Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I'm considering buying a new cab and chassis and am currently in the information gathering mode. I'd like to own a 4500 but am not sure I'd be happy with the stiff ride when using it empty as a daily driver. A 3500 cab and chassis would be more user friendly as a daily driver but I'm not sure they have sufficient spring capacity.
Here's a little back ground. In less than two years I put 225k miles on my current 3500 DRW pickup. Admittedly I pulled a lot of very heavy trailers, a couple of them grossly overloaded the rear axle and the truck. I recently had the rear springs rearched and an extra leaf added. The rear end had sagged so badly that it was sitting on the Timbrens even while unloaded. Even after the springs were rearched and an additional leaf added, even with the Timbrens still installed, the rear suspension is a little soft when pulling my own 5er. When traveling over dips on interstate highways it sags then rebounds more than I would like. My 5er is only a 32'er (actual 34' long) but has a front compartment Onan generator and I have a 70 gallon Transfer Flow aux tank, fiver hitch, and big fiver tool box across the rear so the rear end is pretty heavily loaded. Before a recent trip I ran the truck and trailer across a local commercial scale. Unloaded my front axle was 4,520#, the rear was 4,540#, and the total was 9,060#. With the trailer attached the truck's front axle was 4,360#, the rear axle was 8,300# for a GW of 12,660#. Trailer king pin weight was 3,760# and the trailer axles were 10,080 for a total trailer weight of 13,840#. GCW of truck and trailer was 22,740#.
My concern is would a 3500 cab and chassis haul my fiver any better than my current 3500 DRW or should I bite the bullet and buy a 4500 and live with the rough ride?
Here is my question: Does Dodge publish actual rear spring ratings? I'd like to compare the rear spring ratings on a 2wd 3500 DRW pickup with the spring ratings on a 2wd 3500 DRW cab and chassis. A 2wd 3500 DRW p/u has a GVWR of 11,500 lbs. and a GAWR (rear) of 9,350 lbs. A 2wd 3500 C&C has a GVWR of 12,500 lbs. and a GAWR (rear) of 9,350 lbs. also. However, the spring packs are very different. The pickup version has one main leaf and four additional leaves plus two aux spring leaves. A C&C has one main leaf, seven additional leaves, and two aux spring leaves. Obviously the two trucks have similar weight ratings but very different rear springs.
Before computers took over manufacturers used to provide truck spec books to dealerships every year with pages and pages of technical specs. It was possible to determine and compare actual spring ratings as well as lots of other technical details.
SAG2 can you help? Or anyone else who knows where this info can be found?
Thanks.
Harvey
Here's a little back ground. In less than two years I put 225k miles on my current 3500 DRW pickup. Admittedly I pulled a lot of very heavy trailers, a couple of them grossly overloaded the rear axle and the truck. I recently had the rear springs rearched and an extra leaf added. The rear end had sagged so badly that it was sitting on the Timbrens even while unloaded. Even after the springs were rearched and an additional leaf added, even with the Timbrens still installed, the rear suspension is a little soft when pulling my own 5er. When traveling over dips on interstate highways it sags then rebounds more than I would like. My 5er is only a 32'er (actual 34' long) but has a front compartment Onan generator and I have a 70 gallon Transfer Flow aux tank, fiver hitch, and big fiver tool box across the rear so the rear end is pretty heavily loaded. Before a recent trip I ran the truck and trailer across a local commercial scale. Unloaded my front axle was 4,520#, the rear was 4,540#, and the total was 9,060#. With the trailer attached the truck's front axle was 4,360#, the rear axle was 8,300# for a GW of 12,660#. Trailer king pin weight was 3,760# and the trailer axles were 10,080 for a total trailer weight of 13,840#. GCW of truck and trailer was 22,740#.
My concern is would a 3500 cab and chassis haul my fiver any better than my current 3500 DRW or should I bite the bullet and buy a 4500 and live with the rough ride?
Here is my question: Does Dodge publish actual rear spring ratings? I'd like to compare the rear spring ratings on a 2wd 3500 DRW pickup with the spring ratings on a 2wd 3500 DRW cab and chassis. A 2wd 3500 DRW p/u has a GVWR of 11,500 lbs. and a GAWR (rear) of 9,350 lbs. A 2wd 3500 C&C has a GVWR of 12,500 lbs. and a GAWR (rear) of 9,350 lbs. also. However, the spring packs are very different. The pickup version has one main leaf and four additional leaves plus two aux spring leaves. A C&C has one main leaf, seven additional leaves, and two aux spring leaves. Obviously the two trucks have similar weight ratings but very different rear springs.
Before computers took over manufacturers used to provide truck spec books to dealerships every year with pages and pages of technical specs. It was possible to determine and compare actual spring ratings as well as lots of other technical details.
SAG2 can you help? Or anyone else who knows where this info can be found?
Thanks.
Harvey
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