2008 5500 front axle capacity

[frank1]

I'am presently looking at a used 2008 5500 w/ an automatic transmission. The truck is located in Salem Ohio on a dealers lot, I'am very intrested in the truck. The truck has four wheel drive and comes with a 12' dumping grain body. I'am planning to use the truck for my landscaping business, for both hauling and plowing. The question I have is that the dealer faxed me the "build sheet" on the truck and one of the options the truck comes with is a 10,827 pound front axle code # DJPS, but according to the dealer the stamp on the drivers door shows a 7000 lb. front axle. I questioned the dealer about this discrepence and he tells me what the build sheet says is what actually the truck comes with. The truck was built in december of 2007 has a 120" cab to axle with a power take off. I'am located in New Jersey and it's about a five hour trip to Salem Ohio for me. I have only seen pictures of the truck on the dealers web site, any help anyone can offer regarding this front axle issue or any other issues I should be aware of regarding this modle year I'd appraciate any help --- Frank

 

[HBarlow]

Frank,

The way I interpret this apparent discrepancy is both details are correct. The truck was ordered with the 10k# front axle which probably includes heavy springs as the build sheet shows but with standard 19. 5" wheels/tires which iimit front axle GVWR to 7,000 lbs. The tires are the only tires available from Dodge on this truck.

When the 4500s/5500s first began showing up on dealers lots a couple years ago I looked at a lot of them and viewed dealer inventories online. In my opinion a lot of dealer sales managers or "fleet managers" are essentially clueless about ordering heavy duty pickups or light/medium duty trucks. They see options like "heavy duty" and think "wow, this must be a good option to order. " They have no understanding of the need or driveability effect of some of the things they order and will never drive one. A good salesman can sell anything on their lot. Buyer beware!

IMO this truck would be a nightmare to drive daily on the streets and highways and that is probably the reason it ended up back on a dealer's lot.

Have you driven a Ram 5500? I pull a medium heavy fifth wheel and wanted a Ram 4500 when they were introduced. I drove several of them and simply couldn't accept the awful ride quality as a daily driver. I'd like to have the greater capacities but would end up leaving it parked and buying something else to drive daily.

If the truck is priced right and you want/need it you could probably have a good front end shop replace the front coil springs with the standard duty springs from MOPAR parts or some other softer spring a good shop may know how to select and order. You could even require the selling dealer to order and install a set of standard springs as part of the deal but be careful if you do to ensure the springs were actually changed.

 

[frank1]

Thanks,for your help. I'am planning on putting a 9'6" BOSS " V" PLOW on the truck. Also the truck would be used for my landscaping business, the primary need would be hauling 10-12 yards of mulch per load up to 7- 8 loads a day. Most of my business is local and I typically only put on 4-6000 miles per year on my lanscape trucks ( I presently own a 1990 F350 diesel with only 89,000 miles on it! This is the truck I would lie to replace w/ the 2008 5500 4x4 ). As it stands today I'am at $37,500 for the used 5500 w/3750 miles on it, 12' dumping grain body, tool chests, pintle plate and SLT package. I' ve priced new 2008 5500 between $ 38,000 - $ 42,000 for just the chassis, I would still need to have installed a 12' dumping grain body, which can go any from 11,000 - 15,000 dollars. With the things going on at Dodge -- this dealer is willing to "move" this truck. Thanks again - Frank

 

[DCasteel]

frank buddy it is alot farther than 5 hours from nj to ohio unless u drive 100mph. . i bought a 2008 4500 sterling nice truck rides ruff, considering kelderman air ride. with weight on your 5500 it will ride better,and long wheelbase. i have short wwheelbase and 6-speed manual 4. 10 gears. good luck dave

 

[FFeiller]

i use a 5500 as a daily driver in my construction business, without a bed. it is rough, but i needed the towing & hauling ability. i have the extra heavy duty front springs. i have about 9700 miles on my '08. no problems, it does it's job very well.

 

[FFeiller]

regardless of what the front end is rated at, you are still limited by the mfg's specifications for GVWR and GCVR is 26k. good luck with the 5hrs at 100mph, the bummer to the C&C's is a governed 76mph. after your vertibre and kidneys go through the 5-6 hr ride empty you can handle anything. lol



buy it you'll love it. good luck.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Tire pressures and loads

I had same thoughts as Mr. Barlow. I tow a heavy 5er. After driving several 4500s and 5500s I realized that they would beat a 5er to death. BUT for construction/plowing the 4500/5500 would be a good choice. My wife and I decided to go the route of beefing up our 3500. We added 5500 emblems which made the ride much better. We added 988 HD front springs and 245x19. 5s x12 ply. The wheels I added are rated at 4k per wheel which is more than factory 5500 wheels. We just got back off 3000 mile RV trip. We pumped the tires to max=90psi and took off. It did not help my fuel mileage and tires were very rough. One I got to WI. I toned down the tires to 60#s in front and 55#s on the rear. What a difference in the ride. Still handled very well. That is my new permanent tire pressures.

 

[HBarlow]

Well, Frank, did you buy the truck? We'd like to hear your feedback. Many of us who pull heavy trailers secretly envy and covet the greater capacities and abilities of the 4500/5500 trucks but didn't have the courage to buy one and settled for 3500s instead. We'd like to hear your opinion if you bought it.

 

[FFeiller]

i contacted Chris Borczon, chassis engineer for the C & C's about the front axle as listed as standard equipment on the equipment sheet that came with my truck.



it also says 10. 827 front axle, I took it to mean pounds and it actually is the size of the front differential, 10. 827 inches. the front axle is only rated at 7000 lbs. the way it was listed was not clear as to the meaning and the fact that the axle rating of the rear axle follows at 13,500lbs caused the confusion.



also Chris said they are going full steam ahead on the C & C's and the 3500 pickup trying to fill some of the void that will be left by GM.

 

[HBarlow]

Good job FFeiler, of clearing up a misunderstanding. I accepted the OP's statement at face value. Now that I stop to think about it, a 10,827# front axle makes no sense at all because the only tires that can even approach (but not meet) that capacity would be a pair of 22. 5" wheels and tires from an OTR truck. I think even the standard size 22. 5"s are only rated at 5,000 lbs.

Another case of a salesman or fleet manager showing his complete lack of understanding of the products he sells.

 

[frank1]

Harvey- holding off on the 5500 for now --- looking at an international w/ DT466, Allison automatic, 26,000 Gvw. I think for what I WOULD BE USING THE TRUCK TO HAUL, a 19,500 GVW would be on the "light side". I'll keep you posted- Frank

 

[JCarlisle]

The 5500 will be nice for a plow truck and would haul the loads you want to haul nicely. I would get it in a heart beat.

The problem with putting heavier springs and tires on the 3500 is that the truck is only rated at 12000GVW that is it. DOT and lawers don't care what modifications have been done if you get in a wreck or in your case just get weighed by a DOT enforcement guy.

 

[HBarlow]

That's not really true for two reasons.

First, the GVWR of a Ram 5500 is actually 19,500#, 14,500# for a 4500, and 12,500# for the 3500.

Second, DOT will look at GVWR if they want to add up your max weight or max weight capability when determining if a CDL is required ie over 26,000 pounds but to determine if a vehicle is overloaded they will ultimately look at tire capacity if larger tires are installed.

DOT LEO use various information and in different ways depending on which detail of the law they are considering.

The bottom line is that DOT usually ignores the manufacturer's ratings and looks at hard facts like weight carrying capacity molded into a tire's carcass.

Some worry about the manufacturer's gross combined weight figures or the manufacturer's towing rating but DOT has no interest whatsoever in those numbers.

 

[FFeiller]

the California highway patrol weigh station that i had the opportunity to visit with (nothing i did was wrong, just asking questions) and also had a conversation with a CHP that drives one of those portable weigh stations around (loves recycle yards and waste disposal sites) both told me the first thing they check is the capacity of the tires. if they still feel that the vehicle may be overloaded they will check the capacity stickers of the vehicle and the trailer. but usually just the tires as you said Harvey.



if they do check the mfg stickers and it is overloaded they will have you park the vehicle and offload the excess. that is after they write you a citation. my understanding it is a dollar a pound for each pound over GCVWR. which is what NM DOT also charges.



the 5500 quad cab 4x4 is rated at 18,750, wish it were 19,500 i could use a little cushion!

 

[HBarlow]

I thought all 5500s had a GVWR of 19,500. Do you know why they differ?

 

[Bhale]

My 4500 is rated for 16,000 lbs, not 14,500

Brian

 

[HBarlow]

I guess I had it all wrong.

 

[Bhale]

Did it change from year to year?

Brian

 

[HBarlow]

I went to the Dodge website and looked up the cab and chassis weight ratings. Here's what the website specs show.

GVWR:

3500 12,500 lbs.
4500 16,500 lbs. (not 14,500 as I was thinking I remembered)
5500 19,500 lbs.

I don't know why a particular 4500 or 5500 would have a GVWR slightly below the standard rating of the chassis. Are you guys certain about the GVWR of your trucks?

 

[FFeiller]

no Harvey i don't. look up the dodge builder's site. the 4500's have two different weight classes. i ask Chris B. (dodge C&C chassis engineer) why and i got lost in the explanation. I didn't want to ask him to repeat it a little slower, cause i figured i wouldn't have understood it any better then either.

Rich (FFeiller)