3/4 TON

[rbos57]

Hi and thanks for your imput. We have a 2015 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi Gasser. Does anybody pull a fifth wheel with this truck and if you would give me some feedback I would appreciate it.
410 h/p 4.1 gear ratio. Says it should pull 15,600 lbs. . Pulls a 30' TT no problem.

[SkiSmuggs]

You need to check the payload specs for your truck, but the closer you get to 15.6K, the worse towing will be. I would stay with a GVWR under 14K.

[Cumminsfan]

Try asking over here. I know of several that have that same truck and tow 5ers.
RV.Net RV and Camping Forum ? RV, Trailer, Camper, Motorhome, Camping and Campground Information

[MnTom]

With well over 166,600 members here I would say you probably have a pretty decent chance of getting the correct answer here.

[Old-Biscuit]

Your 'payload' rating is probably around 3000# (depending on trim level----cap/4X2-4-X4/bed length etc)


Now subtract from that payload all passengers & cargo weight.......500 minimum (Or higher depending on # passengers and stuff)

Now you have 2500# of payload available to 'carry' the wet pin weight of a loaded 5th wheel

20% of 5vrs GVWR........12,500# max 5th wheel

Course that 20% is a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess)
Pin weight can be 25%----could be 15% (heavier the better for smoother towing)

Mine runs 22% at 2980#


So how much real payload do you have available to carry pin weight.
GO weigh your truck camp ready and then you will be able to SWAG how heavy of a 5vr you can 'CARRY'

[cwsqbm]

Originally Posted by MnTom

With well over 166,600 members here I would say you probably have a pretty decent chance of getting the correct answer here.

And you've got a more than decent chance of also getting the wrong answer. That all assumes there is one right answer, and not just a lot of opinions and answers that depend on the individual. This dead horse has been beaten so much that its the consistency of pâté.

Can a gasser pull a fifth wheel? Sure, plenty do, depending on the size of the fifth wheel. Would you prefer a diesel while towing? Probably. Would a dually tow better, enough to justify it when you're not towing? Depends.

And that's before the discussion that 3/4 trucks today are mostly just 1 ton trucks with lower GVWRs for legal reasons.

[Bob1340]

Originally Posted by rbos57

Hi and thanks for your imput. We have a 2015 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi Gasser. Does anybody pull a fifth wheel with this truck and if you would give me some feedback I would appreciate it.
410 h/p 4.1 gear ratio. Says it should pull 15,600 lbs. . Pulls a 30' TT no problem.

The Gas engine 2500 has about 1,000 lbs more cargo capacity and a tad more tow capacity than a Diesel version of the same truck.

You can go with all the legalize you will hear on the internet forums on this subject and stay under your door sticker load rating.

You can use some practical investigation and see your 2500 and the 3500 only differ in rear spring ratings.

If you don't have the auto level suspension (like I do) you can add air bags and increase your practical load rate by quite a bit. Many folks have done this for years. Practical, but not legal.

The gas engine is a beast, a real power house. But it's a pretty wimpy snot nosed kid compared to the CTD. I'd try and keep the total weight you are towing under 11,000 lbs as you'll be really frustrated otherwise especially if you do much mountain driving.

I pull a 31' Keystone TT with my 6.4/4:10 that weighs in the area of 8200 lbs and it does it with great gusto. Even on hills I can maintain speed but that engine does get up there in RPMs. But the 6.4 was made to do that. Using that as a control weight I'd say 10-11 K weight would be fine with these. The issue is I have a cargo capacity of 2,900 lbs which is almost 1,000 more than a diesel, but on the brink for many 5th wheels. I can't put air bags on mine as I have the auto level system (which I really like) but a non-auto level 2500 with air bags should be able to handle a 2,500-2,700 lb hitch weight 5th wheel that is in that 10-11 K max weight pretty good.

Now enter the nay-sayers of a 2500 can't tow a 5th wheel and a gas engine can't or should never tow a 5'er especially with a gas engine. If you see a 2013-2016 Ram 2500 CTD towing a fifth wheel or even a large TT for that matter just know he is well over his 1900 lb cargo capacity.

I don't advocate using a 2500 like a 3500 by just increasing your load capacity with heavier springs or air bags. But there sure is a lot of them out there that do just that. The 2500 and 3500 do use the same frame, same tires and wheels, same rear axle with exception of one has coils and the other has leaf springs, same axle bearings and guts.

But like I said, practical but not legal. I'd have total faith and feel very secure with a 2500 equipped with a heavier duty rear suspension going over the door sticker number. If I was getting a new truck it'd be a 3500 SRW with the CTD.

[Bob1340]

Also, you can increase how much you can tow by lightening up your fifth wheel hitch setup. Some of these hitches can weigh well over 200-250 lbs. If you have a 6'4" box on your 2500 you will want to look at trailers with a max turn cap to avoid getting a heavy slider hitch. Most trailers come today with Lippert frames and they approve of the Reese Goosebox pin box on your trailer. Another great hitch to save some weight is the Andersen Ultimate aluminum hitch which has just recently gone through some upgrades. If I ever get a 5'er I'll go with the Andersen as it only weighs as low as 32 lbs and I like my pickup to be a pickup when I ain't towing.

[rbos57]

These forums are the best. I'd like to thank each and everyone of you for your input. Of course there will be differences and what people think. I am open to everybody who has a thought or an idea and smart enough to follow the ones I believe to be best advice for me. Thank you again.

[450Donn]

IMHO 2500 series trucks are really not suitable for towing a fifth wheel over about 10,000 pounds gross. Yea, I have read all the arguments for and against, and the simple fact is, real world numbers just dont lie.
Typical 2500/3500 SRW truck will scale full of family and stuff ready to travel between 7500 and 8000 pounds. With a GVWR of around 10,000 pounds that means that you will have around 2500 pounds for hitch plus pin weight. Using a consertative 20% pin weight for any fifth wheel means your maximum loaded fiver should weigh no more than 13,000 pounds. For a gas motor that is a lot of weight when you factor in the huge sail area too. A fifth wheel with stand up bedroom will be around 13 feet tall. Takes a lot of torque to overcome that much resistance. No mattermhow you slice it it just does not pencil out as a smart move. Now add in the lighter load rating springs and downhill trips can create a real scary situation. If your going to do it, be sure to bring extra shorts so you can at the bottom of the hill!

[Bob1340]

Originally Posted by 450Donn

IMHO 2500 series trucks are really not suitable for towing a fifth wheel over about 10,000 pounds gross. Yea, I have read all the arguments for and against, and the simple fact is, real world numbers just dont lie.
Typical 2500/3500 SRW truck will scale full of family and stuff ready to travel between 7500 and 8000 pounds. With a GVWR of around 10,000 pounds that means that you will have around 2500 pounds for hitch plus pin weight. Using a consertative 20% pin weight for any fifth wheel means your maximum loaded fiver should weigh no more than 13,000 pounds. For a gas motor that is a lot of weight

Agreed. The 2500/3500 with a CTD weighs more than the 8,000 empty! The gasser is about 1,000 less hence the difference in cargo capacity between the two.
A 11,000 lb gross weight trailer would have a pin weight of between 2100-2300 lbs. A 13,000 rig would be between 2500-2700. The gasser pulling a 13K trailer would not be fun at all. It could tow the 11,000 rig fairly nice, but not near as nice as a CTD if they built one with the same capacity. But that cargo, but that cargo! Figure fuel, water people, dogs, hitch, etc @ at least 1,000 lbs and the cargo on the gasser would be 250-450 lbs over. The CTD would be 1200-1400 lbs overloaded on cargo. And that is on a med size 11,000 lb gross weight trailer.

What stymies me is why RAM even sells the 2500 CTD trucks with a 5th wheel prep kit! You figure the 1900 cargo capacity minus the 1000 lbs of fuel, dogs, people etc you are left with a 900 lb cargo capacity. That would be an approximate 4500 lb gross weight 5th wheel trailer. Probably wouldn't have too many slides, or very much furniture, or a fridge----LOL. Think about it.
( I am figuring 2500 Mega Cab 4X4 with the 6'4" bed)

To the OP, look at a couple tow behinds. We've been looking for a while and feel there are a couple that really stand out. The Grand Reflection 313 is basically the same floor plan as the 337 FW with a smaller bathroom. It's a big tow behind but definitely in your range of capability.
The Outdoor Wind River and Black Stone TT's are very nice. We are looking at those in a week. Even a diesel truck can handle these TT's. But just barely and you can't load too much beer in the truck.

I put pics of floor plans below.

#1 is the Gran Design Reflection 313 10,995 max* 1,100 hitch
#2 is the 337 5'er (note the similarity in floor plans) 13,995 max** 2,500 hitch
#3 is the Outdoor Black Stone 280 rear kitchen model. 10,160 lb max* 1,000 hitch
* Hitch weight is about 10%-15% of gross
** Hitch weight is about 18%-25% of gross.

[southwest]

I have the same vehicle. I pull a Montana. No problems whatsoever. I did install rear air bags. MPG pulling is about 9-10.

[Bob1340]

Originally Posted by southwest

I have the same vehicle. I pull a Montana. No problems whatsoever. I did install rear air bags. MPG pulling is about 9-10.

Gas/Mega/4X4?
What Montana you gotz.

I wish I could do air bags! I am going to install the Timbrems as they (Timbrem) told me they are great for the auto level trucks. I am not sure if the air bags are a no go for the actual physical fit thing of if they just screw up the computer. On these auto level rigs should you go over the max capacity programed into the system it'll go to a limp mode.

[rbos57]

Thank you Bob1340. Already pulling a jayco 29RKS about 9,000 lskes fully loaded and love it. Just exploring with all the knowledgeable people on here.