Hi from SW CO - How much 5th Wheel Can I Tow?

[JIMNLIN]

The info the dealer gave you comes off Dodges Body Builders guide and is the actual payloads and tow rating for your 2500 Laramie equipped Dodge truck. Days of stripper models are over and long gone. Yesteryears options are std equipment today.

The truck has the same engine/tranny/rear axle as the 3500 SRW and DRW so it sure won't have any issues pulling a very small 12600 lb trailer. My '03 same 2500 in a 2wd Dodge/Cummins SLT has a 13350 lb tow rating. I've been all over northern/central and southern Co pulling my 11200 lb 5er with the older 305 hp/555 torque with zero issues. With the 6.7 you sure won't have any white knuckle experiences in the performance part.

I would look for trailer with dry pin weights in the 2500-2700 lb range. Dodge did increase the rear axles/tires/suspension in the 2500 4x4 trucks from 6000 lbs to 6500 lbs. My 5er has a 2200 lb wet pin weight which brings my 6000 lb RAWR to 5200-5400 all depending how the truck and trailer are loaded (short trips vs long trips). Stay under those RAWR numbers from a safety perspective.
Dodge upgraded the same truck as your model in '13 to 17000 lbs with a 9900 GVWR/7000 RAWR and 25000 GCWR.

Some folks like to use GVWR to figure the load the trucks rear axle carries which is safe also.

I can't help you in the nervous department.

[TXiceman]

The problem is some people do not read the foot notes on the tow ratings and guide. It has a note under the tow rating that states something to the effect that NONE of manufacturers rating are to be exceeded....GVWR, GCWR and GAWR.

The non-engineering folks tend to feel that the design engineers over rate and over design everything and that they as a end user can pick any one or two of the ratings to use.

My suggestion is to weigh the truck and follow the manufactures ratings. If the OP chooses to go over weight, he will at least know where he stands.

Ken

[oldbeek]

Sounds like you could pull a 14,000 lb gvw trailer. I have a 12,000gvw 27 ft that the wife and I really like. Have towed it 78,000 miles with twice to Alaska including most of the less traveled roads. Lived in it for 3 1/2 years on and off. When we camp with a bunch of grand kids, we leave the recliner home and they sleep on the couch and floor.

[jamvir]

Originally Posted by oldbeek

Sounds like you could pull a 14,000 lb gvw trailer. I have a 12,000gvw 27 ft that the wife and I really like. Have towed it 78,000 miles with twice to Alaska including most of the less traveled roads. Lived in it for 3 1/2 years on and off. When we camp with a bunch of grand kids, we leave the recliner home and they sleep on the couch and floor.

Here's where many people get off track. While he could perhaps PULL 14,000 lb gvw trailer he might not be able to do it safely because the PAYLOAD of his truck is 2,330. What that means is you can ESTIMATE the max weight of a 5er at 11,650 bu using .20 of the total 5er weight as the pin weight. However, that would leave out additional weight for passengers and anything else you might carry in the be of the truck. So let's say one passenger (besides the driver), hitch and tools in the bed weighs 400 lbs. (some truck specs do not include a full fuel tank, so fuel weight would also have to be added). Now you have 2,330 - 400 = 1,930 available payload for the 5er. Estimate pin weight as .2 of the 5er weight and you get a max weight of 9,650 for the 5er that the truck could safely tow.

Of course, this is just an estimate. The best way to get the pin weight is to have the rig weighed - but that can be difficult to do before you buy it.

Jim

[mhs4771]

OK, from your own post Payload = 2,330 lbs. Just to make it simple, let’s take 330 Lbs added to the TV curb weight for passengers, hitch and whatever, leaving you 2000 Lbs for pin weight. Take a 10K gross 5er and with 20% pin you have that 2000 Lbs payload balance used up.
So based on this simplistic example a 10K Gross 5er would be about the limit. Can you go to 14, 15 or even 16K, Yep see it all the time, but just because others do it doesn't make it right. If they all decided to drive over a cliff, would you follow?

[BOBCO]

I was able to weigh the pickup with the fuel tank full and loaded with passengers(7,680 lbs.). If I add another 290 lbs for the Pullrite slider hitch the total GVW will be 7,970 lbs. The GCWR will be fine as 20,000-7,790=12,030. The GVWR is my concern. 9,600-7,970=1,630.
If using 20% then 1,630/.20= 8,150 lbs and if using 15% then 1,630/.15=10,866. Looking at the brochure on the Prime Time Crusader the ship weight was 8,777 and the hitch weight was 1,278 which is 14%. 1,278/8,777=.14. So am I safe to go with 15% of the total weight of the loaded fifth wheel in order to come up with the pin weight? That would allow us to look at fifth wheels weighing below 8,750 with out cargo as I am assuming 2,000 lbs for the weight of the rest of the stuff. The manufacturers are advertising that 1/2 ton pickups can tow these fifth wheels that are 8,750 lbs. Therefore, I would think that a 3/4 ton would be able to tow them safely.

[jesilvas]

Use the GVWR of the trailers, not "ship weight."

[RoyM]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

OK, from your own post Payload = 2,330 lbs. Just to make it simple, let’s take 330 Lbs added to the TV curb weight for passengers, hitch and whatever, leaving you 2000 Lbs for pin weight. Take a 10K gross 5er and with 20% pin you have that 2000 Lbs payload balance used up.
So based on this simplistic example a 10K Gross 5er would be about the limit. Can you go to 14, 15 or even 16K, Yep see it all the time, but just because others do it doesn't make it right. If they all decided to drive over a cliff, would you follow?

This is the formula I use. Our tv is very similar to yours, 10,000 is the absolute max I would consider which puts the trailer in the 27' to 29' range depending on options. Another consideration is dl requirements, I would need to upgrade if I go over 10,000 lbs which is a pita.

[BOBCO]

Originally Posted by jesilvas

Use the GVWR of the trailers, not "ship weight."

Where do you find the GVWR for the Fifth Wheel?

[jesilvas]

Originally Posted by BOBCO

Where do you find the GVWR for the Fifth Wheel?

They either don't tell you online and you add "dry" weight and "cargo carrying capacity" or on the sticker on the trailer, front left corner.

[2500HD]

Your better off with a TT with a 3/4 ton. Based on the numbers you have presented your looking at a pretty small fifth wheel when you could pull a 35' TT. If your dead set on a fifth go for it and I'm sure someone will come and reinforce the "benefits of a fifth wheel" after my comment and that's fine. I just want to make sure you know you can get a lot more trailer with a TT and 3/4 ton.

[BOBCO]

Thanks everyone for your input. Three years ago, when I purchased the 3/4 ton diesel pickup,never would I have thought it couldn't tow a lighter weight fifth wheel without being overloaded. Also the RV manufacturers shouldn't say that the fifth wheel can be tow by a 1/2 ton. I am starting to research on buying a used dually 1 ton pickup. At least I didn't purchase a fifth wheel and find out my truck is too small.

[oldbeek]

I think lots of these folks set at home with their slide rule to give advise. You have a lot of truck. I started with a drw 3500 dodge flat bed ,cummins. I later bought my 2500 srw 240hp cummins. I tow right at the gross comb. weight. If you are going to really travel, buy a quality trailer with 7,000 lb axles and 16 in or bigger rubber. My rig hauls 100 gallons of water because I like to boondock. I travel with 100 gal onboard. You never know the water quality at you next stop. My 27 is heavy by todays standards buy has been to Alaska twice including all the less traveled back roads. It has logged 3000 miles of dirt roads. I have much less HP than you but I take my time on grades like 14 miles of 6 to 10 % grade coming out of Valdez. It is beautiful scenery, take your time and enjoy. Current Mfg of a quality 5r is Artic Fox. I personally would buy an old used Alpenlite. Mine has 79,000 miles on it with no structural or chassis problems. Still dust free and air tight.

[JIMNLIN]

Originally Posted by BOBCO

Thanks everyone for your input. Three years ago, when I purchased the 3/4 ton diesel pickup,never would I have thought it couldn't tow a lighter weight fifth wheel without being overloaded. Also the RV manufacturers shouldn't say that the fifth wheel can be tow by a 1/2 ton. I am starting to research on buying a used dually 1 ton pickup. At least I didn't purchase a fifth wheel and find out my truck is too small.

I've owned several 3/4 ton trucks and even more one ton DRW trucks since my first commercial tow in the mid '60s with a 3/4 ton Jimmy.

Just a heads up on overload.
DOT doesn't use the trucks GVWR nor a tire placard or any payload sticker for figuring weights for a overloded vehicle. They use the trucks, 6000 RAWR in your case, axle/tire load ratings for how much hitch load your truck can carry from a safe/legal standpoint. You paid for that use so your entitled to use what you paid for. This works for any size vehicle.

Or you can use the mfg GVWR or their payload sticker or the tire placard sticker to figure how much your trucks axle/tires can carry.

Your choice.