Increased GCWR on it's way ?

[rrl989]

I need more GVWR !

 

[HBarlow]

I need more GVWR !

You can increase your carrying capacity with additional rear spring leaves, air bags, helper springs, or other aftermarket add-ons but you can't change the legal GVWR because the manufacturer established it and certified the truck for that limit.

You're stuck with 10,500 lbs.

 

[rrl989]

You can increase your carrying capacity with additional rear spring leaves, air bags, helper springs, or other aftermarket add-ons but you can't change the legal GVWR because the manufacturer established it and certified the truck for that limit.



You're stuck with 10,500 lbs.

My 98 is 11,000 lbs, but the 2011 3500 DRW Rams still only max 12,200, while the competition is 13,000. No add-ons needed for me, but todays truck campers are heavy and Dodge needs to step up the GVWR for a larger margin of safety for heavy hauling. I hope they do for 2012.

#ad

 

[HBarlow]

Yeah, I forgot. My '01 was a 2wd with 10,500 GVWR. Yours is a 4wd with 11,000.

Dodge offers a Ram 4500 w/16,500 GVWR and a Ram 5500 w/19,500 lbs GVWR. How much camper do you want to haul?

 

[rrl989]

TC shown above, should look good on a new Ram 3500. If I ever need a 4500as a daily driver, I'd give up and buy a TT. Todays TC's wet and ready to camp are approaching 5000 lbs. Mine is 4000 lbs dry/empty. Throw in a family of 4 and even the 2011 3500's are at their limits. Just saying an OEM GVWR increase is needed, and should to keep up or pass the competition. IMO, Dodge lead the pack in back in 1998, that's why I bought my first Dodge... . Time for another.

 

[AH64ID]

Yeah, I forgot. My '01 was a 2wd with 10,500 GVWR. Yours is a 4wd with 11,000.



Dodge offers a Ram 4500 w/16,500 GVWR and a Ram 5500 w/19,500 lbs GVWR. How much camper do you want to haul?

Does your C&C have the same GVWR as a pickup?



Also does it have that stupid 76(?) mph limiter? I think thats just wrong to limit the top speed to the speed limit (actually lower than the speed limit in some places). I personally don't speed on a regular basis, but sometimes you need to accelearte to avoid someone dumb, its often easier and safer than standing on the brakes.

 

[HBarlow]

TC shown above, should look good on a new Ram 3500. If I ever need a 4500as a daily driver, I'd give up and buy a TT. Todays TC's wet and ready to camp are approaching 5000 lbs. Mine is 4000 lbs dry/empty. Throw in a family of 4 and even the 2011 3500's are at their limits. Just saying an OEM GVWR increase is needed, and should to keep up or pass the competition. IMO, Dodge lead the pack in back in 1998, that's why I bought my first Dodge... . Time for another.

I don't see how you can blame Dodge for not offering adequate GVWR or truck camper carrying capacity. It is you who refuses to consider either of the truck models Dodge offers which are rated to carry your camper or any other one offered in the RV industry.

Your position is like stating you are unwilling to consider anything that rides stiffer than a 1/2 ton Ram 1500 and complaining that it can't adequately carry your slide in truck camper.

 

[HBarlow]

Does your C&C have the same GVWR as a pickup?

Also does it have that stupid 76(?) mph limiter? I think thats just wrong to limit the top speed to the speed limit (actually lower than the speed limit in some places). I personally don't speed on a regular basis, but sometimes you need to accelearte to avoid someone dumb, its often easier and safer than standing on the brakes.

The GVWR of my 2wd 3500 cab and chassis is 12,500 lbs. I think that is the same rating as a 3500 pickup but the C&C has entirely different front and rear suspension. C&C trucks don't squat under load like the previous two Ram dually pickups I owned. The pickups are designed for softer ride, the C&C to carry a heavy service body every day of it's service life. The 3500 C&C does ride a bit stiffer than pickups.

Top speed of my C&C is limited to 106 mph. The Ram 4500 and 5500s are speed limited at 76 mph due to the speed rating of the 19. 5" tires.

 

[domehead]

I wonder if Dodge will offer a upgrade path for the 2010 models?

 

[NIsaacs]

Dodge does not offer a pickup style 4500/5500. A large truck mounted camper would look goofy on a flat bed.



Nick

 

[Cosmo]

Dodge does not offer a pickup style 4500/5500. A large truck mounted camper would look goofy on a flat bed.



Nick

So if you're throwing the kind of coin down for a big camper, a 50k truck, what's another couple grand for a pickup bed to put on the truck?

 

[PLefever]

My 011 4500 is speed limited at 88mph, or technically they tried to hit 87 which is the limit of the tires.

Saw an 011 Ford F450 pickup yesterday with a 5 horse dressing room horse trailer (smaller than my 4 horse living quarter) and the truck was squated a good 3 inches and sitting on the overloads. My cab and chassis rides worse than my 08 F450 pickup empty, but MUCH better loaded,

I would own a 4500 with a pickup bed, I think they look great, someone had posted some pics, a guy can buy take off beds for 1500 to 2000 that are perfect, doesn't take that much to put them on straight frame rails,

just thinkin

p

 

[rrl989]

I don't see how you can blame Dodge for not offering adequate GVWR or truck camper carrying capacity. It is you who refuses to consider either of the truck models Dodge offers which are rated to carry your camper or any other one offered in the RV industry.



Your position is like stating you are unwilling to consider anything that rides stiffer than a 1/2 ton Ram 1500 and complaining that it can't adequately carry your slide in truck camper.

The current 2011 Ram 3500 has the lowest payload rating when matched to the new GM or Ford. I have no idea where you are going with your comments about 1/2 tons, C&C's, blame, refuses ?

 

[AH64ID]

The current 2011 Ram 3500 has the lowest payload rating when matched to the new GM or Ford. I have no idea where you are going with your comments about 1/2 tons, C&C's, blame, refuses ?

His point is they offer a truck with the GVWR needed. Its a heavier duty truck, which is really needed for a heavy camper. A 3500 C&C Dodge will do much better than a 3500 Ford or GM, and they all have 13K GVWR's. A C&C 3500 is still a 3500.



Not only is the GVWR the same, but its the only one offering a manual transmission and a manual transfer case.

 

[Jeff Knight]

Heres a link to photos of BHale's setup. The pictures are on page 2. https://www.turbodieselregister.com...ne/208732-first-spy-shots-my-new-truck-2.html

 

[AHolbert]

I agree, Ram has fallen behind in the weight carrying and pulling capacity ratings relative to the competition. That is a simple statement of fact and has nothing to do with what the truck can do. What the truck is RATED for is important to some buyers. It is to me,,,,,,and if the truck is capable of pulling or hauling these weights with no detrimental effects, it seems rather simple to increase the approved weight in order to remain competitive relative to the competition. I suspect and certainly hope we get a significant upgrade in the relevant weight ratings of our beloved Rams. Mid-year upgrades have not been uncommon in the truck.

 

[rrl989]

I agree, Ram has fallen behind in the weight carrying and pulling capacity ratings relative to the competition. That is a simple statement of fact and has nothing to do with what the truck can do. What the truck is RATED for is important to some buyers. It is to me,,,,,,and if the truck is capable of pulling or hauling these weights with no detrimental effects, it seems rather simple to increase the approved weight in order to remain competitive relative to the competition. I suspect and certainly hope we get a significant upgrade in the relevant weight ratings of our beloved Rams. Mid-year upgrades have not been uncommon in the truck.

I feel even a current 2nd gen is more than capable for hauling what it is rated for, as I'm reluctantly doing. I'm sure if I bought a 2011 Ram 3500 pickup in the same configuration that I have now, the difference on the road would be a major improvement !!! But the rating numbers are what they are, who am I to choose otherwise?

All this should go away with the next retrofit that I suspect will come soon enough. I'll bet Dodge is loosing sales, I'm ready to buy now, but I'll wait if I can to see what 2012 brings. I buy my trucks expecting to keep them for many years, what is capable for a 2011 3500 may not be in 2021, I guess I like to plan ahead

 

[CBlack]

Too bad there isn't another one of those "Ask the Engineer" forums any time soon... So many questions and rumors about the next line up.

 

[AHolbert]

rrl989,

I feel even a current 2nd gen is more than capable for hauling what it is rated for, as I'm reluctantly doing. I'm sure if I bought a 2011 Ram 3500 pickup in the same configuration that I have now, the difference on the road would be a major improvement !!! But the rating numbers are what they are, who am I to choose otherwise?

All this should go away with the next retrofit that I suspect will come soon enough. I'll bet Dodge is loosing sales, I'm ready to buy now, but I'll wait if I can to see what 2012 brings. I buy my trucks expecting to keep them for many years, what is capable for a 2011 3500 may not be in 2021, I guess I like to plan ahead

You just made one of the points I've been making on this forum regarding Ram sales. I'm waiting as well, to buy a new truck because of the inadequate weight ratings of the Ram in comparison to the competition. I've got two friends that were too. I say were, because one of 'em bought a Duramax and so far, it's a pretty impressive truck in stock form. I don't want a Duramax or a Ford and I don't want another underrated Ram.



Some folks on this forum mistake "ratings" for capabilities. I've got two Rams right now, a 2500 and a 3500 and I'm well aware of their capabilities (and shortcomings). I am not going to spend $50k or so on a truck that is not RATED to do what I need it to, even though I know it can do what I need it too. Heck, I'm already in that situation and yes, I know I can buy a 4500 or 5500 but there are some drawbacks to doing so. For me, neither the 4500 or 5500 is RATED to tow what I need it too. I don't want a stiffer riding truck, or a speed limited truck, or the added expense and hassle of sorting out a bed for it, etc. etc. Should I go on ?



I'll hold out for now, but there is no doubt in my mind that the Ram is losing sales because of being on the bottom of the weight ratings pile. I do think the Ram is the better of the other trucks but I'm going to stay within the weight ratings of anything I buy.



Hopefully, someone with decision making authority at Ram (or Dodge/Daimler or whatever they call themselves now) is reading these posts and will wake the heck up and respond to the needs of their customers !!!!

 

[rrl989]

We'll wait together then When I bought my 98 3500 for the long term, the biggest, heaviest TC Lance made in 99 was my 1110. It weighed 3200 lbs and my 98 is rated for 4200 lbs !!!. I had a nice buffer w/ the lbs, as Dodge built for what the market needed. Today, my AF would even max out the 2011, so I'm hoping for more room on payload. I guess my heart is with Dodge, hard for me to even think GM or Ford. Payload wise, I'm on my third truck camper with the same Dodge so I'm venting from experience If I had to move up to a 4500 for camping purposes only, I'd have to say good bye to Ram.