2020 3500 DRW ordering for a 5000+lb camper

[Tmartin000]

Guys, I am at your mercy!

I’ve been out of the loop for quite some time and am about to embark on buying the mostest for the mostest! I want this next truck to be the one I’ve been waiting for.

I know many of the options but not sure about gear ratio, auto leveling system, and all things about carrying an extremely heavy camper.

Any suggestions from you all will be greatly appreciated.

 

[lpennock]

5000 dry or fully loaded? Truck camper just to confirm.

 

[Tmartin000]

Loaded

 

[Cummins12V98]

Don’t know about truck Campers but I am well over 10,000# on my four rear tires with my little 5er attached. I have factory rear air. Truck sets nearly level. Slightly high in rear loaded or unloaded in Alt ride mode.
Highly recommend!

 

[AH64ID]

While the load isn’t as heavy, or high, I will run a pair of ATV’s above the bed rails. My auto-level ‘18 is far more stable than my ‘05 with airbags and a hellwig anti-sway bar. That’s also been with the soft OE tires. Personally I’d get the auto-level.

The tallest gear set you can get will be fine for a camper.

 

[Tmartin000]

Funny about the gear ratio.....I justbfigured the 4.10 was better. But that must be the difference with the new transmission vs 48RE I had that sucked!

 

[JPM]

lance has a PU camper forum, there are others as well that could be of help

https://community.lanceowners.org/forum/truck-camper-chatter-1

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/weekly-blog/

 

[lpennock]

Guys, I am at your mercy!

I’ve been out of the loop for quite some time and am about to embark on buying the mostest for the mostest! I want this next truck to be the one I’ve been waiting for.

I know many of the options but not sure about gear ratio, auto leveling system, and all things about carrying an extremely heavy camper.

Any suggestions from you all will be greatly appreciated.

Loaded

5000 loaded requires a dually. Over 4K will put a SRW over GVM and over tire capacity unless you do a tire upgrade; however, you could go to 19.5 tires and wheels and get enough capacity. Depending on the 3500 DRW truck you will be at or slightly over the GVW rating but you will be within GAWR which is really the important number. A truck camper is actually a bit easier to carry than towing a trailer (less rolling resistance on truck camper but depending on trailer the wind resistance could be less with the trailer) so axle ratio isn't that critical; however, Lower gears are bit easier on the transmission when pulling long grades IMO.

My 2018 has the factory air suspension and I like it; however, I found it really needed an after market rear sway bar (I used a RoadMaster but Helwig also works). I felt it had more sway than my 06 which had Torklift Stable loads that brought the overloads in quicker and didn't have a rear sway. With the swaybar I'm very happy with the way it handles and I think it is better than the 06. I can't comment on after market airbags as I went the Stable Loads and Timbern like bump stop replacements (Air Aide Air Cell) on my 06.

My 2018 has 4.10 with the Aisin and the 06 has 3.73 with a G56, this puts the 70mph rpm right at 2100 and makes them effortlessly climb 6% grades at 70mph. I do think the 18 wouldn't have had issues with 3.73, the truck just came with the max tow which has 4.10 gears. It might help mileage a bit with 3.73 of course me not running 75mph would probably help more.

I had a 2003 Eagle Cap 950 which had a dry rating of 3200 and came in pretty close to 4300 loaded. I carried it with the 06 SRW but I ran 295/70R18E129 tires which are rated at 4080 lb each. I was pretty much running 7200-7400 Rear Axle weight and 12.4K GVW when ever I carried the camper (06 rating is 9900 GVW and 6250 GAWR for a 3500 SRW). My current camper is a Northern Lite 10-2 SE Limited which is about 3400 dry but comes in about 4800 fully loaded. This puts my 2018 right at the 14K GVW but rear axle is only 8600 out of a 9750 rating. So with the DRW you could go to almost 6K before you would be over axle rating.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tmartin000]

Not dumb enough to do a SRW...with these weights!

"So with the DRW you could go to almost 6K before you would be over axle rating." This is a bit of a surprise. For some reason I'd hope this was a higher number (axle rating). Now I see why guys goto a Ford F450 (heavier axle rating) with heavy campers.

I'm reading tonite that many have a camper that is about 5600-5800 lbs loaded. That's going to kill the Ram 3500 DRW axle rating....Thats not good!
Thanks on the 3.73...I was hoping one might say that.

The auto leveling issue must be a non-issue now.

I'm not sure that the Ram is going to be the best truck then. Ford is a bit deceptive (which in this case is good) so that their F450 doesn't push a guy into a CDL to drive one. They seem to actually devalue its capacities.

I wonder what Ram does for a heavier axle pickup?

 

[lpennock]

Ram 4500 and Ford F450 are both rated for 16kGVW. Ram 5500 and Ford F550 are both in the 18-19k range. All 4 trucks use a Dana 110 rear axle which gets you up to 13.5 GAWR. None requires a cdl as they are under 26k GVW; however, with a trailer you can get to CDL range. I had a 08 5500 with a truck bed on it. It weighed 9k empty so had 9k of load before going oner any weight ratings.

Ford has a bit of an advantage as they sell the F450 and maybe the F550 with a truck bed installed. Dodge only sells chassis cab models. A 60"CA requires setting the bed back 6" from cab to align with the wheels.

 

[NIsaacs]

The Ford pickup F-450 is rated 14K gvw so they can stay in class 3.

 

[AH64ID]

The Ford pickup F-450 is rated 14K gvw so they can stay in class 3.

Yep, and it’s not the same truck as a F-450 Cab and Chassis, basically it’s the answer to the 3500HD Cummins.

The RAWR is 9900, not not a lot more than the Ram.

The 4x2 F350 actually has a higher RAWR and payload capacity than the F-450 pickup.

IIRC The F-350 and F-450 pickup use the same rear axle.

 

[Cummins12V98]

You can add 6,000# to a RAM DRW and NOT be overloaded on either axle. I am sure it could be heavier as part of the Camper weight goes to the front axle.

Now that 3.42's are not an option stick with 4.10's!!!

 

[gsbrockman]

IIRC The F-350 and F-450 pickup use the same rear axle.

Must be different axle shafts then, as the F450 pickups run 19.5’s with the ten lug setup.

 

[JPM]

You can add 6,000# to a RAM DRW and NOT be overloaded on either axle. I am sure it could be heavier as part of the Camper weight goes to the front axle.

Now that 3.42's are not an option stick with 4.10's!!!

Unless installed on a standard cab truck, the front axle is normally unloaded a little bit with a pu camper

 

[AH64ID]

Must be different axle shafts then, as the F450 pickups run 19.5’s with the ten lug setup.

So I did a little more reading. The F-350 DRW and F-450 both use the M300 axle, but they are not the same M300. The F-450 gets a heavier version, thou I cannot tell if that's both P/U and CC F-450's or just the CC F-450.

F-450 PU has a RAWR of 9,900 and the F-450 CC has a RAWR of 13,660.

 

[AH64ID]

Unless installed on a standard cab truck, the front axle is normally unloaded a little bit with a pu camper

Cab configuration won't have an effect on loading or unloading, only on the amount. If the camper loads the front axle on a standard cab it will load the front axle on a crew cab, just less.

The location of the CG is what has an effect on if the front axle is loaded or unloaded. If the CG is forward of the rear axle it will load the front axle, the distance to the front axle determines how much.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Unless installed on a standard cab truck, the front axle is normally unloaded a little bit with a pu camper

There is no way a full size truck camper unloads the front axle. Simply look how far back my rear axle is on the bed. With the cab overhang weight being placed front of the bed.

Someone with my truck configuration and a FULL size Arctic Fox/Lance chime in on this.

 

[JPM]

mine does by 100lbs,had it weighed , its the rear overhang

 

[JPM]

dually with a much larger camper