Overloaded Quad Cab??

[Archive]

I got a Phone call at work the other night...
It was from a friend who was a little concerned about the weight that he had just put into his 98. 5 24V 2500 Quadcab Automatic, 3. 54 gears and factory helper springs.

The conversation went something like this:

(Ring. . Ring... ). . (L). Hello,...
(R)Hey Larry I've got a question for you...
(L)Yeah Rod... what is it... ?

(R)"I'm at the hardware store right now and I've got a guy with a forklift putting some bags of concrete in my truck. "
(The Word "Forklift" and "Concrete" got My attention. . #ad


(L)"Yeah... how Many bags Of concrete are you getting?"

(R)"Oh... 2 PALLETS WORTH. " (YIKES!!!)

(L)"Uh... Just a question Rod... but just how many bags are in a "Pallet" of concrete.

(R) "Let't see. . HMM..... 40 . . it looks like"
(L) "And HOW much per Bag??"
(R) "60 Lbs... I think. . "

(L)"4800 Lbs of "Fetal Rock" you say... How's the truck Sittin?
(R) "That's my problem... you know how the leaf springs are supposed to be curved up like a "U".
(L)"Yeah..... Go On. "
(R)"They aren't any more. . " (GULP. . #ad

(R)"Their as straight as an arrow. "

(L)" Well... that's better than bending backwards. . how far are you taking the stuff. . "
(R)"10-15 Miles"
(L) "Just don't go over any railroad tracks. "


So... what's the verdict TDR MEMBERS... . Too Much in the bed??? Or Childs play??

Let Me know...

Larry


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'99 2500 C. C. SLT,4X4, Auto, SWB, Forest Gr. /Driftwood, Tow Pkg. , Smittybilt S. S. Nerf Bars, Factory Tow Hooks, K&N, Mag-Hytech transmission, Dodge 3 Pc. Bug-Flector, 7 7/8 coats of wax. . #ad
Yes Sir That's My Baby!!



[This message has been edited by Larry Quinn (edited 10-04-1999). ]

 

[Archive]

Well Larry thats only 2400lbs plus two pallets I say it should be fine even if he goes over the tracks.

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2000, 2500, 24V, 5spd 4X4, swb, driftwood, loaded leather, connex w/250w linear

 

[Archive]

Just watch when loading! The fork lift can lay a severe hurting on the parking sprag. It is worse on it than putting in park while moving. The reason is(from the mechanic that fixed my trans) is that the sprag does not engage the slot fully when moving, you just get a god awful noise and some new metal chips. If in park and forced out by something it will bend levers,brake pawls, do all sorts of mayhem. A year later it might get you traded up to a diesel( I need THAT truck off the lot now). #ad


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P. Campbell 1998. 5 ISB 2500 auto green/driftwood

 

[Archive]

If my math is right, you have 40 bags @ 60#, that's 2400# right? I have hauled more than that while moving sand to a construction site. The Cummins enjoys a challenge, not that I have found one for it yet. I had to climb a steep paved road to get to the job too. This is when I began to understand the capable hands I had placed myself in.

To answer your question, who knows, I just like the way you told the story!

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98. 5,24v,3/4 ton,2wd,lsd,5sp
blue box hp enhancement

 

[Archive]

Hey Larry,

I have had a lot of big loads in my rig... It there's one thing the Ram is good at, it is hauling a big a** load. The biggest load I have ever had in mine is 36 bags of 1" round rock, each bag weighing 100 lbs. That's a 3,600 lb load... The Cummins pulled it with no problem, and the back end wasn't even sitting too low. Other loads I have had are 2,000 lbs of firewood, 2,400 lbs of concrete, and 1,500 lbs of building materials. So by all means, load that sucker up!!!

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Evan A. Beck

98. 5 2500, 4x2, RC, ISB, A/T, SLT, 3. 54 LSD, Trailer tow, Aux. suspension, Forest Green/Driftwood, 40,245 miles, 10/01/99

4" Exhaust w/ 5" chrome tip, Jacobs E-Brake, K&N Filter (Scotty style), Auto-Meter Ultra Lite boost & pyro, turbo silencer ring removed, OEM foglamps, OEM 1-ton tailgate marker lamps, Sylvania Cool Blue® 9004 headlamp bulbs, halogen backup bulbs, Husky diamond plate toolbox, Line-X spray-in bedliner, plus other cosmetic modifications

"I'd Rather be RAMMIN' than STROKIN'"



[This message has been edited by Evan A. Beck (edited 10-04-1999). ]

 

[Archive]

Hey, if anyone is worried about exceeding the 8,800 GVWR on the 2500 with a slide in camper check this site out www.fourwheelcampers.com they have a slide in that only weighs 695 pounds!!!

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y2k QC 24V ISB SLT 4X4 SWB 4. 10 LSD AUTO

 

[Archive]

I have had 4800lbs of strength equipment in the back of my truck with a trailer loaded to 6500lbs. I drove all the way from Calgary to Minot ND with no problem. I actually had to load the bed with the extra gear 30 miles out of Calgary where my buddies FLORD lost the trans... heheheh.

The toughest part was heaving the 400lb plus weights up into that bed of the 3500 4x4 without denting it.

SCOTT

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LIFT IT FLIP IT OR...
RAMIT!

 

[Archive]

Only 2400lbs?

My neighbor upon seeing me pull into the driveway with 2 pallets of edging block in the bed. .

Neighbor: "My god! I didn't know a pickup truck could haul that much block!"

Me: "Still a few hundred pounds short of capacity. "

Childs play for a Dodge/Cummins. My '98 3500 with overload springs was still sitting level.

BTW: My '95 would have been dragging the bumper. You take the springs off that truck and stand on them -- they would go flat. The weight wouldn't have been a problem for the truck other than the 94, 95, and 96 2500 and 3500 Rams all had 1/2 ton suspensions. They didn't correct that oversite until '97 (thanks in part to the volume of letters I wrote (-; ).




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Big MAK
98. 5 ISB 5spd 4x4 Quad Cab 3500, 4" Exhaust elbow down, PowerMax1
https://www.turbodieseltrucks.com

 

[Archive]

Check this out... . I'm An idiot... . it was 40 bags per pallet for a total of 80 bags 4800 lbs




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'99 2500 C. C. SLT,4X4, Auto, SWB, Forest Gr. /Driftwood, Tow Pkg. , Smittybilt S. S. Nerf Bars, Factory Tow Hooks, K&N, Mag-Hytech transmission, Dodge 3 Pc. Bug-Flector, 7 7/8 coats of wax. . Yes Sir That's My Baby!!

 

[Archive]

Here's a question. What's the difference between the suspensions of a 4WD 2500 and a 4WD 3500? I know the weight ratings are different. But is that because the 3500 has more tires? The 2500 has the camper special group. A friend of mine has a '97 2WD 3500. It's right down on It's helpers with his toolboxes and tools aboard. He just got a 450. By the way he loves the Dodge except for that one reason. Dodge needs a 4500. Regards, bilford.

 

[Archive]

Larry, that explains the level leaf springs. By my reckoning you are about 2400 lbs over the recommended GVWR. Your truck, stock from the factory weighs 6400 lbs. Your GVWR is 8800 lbs. The Cummins can handle the load, but the suspension, tires and brakes, not to mention bearings and such are probably being stressed. I wouldn't want to do this type of overload to often, but you probably aren't hurting anything by doing what you did. I wouldn't do it to often though, just for your own safety's sake. My 5 cents worth.


John

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1999 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5 spd, 4:10 LSD rear, Mag-Hytec diff. cover, Speedliner spray in bed-liner, Amsoil foam air filter; Smittybuilt step rails, US Gear EGT and Boost gauge. Towing a 31 ft. NOMAD single slideout TT.
Rammin' and Runnin' the roads

 

[Archive]

I regularly haul a Lance Camper. Loaded out she runs about 3500LBS. Then figure another 500LBS. for the 4 people. Yep, I know she's over-loaded but hauls it easily. I would recommend a 3500 duallie for these kind of loads though. Stability is one good reason and liability is another. That's why I have ordered a Y2K Duallie... .

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1997, 2500 Emerald Green, SLT Larimie, Tan Leather, X-Cab, Auto, 3. 54LSD, Tow Package, Camper Package, Banks Stinger Plus, 2" Rancho Suspension Lift, Rancho RS 9000's Shocks, Bushwhacker Flares, 35" BFG Mudders, 16. 5 x 9. 75 Outlaw II Alloys, Jacobs Exhaust Brake, BD Torque-Lock, BD Valve Body, BD Torque Converter, Rhino Liner, Smittybuilt Step Bars, K&N Air Filter, Rancho RS 5000 Steering tabilizer, 5000lb. Air Bags, Aero Under Seat Tool Box, Mopar Bug Deflector, Emerald Green Century Cap.

 

[Archive]

About the suspension differences between the 2500 and the 3500, I was told the springs are heavier which seems obvious, and the brakes are about an inch wider on the back. The 3500 does have the duals to support the heavier load, but the stuff I need, like the drive train are the same. That sound right you 1-tonners? Isn't the towing capacity the same, 14,000?

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98. 5,24v,3/4 ton,2wd,lsd,5sp
blue box hp enhancement

 

[Archive]

Okay: 2500 4X4 quad cab
GVWR=8800
Max tlr=11,400 lbs
GCVWR=18,000 lbs
Rear spring cap. =6200 lbs.

3500 4X4 quad cab
GVWR=11,000
Max tlr=13,000 lbs
GCVWR=20,000 lbs
Rear spring cap. =7500 lbs.

These specs. came out of the Y2K Ram catalog with the red cover. Regards Pete

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99'3500,quad cab,4X4,a/t
3:54

 

[Archive]

Just thought I'd say that all the years that I've drove trucks (almost all 4X4's) I have hauled some out right heavy stuff. Filled the back of a half ton one time so full with wet pea gravel that it was coming over the sides, back tires looked almost flat. No big deal until I tried to keep up with traffic on the freeway and the front tires were only touching about every 20 to 30 feet down the road. Any way alls this means is that these specs. keep D. C. from being sued and our dainty little trucks from breaking!! really, these trucks are pretty tough, use'em hard try not to abuse them to much, thats what kids are for. Regards, Pete

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99'3500,quad cab,4X4,a/t
3:54

 

[Archive]

To much weight... ... . that depends..... to much for the Cummins..... no way... ... for the truck... ..... wellllll. In my younger days I have loaded pickups until the bumper drags on dips. Have you ever noticed how nice the truck looks whe you finish loading. You get down the road one mile... ... . hmmmmmmmm..... I may have exceeded my capacity. One thing for shure... ... . the truck would give out before the Cummins. I dont believe you can carry enough in the bed to really hamper the performace of the diesel. It takes a trailer
13' high and at least 13,000 lbs...

 

[Archive]

I have to admit to overloading my '95 2500 CC 4X4. I needed some gravel and went to Eureka Sand and Gravel to get a couple of yards. It really had back down. I still had some spring and the tires (90PSI) were not too bad so I went on home. There is about a half mile of 9% grade on the way and the Cummins did bark a bit climbing that. Later I needed some gravel for concrete and got a couple of yards. This time it was from a chute that measured it. The load was a lot less. I asked them about it. The answer was that they are generous when they load with a scoop loader. I'll bet I had over three yards on the truck that time. Now when I need crushed rock I get it from a place that uses a half yard bucket to load it. Not nearly so saggy in the rear and it scampers up the hill on the way to my house just fine.

Joe G.

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Joe G.

• '95 2500 CC auto 4X4
• Combo EGT/boost guage
• Torque plate
• TFOD diesel shift kit
• Automatic motorhome steps on both sides
• Foldacover hard bed cover
• Cummins chrome kit
• Black steel grill guard
• Front hitch receiver

 

[Archive]

As long as you drive slow and prudent you can put a lot of weight on these Rams. Here's a story for you... my cousin bought a house, but had to have it moved. The contractor got it moved and didn't come back to pick up the cribbing pieces (6" x 6" x 4' solid oak pieces - 50 - 55 lbs. each)) so he stacked them in his truck (96' Ram 1500 long bed) stood each one of them upright. When he got done he had 132 of them in his truck!!! (in a 1/2 ton!) He didn't realize until he was done how much weight he had. (almost 7,000 lbs. ) He drove over to my house about 25 mph with his flashers on. It's about 30 miles and he made it. Not the smartest thing he's ever done, but it could have been a commercial for Dodge trucks. I just wish he would have taken a picture before we unloaded the thing!

 

[Archive]

Best my truck ever rode... Loaded with 6x6x8' pressure treated posts (to the bed rails). Not sure how much it weighed (a lot more than my camper!) Low center of gravity really makes things easier on dodge suspension.

Saw a guy in Prince Rupert BC with a huge camper on his 2500. He said it weighed 3500 dry (vs my 1700)! Had a large luggage box as well! When asked how it handled he replied; "I drive slowly. "

Two things keep repeating in my head: 1) how long do you want to keep your truck, and 2) the now FAMOUS saying; "I am my own WARRANTY STATION!!"




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2500qc, no leather or abs
1500 bigfoot, no auto waterheater or microwave.

 

[Archive]

My 96 hauled a pallet of fully developed sod, (grass), at about 5000lbs. It did sag a bunch but before you should worry about the springs I would worry about the bed collasping. I bowed the bottom of my bed about an inch. Just be carful the way that you drive and how you go over bumps. By the way, it didn't ride like a truck with that load but more like the spongy ride of a land yacht.

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RamNProwler, Ed Council
1996 Black 2500 SLT EC, Atuo, 4. 10 LSD, Banks Power Pack, BD Torque Loc, Converter and Brake,Pyro , Boost and Trans Temp
Ultra Wheels, 28575R16 RVT Wild Country TIres, TekStyle Tonneau Cover, Lighted Sun Visor, Power Vision Mirrors, Spray in Diamond Liner, Diamond Plate Rail Caps,Amsoil
throughout
Pull 27' Prowler TT all over Washington



[This message has been edited by RamNProwler (edited 10-21-1999). ]