Mfg. Tow Ratings, How Important?

[FMWeaver]

I recently purchased a 2003 dually quad cab 4x4 and was surprised to find out that the recommended tow rating on the dodge web site is 12,400 lbs. I have been looking at 5th wheels and it seems that most of the ones I'm interested in weigh over the limit... I have seen Dodge dually's towing huge 5th wheelers and car carriers loaded with at least eight cars, these have got to be over the weight limits. How much attention should I pay to the Mfg. tow rating? Is there an easy way to increase the tow rating of my rig?

 

[RustyJC]

Are you sure you're looking at the right rating? That's lower than my old 1996 V-10 3500!



First, the manufacturer's trailer tow ratings aren't realistic to begin with. They are based on a base vehicle with no options and only a 150 lb driver. The best thing you can do is to find out your truck's GVWR and GCWR, then go to the scales and find out what it weighs with driver, passengers, options, accessories, full fuel tanks, etc. If the hitch isn't installed yet (in the case of a 5th wheel), add another 80-100 lbs for that. The scale weight plus the adjustment for the hitch, if applicable, will be your laden curb weight (LCW). Now you can use the following two formulas to pick an RV:



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



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



Don't go by the dry weights published by the RV manufacturer - they are as "optimistic" as the truck manufacturers! A conservative approach is to use the trailer's GVWR for the total loaded weight and 20% of the trailer's GVWR (for a 5th wheel) or 12% of the trailer's GVWR (for a TT/bumper pull) as the hitch/pin weight of the loaded trailer.



Rusty

 

[FMWeaver]

Thanks for the information... I haven't done the math yet but it seems that using the formulas you supplied that I'd end up at even lower than the mfg's optimistic total.

 

[SRadke]

Originally posted by FMWeaver

How much attention should I pay to the Mfg. tow rating?

As far as the possibility of someone trying to sue you should an accident occur, they are imoprtant to keep track of. As far as what the pickup is capable of, they are really conservative.



-Scott

 

[RustyJC]

I don't think so. My 2002 dually quad cab has (as I recall) a trailer tow rating of 16,100 lbs, and yours should be higher than mine.



Let's use my truck as an example in the formulas:



GVWR = 10,500 lbs



GCWR = 21,500 lbs



LCW = 7,680 lbs



GCWR (21,500 lbs) minus LCW (7,680 lbs) = 13,820 lbs maximum loaded trailer weight



GVWR (10,500 lbs) minus LCW (7,680 lbs) = 2,820 lbs maximum hitch/pin weight of loaded trailer



We tow a 13,500 lb Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS (36' triple slide) 5th wheel. It carries 10,800 lbs on the axles and puts 2,700 lbs on the pin (20%). With this RV in tow, we hit the road at 10,380 lbs GVW (10,500 lbs GVWR) and 21,180 lbs GCW (21,500 lbs GCWR).



What are the GVWR and GCWR of your truck? If it's like mine, the GCWR is on the window sticker that had the MSRP on it, and the GVWR is on a sticker on the driver's door jamb.



Rusty

 

[FMWeaver]

Went back to the Dodge site to double check my numbers... wish I had'nt, using their towing calculator with 4. 1 axle ratio I can tow 11,750 lbs.

 

[SRadke]

Are you looking at fifth wheel RV's or gooseneck trailers? Virtually all goosneck trailers will be capable of hauling over the Mfg. tow rating.



-Scott

 

[RustyJC]

With all respect, I think you're looking at the wrong numbers. If you'll bear with me and provide the GCWR and GVWR of your truck, I'll be glad to walk you through this and give you some hard numbers that you can go shopping for an RV with.



Rusty

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by SRadke

Are you looking at fifth wheel RV's or gooseneck trailers? Virtually all goosneck trailers will be capable of hauling over the Mfg. tow rating.

Scott,



In his initial post, he said he was looking at 5th wheels.



Rusty

 

[JRMora]

FMW:



Ken Lenger (klenger) had a post previously that had the Dodge 2004 tow ratings. From that post, here are the max trailer weight ratings for the 3500 QC 4x4's:



For an SLT or Laramie with 4x4 and DRW's

6 spd and 3. 73's: 13,250# (21,000# GCWR)

6 spd and 4. 10's: 15,250# (23,000# GCWR)

48RE and 3. 73's: 13,450# (21,000# GCWR)

48RE and 4. 10's: 15,450# (23,000# GCWR)



The main difference (between auto & 6 speed) is the weight of the transmissions.



The ST is about 50# higher (cuz it weighs less without all those options!)



This should be what you are looking for.



Juan

 

[SRadke]

I saw what he wrote Rusty but most fivers are not that heavy and some people aren't clear on the diffrence. He also went on the mention car carriers which are usually gooseneck so I was just trying to clarify.



-Scott

 

[jponder]

Aw, just tell him to go here for the answer.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...d=79309&perpage=15&highlight=hog&pagenumber=1

 

[RustyJC]

OK, it appears you have a 23,000 lb GCWR with the 4. 10 gears. I believe the 3rd gen duallies have a GVWR of 12,000 lbs. Your 4x4 quad cab dually probably has a LCW of around 7800 lbs (for sake of demonstration). Therefore:



GCWR (23,000) - LCW (7,800) = 15,200 lbs maximum weight of loaded trailer



GVWR (12,000) - LCW (7,800) = 4,200 lbs maximum hitch/pin weight of loaded trailer



The above should get you within half an ax handle for window shopping purposes.



Rusty

 

[klenger]

Here are the 04 towing charts from Dodge



http://www.klenger.net/dodge/3rd-gen-reference/2004-ram-towing.pdf

 

[zari]

RustyJC's...

... numbers are right. Something doesn't seem right with the original posters calculations.



I have the 3. 73 and 48RE, as well as an 11,500# 5er. All my actual weights (according to Iowa state vehicle enforcement scales) are within my truck's posted limits.

 

[BigMike]

FMWeaver, The 12,400lbs is your GVWR, not your tow rating. My brother has an 03 3500 and his GVWR is 12400. That's the maximum your truck should weigh fully loaded.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by SRadke

Are you looking at fifth wheel RV's or gooseneck trailers? Virtually all goosneck trailers will be capable of hauling over the Mfg. tow rating.



-Scott

Huh? What does the hitch type have to do with the TRUCKS GVWR & GCWR? I don't believe Dodge lists a higher GCWR/GVWR based on hitch type.



Brian

 

[SRadke]

Sorry I got a little off topic Brian. My point was if you were trying to find a Goosneck trailer that was rated at less than 12,000 pounds you'd be looking for a while. Virtually all of them use 16" wheels and not less than 7,000 pound axles.



-Scott

 

[FMWeaver]

Originally posted by RustyJC

With all respect, I think you're looking at the wrong numbers. If you'll bear with me and provide the GCWR and GVWR of your truck, I'll be glad to walk you through this and give you some hard numbers that you can go shopping for an RV with.



Rusty

Sorry guys, I couldn't respond until this morning...



Rusty,

The following is from the results page generated by plugging in my vehicle specs in the towing guide on the dodge website:



With 4. 1 Axle Ratio You Can Tow 12450 lbs *

GVWR 12000

payload 4620

curb weight 7375

curb weight front/rear 4357/3019

GAWR front/rear 5200/9350

GCWR = 20000

* Maximum trailer weights are rounded to the nearest 50 lbs. Maximum Trailer weight = GCWR - Curb Wt. - drivers weight

 

[FMWeaver]

Originally posted by BigMike

FMWeaver, The 12,400lbs is your GVWR, not your tow rating. My brother has an 03 3500 and his GVWR is 12400. That's the maximum your truck should weigh fully loaded.

I appreciate your input Big Mike. I understand what both you and Rusty are saying and I think you both are right, at least I hope so, I'm just relating the numbers I'm getting from the website... Somebody please double check me and see if they get a different number

www.dodge.com

click on trucks/suv

click on ram truck

click on dodge towing guide in lower right corner

click on by vehicle

change year to 2003

click on ram truck

Under step 2 model/series select 3500 slt

Under body style/drivetrain select Quad cab 4x4

Under bedlength/wheelbase select longbed

Under engine/transmission select 5. 9 24 v auto 4spd w/dual

click on go

Hopefully this is just an error on the web site...