5'VR Noob

[Dogpatch]

You're learning, but you need the weight of all things you are going to carry in your truck, subtract that from your GVWR to find out what you have left to allow for your loaded pin weight. Lets say the total of UVW, fuel, gear and passengers comes to 1100 lbs added to your UVW of 6864 your unhitched weight would be 7964 lbs. Subtract that from your GVWR of 10,000 lbs leaves you an allowable loaded pin weight of 2036 lbs. The more you load in your truck, the less you have left for loaded pin weight.

Knowing this will allow you to buy the appropriate 5th wheel your truck can safely tow.

[Yamaki]

And then I have to be aware of the total GVW, truck and trailer, right?

I mean, adding the pin weight increases the truck GVW and reduces the trailer GVW I can to, right?

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

And then I have to be aware of the total GVW, truck and trailer, right?

I mean, adding the pin weight increases the truck GVW and reduces the trailer GVW I can to, right?

Total weight of the truck and trailer is your GCVW or Gross Combined Vehicle Weight. This is also something you need to know for your truck and what it's rated for.

Both your truck and 5th Wheel have their own individual GVWR or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

If you know what your Trucks GCVW is subtract your loaded weight of your truck alone and that will tell you what you have left for a loaded 5th Wheel. Once you found one, you still have to calculate what your dry weight and pin weight will need to be and then what your anticipated loaded weights will be once added.

I'm no pro, but have learned all of this recently.

If you've read my posts on my weights, you can kind of get an idea. My stuff is loaded for camping and not full time, otherwise I'd be heavier in all but the front truck axle weight.

Have a read of the thread link I posted in one of my upper threads. Once you get past the jargon on the two fifth wheels, the thread gets into the weight decisions. I had a lot of help from the guys here at iRV2 that made me pay attention to the various aspects that lead to the final calculations.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

You're learning, but you need the weight of all things you are going to carry in your truck, subtract that from your GVWR to find out what you have left to allow for your loaded pin weight. Lets say the total of UVW, fuel, gear and passengers comes to 1100 lbs added to your UVW of 6864 your unhitched weight would be 7964 lbs. Subtract that from your GVWR of 10,000 lbs leaves you an allowable loaded pin weight of 2036 lbs. The more you load in your truck, the less you have left for loaded pin weight.

Knowing this will allow you to buy the appropriate 5th wheel your truck can safely tow.

As long as the 2036 plus the wet rear axle weight does not exceed the rear GAWR. Likely will not but the number should be checked.

It is one of the numbers they will check if you get pulled into a scale.

[Dogpatch]

That's correct Gordon. I believe the GAWR is found under the term "Payload" now in most trucks brochures.

Yamaki, here is the towing and payload specs from your 2014 Ram 2500 truck brochure for you to calculate your weights. Refer to the columns that match your truck. I'm unsure if your truck has the "Ram Box" as that will change the numbers I mention below.
I believe your Max payload for your truck is 3250 lbs. Once you weigh your truck loaded, subtract the rear axle weight from your Max payload weight and that should give you your Max loaded pin weight you can carry.
Your Max towing is 12580 lbs. and your GCVWR is 19,500 lbs.

Probably a good thing you swapped trucks for towing as your Mega Cab would have given you a lower Max payload of 2890 lbs! Your Max towing would have been reduced to 12220 lbs!

[Yamaki]

Yeah, those are the numbers I found as well. Thanks.

Now I just need to figure out how to put all these numbers together into the proper equation.

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

Yeah, those are the numbers I found as well. Thanks.

Now I just need to figure out how to put all these numbers together into the proper equation.

Weighing your truck loaded is going to be your first step. You already have the truck so that should be easy. Full tank of fuel, family and add 250 lbs for the hitch to be safe. Weigh front axle and rear axle separate. From there you'll know exactly where you stand.

If you need further help, just ask. That's why we're all here!

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

That's correct Gordon. I believe the GAWR is found under the term "Payload" now in most trucks brochures.

Yamaki, here is the towing and payload specs from your 2014 Ram 2500 truck brochure for you to calculate your weights. Refer to the columns that match your truck. I'm unsure if your truck has the "Ram Box" as that will change the numbers I mention below.
I believe your Max payload for your truck is 3250 lbs. Once you weigh your truck loaded, subtract the rear axle weight from your Max payload weight and that should give you your Max loaded pin weight you can carry.
Your Max towing is 12580 lbs. and your GCVWR is 19,500 lbs.

Probably a good thing you swapped trucks for towing as your Mega Cab would have given you a lower Max payload of 2890 lbs! Your Max towing would have been reduced to 12220 lbs!

Attachment 110282

Attachment 110283

IMO payload and GAWR (rear) are two different things. I take payload as the amount of weight you can add to the truck to stay within GVWR. Some of that payload will go to the front axle as well.

There should be a placard on the door pillar that has GVWR, GAWR (rear) and GAWR (front). The amount of weight you can add to the rear axle is the GAWR on the placard minus the loaded weight on the rear axle. Our fifth wheel is located directly above the axle so the 5er does not add any weight to the front axle.

IMO anything on a chart is not model specific but covers the entire line. The payload they are talking about may not include any options not included in the model, such as bucket seats, power windows, etc. May only include partial fuel and one passenger (jockey or 6yo whichever is lighter).

Tale of the tape is when you weigh the axle with full load and fuel does it exceed the rear axle weight rating. Estimated numbers can get you close but generally are overly optimistic.

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

IMO payload and GAWR (rear) are two different things. I take payload as the amount of weight you can add to the truck to stay within GVWR. Some of that payload will go to the front axle as well.

There should be a placard on the door pillar that has GVWR, GAWR (rear) and GAWR (front).

IMO anything on a chart is not model specific but covers the entire line. The payload they are talking about may not include any options not included in the model, such as bucket seats, power windows, etc. May only include partial fuel and one passenger (jockey or 6yo whichever is lighter).

Tale of the tape is when you weigh the axle with full load and fuel does it exceed the rear axle weight rating. Estimated numbers can get you close but generally are overly optimistic.

Good points Gordon! I'm going to check mine out compared to brochure on my truck and compare to my own weights.