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2500 to 3500 questions

I like my 2500 Diesel and air ride. Real air suspension is only available on the 2500, drives pretty smooth.
 
I would go with a 3500 HO with Aisin over the 2500.

I owned a 2016 3500 Laramie. (The 68rfe transmission died and was replaced at 35.000 miles under warranty).

I sold my 2016 3500 and bought a 2019 2500 Limited. The 3500 had a rougher ride but towed better than my 2500.

Last month I ordered a 2022 3500 Limited HO with Aisin and air suspension. I miss my last 3500.

Good luck.
 
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IMO a 3500 srw ho with the air suspension rides better as a daily driver as you loose a few leave packs and not as stiff. Towes just as awesome as it dailys.
 
I understand the coil spring vs. leaf spring differences. But what about the axles? Are the axles, joints, shafts, frame, etc. any different between 2500 and 3500? Or is this a case of the suspension alone being the sole reason the 2500 has lower payload?
 
WXman said:
I understand the coil spring vs. leaf spring differences. But what about the axles? Are the axles, joints, shafts, frame, etc. any different between 2500 and 3500? Or is this a case of the suspension alone being the sole reason the 2500 has lower payload?
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All the same. (until you go to a 3500 dually)

.
 
I would own a 1500 or a 3500 doesnt make sense to own a 2500 anymore. When they had leaf spring in the rear the payload difference was only like 800lbs from 2500 to 3500. even then they still rode the same. Now they went to coils in the rear of the 2500 for better ride and well i dont think the ride is all that much better. Go with a thuren active sway bar, Front coil springs and shocks you will be amazed of the ride comfort.
 
Dinky503 said:
I would own a 1500 or a 3500 doesnt make sense to own a 2500 anymore. When they had leaf spring in the rear the payload difference was only like 800lbs from 2500 to 3500. even then they still rode the same. Now they went to coils in the rear of the 2500 for better ride and well i dont think the ride is all that much better. Go with a thuren active sway bar, Front coil springs and shocks you will be amazed of the ride comfort.
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While I agree on not owning 2500, the reason the payload different jumped doesn’t have anything to do with the coils. The GVWR’s are now higher on both trucks, and further apart.

My dads 06 2500 had a GVWR of 9000lbs and my 05 3500 SRW had a GVWR of 9900lbs, so only a 900 lb difference. Rear axle ratings were 200lbs different from what I recall.

Now the 2500 has a GVWR of 10000, and the 3500 SRW is 12,300, so you get 2,300lbs more GVWR rating for the same truck in a 3500. Rear axle ratings are up to 1K higher on the 3500.
 
AH64ID said:
While I agree on not owning 2500, the reason the payload different jumped doesn’t have anything to do with the coils. The GVWR’s are now higher on both trucks, and further apart.

My dads 06 2500 had a GVWR of 9000lbs and my 05 3500 SRW had a GVWR of 9900lbs, so only a 900 lb difference. Rear axle ratings were 200lbs different from what I recall.

Now the 2500 has a GVWR of 10000, and the 3500 SRW is 12,300, so you get 2,300lbs more GVWR rating for the same truck in a 3500. Rear axle ratings are up to 1K higher on the 3500.
Click to expand...

Gentlemen above just told me the axles are the same between 2500 and 3500. So why does the 3500 get a 1k higher GAWR?
 
WXman said:
Gentlemen above just told me the axles are the same between 2500 and 3500. So why does the 3500 get a 1k higher GAWR?
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The base axle housing is the same from a 2500 gas thru a 3500 DRW. There are obvious differences for suspension mounting and widths.

The main reason the 2500 has a lower RAWR is because that’s all Ram gave it. I think it deals with a 2500 needs to be rated lower than a 3500 SRW, so they reduced the ratings. Others think the coils can’t handle the increased weight. You can speculate all day thou, but the bottom line is that the RAWR is different despite the same axle.

FAWR can be different too. It’s a ratings and marketing game.
 
AH64ID said:
While I agree on not owning 2500, the reason the payload different jumped doesn’t have anything to do with the coils. The GVWR’s are now higher on both trucks, and further apart.

My dads 06 2500 had a GVWR of 9000lbs and my 05 3500 SRW had a GVWR of 9900lbs, so only a 900 lb difference. Rear axle ratings were 200lbs different from what I recall.

Now the 2500 has a GVWR of 10000, and the 3500 SRW is 12,300, so you get 2,300lbs more GVWR rating for the same truck in a 3500. Rear axle ratings are up to 1K higher on the 3500.
Click to expand...

you are correct i forgot about the rear axle difference, thanks for adding that in.
 
AH64ID said:
The base axle housing is the same from a 2500 gas thru a 3500 DRW. There are obvious differences for suspension mounting and widths.

The main reason the 2500 has a lower RAWR is because that’s all Ram gave it. I think it deals with a 2500 needs to be rated lower than a 3500 SRW, so they reduced the ratings. Others think the coils can’t handle the increased weight. You can speculate all day thou, but the bottom line is that the RAWR is different despite the same axle.

FAWR can be different too. It’s a ratings and marketing game.
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Thanks. I guess where I'm going with this is that a 2500 and a 3500 can haul the same weight in practical terms. Legally, no. But physically, yes. So a guy with a 2500 Cummins who goes slightly over his rated capacities (I see this all summer long at campgrounds) is not going to damage his truck and therefore doesn't need to sell his truck and buy the 3500. As long as he's controlling coil spring sag, the rest of the chassis is identical.
 
WXman said:
Thanks. I guess where I'm going with this is that a 2500 and a 3500 can haul the same weight in practical terms. Legally, no. But physically, yes. So a guy with a 2500 Cummins who goes slightly over his rated capacities (I see this all summer long at campgrounds) is not going to damage his truck and therefore doesn't need to sell his truck and buy the 3500. As long as he's controlling coil spring sag, the rest of the chassis is identical.
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For the most part yes, and it’s even legal in many states.

Identical is the wrong word thou. The frame design/technology is the same but they are different. You cannot use a 2500 frame on a 3500, which is what identical would mean.

You can use a 3500 SRW frame on a DRW, those are identical.
 
AH64ID said:
For the most part yes, and it’s even legal in many states.

Identical is the wrong word thou. The frame design/technology is the same but they are different. You cannot use a 2500 frame on a 3500, which is what identical would mean.

You can use a 3500 SRW frame on a DRW, those are identical.
Click to expand...

I've seen dozens/hundreds of posts say 2500 vs 3500 are 1:1 with only coil vs spring changes. Never heard about the frames not actually being identical. Good info!
 
Jmonty said:
I've seen dozens/hundreds of posts say 2500 vs 3500 are 1:1 with only coil vs spring changes. Never heard about the frames not actually being identical. Good info!
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The rear suspension differences require the rear portion the frame to be different.
 
Oh so it's a linkage mounting vs coil spring shackle mounting difference. The size of the frame or the wall thickness of the steel isn't different I assume, i.e. the strength of the frames are identical. It's just a matter of where they weld the brackets onto it for the different suspension setups.

I ask a lot of questions because I likely will move up to a HD pickup when I get a little farther along in my lease (if not sooner) and these fine details about 2500 vs 3500 trucks are never discussed.
 
Dinky503 said:
I would own a 1500 or a 3500 doesnt make sense to own a 2500 anymore. When they had leaf spring in the rear the payload difference was only like 800lbs from 2500 to 3500. even then they still rode the same. Now they went to coils in the rear of the 2500 for better ride and well i dont think the ride is all that much better. Go with a thuren active sway bar, Front coil springs and shocks you will be amazed of the ride comfort.
Click to expand...


Well, All I can say is there is no Mega Cab in the 1500. Also, my Hemi 2500 has 1300 more payload than a 1500 Crew Cab. So I see the need for a 2500 fitting in between a 1500 and 3500
 
AH64ID said:
The base axle housing is the same from a 2500 gas thru a 3500 DRW. There are obvious differences for suspension mounting and widths.

The main reason the 2500 has a lower RAWR is because that’s all Ram gave it. I think it deals with a 2500 needs to be rated lower than a 3500 SRW, so they reduced the ratings. Others think the coils can’t handle the increased weight. You can speculate all day thou, but the bottom line is that the RAWR is different despite the same axle.

FAWR can be different too. It’s a ratings and marketing game.
Click to expand...

Well, mostly the same.

The HO and DRW have the 12" rear and larger axle tubes. But that doesn't affect the GVWR other than the extra weight of the Aisin and xfr case..
 
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