Hello all. Just joined this forum today. I purchased a 2024 Ram 2500 Reg Cab Tradesman today with the 6.4 hemi but haven’t taken delivery; that happens tomorrow. I am so confused about the payload ratings. I bought this truck to add a slide in camper eventually. When I search around on the internet I find multiple sources of information saying this truck should have a payload rating of 4000 pounds. Looking on the dealer website under details on this particular vehicle it reads 3680 lbs. I looked in the glove box today and there was a notice just laying in there with the VIN number on it and it says 3080 pounds and specifically addresses how to load a camper and where the weight should be distributed. So from what I was expecting I’m now down 920 lbs. I’m hoping someone can shed some light on this.
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Payload rating of 2500 6.4 hemi
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What you’re seeing on the internet is the max payload for that truck without any options.
Is the truck a 4x4? Or 2x4?
The trucks real payload is posted on the drivers door.
That being said the real limits are axle ratings, so there may be more capacity than you think. Also, the 2500 is not a great platform for slide-in campers due to the design of the coil spring suspension and the inboard mounted coils. You can do things to improve the handling, but a leaf sprung 3500 is a better option.
Is the truck a 4x4? Or 2x4?
The trucks real payload is posted on the drivers door.
That being said the real limits are axle ratings, so there may be more capacity than you think. Also, the 2500 is not a great platform for slide-in campers due to the design of the coil spring suspension and the inboard mounted coils. You can do things to improve the handling, but a leaf sprung 3500 is a better option.
Thanks. It’s a pretty basic truck other than a chrome package, 8.4 radio and it’s a 4x4.
dieselscout80
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3080 pounds for a regular cab 2500 with the 6.4 seems low.
My Bighorn 2020 Ram 2500 crew cab short bed with ram box has 2822lbs.
In reality it’s less due to stuff in the truck as it scales 7420lbs which subtracted from 10,000 pound leaves 2,580 of payload.
That said having owned a slide in camper in the past I would always want a 3500 series truck especially with the coil/air spring Ram factory 2500 suspension.
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The payload for a RCLB 4x4 is advertised at 3690. The 4K version is a 4x2.
The slide-in sheet in the glove box also has a different weight than payload on it. It’s lower than payload and is cargo only, so no passengers/fuel/etc. The one for my CCLB is about 1K lower than payload.
The chrome package will add some weight with the larger wheels/tires. You’ll want the 18’s for the slide-in camper.
You really should reconsider a 3500 thou, it will work better with a slide-in and doesn’t appear to cost any more than the same truck in a 2500.
Thanks. I’m pretty sure the weight of the wheels and tires aren’t an issue since they are unsprung weight. I’ve checked it out and the door sticker says 3569 lbs payload with the trucks equipment. 3500 would be overkill for me I’m pretty sure and the ride unloaded would be unbearable., it’s quite stiff already on the 2500. Close to 3600 is plenty with 2 people, gear, and the camper I’m planning on using. I don’t want to bump up against the limit, prefer leaving a margin there. I just brought it home. Picture of it in my driveway.
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Wanderlust073
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Would be interested in seeing what you think about it once you have the camper inside and have gone out on a few trips. I bought my 2500 for the exact same reason, but ended up not going with the camper because of the sway issues with the back end mentioned above. I love the truck and I get a hell of a lot of use out of it for other things, but if/when I ever do pull the trigger on the sliding camper thing I will definitely get something with leaf springs.
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Good looking truck, hope it serves you well.
Look into upgrading the rear anti-sway bar, adding airbags, and an upgraded trac bar before you get the camper.
A 3500 is not overkill for a slide-in camper, it’s the proper tool for the job. My 3500 auto-level rides better empty and loaded than the 2500’s I’ve ridden in.
The campers I’m looking at are between 1700 and 2000 lbs, that’s going to give me plenty extra to play with even with water, gear, and 1 or 2 people. This isn’t a fancy truck, it’s a work truck that’s basic. Not much added on so I could keep the maximum available payload. No 4000 lb campers for me. I’m a minimalist. I bought the Ram because of the HUGE discount I got. Leaves me to add whatever I need to make sure it can handle what I’m throwing at it. Believe me, I drove a 3500 regular cab and the ride was so harsh. This is also my daily driver.
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Most trucks on the dealers lot, if not all, have severely overinflated tires and that really makes them ride horrible. I’ve seen as high as 90 psi and 35 is all that’s needed for an empty truck in the rear.
Since it’s your DD definitely look into adjusting the TPMS threshold and running lower pressure. You could probably run 40/35 empty.
Yeah, I did that on my 3/4 ton 2019 Chevy. These are at 65 rear and 50 front, just as it recommends on the door jam. If I remember correctly, it was more based on the difference between the front and the rear on the GM. If at lower pressures, if the difference between the fronts and the rears were of the same percentage then it wouldn’t trigger the TPMS, to a certain level of deflation. I think 40 on the fronts was the minimum.
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The front and rear tires on Ram have independent pressure sensors, so you’ll have to adjust them for running proper pressure when empty.
The door sticker is telling you max load pressures, not everyday pressures. Unfortunately lawyers have made it so the TPMS settings on the 2500 are for max load, and taken away the light load settings that used to be there.
The door sticker is telling you max load pressures, not everyday pressures. Unfortunately lawyers have made it so the TPMS settings on the 2500 are for max load, and taken away the light load settings that used to be there.
I run my tires around 45-50 psi and just learned to ignore the idiot light in the EVIC. No way I'm running 65-70 PSI unloaded. My back is already in bad shape. lol
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Ignoring the warning does work, but resetting it is better and easy.
How does one reset it?
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With AlfaOBD (Android) or JScan (iPhone), OBDII reader, and a security bypass cable.
Do you think adding a sway bar would be enough compensation? How heavy was the camper? I just checked mine. It has a sway bar.
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All 2500’s have an anti-sway bar, but you’ll want a thicker one for the higher CG of a slide-in.
You’ll also want airbags for added stability. If you crawl under the truck you’ll see how far inboard the springs are mounted. Aftermarket airbags go outboard of the coil springs, so they add stability as well as load carrying capability.
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