Weight Ratings ???

[JDancoe]

OK!
We have our new EcoDiesel and have put about 500 Miles on it. I,m starting to set it up to tow our travel trailer, getting ready for a trip to the Northwest at the end of July.
I was just on Rambobybuilder.com looking at the load rating charts.
On page 5 at the bottom of the chart are (2) lines for the E/D with Crew Cab, 6'4" box & 3.92 axle ratio. One shows the GCWR @ 13,750 Lb. - Max. Trailer Wt. @7,590 Lb. The other shows GCWR @14,550 Lb. - Max. Trailer Wt. @ 8,390 Lb.

The footnotes (#12) specify Big Horn & Lone Star packages are rated @ 13,750 Lb. No footnotes about the Outdoorsman, which is what I have.

So, should I assume my E/D Outdoorsman is rated at the 14,550# / 8,390# numbers?

Thanks, Jack Dancoe

 

[sag2]

Go to here http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/ and near the top on right side it says "look up my vehicle." Put in your VIN and get your numbers.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Should have sticker by drivers side door latch that tells you. Unless they quit putting it there.

 

[JDancoe]

OK, I went to Ram trcks.com as suggested. My VIN results were;
Max. Payload: 1125# Max Trailer: 7.700#. Did not find any Gross Combined Weight.

The door sticker shows GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) F & R @ 3900# each. Max. GVW @ 6950#. No GCWR.

So, I figure adding the Vehicle Max GVW of 6950# and the Max Trailer weight of 7.700# works out to a Max Gross Combined Weight of 14,650#
Anyhow, with my trailer weighing 6,200# loaded and my truck weighing 6,490# loaded, (F/A-2735#, R/A-3755#) for a Combined weight of 12,690# I'm good to go.

Thanks, guys, for the input. Jack Dancoe

 

[Roc Doc]

I'm planning on a similar size TT. Please post up after you've done your trip. Route, speed, MPG's, etc....you know, the geeky diesel guy info!

 

[RustyJC]

OK, I went to Ram trcks.com as suggested. My VIN results were;
Max. Payload: 1125# Max Trailer: 7.700#. Did not find any Gross Combined Weight.

The door sticker shows GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) F & R @ 3900# each. Max. GVW @ 6950#. No GCWR.

So, I figure adding the Vehicle Max GVW of 6950# and the Max Trailer weight of 7.700# works out to a Max Gross Combined Weight of 14,650#
Anyhow, with my trailer weighing 6,200# loaded and my truck weighing 6,490# loaded, (F/A-2735#, R/A-3755#) for a Combined weight of 12,690# I'm good to go.

Thanks, guys, for the input. Jack Dancoe

The factory calculates its published GCWR as curb weight of base model truck of your configuration + 150 lb allowance for driver + trailer tow rating = GCWR. The truck's GVWR isn't part of the GCWR calculation - GVWR is obviously significantly more than the curb weight + 150 lbs. Reference the footnotes of the Ram body builders' guide - Footnote #2 in the 2011 version for my truck states "Maximum trailer weight = GCWR - curb weight - 150 lbs (allowance for driver)."

Rusty

 

[JDancoe]

Roc Doc
OK, here’s the geeky diesel guy stuff.
Total miles driven: 5962 Mi. Trailer Tow Miles: 4176 (About 70% of total)
Total Fuel Used: 387.02 Gal. O/A MPG: 15.40
Total Fuel Cost: $1,0034.00 Average $/Gal.: $2.67
High fuel: $3.00 /Gal. Low Fuel: $2.30/Gal.

I’m attaching my fuel log for your perusal.
The Tank-MPG reflects the fuel use between fill-ups. Figures above 15 MPG indicate usage mainly tow vehicle only. Figures below that would be when towing, or mixed use.
You will note some fuel fill-ups exceed the 26 gal. Capacity of the O.E.M. tank. I have an auxiliary tank in the bed.

The trip was Northwest through Colorado, North up through Utah and Idaho,
Then West across Montana, into Washington-to The Seattle area, then down the coast road through Oregon, into northern California. Then we went east to Lake Tahoe, across Nevada, and into Utah and Zion National Park. Then we dropped down into northern Arizona, and back up through the Four Corners into Colorado, and back home.

A lot of it was mountain driving, (non-freeway) and through areas where the speed limits were in the 45-55 MPH. Normally we drove at the posted speed limit, traffic permitting.

(Note: especially in Oregon and California, we found areas many that were posted; “Trucks 3 axles or more- 55 MPH.” Sometimes these signs were followed with a sign saying: “Vehicles Pulling Trailers-55 MPH.” To be on the safe side, anytime we saw the “Trucks with 3 axles” we assumed it also applied to us, (4 axles).

For comparison:
My wife retired in 2013 and we made 4 previous trips with our trailer, towed with a 1992 W-250 CTD.
Total Mileage: 27015 Mi. Total Fuel Used: 1899.7 Gal. O/A MPG: 14.22
These trips were mainly through the Eastern U.S. with more freeway driving, and much less mountain driving.
The percentage of towed miles vs. non-towed mileage was about the same; non-tow – 30% Towed; 70%.

So, one could say the overall gain in fuel mileage was only about 1-1/4 MPG with the Ecodiesel, BUT- the difference (improvement) in noise level, ride, and general convenience and comfort is not even comparable.

In short, both my wife and I are very pleased with our decision to buy the Ecodiesel>

Jack Dancoe

 

[JDancoe]

Here is the fuel use record sheet.

 

[sag2]

That looks really good, and your right compared to the old truck it is like taking your car on the trip. It sure is nice to have the extra capacity tank so you are not having to watch for good fuel prices all the time.

 

[Roc Doc]

.

The trip was Northwest through Colorado, North up through Utah and Idaho,
Then West across Montana, into Washington-to The Seattle area, then down the coast road through Oregon, into northern California. Then we went east to Lake Tahoe, across Nevada, and into Utah and Zion National Park. Then we dropped down into northern Arizona, and back up through the Four Corners into Colorado, and back home.

A lot of it was mountain driving, (non-freeway) and through areas where the speed limits were in the 45-55 MPH. Normally we drove at the posted speed limit, traffic permitting.

(Note: especially in Oregon and California, we found areas many that were posted; “Trucks 3 axles or more- 55 MPH.” Sometimes these signs were followed with a sign saying: “Vehicles Pulling Trailers-55 MPH.” To be on the safe side, anytime we saw the “Trucks with 3 axles” we assumed it also applied to us, (4 axles).

For comparison:
My wife retired in 2013 and we made 4 previous trips with our trailer, towed with a 1992 W-250 CTD.
Total Mileage: 27015 Mi. Total Fuel Used: 1899.7 Gal. O/A MPG: 14.22
These trips were mainly through the Eastern U.S. with more freeway driving, and much less mountain driving.
The percentage of towed miles vs. non-towed mileage was about the same; non-tow – 30% Towed; 70%.

So, one could say the overall gain in fuel mileage was only about 1-1/4 MPG with the Ecodiesel, BUT- the difference (improvement) in noise level, ride, and general convenience and comfort is not even comparable.

In short, both my wife and I are very pleased with our decision to buy the Ecodiesel>

Jack Dancoe

As a former Californian and someone who has lived in the West his whole life, I am familiar with those areas and the mountains, so I'm not surprised at your results. Thanks for the info.

What was your GVW?

And yes, Kalifornia restricts travel trailers to 55mph. An antiquated law that IMO is dangerous for traffic flow when most cars and trucks are pushing 80mph, and multi-axle vehicles are restricted to 55.

 

[crispyboy]

And yes, Kalifornia restricts travel trailers to 55mph. An antiquated law that IMO is dangerous for traffic flow when most cars and trucks are pushing 80mph, and multi-axle vehicles are restricted to 55.

Do people towing trailers actually drive 55 mph while others are going so fast? It makes me nervous if I am going so slow in traffic that others could rear end the trailer or clip the corner when trying to pass........

 

[Roc Doc]

Do people towing trailers actually drive 55 mph while others are going so fast? It makes me nervous if I am going so slow in traffic that others could rear end the trailer or clip the corner when trying to pass........

Most don't and you can usually get away with 62 or so before a CHP will ding you.

Me and three other guys trailered our rockcrawlers down to Johnson Valley from Las Vegas, and on the way back I was leading the caravan at 63 or maybe a bit more, and a CHP pulled us over going on about how something was fishy with us. Uh yeah, we stole 4 trucks, 4 trailers, 4 rockcrawlers, got 'em all registered and insured then wheeled all weekend, and now we're going to take them back before anybody notices. The only thing that got us out of the speeding tickets was one of our guys was a Lt Col in the AF (FA/22 pilot). I guess he had respect for the military.

 

[JDancoe]

Roc Doc'
Don't Know how I forgot to Include the Vehicle Weight in my earlier missive. I weighed the unit at a "Cat" commercial scale at a Flying J in Ogden, Utah. Full Fuel, Water, Cargo, & Passengers., as follows: Fr. Axle-3820, Rr.Axle-3860, Trailer-5610. total Combined Wt.-13,280.
Free Standing Wt. of my Trailer Loaded and ready for travel is 6200 lbs. Tongue Wt. 520 lb.
You might notice the f-r truck axle loading are right close to the GAWR of 3900# F&R, and that the weights are nearly equal. I have a very good 'Equal-I-Zer" brand load transfer Hitch, but even I was surprised to see the weights that close. I was also hauling about 200# of antique furniture in the truck for delivery to relatives on the way, which I won't have on future trips
Jack Dancoe

 

[Roc Doc]

Roc Doc'
Don't Know how I forgot to Include the Vehicle Weight in my earlier missive. I weighed the unit at a "Cat" commercial scale at a Flying J in Ogden, Utah. Full Fuel, Water, Cargo, & Passengers., as follows: Fr. Axle-3820, Rr.Axle-3860, Trailer-5610. total Combined Wt.-13,280.
Free Standing Wt. of my Trailer Loaded and ready for travel is 6200 lbs. Tongue Wt. 520 lb.
You might notice the f-r truck axle loading are right close to the GAWR of 3900# F&R, and that the weights are nearly equal. I have a very good 'Equal-I-Zer" brand load transfer Hitch, but even I was surprised to see the weights that close. I was also hauling about 200# of antique furniture in the truck for delivery to relatives on the way, which I won't have on future trips
Jack Dancoe

That's good info, and realistically about what I'd be towing. It doesn't surprise me that the towing mileage is not all that much better than a bigger truck, but for me anyway, 90% of my miles will be unloaded and there's no way a 2500 is going to get close to the Eco1500 in those conditions.

I think this truck is a great option for those that want a comfortable truck that gets great fuel mileage and can still tow a respectable amount.