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Increase payload

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Desperado

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Is there anything out there that might help increase the payload capacity on my 2020 tradesman 2500. A lot of the 5th wheels Ive been looking at are about 1500lb too heavy. Or do i just need to be happy with a lighter model. I certainly want to be safe
 
You can't do much to legally raise the payload.
I was in the same situation, I ended up trading in my 3500 srw and ordered a dually, im amazed on how much more settled the truck is while towing
 

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1500lbs is a lot. If you really want to understand what your truck is capable of check the weight ratings of each axel. 2500's have an artificially deflated GVWR of 10k even tho most often the individual axel ratings are higher than that when combined.

That said youre probably still over what your truck is comfortably capable of and you should look at a 3500.

If a new truck is out of the question airbags can help prevent squat and stabilize the load but that doesnt increase your payload necessarily.
 
Thank guys. I thought as much but wanted a second opinion. Im super happy with the truck, and dont mind staying within its peramiters20220325_175814.jpg
 
Desperado said:
Thank guys. I thought as much but wanted a second opinion. Im super happy with the truck, and dont mind staying within its peramitersView attachment 41033
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Stay under the rear axle gawr and it will handle it fine, the 10k gvwr is mostly a registration thing, I don't know why Ram still limits the 3/4 ton trucks like that, Ford and gm have higher gvwr options for their 3/4 tons. Put bags on it to level and don't worry too much about going over the payload a little bit
 
Your good for 12k gvrw so that payload you have on the door add 2k lbs and thats the legal limit of the truck
 
TinGoatTravelers said:
How does that work? I thought the GVWR for the 2500 was 10k not 12k…am I mistaken?
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No they put that for registation reasons the actual weight capacity is the combined axle weights which is typically 6040 front and 6000 rear. If you get pulled over and hit with the scales thats what they check
 
Yeah totally agree, that 10k rating thing is just about registration and driver's license requirements, nothing to do wtih safety and the truck's actual capability. It's purposely "derated."

I don't know where you live but I can tell you when it comes to weight ratings, Kansas Highway Patrol only looks at the total of the tow vehicle GVW and the trailer GVW. Given the GVW's of most 5th wheels, you would have to load things pretty heavy to go past the total of those 2 ratings even with a 2500. Guys towing campers don't get weighed but IF they did, the officer will be looking at your tire weight ratings, right off the sidewall of the tire. They will write a guy a ticket for "unlawful/unsafe tire", meaning a tire is overloaded. The tire ratings get you more in the neighborhood of that 12k number that has been mentioned, depending on your tires. That's why many times when you ask for loading advice, guys will tell you to just worry about staying within your tire weight ratings. This is fairly universal nationwide although there are a handful of states that I would never speak for. Call your own state police and see what they say.
 
Blythkd1 said:
Yeah totally agree, that 10k rating thing is just about registration and driver's license requirements, nothing to do wtih safety and the truck's actual capability. It's purposely "derated."

I don't know where you live but I can tell you when it comes to weight ratings, Kansas Highway Patrol only looks at the total of the tow vehicle GVW and the trailer GVW. Given the GVW's of most 5th wheels, you would have to load things pretty heavy to go past the total of those 2 ratings even with a 2500. Guys towing campers don't get weighed but IF they did, the officer will be looking at your tire weight ratings, right off the sidewall of the tire. They will write a guy a ticket for "unlawful/unsafe tire", meaning a tire is overloaded. The tire ratings get you more in the neighborhood of that 12k number that has been mentioned, depending on your tires. That's why many times when you ask for loading advice, guys will tell you to just worry about staying within your tire weight ratings. This is fairly universal nationwide although there are a handful of states that I would never speak for. Call your own state police and see what they say.
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Well put the tires really are the limiting factor across most of the HD lineup, and considering the 3500 SO cummins and gasser has the same rear axle and brakes and basic frame setup It would lead me to believe the springs are the only difference in the listed axle ratings 3500s are 7k where the 2500 is 6k… AAM actually rates the 11.5 axle at 11k but thats not outfitted with brakes at that point
 
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H3LZSN1P3R said:
No they put that for registation reasons the actual weight capacity is the combined axle weights which is typically 6040 front and 6000 rear. If you get pulled over and hit with the scales thats what they check
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Thanks for your explanation.
 
Desperado said:
Is there anything out there that might help increase the payload capacity on my 2020 tradesman 2500. A lot of the 5th wheels Ive been looking at are about 1500lb too heavy. Or do i just need to be happy with a lighter model. I certainly want to be safe
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From everything I have read and you can do a build sheet and compare the 2500 and 3500 ,springs are about it . Have a spring shop put overload springs on or install air springs and you essentially have a one ton SRW . I have yet to find any other mechanical difference . Drive train , brakes are the same on a on a one ton standard output . Have a friend with a 2013 with air bags been towing 13 k since 14, cross country and everywhere you can imagine never an issue .
 
Well it sounds like I asked the right question in the right place. All this can get a bit confusing, But now I feel a lot more confident about the 5th wheels we are looking at. Thanks again guys. Looking forward to learning a lot more.
 
Desperado said:
Well it sounds like I asked the right question in the right place. All this can get a bit confusing, But now I feel a lot more confident about the 5th wheels we are looking at. Thanks again guys. Looking forward to learning a lot more.
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I would not be comfortable towing a fifth wheel with a 3500# pin weight without DRW. An 1-ton SRW could probably do it, but after having the stability of a DRW, that is the only way for me. I would not do this with a 3/4 ton.
 
darrellr said:
I would not be comfortable towing a fifth wheel with a 3500# pin weight without DRW. An 1-ton SRW could probably do it, but after having the stability of a DRW, that is the only way for me. I would not do this with a 3/4 ton.
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Hadnt planned on it....... Thanks
 
Desperado said:
Is there anything out there that might help increase the payload capacity on my 2020 tradesman 2500. A lot of the 5th wheels Ive been looking at are about 1500lb too heavy. Or do i just need to be happy with a lighter model. I certainly want to be safe
Click to expand...
the internals on a 2500 rear differential are the same as 3500 srw , the only that changes is coil springs and the leaf springs , i have put 3200 pounds of gravel in my 21 ram 2500 hemi and i still have about 2 inches before the bump stops hit as long as your tire have a load rating of 125 you would be good till 7000k on the rear i was at 6870lbs on rear axle on a 2500 and is only rated to 6000k because it has 17 inch wheels , got me some ram 20 inch wheels and each tire can hold 3640lbs at 80 psi , the 3500 rear axle on a single rear wheel is rated to 7000k , i have also seen another ram 2500 with 18 inch wheels and the rear axle is rated 6390 because of the tire load rating
 
dairyman316 said:
the internals on a 2500 rear differential are the same as 3500 srw , the only that changes is coil springs and the leaf springs , i have put 3200 pounds of gravel in my 21 ram 2500 hemi and i still have about 2 inches before the bump stops hit as long as your tire have a load rating of 125 you would be good till 7000k on the rear i was at 6870lbs on rear axle on a 2500 and is only rated to 6000k because it has 17 inch wheels , got me some ram 20 inch wheels and each tire can hold 3640lbs at 80 psi , the 3500 rear axle on a single rear wheel is rated to 7000k , i have also seen another ram 2500 with 18 inch wheels and the rear axle is rated 6390 because of the tire load rating
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you should get some timbren rear bump stops so your truck wont sag at rear they are rated to 8600 lbs , if you add both axle weight ratings you should be good till 11500lbs gvwr
 
darrellr said:
I would not be comfortable towing a fifth wheel with a 3500# pin weight without DRW. An 1-ton SRW could probably do it, but after having the stability of a DRW, that is the only way for me. I would not do this with a 3/4 ton.
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Yeah and hopefully you don’t have a blowout at 70 miles an hour with SRW and a 3500 pound tongue weight.
 
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