR of 25,300#. So does that mean the heaviest trailer I can buy is one with a GVWR of 16,850#? That seems small. that is a two axle toy hauler max. I'm looking at toy haulers with a dry weight of 16,800# and a GVWR of 20,000#. Or, do I add the payload and the max towing capacity and say I could get a trailer up to 21,170#? I really wish these charts just gave you answers like: your trailer weight can be up to xxxxx and your tongue weight can be up to xxxxx. I just want to make sure I'm not exceeding it's capacity. I understand the difference in payload vs towing. I'm just not sure I'm reading the chart right. I bought the darn 3500 to tow a triple axle trailer.

NVM just saw the thread title. Sorry
No worries, I figured with the title and the fact I picked the 6.7 cummins forum...........
 
To answer some of your questions though. To get payload you subtract the trucks curb weight from the GVWR. Your combined weight is a fully loaded truck and trailer - so the GVWR of the truck plus the GVWR of the trailer. Tongue weight subtracts from the trucks payload.

The transmission and gearing in your truck tell a bit of the story too
 
Your first understanding is the more correct one, but even then it’s very difficult to achieve the max trailer weight and stay within GCWR or even GVWR/axle ratings because the tongue/pin weight used be Ram to rate the trucks is very low and very few trailers will actually have that little weight.

Your door sticker shows your actual payload with the options the truck was built with. Taking the GVWR minus the payload gives you curb weight.

In the real world you will max out your RAWR king before you get to the max trailer rating.

With the dry weight trailers you’re looking at you want a DRW and lower gears.

No worries, I figured with the title and the fact I picked the 6.7 cummins forum...........

But you did pick the Gen 4.5 forum, not the Gen 4. ;)
 
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Your first understanding is the more correct one, but even then it’s very difficult to achieve the max trailer weight and stay within GCWR or even GVWR/axle ratings because the tongue/pin weight used be Ram to rate the trucks is very low and very few trailers will actually have that little weight.

Your door sticker shows your actual payload with the options the truck was built with. Taking the GVWR minus the payload gives you curb weight.

In the real world you will max out your RAWR king before you get to the max trailer rating.

With the dry weight trailers you’re looking at you want a DRW and lower gears.



But you did pick the Gen 4.5 forum, not the Gen 4. ;)
There is a Gen 4.5? I thought we had Gen 4 & 5.
 
The '18 single wheel 3500's only came with 3.42's. A co-worker bought the same setup as to OP and my 2500 crew cab short-bed with 68RE is rated to tow around 500 lbs more than his 3500 HO. Before he bought his, he was miffed that the Cummins could only be had in auto with 3.42's. The 3500 with duals could have had 4.10's.
 
Imo Ram kinda missed the mark with dinky OEM tires and 3.42s. If the truck had better tires and 4.10s I think it could have been rated way higher. There are certainly a huge number of people pulling way more than the rated amount with seemingly no problems...
 
Imo Ram kinda missed the mark with dinky OEM tires and 3.42s. If the truck had better tires and 4.10s I think it could have been rated way higher. There are certainly a huge number of people pulling way more than the rated amount with seemingly no problems...

The trashforce tires are nothing to write home about, but they support more than the 7K RAWR. What makes that LI (125) dinky? And what are you looking for from your SRW?

The next size up tires for 18’s or 20’s are reported to have minor rubbing, so it’s more than just a tire change. Is an 8K RAWR really warranted on a SRW?

People definitely pull more than rated, but I’m not sure about a “huge number pulling way more than the rated amount” unless they really overload their rear axle ratings.
 
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