Why I would never have a 3/4 ton...

[Cooker]

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf

I weighed that in 9th grade.

I got you beat. I was 135 in 3rd grade :-laf



In regards to the topic at hand, it is evident that most guys who overload their trucks could care less about the legalities of running in excess of your GCWR or GVWR. I personally feel there are safe and unsafe ways to do this. To each his own as long as I can stay away from the unsafe ones on the road.



For the commercial vehicle though it is important, IMHO, to stay within the limits set forth by the manufacturer. I don't think the DOT comes out for personal vehicle accidents but they sure do come out for commercial accidents (at least in MI they do), and they will take the time to weigh everything that was on the truck.

 

[fkovalski]

There was some speculation that the rear pistons were slightly larger on the 3500 trucks. Page 5-15 of my service manual may indicate 2 piston sizes:



HD 56mm caliper

LD 54mm caliper



I'm not clear on whether "LD" means 3/4 ton and "HD" means 1-ton. Or "LD" might mean "SRW" and "HD" means "DRW".



-Ryan

What does your service manual cover? Is it for the Dodge catering to both gas and diesel or specific to diesel only? (and all options for the models. i. e. 2500 and 3500?)

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Could that be Light Duty and Heavy duty - as in gas powered vs. diesel powered?

 

[Cattletrkr]

... it is evident that most guys who overload their trucks could care less about the legalities of running in excess of your GCWR or GVWR.



For the commercial vehicle though it is important, IMHO, to stay within the limits set forth by the manufacturer...

Few things. DOT CANNOT ENFORCE A "manufacturers stated weight rating". PERIOD. That includes federal regulations. That comes directly from one of the nice gentlemen responsible for writing tickets (DOT guy working a booth at a farmshow). The only things they can get you for is being overweight for the road you're on, i. e. 10 tons per axle on a 7 ton road, and overloading your tires. Tires are DOT rated, that's how they can getcha on those. Manufactures "recommendations" are just that, recommendations. Trucks, trailers, whatever, no difference.



The only way they can determine if you're too heavy is to test your stoppng ability. Don't have the details on this but the DOT guy said they ain't about to setup a test strip and make everybody do a brake check.



Until I hear otherwise from someone at DOT, that's what I'm running with



Having said that, I ran into a nut-job last week. He was looking at a GN hitch dad sells and wondering if it is heavy enough. I told him I use it to pull 26-27K on a regular basis and it holds up fine for me. Well, as it turns out he pulls 40K... WITH A P/U. Maybe once in a while would be OK, but it sounded like he does that routinely as well. That's going way overboard in my book. Way too much tail for a little bitty puppy. I've got good brakes, but I'd hate to try and keep 'em all working good enough to stop that.



Oh yeah... 2nd gen 3/4 tons had the Dana 80 IF they were equipped with a Man. trans. Dad's 02 3/4T had an 80 and a 5spd. Said it in the owners man.

 

[Fast 1]

My gross weight was 34,620 lb. at the Flying J Cat scale in Rapid City SD. on 10/02/2000. My trip was from Sioux Falls SD to Rapid City SD which is 340 miles. Just another day. but a little heavy



steer axle 4920

drive axle 9700

trailer axle 20000

gross weight 34620



I'm glad I got the 1 ton. hehe

 

[opjohnny]

This topic has been covered before when the third gen came out. I am glad they offer the srw 1 ton because with a short bed you can still put that in a standard garage. With the 1 ton srw you would still have to watch the tongue weight when buying a fifth wheel. Put a bedroom slide over the pin and your looking at big pin weight.

 

[2Gen3Gen]

I drove my 3500 over the scales last week with myself (240 lb) and my son (165) and my fiberglass shell with a full tank of Oregon Diesel ($150. 00)( ) and my truck tipped the scale at 8150. 2004. 5 3500 4x4 48re lsd Quad cab. Basically the same as my 2500 4x4 04 that I traded in. My 2500 was a turd when it came to hauling ANYTHING. My wife and I picked up a pallet of landscaping rock, aprox 2300 lb and the truck was sitting on the rear axel! i was shocked! My Chevys and Fords could do a haul like that and not put the front end off the ground! Im very happy with my 3500 I have this year. Not sure what Ill own next year but it sure wont be a 2500 Dodge. I may do a F450 super duty Ford. Also it will be a gasser this time around if Diesel continues to be 50 cents more than unleaded in Oregon. As for duallys, ive owned 5 in the past 15 years. I have no need for 6 tires on the ground anymore. looked great but was a bear to park anywhere. ill take a SWB 3500 anyday!

 

[jimnance]

First Tim, I agree with you. It is very easy to overload a 2500 CTD. OTOH, since the only difference in the 2500 SRW and 3500 SRW is the spring package I think you may be overexagerating the benefit of the 3500 SRW. Sure, you can legally load more on the 3500 SRW, but from a pratical standpoint the 2500 can do the same thing with a slight change to the spring set up.



I decided that I was uncomfotable pulling my 37' fiver with a SRW rig. It didn't really matter if I were an enhanced 2500 or regular 3500. It just needed a DRW. I suspect that many who pull larger fivers, especially toy haulers over 30' will find that a DRW is required to be legally within GVW. Also, the DRW gives you tire redundancy that you don't have with the SRW.

 

[Tim]

This has nothing to do with legality. You can legally load a truck well beyond its ratings. That doesn't mean what you're doing is right. I can't see why everyone has to take something from this thread other than what was said. It's pretty easy to hit the GVWR of a 3/4 ton truck.



Those that overload their trucks, you're wrong, you know you're wrong, and no matter what, you cannot be right. Why people on the internet insist on bragging about how much they have overloaded their trucks is beyond me and I would appreciate if such nonsense would be left out of a thread I started, if possible.

 

[rbattelle]

What does your service manual cover? Is it for the Dodge catering to both gas and diesel or specific to diesel only? (and all options for the models. i. e. 2500 and 3500?)

Yes.



I don't think the section I was looking at was indicating the gas-powered 1500s, but I could easily be wrong. I was just pointing out that's the only thing I can find in my service manual that even suggests a difference in rear brakes. It's pretty vague about what exactly it's referring to.



-Ryan

 

[gsbrockman]

I would appreciate if such nonsense would be left out of a thread I started, if possible.

Tim, if a poll were taken, I'd bet lots that have read this thread (and replied) would vote this thread as "nonsense" as well. Just when you thought it was safe to return to the hornet's nest, someone beats it with a bakker stick once again.

Greg

 

[J.Post]

I didn't ask for someone to point me in the direction of the Dodge website for their weight limits, I've been there already thanks. I asked if someone had actual part numbers for the brakes, axles, spring packs and other critical areas to see the actual difference between the 2500 and 3500. If the part numbers are the same their may be no actual difference between two similar equipped 2500s and 3500s other then the manufacturers maximum weights. It MAY show that it's either just a marketing ploy or liability issues that determine the differences between the two. I'm NOT saying it's alright to overload your truck. Just trying to seperate fact from fiction. The FACT right now is that a 3500 is rated higher than a 2500. What actually seperates the two? The engine, the front axle, and in some cases the rear axle are the same. Do 3500s come standard w/ 4. 10s rather than 3/73s? This alone may allow for higher TOW rates but does not make it safer.



So just to clarify. What is the DIFFERENCE between the two other than the manufacturers published maximum weight ratings.

 

[67guzzler]

Tim, if a poll were taken, I'd bet lots that have read this thread (and replied) would vote this thread as "nonsense" as well. Just when you thought it was safe to return to the hornet's nest, someone beats it with a bakker stick once again.

Greg

How do we make it stop? :{

 

[JHardwick]

I would appreciate if such nonsense would be left out of a thread I started, if possible.

Oh brother, do we need to PM you for permission to post in your thread?

 

[Scrappy]

the 3rd gen 3500's have an overload leaf pack on top of the main springs that the 2500 does not have.

 

[Crunch]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tim

I would appreciate if such nonsense would be left out of a thread I started, if possible.​

Oh brother, do we need to PM you for permission to post in your thread?

C-C-C-C-Can't we j-j-j-just g-get along?

 

[nps]

I'd post my thoughts, but since I'm a second genner I guess I'm not allowed to say how ridiculous it is to compare SRW 3rd gen 2500/3500 trucks.



Get a DRW if you are worried about weight.

 

[catoiler]

Went camping this last weekend and two guys in Fords pull up with 35' toyhaulers. One had a F350 DRW with a 6. 0 and the other had a F250 7. 3. They were both loaded down pretty good and the guy with the DRW tried to back it up a small rise and could not get it to move!The rear of it was sagging and the front was up in the air. The 250 sat level and had no problem!Why was the 250 sitting level? it had air bags and a owner that know's how to load a trailer!

 

[Cooker]

Few things. DOT CANNOT ENFORCE A "manufacturers stated weight rating". PERIOD. That includes federal regulations. That comes directly from one of the nice gentlemen responsible for writing tickets (DOT guy working a booth at a farmshow). The only things they can get you for is being overweight for the road you're on, i. e. 10 tons per axle on a 7 ton road, and overloading your tires. Tires are DOT rated, that's how they can getcha on those. Manufactures "recommendations" are just that, recommendations. Trucks, trailers, whatever, no difference.



The only way they can determine if you're too heavy is to test your stoppng ability. Don't have the details on this but the DOT guy said they ain't about to setup a test strip and make everybody do a brake check.

Maybe it is not the DOT then that one needs to be concerned about, but I assumed it was the DOT.



In Michigan if there is a commercial vehicle accident, no matter who is at fault, a Michigan State Trooper comes out and his job is to inspect the vehicle and accident scene. I have seen them weigh all of the personal items on a vehicle, we're talking lunchboxes and hand tools, to try and help determine what the weight of the vehicle was at the time of the accident. I have also seen them check and inspect the tires on the vehicle. I assumed he was enforcing MDOT rules and regulations at the same time although he is obviously not an MDOT employee.

.

 

[Cooker]

Few things. DOT CANNOT ENFORCE A "manufacturers stated weight rating". PERIOD. That includes federal regulations. That comes directly from one of the nice gentlemen responsible for writing tickets (DOT guy working a booth at a farmshow). The only things they can get you for is being overweight for the road you're on, i. e. 10 tons per axle on a 7 ton road, and overloading your tires. Tires are DOT rated, that's how they can getcha on those. Manufactures "recommendations" are just that, recommendations. Trucks, trailers, whatever, no difference.



The only way they can determine if you're too heavy is to test your stoppng ability. Don't have the details on this but the DOT guy said they ain't about to setup a test strip and make everybody do a brake check.

Maybe it is not the DOT then that one needs to be concerned about, but I assumed it was the DOT.



In Michigan if there is a commercial vehicle accident, no matter who is at fault, a Michigan State Trooper comes out and his job is to inspect the vehicle and accident scene. Usually only for vehicles with some type of load or trailer, I have not seen them on scene of the Molly Maid cleaning vans . I have seen them weigh all of the personal items on a vehicle, we're talking lunchboxes and hand tools, to try and help determine what the weight of the vehicle was at the time of the accident. I have also seen them check and inspect the tires and brakes on the vehicle. I assumed he was enforcing MDOT rules and regulations at the same time although he is obviously not an MDOT employee. I can't say that I have seen the Trooper on scene of a accident invloving a personal vehicle, with or without a trailer.



In any case, if you are commercial vehicle, in the state of Michigan, I would not run in excess of any of the manufaturers weight ratings. JMHO