2003 3500 Payload Capacity?

[ACerf]

I have been trying to find out what the "payload capacity" is on my 03' 3500, SO, LWB, SRW, 48RE truck is! I have looked at many resources, but they that just give me min-to-max payload weights for all 3500 trucks. I was thinking it was about 3,350? For some reason that stuck in my head from when I purchased the truck.

 

[REckard]

Are asking because you are just curious what the manufacturer printed or do you really want to know what it will haul?



The two are quite different. I have have a 2500 and can tell you that 3500lbs is about the max for a long haul with out any mods(airbags).



I have hauled 4500lbs for short distances.



My only advice for hauling heavy is max out the tire pressure.

 

[AH64ID]

Are asking because you are just curious what the manufacturer printed or do you really want to know what it will haul?



The two are quite different. I have have a 2500 and can tell you that 3500lbs is about the max for a long haul with out any mods(airbags).



I have hauled 4500lbs for short distances.



My only advice for hauling heavy is max out the tire pressure.

Exactly, legal and capable are very different. Legal should be about 2700lbs. Capable is what your tires can hold. Stock tires have dictate the RAWR to 6390lbs. The rear of a QCLB weighs about 2700lbs, so that puts you at about 3700lbs of payload.

 

[ACerf]

I have been looking at Truck Campers. I noticed at one website called out different capacities depending on wheather it was short bed or long, SRW or Duelly, std cab or quad. But 3,500lbs sounds about right. I remember when I bought my fiver, that I wanted the 3500 because the weight on the fifth-wheel hitch weight was going to be about 2,600lbs (loaded) and the 2500 was pretty close to 2,700. To close for comfort.

2,700 for a 3500 sounds a little on the light side to me. When you say legal I would think that would be the weight the manufacture indicates as the "Payload Capacity" as the legal rate, with the right tire rating of course. Which is as AH64ID 6390lbs.

 

[rbattelle]

You should have a 9900 lb GVW rating on that truck. Check the sticker inside the driver side door panel to verify.

Then simply weigh the truck full of fuel and equipment. Subtract the weight from 9900 and there's your payload capacity.

For example, my truck with a nearly-full tank and me sitting in it weighs in at ~7300 lb. This gives me a payload capacity of 2600 lb.

That's legal payload capacity, not the maximum you can haul without damaging anything. The rear axle weight rating is 6150 lb. My truck's weight distribution is ~4700 lb front, ~2600 lb rear. Theoretically, then, I could put ~3550 lb in the bed without damaging the rear axle. (That's a simplification, but it's in the ballpark).

Ryan

 

[ACerf]

You should have a 9900 lb GVW rating on that truck. Check the sticker inside the driver side door panel to verify.



Then simply weigh the truck full of fuel and equipment. Subtract the weight from 9900 and there's your payload capacity.



For example, my truck with a nearly-full tank and me sitting in it weighs in at ~7300 lb. This gives me a payload capacity of 2600 lb.



That's legal payload capacity, not the maximum you can haul without damaging anything. The rear axle weight rating is 6150 lb. My truck's weight distribution is ~4700 lb front, ~2600 lb rear. Theoretically, then, I could put ~3550 lb in the bed without damaging the rear axle. (That's a simplification, but it's in the ballpark).



Ryan

I knew about the 9900lbs. And as I remembert the 4x4 was a little less on the total capacity?

 

[rbattelle]

I knew about the 9900lbs. And as I remembert the 4x4 was a little less on the total capacity?

No, the weight rating is still 9900 lb. But since the 4x4 weighs more, it has lower payload capacity.



Ryan

 

[macdaddy]

I knew about the 9900lbs. And as I remembert the 4x4 was a little less on the total capacity?

Unless your planning on a camper the size of a camper shell I wouldnt think about a slide in camper.



I went trough this years ago and realized any camper you by even an 8 footer will over load a SRW truck, once you have all your gear in. I cant believe all the overloaded SRW trucks i see on the road.



It's a law that should have stricter enforcement.



I was going to buy a Lance 880 back in the 1995 and put it on a 2500 GMC with 8600 gvwr. I would have overloaded the truck by over 1550 pounds, and thats with out any people in it.



No more SRW trucks for me.



I sure see alot of the new Sterling/Dodge MD rigs with huge Slide ins, NICE. If I had to do it id launch the Light Duty for a md.



Mac

 

[ACerf]

Unless your planning on a camper the size of a camper shell I wouldnt think about a slide in camper.



I went trough this years ago and realized any camper you by even an 8 footer will over load a SRW truck, once you have all your gear in. I cant believe all the overloaded SRW trucks i see on the road.



It's a law that should have stricter enforcement.



I was going to buy a Lance 880 back in the 1995 and put it on a 2500 GMC with 8600 gvwr. I would have overloaded the truck by over 1550 pounds, and thats with out any people in it.



No more SRW trucks for me.



I sure see alot of the new Sterling/Dodge MD rigs with huge Slide ins, NICE. If I had to do it id launch the Light Duty for a md.



Mac

What you have said has crossed my mind. But I don't want to buy a DRW just for a camper. I still want to be able to put the truck in the garage, and I don't like my wife driving the DRW. You have to admit that you really can't compare that 1995 GMC to the newer trucks. If it were a Ford or a Chevy I would be more concerned. I have seen those trucks dragging there butt, not so much the Dodge. I think the key is getting a camper that fits with the truck. That is why I was trying to get info on the "Payload Cap". Before I would buy a camper, I would have them set it in the bed of my truck. I am sure I will need some Air Lift bags to help with the weight. But that is not uncommon.

 

[macdaddy]

Acerf



If it were up to fit, you could almost put any camper on your truck. That being said if you go by the weight of the camper and the mfg maximum GVWR of your 35 honey. You will no doubt exceed 9900 pounds. Now thats cool if you want to do that by adding air bags, springs etc. I just wasnt comfortable with it. You still have to stop the dam thing.



Start adding up all the things that will go in the camper. Then add the weight of all persons plus their gear that will be riding in it and you will soon see why you will be overloaded.



Mac