5th gen 2500 pulling 16k bumper pull trailer?

[1032screw]

I recently bought a 2020 Ram 2500 with the 6.7 cummins and 6 ft box. I have been looking for a truck to get as close to legal under CDL weight and may have fallen victim to the published tow ratings for the 5th gen 2500 trucks. I wasn't paying attention to payload capacities and now see them as the trucks limiting factor. I originally wanted to go with a gooseneck trailer but the requirement for 15-20% of the trailer weight on the hitch they would blow the 2500's payload out of the water. With the truck's 10k gvwr it seems like a 16K gvwr bumper pull trailer might be the ultimate choice. 10% of the weight on the hitch is 1600 lbs so leaves some margin on payload which is 2490lb for my truck I believe. Is this just an insane idea or would this combo work out? I would really like to be able to pull 10k+ lbs of cargo.

 

[tchur1]

A lot of varying opinions on this, but youre truck can handle that weight no problem. It can handle more than its 10k rating if you look at the individual axle ratings. There are plenty of guys on here pulling that amount with 2500s without issue.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

1625lbs tongue weight no WDH no issue… i have had over 3000lbs pin weight 5th wheel no issues aswell

 

[Darkside]

I have a 20’ 14K deck over bumper pull equipment trailer that I tow with my 2500, the trailer empty weighs 3,880lbs. Truck handles the trailer loaded with absolutely no problem. I was looking at a 16K gooseneck, but with the added weight of the trailer itself it wasn’t worth it…

 

[UglyViking]

The tow police will get all over you for payload numbers, but not a single one of them seem to care that it would be drastically safer to be over payload on the axle than slightly under behind it.

These trucks are derated for registration, nothing more. People will claim it's the coils, but the coils can support well over the GVWR of the truck, and the GAWRs account for the suspension front and rear. Look at your door jam and you'll see 6k (or just under) for the rear axle. Stay under that number and you'll be 100% fine. DOT doesn't even care if you're over payload, there hasn't been a single case of insurance issue for being over payload, that I've ever seen, where being over payload and getting into an accident was the only thing (there is always counts of excessive speeding, reckless driving, cutting people off, etc.).

Personally, I'd much rather be towing a 14k 5er that puts you over payload (but under GAWRs) than a 16k TT that has you at/under payload.

 

[1032screw]

I am primarily concerned about exceeding the GVWR of the truck and getting an overweight fine or an out of service as a result as I want to be able to travel highways which means stopping at weigh stations. My understanding is payload is GVWR minus the wet weight of the truck and excludes passengers. A fully loaded 14k gooseneck with 15% on the hitch is going to be putting 2100 lbs on the truck. With myself in the truck I know the rear axle weight would fine but I have a feeling I would exceed the GVWR due do being over payload. Do I have this right?

Something that I don't really get is why the recommended hitch weight on a gooseneck is 15-20% and only 10% on a bumper pull. With only 10% on the hitch of a gooseneck you are still spreading the weight onto the tow vehicle better than the same 10% being carried behind the rear axle. I get it is helpful to put more weight on the tow vehicle with a gooseneck if you can but it seems like a gooseneck should still tow ok with only 10% on the hitch. Maybe not enough weight is being put on the drive axle?

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I am primarily concerned about exceeding the GVWR of the truck and getting an overweight fine or an out of service as a result as I want to be able to travel highways which means stopping at weigh stations. My understanding is payload is GVWR minus the wet weight of the truck and excludes passengers. A fully loaded 14k gooseneck with 15% on the hitch is going to be putting 2100 lbs on the truck. With myself in the truck I know the rear axle weight would fine but I have a feeling I would exceed the GVWR due do being over payload. Do I have this right?

Something that I don't really get is why the recommended hitch weight on a gooseneck is 15-20% and only 10% on a bumper pull. With only 10% on the hitch of a gooseneck you are still spreading the weight onto the tow vehicle better than the same 10% being carried behind the rear axle. I get it is helpful to put more weight on the tow vehicle with a gooseneck if you can but it seems like a gooseneck should still tow ok with only 10% on the hitch. Maybe not enough weight is being put on the drive axle?

At weigh stations i have only ever had them check my tire weight ratings never my axle or payload ratings aslong as the truck is not acting like a dog dragging its arse you are fine… if its a cargo trailer or flat deck you can usually play with the balance to make the truck take less weight… i would take a tri axle GN (or 5th wheel) than a bumper pull any day I have had a combined 20k with this trailer no issues, trailer has 3x7k axles which helps distribute the weight nicely

 

[darrellr]

The tow police will get all over you for payload numbers, but not a single one of them seem to care that it would be drastically safer to be over payload on the axle than slightly under behind it.

These trucks are derated for registration, nothing more. People will claim it's the coils, but the coils can support well over the GVWR of the truck, and the GAWRs account for the suspension front and rear. Look at your door jam and you'll see 6k (or just under) for the rear axle. Stay under that number and you'll be 100% fine. DOT doesn't even care if you're over payload, there hasn't been a single case of insurance issue for being over payload, that I've ever seen, where being over payload and getting into an accident was the only thing (there is always counts of excessive speeding, reckless driving, cutting people off, etc.).

Personally, I'd much rather be towing a 14k 5er that puts you over payload (but under GAWRs) than a 16k TT that has you at/under payload.

Of course, as the posts following this comment indicate, you are not considering commercial / DOT drivers. They have a different set of rules.

 

[Bombaman]

@1032screw I guess the question is, are you asking as;

Looking to do non-CDL Hotshot
Private Not-For-Hire just towing a trailer
Avoiding getting an Exempt CDL or equivilent

Depending on the above, depends on how strigent you could/should be. Over GVWR is over GVWR, and its then is it Warranty, Insurance or DOT your battling. But if your Not-For-Hire/Private the chances of getting pulled by DOT are a lot lower than a Hotshot (CDL or Non-CDL). If your only a 1-2 thousand pounds over, the fine is pretty small, but randoms on the internet arent going to pay that for you if you get pinged.

The Truck is capable of more than its GVWR, but its a registration/class reason for why its rated as such. For private haulers there are plenty of "Send It" crew, and just as many that will ge a trailer and de-rate it to remain all good on the books.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

@1032screw I guess the question is, are you asking as;

Looking to do non-CDL Hotshot
Private Not-For-Hire just towing a trailer
Avoiding getting an Exempt CDL or equivilent

Depending on the above, depends on how strigent you could/should be. Over GVWR is over GVWR, and its then is it Warranty, Insurance or DOT your battling. But if your Not-For-Hire/Private the chances of getting pulled by DOT are a lot lower than a Hotshot (CDL or Non-CDL). If your only a 1-2 thousand pounds over, the fine is pretty small, but randoms on the internet arent going to pay that for you if you get pinged.

The Truck is capable of more than its GVWR, but its a registration/class reason for why its rated as such. For private haulers there are plenty of "Send It" crew, and just as many that will ge a trailer and de-rate it to remain all good on the books.

Register it for the weight you are hauling if you are really worried but it wont affect insurance or warranty (dealer cant prove anything) being over GVWR

 

[Bombaman]

Register it for the weight you are hauling if you are really worried but it wont affect insurance or warranty (dealer cant prove anything) being over GVWR

You have seen Ford has put weight sensors in fhe F150's now right? Don't tell me that they wont use that data to deny a bent axle warranty claim.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

You have seen Ford has put weight sensors in fhe F150's now right? Don't tell me that they wont use that data to deny a bent axle warranty claim.

The axle is rated for 10,900lbs from AAM it was even used in the older duallys it will be fine

 

[UglyViking]

You have seen Ford has put weight sensors in fhe F150's now right? Don't tell me that they wont use that data to deny a bent axle warranty claim.

If you're able to bend an axle simply from towing, you deserve a medal. As @H3LZSN1P3R mentioned, their rating from AAM is far greater than what Ram rates them for. The GAWRs include the suspension rating.

 

[gimmie11s]

16k lbs in a bumper pull config with a coil spring truck is a huge absolutely not on my end. Not with any regularity at least.

Been there, done that.

 

[Firebird]

16k lbs in a bumper pull config with a coil spring truck is a huge absolutely not on my end. Not with any regularity at least.

Been there, done that.

Yeah, I woul

16k lbs in a bumper pull config with a coil spring truck is a huge absolutely not on my end. Not with any regularity at least.

Been there, done that.

Yeah, I wouldn’t care to pull that either, but many folks do. I prefer having more truck than I need instead of just enough