Tow Capacity

[Ed]

I have a 99 2500 4x4. I am considering purchasing an Alpenlite Valhalla 29RK or an Excel 28SKW. The Alpenlite pin weight is about 20xx pounds and the Excel is 2220. The Alpenlite weighs 90xx lbs and the Excel weighs 10950 lbs. (I don't have the exact weights on the Alpenlite, thus the "xx").



Any opinions as to the ability of my truck to tow one of these trailers?



Thanks,

Ed

 

[NVR FNSH]

No problem. If you have an auto you may want to upgrade it - I have a 6spd so I don't pay much attention to the auto threads. E-brake is highly recommended.



Brian

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

Sorry, but you should have a 3500 for those trailers.



I have a 97 xcab 2x4 auto and a 97 29 ft Dreamer by Alpenlite.



Your quad cab 4x4 truck dry weight, delivered is apparently 6787 lbs and my 2x4 is 5862 lbs. I weighed mine with full tank and the assorted add ons, jacks, chains, tools, spare parts and stuff and got 6395 lbs without the driver, passengers or fifth wheel hitch. 500 lbs of fuel and stuff is easy to put in the truck.



The "dry" weight and without options of the Alpenlite you desire is 10,075 lbs. This is no lightweight with the second slide. My 29 ft single slide has a manufacturer's dry weight of 8,170 lbs. Add 110 gallons of water, 15 gallons of propane, options, 3 weeks of provisions, and the wifes gotta haves the weight will build up fast.



On unloaded dry weights, your truck weighs 900 lbs more than mine and your proposed trailer weighs 1,900 lbs more than mine. Sept 30 I was on my way to Utah Canyon Lands for a 3 week trip. I knew I was loaded the heaviest I have ever been (firewood, 3 weeks of snake bite remedy, etc, etc). I weighed at a closed truck weigh station in Oregon and found:

4,050 lbs front axle; 5,400 lbs rear axle; and 9,250 lbs trailer axles. This included me, the wife, and the dog. The totals are 9,450 lbs truck and 18,700 lbs total. This 18,700 lbs total is 4,670 lbs more than the advertized dry weights. The truck is rated at 8,800 lbs GVWR and 16,000 lbs GCWR. I was over the GVWR by 650 lbs and over the GCWR by 2,700 lbs.



Assuming your wife packs to excess as my wife does and you carry a full water tank, your proposed rig would weigh out at an estimated 21,500 lbs Gross combined weight. I would estimate the truck weight at 10,800 lbs (900 lbs more truck weight and 450 lbs more pin weight). This is 2,000 lbs over your GVWR rating of 8,800 lbs and the rear axle is probably at the 6084 lb rating of the tires. This is why people put air bags in their 3/4 ton pickups.



A new 3500 4x4 with 4. 11 gears is about 300 lbs heavier than your current rig but has a GVWR of 11,000 lbs and a GCWR rating of 21,500 lbs. By my estimates you would be right at both these values 11,100 lbs and 21,800 lbs at max packing. Easy enough to throw out 300 lbs of misc.



In conclusion, I wish I had looked at these numbers 5 years ago and bought a 3500.

 

[BV]

That's a lot of trailer for a 2500. My 99 weighs 7,000# sitting at the curb so by the time you put others and their stuff in there, your way over like BW suggested. Go with a lighter trailer or upgrade to a peacup with training wheels (3500). JMHO

 

[Steve M]

I wish I could remember the issue of Trailer Life that featured a red 2500 4X4 with 6spd/4. 10 towing a 14,000+ pound plus 5th wheel trailer. It was even a short bed with a hitch that automatically moved back on turns. The report was that the truck and trailer combo did fine even though the truck was over it's tow rating. I recommend the TL rag although the name sounds alittle lame...

 

[BigMike]

My truck is the same as yours and I tow a 30' Terry, dry weight 9300#, without any problem whatsoever. I am never over my GCVW of 18000# even when I have my 5er fully loaded. I don't carry much water and my black/grey tanks are always pretty empty. However, I don't know how anyone with a 2500 can tow any 5er without exceeding the vehicle GVW of 8800#. Pin weights are always over 2000# and when your 2500 is fully loaded, fuel, groceries etc, you will be right around 7300#. Add the pin weight and you're way over 8800. I never have come close to exceeding the axle ratings however.

It amazes me that they sell these things with camper special rear suspension designed to allow a person to exceed the GVW and then tell you not to exceed it.



If you want to do it by the book, buy the 3500. If you want to be practical, buy the 2500. It will do a wonderful job for you.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Check my signature. You won't have any problems. Mine tows just fine and I know others that tow several thousand pounds more than I do with no problems either.

 

[RustyJC]

I Guess It Depends!

Do you want to run "legal" or not? Check our signature for the 5ver we're pulling - with full fuel load, passengers, Shelties, etc. , we're at 10,480 GVW (10,500 GVWR) and 21,380 GCVW (21,500 GCVWR).



Rusty

 

[Dieselnerd]

"Legal"? What do you consider legal? I have moved things around between truck and trailer so that I do not exceed the GVW of either vehicle even though I exceed the GCVW of my truck which is 18,000 pounds. The truck weighs about 8700 and the trailer around 13,500 pounds. This means I exceed the GCVW by about 4000 pounds. Is this illegal? Not even in very strict Canada since both vehicles are within their legal weight. Does it cause more wear? Maybe... That's why I beefed up my truck, so I could tow this load with no problem.

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by Dieselnerd

"Legal"? What do you consider legal?

It's a tort (civil) law thing. We ordered our tow vehicle specifically so we could stay within all of the manufacturer's ratings. It's a much easier position to defend in case of an accident and resulting lawsuit(s), regardless of fault since operating in excess of manufacturer's ratings could be considered by a jury to be, if not reckless operation, at least contributory negligence.



If someone else chooses not to do so, that's their business (at least until they hit me or my family. )



Rusty

 

[Dieselnerd]

Rusty, please don't take this as a flame... GCVW is much more of a warranty issue than a civil liability issue. If this were not true most of the "hotshotters" would be illegal and they are not. They must go through all of the weigh stations like all other commercial trucks. As long as the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle are not overloaded there are no safety violations. Civil liability? Many silly lawsuits out there now, many not based on facts, just emotion. If I were to worry about every possibility of being sued I guess I would just stay home and make sure my sidewalks weren't slippery. If you are legal according to DOT, you might be sued but then you might also be sued if everything is "legal" including GCVW. In my opinion, careless driving, traveling too fast for road conditions or otherwise breaking driving laws are the most probable reasons for being sued in the event of an accident, not your gross weight.

 

[RustyJC]

Ron,



No offense taken or intended. All I'm saying is that tort (civil) law is a different beast - as you allude to, anyone can file a lawsuit for anything. Based on legal advice, we chose not to leave an "open door" for a civil jury to find against us for operating in excess of GCVWR. If you feel this rating is insignificant and are confident that you can convince a jury that it is meaningless, that's fine. Again, it's a matter of individual choice. I sleep better at nights now, so our choice works for us. OK??



Rusty

 

[Double 6]

Steve M,



The Trailer Life magazine you are looking for is the September 1999 issue, it has the shortbed red Ram 4x4 with 6-speed.

 

[DarrellB]

Make sure you have a good D rated tire and you wont have any troubles, with all that wait you put alot of stress on the side wall of the rear tire in turns. When I first got my 2500 I put diffrent tires on it with just a C rating and when towing heavy loads I could watch the side walls flex in hard cornering. I went to a D series tire and no complant any more and I've pulled over 30,000lbs A good friend of mine is now a DOT officer and he told me they don't mess with individuals hauling their campers or farm equipment as long as they are obeying the speed limit and driving like they have some sense, but if they do pull you over for some reason they don't go by Dodge's #s they go by what you have registered the truck at so put at least 11,000lbs tags on your truck and heavy tags on your trailers and a good set of brakes and working lights on the trailer and the DOT officers will leave you alone.



See Ya on the road.

Big D

 

[Dieselnerd]

Big D, I think you meant Load Range E tires, not D. The 2500's come stock with E rated tires and are considered the minimum for heavy loads or towing. With any less tire your truck won't even make the 8800# rating.

 

[DarrellB]

Nope, I mean D's. I tried a set of E rated tires and the truck road like I TRIED TO BY-PASS THE CUSSING FILTER, it would wonder all over the raod trying to follow the groves in the road way. I have a set of BFG MTs on the truck now and they are rated to 2,300lbs apeace. They do great with 50lbs in the rears and 45lbs in the fronts and when not towing I lower them down to about 45lbs and 40lbs. some D rated tires have a higher load rating than others I should have said to check the load capacity and not just look at the letter rating.



My 2500 only came with D rated michellens on it when I bought it new in 99. I also have a friend that bought a new one about 2 months ago and it came with D rated tires to. (Go Figure) I have heard it all depends when and were the truck is made as to what tire comes on it. (Good Old DC)



Later

Big D

 

[Paul Somers]

My 1999 2500 still has original tires and they are 'E' rated at 3045 lbs at 80 psi.

 

[Ed]

Thanks for all the info guys! A 3500 would be two to three years away. So that won't work.



Has anyone heard any more regarding Dodge coming out with a medium duty class of trucks. I thought I read somewhere they were going to in 03, but haven't found anything else on it since.



I'll have to re-think this trailer choice.



Thanks,

Ed

 

[dewdo]

I had a 94 2500 automatic with 4:10 rear and it came stock with Michelin load range "E" tires. I ran them at 80 lbs as indicated on the tire sidewall. I pulled my 15,000 lb fiver for 5 years with it before getting the y2k 3500 which I needed to haul my 11. 5 pickup camper which also has laod range "E" tires.



I wouldn't run with anything else. I have the tow package and camper package and have never had any problem with it wandering. I also have "E" range tires on my fiver as well. I run them all at 80 lbs.



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[RAMalama]

Just have to chime in here to really stir things up! My 95 3500 came with "D"s!!!! Albeit it has six of them which is why I figure it came with "D"s. DCs way of compromising weight capacity with ride quallity. - D's having a weaker side wall than E's...



My. 02