Community Forums

retired_ranger · 07-14-2006, 05:34 PM

OK I know this has been discussed a gazzillion times but here it is. 97 Dodge Dually 12 valver automatic. GVWR of 11k. Front axle max 4850, rear axle max 7800. Went to the scale and mine is 4250 front and 3200 rear with a full tank of gas and me in it. Loaded the 5th wheel up and weight it again. Rear is 5950 so figure that pin weight is 2750. Trailer axles are 7800. The way I figure it the total weight of the trailer is 10,550. This puts it just under the max weight limit. Am I correct so far, or did I screw it all up. My problem is with the auto tranny I am lucky to get up the hills at 35 mph. Truck runs great and only has 113k miles on the engine. On the straight I can go 65 in overdrive but takes a long time to get there. Out of overdrive its 55 all the way at around 2300 RPM. I am thinking of one of these aftermarket transmissions but need a place closer than Iowa or Canada (from Eugene Oregon). Maybe its just me. My friend who has a mechanic shop said I am just fine the way I am and the truck will pull more than I am pulling now. Anyone have similar problems or give feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Retired Army Ranger
97 Dodge Dually 12 valver
2000 Crossroads All American

retired_ranger · 07-14-2006, 05:34 PM

OK I know this has been discussed a gazzillion times but here it is. 97 Dodge Dually 12 valver automatic. GVWR of 11k. Front axle max 4850, rear axle max 7800. Went to the scale and mine is 4250 front and 3200 rear with a full tank of gas and me in it. Loaded the 5th wheel up and weight it again. Rear is 5950 so figure that pin weight is 2750. Trailer axles are 7800. The way I figure it the total weight of the trailer is 10,550. This puts it just under the max weight limit. Am I correct so far, or did I screw it all up. My problem is with the auto tranny I am lucky to get up the hills at 35 mph. Truck runs great and only has 113k miles on the engine. On the straight I can go 65 in overdrive but takes a long time to get there. Out of overdrive its 55 all the way at around 2300 RPM. I am thinking of one of these aftermarket transmissions but need a place closer than Iowa or Canada (from Eugene Oregon). Maybe its just me. My friend who has a mechanic shop said I am just fine the way I am and the truck will pull more than I am pulling now. Anyone have similar problems or give feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Retired Army Ranger
97 Dodge Dually 12 valver
2000 Crossroads All American

Ray,IN · 07-14-2006, 06:15 PM

retired_ranger, If you don't might some experience from a retired grunt, here goes. I used to have a 1996 BR2500HD CTD w/AT. I had the factory AT rebuilt using heavy duty BD aftermarket valve body, TC, and pressureloc to force full line pressure at anything over an idle. I was quite pleased with the result, which cost about $1,200 total. The Pressureloc is needed(as is HD valve springs) if you wish to install an exhaust brake anyway, and it did give some engine retarding by itself as long as you didn't remove all pressure from the accelerator. I also installed a 4" turbo back exhaust system using the catalytic converter "test" pipe, to get rid of the heat quicker. I was towing a 30', 10,000lb 5er, and mountians were comfortable to climb. The 1996 Dodge CTD was detuned to 160HP. I had a fuel plate that upped HP to around 200. I really liked that truck, and had it all setup the way I wanted. Then we bought a 15K 5er and it was overloaded, so now I drive a 1T dually.

Jumbo Jet · 07-15-2006, 02:43 PM

Post your question on

www.turbodieselregister.com

You will get lots of good advice on how to make that 12 valve Cummins a towing beast.

CoastalDav · 07-16-2006, 09:30 AM

Go to this site for info on increasing HP and Torque.
http://dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/more_power/power_p7100.htm

There are many other things you will find at the site that pertain to your vehicle.

www.dodgeram.org

If you have two axles on your trailer rated at 7800lbs each, I think you trailers Gross weight is far beyond 10,500lbs meaning it may weight 10,500lbs now, but could weight if loaded out up to 17000lbs. Normally axles are right to the edge of the GVW less the pin weight.

If I remember right a 97 dually is rated at 17,500lbs combined. (Truck and Trailer weight together) So I think, your real close to being over the manufacturers rating now.

Dave

Dave

retired_ranger · 07-16-2006, 03:17 PM

Dave,
Thanks for info but am I off. I weight both axles on the scale and it read 7800 lbs. I weighed the rear axle of the truck and it weighed 5950 with the 5th wheel attached. Without it the rear axle weighs 3200. So I figured that the weight of the 5th wheel is 10,550. Max tow load of the Dodge is 11k. Not sure of the GVWR. The max on the 5th wheel is 12k. UVR is 9050. So I figure with the added slides, appliances and all that makes up the 1,500 lbs. Am I wrong in the way I did it?
Thanks
Bob

Retired Army Ranger
97 Dodge Dually 12 valver
2000 Crossroads All American

CoastalDav · 07-16-2006, 03:32 PM

I misunderstook what you said about the axles. I thought you said, or thought I read, they were 7800lbs axles. (each) My mistake.

I'm sure your good with 7800lbs on the axles and your pin weight. What is the GVW on the trailer? That plus your truck weight together, fuel and people, will equal you max combined. Knowing that will ditate the load in the trailer.

I have to keep my Carriage light so I don't exceed the Max Combined rating on the truck.

Dave

retired_ranger · 07-16-2006, 06:40 PM

Dave,
Wow...for a minute there I thought I was in real trouble. Combined weight of 7400 lbs on the truck with me and a full tank and 10,550 on the trailer equals 17,950. If my Max weight is 16k then I am over. If its 20k then I am OK but I neeed to find out the real story. I got both weights from friends. Mine is a 4x4 so I believe its 16k, which puts me in the area of the dreaded overweight haulers

Retired Army Ranger
97 Dodge Dually 12 valver
2000 Crossroads All American

retired_ranger · 07-16-2006, 06:42 PM

BTW Dave the GVWR on the trailer states 12k on the inside of the cabinet. I thought it would be heavier as my friend has 28 footer that weighs 12,500, of course he lives in his and its loaded to the gills. I should have investigated a bunch before I traded in my old one for this one...but thats a story of salesmanship that I also should have investigated.

Ray,IN · 07-17-2006, 03:19 AM

My 1996 BR2500HD CTD owners manual listed my truck's GCWR at 18,500lbs. RAWR and GVW was less than a 1T naturally, but GCWR was the same. Dave posted a good link, I used to visit it nearly every week.