Help in understanding the Tow Ratings

[RGH43]

My truck '03 3500 2WD/DRW 3:73 w/a 6spd.

According to Trailer LIfe's charts in '03 the 2WD DRW 3:73 is rated 2000# less than 4:10? Are these figures correct or any where near the mark? How is it that a dually is rated to handle less than a SRW in most cases. In '04 the 3:73 & 4:10 are even and in '05 the 3500 2WD/DRW is almost 16k, again 2000# more than my '03. What from 03 to 05 has changed so much? I bought the '03 3500 2WD DRW based on the impression I could haul more that a SRW, also that I could haul the most of any 1 ton out there at the time. I told the sales person what I intended to pull, a 36ft 5th wheel at about 16K GVWR. My truck was ordered direct from the factory on the last day in June to get an"03 so it wasn't something the salesperson was trying to get rid of. Is this truck capable of handling more than 13,850 or can I do anything to increase it up to 16,000 lbs? Also is it rated at 23,000 GCWR?



These are Trailer Life Charts taken from their internet site.



2003 Dodge Quad Cab 2WD DRW



3500 Quad Cab LB 5. 9L TD HO 13,850 3:73 / 6spd

3500 Quad Cab LB 5. 9L TD HO 15,850 4:10 / 6 spd

Does a 4:10 actually make that much difference, 2000#'s?

Note:

3500 Quad Cab 5. 9L TD HO 2WD short bed SRW 16,300 6spd / 4:10 is almost 2000# more than a 3500 2 WD DRW ????

2500 5. 9L TD HO 13,650 with 6spd / 3:73 or 4:10 is only rated for 200# less than a DRW 3500???





2004 Dodge 3500 Quad Cab



3500 Quad Cab LB RWD DRW 5. 9L TDI 14,100 4:10 / 5spd Not HO & has 5 spd yet higher?

3500 Quad Cab LB RWD DRW 5. 9L TDI-HO 13,950 3:73 / 6spd

3500 Quad Cab LB RWD DRW 5. 9L TDI-HO 13,950 4:10 / 6spd



3500 Quad Cab LB 4WD SRW 5. 9L TDI-HO 13,800 3:73 / 6spd

3500 Quad Cab LB 4WD SRW 5. 9L TDI-HO 15,800 4:10 / 6spd



3500 Quad Cab LB 4WD DRW 5. 9L TDI-HO 13,450 3:73 / 6spd

3500 Quad Cab LB 4WD DRW 5. 9L TDI-HO 15,450 4:10 / 6spd





2005

3500 Quad Cab DRW 2WD/4WD

5. 9L I-6 TD 15,900/15,500 23,000GCWR



3500 Quad Cab SRW

5. 9L I-6 TD 16,350/15,950 23,000GCWR

 

[HBarlow]

You asked a number of good questions. Rather than try to answer each individually I will try to provide a few general comments to help.



There are two fundamental ways to determine the rated capacity of your truck. One is the way law enforcement looks at it and the other is the manufacturer's method.



Federal and state law enforcement consider the carrying capacity of each axle of your truck and of the trailer you are towing. Those numbers are printed on a sticker on the driver's door post and on the left front of your trailer and are based upon rated carrying capacity of each axle and each pair of tires (or four on a dually), whichever is smaller. Your DRW truck can carry and tow more weight than a SRW.



Law enforcement has no charts of Dodge's (GM's, Ford's) rated carrying capacity of each model (2500 or 3500, SB or LB, automatic or manual, 3. 54/3. 73/4. 10 gears) and they have no interest in those numbers. Law enforcement's approach is based on hard numbers printed on manufacturer's vin plates/decals and molded on tires which are the ability of each axle and tire to carry the weight. Law enforcement doesn't know or care about warranty issues or the expected service life of clutches, transmissions, engines, or other components.



Dodge's factory gross combined weight rating is established to provide long service life and to limit warranty claims and is based on a long list of engineer's calculations regarding the truck's ability to start a heavy load on a steep grade, to accelerate at a specified rate up specified grades, to hold speed on specified grades, the ability of the engine cooling system to maintain coolant temps within a certain range while fully loaded, maximum allowable transmission lube temp, and maximum allowable differential lube temp, the aforementioned temps based on some specified ambient temp, the truck's braking ability, and lots of other calculations. The truck has been tested and is expected to operate at maximum limits for 100k miles (the warranty limit).



The engineer's calculations probably also assume limited understanding and skill of the driver and in the case of a manual six speed transmission, probably assume the owner is not skilled at using the clutch and transmission effectively when heavily loaded. That is the reason a truck with automatic transmission is sometimes rated for a heavier GCWR than a manual six speed. Ability to start a heavy load on a grade without undue driveline stress is probably the reason a Dodge with 4. 10 gears is rated higher than a truck with 3. 73 ring and pinion.



If your warranty has expired or if you are you ignore the warranty and if you are skilled at using your clutch and six speed your truck can carry up to the 10,500# on the door post and tow up to 10,500# plus the GVWR of your trailer which is probably 16k#. Common sense tells us that if we carry and tow heavier than the manufacturer's rated weights we may accelerate wear and shorten life of various components.



My previous Dodge was a manual six speed with 3. 54 gears. I towed a few very heavy triple axle fivers with it. I had to start it gently to avoid driveline damage and had to downshift on very steep grades. The truck performed great for 325k miles and is still in daily use by another owner. My current truck is an automatic with 4. 10 gears and I have pulled very heavy triple axle fivers putting my GCW beyond the factory rated 23k on numerous occasons. The truck handles the load very well but overloading may shorten the life of the 48RE.



In summary, your Dodge will pull your NuWa Snowbird just fine and legally.



Harvey

 

[RustyJC]

Manufacturer's trailer tow ratings are pretty worthless since they are calculated by subtracting the fictitious curb weight of a "base truck" with only a 150 lb driver from the truck's GCWR. Since the dually weighs more than a SRW truck with the same GCWR, the dually has a lower "trailer tow rating". In truth, the dually can handle a much heavier 5th wheel or gooseneck without exceeding manufacturer's ratings because of the dually's higher GVWR - a SRW truck will run out of GVWR in a 5th wheel or gooseneck application long before it approaches the "manufacturer's trailer tow rating".



If you really want to see what your truck can handle relative to the manufacturer's ratings, you'll need the curb weight of your truck with driver, passengers, options, accessories, hitch, fuel, cargo, etc. just as you'll be heading down the road. This is your truck's laden curb weight (LCW). Now the following equations can be used:



Truck's GCWR - Truck's LCW = maximum total weight of loaded trailer



Truck's GVWR - Truck's LCW = maximum pin/hitch weight of loaded trailer



If you're shopping for a 5th wheel RV, a conservative approach is to use the 5th wheel's GVWR as the loaded trailer weight and 20% of the 5th wheel's GVWR as the loaded trailer's pin weight.



Rusty

 

[RGH43]

Thank you both for the info.

Rusty, I notice you have a ' 04 MS 36RE3. How does your MS pull & handle since it would probably be about the same as the TK3? I'm looking at a used '04 MS 36TK3, I called the MS Factory & they say it probably is 14K unloaded with options, GVWR is 16K. Paper inside kit Cabinet says 16k & 13,501 Dry. It has HD Suspension, 2 AC's, Washer/Dryer added after purchase. I'm sure it is 14 or more. My truck is an '03. 5 (3rd Generation) Quad cab, 6spd 3:73, 2WD/DRW GVRW 11,500, GAWR Front: 4750 Rear: 9390, Tires are stock Goodyear Wrangler load range E. Washington state registration says Scale Wt: 6855, add fuel, pass & hitch= about 8000# - 11,500# = 3500 left for pin Wt. MS Specs says pin is 2500# so I have spare room there. Where do I get the GCWR? Using 23,000# - LCW 8000# I come up with 15,000# that I can pull w/o being over the 23K set by Dodge. I have seen many 3/4 ton pulling large fivers & locally a guy has a 36TK3 pulling it with a '04 Quad 4WD/SRW. With that load, he would appear to be over weight? Do I have enough truck? In short are my concerns justified or will this load be OK?

 

[RustyJC]

My MS 36RE3 has a GVWR of 16K as well, and yes, I'm over my 21. 5K GCWR - I'm waiting on Dodge's answer to the 26K GCWR Ford F-450 pickup!



My truck has quite a bit more horsepower and torque than stock (see signature) and handles the 5th wheel just fine. In fact, with the 5th wheel's MorRyde suspension, the MS tows better than our previous Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS (13. 5K GVWR). Your truck could certainly handle it, but you might well find yourself slightly over the GCWR as you state, although rear GAWR wouldn't be a problem.



Rusty