How heavy do you tow with your 2500?

[Sarge]

While I am sitting here wondering exactly how heavy my new 5ver will really be, the thought occurred to me, How heavy does everyone else tow with their CTD 2500?

 

[Casey Balvert]

My fiver grossed at 12,000. My pin weight was 2800 pounds. I weight the rig and found my truck was over the GVWR by about 500 pounds. That included the stuff I had packed in the bed of the truck for vacation, half a tank of fuel and me. That is why I went to the 3500 this time around.



Casey

 

[klenger]

I right at about 10,000. It puts me a few hundred over GVWR. All other numbers are fine.

 

[Okie-Go]

I am safe with the 5er. I have over did it a couple of times while hauling wood on the gooseneck trailer.

 

[Sarge]

The realization is setting in that I may be over my GVWR as well, but my pre-weight numbers show lots of room on the rear axle. Will being over on the GVWR be visibly obvious? What about handling? I am pretty much stock as my sig indicates. Any input is appreciated. Sarge

 

[drifter]

Many years ago an "old timer" told me take the factory tow rateing and do not excead 80% of that number.

10000 lb rateing = 8,000 lb max trailer weight. Now go find a trailer 8000 # or under and you will be VERY happy how it preforms.

Now that I am almost an "old timer" I agree. Can you tow a 14000 # trailer sure. Don't complain about performace, MPG, brake, trans problems etc. .

 

[TowPro]

My 5th wheel is just under 12K gross. I guess I am running around 10K most of the time with it.



I also have a 2K slidin camper.



With both the truck pulls it fine (5 speed, 3:55), but the slidin camper has a good amount of "lean" when going around corners (yes I have the camper package also).



Well tonight I think I will buy that 2002 3500 I found. Yes the 2500 has been great towing my camper, but I hear the 3500 will be even better.

 

[JyRO]

Over my GVWR...

Sarge - When I weighed, I was 500# over GVWR. My 5'er is about 9,500#. That was at maximum weight in the truck (full tank of gas, all occupants, I don't carry stuff in the bed of the truck). Since then, I don't carry water any more than I have to and have generally reduced the pin weight by moving weight around & not carrying things in the front of the 5'er. I'm guessing I'm still 300 - 400 lb. over GVWR.



My combo tows like a dream. So I'm not worried about the GVWR too much. All other numbers are great. My only issue is my trailer is carried a little high in the front. Not too bad though, but I think I'll be flipping the springs to the top of the axles in the spring.



Tow Pro - Is your truck a 12V'er with quad cab doors? Is it a SB or LB?



- JyRO

 

[Sarge]

I believe the max weight of the new 5ver is #12,400 if I were to load it to it's capacity. I don't think I ever will, as I'm not in the habit of taking a lot of stuff I don't use The curb wt is around #9400, so I think normaly loaded I will be close. I just may push that GVWR a tad though... ... ... . From the looks of the poll, it looks to be a big club!! I not to concerned that the Cummins will pull it, just that the DC part will stand up to the job. As long as I don't "look" like I'm overloaded, the local CHP will probably never know... ... .....



However, I did drive through one state a few years ago that made all RV's go through the Weigh Station. It may have been New Mexico. Anyone else experience that?

:--)

 

[Steve M]

I have 1900 lbs of pin weight, 160 lbs hitch, 250~lbs tools box packed full, heavy thick rubber mat, and one corn broom!. With the 5th wheel on I'm right on 8800 lbs. The rear of the truck is still above level with the front and I don't even have overload camper springs. I think I could carry a little more pin weight and still be ok. Well within axle ratings.

The 5th wheel's GVW is 11,400. Advertised weight is 8,200 lbs. Actual weight with 56 gallons of water and our toothbrushes is 10,040 lbs. I'm 940 lbs over my GCWR. I can't wait to load up the beer and sausages so I'll be at an even 1,000 lbs over!

With all that weight and no overload springs, it still definately doesn't look overloaded. Our fresh water tank is right at the rear bumper of the 5th so it helps with pin weight when it's full.

I'll send a jpeg of the rig loaded up at a rest area to anyone interested in how it sits with the weight. Don't know how to post it here.

 

[RColston]

18-20 k cgvw most of the time. I assume that is the question here. On the trip to Alaska in August, left CA a wee bit over 21k, by accident of course. Hey, I was gone a month. I really work hard to balance out the load to not add too much to the rear axel.



Rick

 

[klenger]

Steve M's Rig

Picture of Steve M's Rig

 

[Sarge]

Thanks for the assist Klenger. Steve's rig looks to be as long as mine will be, even the truck looks identical! So it does not appear that my lash up will look too much different. Now if the dang thing would get here from Elkhart Indiana... ... ...

 

[Got Smoke?]

I regulary tow over or right at 10,000lbs, and I'm not even sure what my weight limit is on my 2500.



Anyhow the most I ever towed was this @ about 14,000lbs.

#ad






And after that I decided it was DEFINATELY time for an E-brake! Got one coming first of the year!!Oo.

 

[dpetre]

Weighted in at scale truck 8900 and trailer 12500. My trailer was heavy to rear because twin diesel engines and 250 gallons of boat fuel. I drove the 330 miles in fifth gear to keep speed down. The main thing is have good trailer brakes, driving at a speed you can control, and defensive driving. The roads I drive on are two lane, up and down mountains and full of frost heaves. The only option I would like is an exhaust break.

 

[JyRO]

Looks good...

RColston - Your set-up looks mighty good, and your weight sounds awesome. My set-up is almost exactly the same as yours, except I have a 33' 5'er. I don't have the 2nd slide at the top, only a super slide for the living room / kitchen area.



The only thing is, yours looks like its setting level. Even your trailer looks level. My truck doesn't look as squatty in the back end with my 5'er. I do have the overload springs (camper special - but I thought that was only a sway bar), maybe that's the difference. However, I prefer the way your set-up looks as compared to mine. My trailer has some slope to it - its a bit high in the front and low in the a$$. Its not excessive though. It doesn't appear that your trailer's springs have been flipped to the top of their axles. Or have they?



Regardless, mine tows really well. I don't think I'll flip mine, I haven't really decided for sure yet. But with you having the slide in the 5th area, it sure looks like you'd be over your GVWR as much as me or more (I'm about 400# over). Nice looking rig.



- JyRO

 

[king24v]

Originally posted by Sarge

While I am sitting here wondering exactly how heavy my new 5ver will really be, the thought occurred to me, How heavy does everyone else tow with their CTD 2500?

i pull a\24 ft dovetail with a 2300 gallon h2o tank,a 121gallon roundup shuttle and forty to seventy gallons of 12 to 14 pound materials. i dont run 80 but 45 and under when the roadis open works fine in congestion i keep it under 30. its a big load but the ctd just pulls the smack out of it like its hardly there.

 

[dseabaugh]

truck wighs 9300 when full of fuel (152 gal) and tools. before warranty expired pulled a 16 foot tandem trailer 1700# empty, around 6500 loaded. since warranty timed out, 7800# trailer and 11,600 was heaviest load. usually load is around 6-7K but 16 and 24 ft. lengths. I can haul 2) 16ft end to end on 32 ft bed. several times 3-400 mile trips around 22 to 27 K. 70 mph and never shifts out of overdrive once I get it wound up. set the cruise and go. On the hills the temp gauge rises at the same speed as the speedo when accelerating. but takes a while longer to cool down. Never gets over 3/4 the way over though.



300 mile trip one way loaded, one way empty with bid trailer 1/2 55 mph 2 lane and lots of small towns and 1/2 interstate at 70 will suck down about 22 gal of fuel. same trip with little trailer will suck down about 12-15 gal.

 

[Sarge]

Well, the 5k to 10k guys have held a slight edge from he beginning. Come on guys, I know there has to be more of the 10k to 15k trailers out there!!!! Come on, chime in!!Oo.

 

[Got Smoke?]

Originally posted by Sarge

Well, the 5k to 10k guys have held a slight edge from he beginning. Come on guys, I know there has to be more of the 10k to 15k trailers out there!!!! Come on, chime in!!Oo.

Look at page 1, I even provided a picture for proof!