3.42 to 4.10

[gsbrockman]

Funny my old truck would tach 1900 rpms at 60.. the new one tachs 1250 at 60// MPG are at 19.5 pure hi way.... up and down hills... nice...

Don't really get what's "funny" about the above......with the NV5600 having only one overdrive, and it at 0.73:1 coupled with a 4.10 axle ratio???? Given the era differences between the trucks.....it's about like comparing apples to grapes.

 

[NDanecker]

Do you guys know those mfg tow weights mean nothing from a legal standpoint and are only there as a 'recommended' weight issued by the manufacturer for warranty and bragging rights? They are not posted on the door jam sticker for a reason and not enforced by any DOT, LEO, police or FMCSA agency. The only weights you need to pay attention to are ratings on the vehicle door jam and trailer DOT sticker (and other equipment ratings like hitch, tires, etc). Ever wonder why many DRW 3500 are towing well beyond their mfg tow ratings and not get flagged by weigh stations?

I find it funny how manufactures keep raising these recommended tow ratings year-to-year with minimal changes to the trucks themselves.

 

[dfb]

Don't really get what's "funny" about the above......with the NV5600 having only one overdrive, and it at 0.73:1 coupled with a 4.10 axle ratio???? Given the era differences between the trucks.....it's about like comparing apples to grapes.

Heres is what is amusing to me.. The Old Truck GVWR 12000... New 12300 (Dually vs SRW)... GCVWR 23000 Old 25500 New... Old truck weight of 8000.. New Short Bed SRW 8900.. Fuel mileage of old 15.75 hi way, New truck 19.5 with only 1800 miles so Far... Old truck with 4:!0 s taching 1900 at 60 and the new 1250 at 60.... Now... the new truck will OUT PULL the old truck with a lower gear ratio vs 342s.. weighs 900 lbs more, ... and it being a SRW 342 truck out pulls the Dually with the 410s and gets way better economy.. Yes it is like apples and oranges.. I don't mean Funny HA HA... I mean Funny as in Peculiar...Basically its the Numbers... 342 out pulls 410 gears, Auto vs stick and the auto gets more mpg etc...

 

[dfb]

My old Ram 325 hp and 600 torque.. new is 385 and 865 torque... so there ya go... Legally? I agree.. I have never seen a VW pulled over with 5 300 lbs of people with the car violating its GVWR..

 

[AH64ID]

I will when the RV gets out of the shop.... weighed the truck as it sits with us in it...8900lbs....Leaves a 3400 capacity...

GVWR is not the number you need to be most concerned about, the RAWR and rear tire limits are.

What was the RAW at 8900lbs?

Your old truck was a better truck for that trailer, despite what the GVWR says.

Last I looked Alcoa doesn't make 19.5's for these truck.

Just based on what I have observed in this thread about your knowledge and experience with ratings, etc, you have plenty to learn before strapping a set of 19.5's on your truck and hitting the road. That is coming from someone running 19.5's and exceeding every OEM rating on my truck except GCWR on a fairly regular basis 9 months a year.

These are not medium duty trucks.

 

[gsbrockman]

GVWR is not the number you need to be most concerned about, the RAWR and rear tire limits are.

http://dodgeram.info/2004/load-tow/3500DRW.html

 

[dfb]

Yes... 2900 lbs is the weight... Truck had room for 3400....should be good. No way will the hitch be over 3400 lbs.. But like I said,, goes to scale when I get it back. If so, I will go up a notch on the hitch ...shifting more weight to the rear of the trailer. I have pulled it 90 miles. So far... Pulls great...way better than the 04.

 

[dfb]

Rear axle weight dry.. 3100.......rawr is 7000 lbs.... Looks good!

 

[dfb]

John. Medium duty is a truck with a gvwr of 14000 lbs. these Rams do come with that gvwr

 

[AH64ID]

http://dodgeram.info/2004/load-tow/3500DRW.html

Ding ding! Old truck had 6K of RAWR to spare, new truck has less than 4K. It was also lighter on the rear axle with training wheels installed.

Yes... 2900 lbs is the weight... Truck had room for 3400....should be good. No way will the hitch be over 3400 lbs.. But like I said,, goes to scale when I get it back. If so, I will go up a notch on the hitch ...shifting more weight to the rear of the trailer. I have pulled it 90 miles. So far... Pulls great...way better than the 04.

Rear axle weight dry.. 3100.......rawr is 7000 lbs.... Looks good!

Or 3,161.

Dry weight is not the number you need to be concerned with. Dry weight is not 8900 lbs, which is what you weigh. You need to look at scale weight. Dry camper weights are rarely, if ever, accurate. Campers always have more pin/tongue weight and more dry weight that listed.

You are 725lbs heavier than the advertised dry weight. Do you honestly think it's all on the front axle?

John. Medium duty is a truck with a gvwr of 14000 lbs. these Rams do come with that gvwr

Over 14K lbs. 14,000 and 14,001 are different ratings. Class III is up to 14,000 and 14,001 is Class IV. Class III is light duty and class IV is medium duty. These are still built to be light duty trucks. They are STOUT light duty trucks, but they are light duty trucks. That does not mean they cannot handle 14,001 lbs or even 15k but they are a light duty truck.

The 4500 is a medium duty truck. Take a look at the frame and suspension and you will see a large difference.

 

[dfb]

8900 scale weight ... Not dry... But as soon as I get the Rv back I'll do a complete weigh.. Already did truck... Weigh front .,, then rear ... Then both together...the hitch only weighs 32 lbs!!!!anderson ultimate aluminum..,

 

[AH64ID]

8900 scale weight ... Not dry...

Exactly! 925lbs over dry. So why compare dry RAW to RAWR?

You have added a lot more that 32lbs to the truck.

Did you not get individual axle weights when you weighed the truck?

 

[dfb]

Not yet on the individual weights.. That darned Montana has spent nearly the entire time I have owned it in the shop. Just the truck. Bedliner, mudflaps, moldings. The hitch is 32. Lbs!! Then me at 220... Wife 120 dog
At 20... Then tools CDs fuel full...so the fuel and us must make the 900.. The spayed in bed liner may 200 or more lbs.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Combined weight means nothing. What does your rear axle weigh with the fully loaded RV sitting on it???

 

[dfb]

Have to wait to get the Rv out of the shop. I just bought the truck so I have no clue.

 

[dfb]

Have the same truck minus dually and 410s .

 

[NIsaacs]

If so, I will go up a notch on the hitch ...shifting more weight to the rear of the trailer.

How does this work? If your trailer has spring suspension with equalizers, nothing will change. If you have torsion suspension, lifting the hitch will add more weight to the pin.

Nick

 

[AH64ID]

Not yet on the individual weights.. That darned Montana has spent nearly the entire time I have owned it in the shop. Just the truck. Bedliner, mudflaps, moldings. The hitch is 32. Lbs!! Then me at 220... Wife 120 dog
At 20... Then tools CDs fuel full...so the fuel and us must make the 900.. The spayed in bed liner may 200 or more lbs.

The hitch may be 32lbs but I am willing to bet that the 5th wheel prep group is NOT included in the dry weight. It only adds 46.4 lbs to the rear axle, but things add up quick when you are close to your limit.

Lots of options aren't included in the published dry weight.

Point is dry payload is a marketing tool, and that's about it.

How does this work? If your trailer has spring suspension with equalizers, nothing will change. If you have torsion suspension, lifting the hitch will add more weight to the pin.

Nick

Exactly. The weight may change but it will be negligible, probably as much as moving a pair of shoes from the bedroom to the back bumper.

 

[dfb]

This is a fifth wheel. If the pin sits lower than level, more weight is put on the king pin and the truck. Move the king pin higher off
Level and less weight is on truck. Or, weld some railroad rails to the rear. Out of all Montana 5th wheels, this model has the highest pin weight at 2905 lbs.. The suspension on truck is "air ride". As soon as a heavy load is added, the truck raises the bed,,,, coooool..

The original question I had however has got off track.

 

[AH64ID]

This is a fifth wheel. If the pin sits lower than level, more weight is put on the king pin and the truck. Move the king pin higher off
Level and less weight is on truck. Or, weld some railroad rails to the rear. Out of all Montana 5th wheels, this model has the highest pin weight at 2905 lbs.. The suspension on truck is "air ride". As soon as a heavy load is added, the truck raises the bed,,,, coooool..

The original question I had however has got off track.

Yes the weight will shift, but you cannot get enough of an angle on the 5er to make it an appreciable amount so you may as well tow level as it will tow better and the weight difference is mute. I have played with trailer angle on the scale.

The air ride also adds rear weight and decreases available payload over the published dry weight.