Need help looking at a new truck

[iawoody2]

Got a buddy who pulls his with a F650, what a beast.

[wingnut60]

Sightseer...
Keep in mind the pin weight of that trailer almost has to be about 4200 or more--/very few DRVs have a lower pin weight loaded for travel. Do you have a gen or W/D?
Joe

[Sightseer33]

Yes. We are petty sure we are only looking to tow in Florida. Mostly just short trips from the rv resort we live in. Going to see dealer now. With a heavy trans it looks like a 3.42 could work

[RustyJC]

The 3.42 is NOT the gearset you want for towing a 5th wheel this heavy. Unfortunately, it's what the dealers will stock for the "mall cruiser" trucks on the lot. GCWR and the fictitious "maximum trailer tow rating" goes up as the axle ratio goes down (lower; higher numerically). With the 3.42s, you lose a tremendous amount of rear wheel torque from a standing start and wind up using only the bottom 4 or 5 gears of the transmission when towing.

As has been pointed out, the preferred gearset is a 4.10, with 3.73s a marginal second.

Rusty

[Sightseer33]

Truck we are looking one that has a 4.10 asin transmission. 3500 turbo diesel long bed st 6 speed trans

[Bill Davey]

Sightseer 33,
IF I understand you correctly, you're looking at a 2014 Ram 3500 diesel, Dually, ST model, Crew Cab, 8 foot box with the Asin transmission and 4:10 rear axle ratio.
IF that is the truck, the ratings for 2013 from the official Ram website couldn't find 2014) are as follows:
Weight of truck = 7960
Payload of truck = 6040
Truck GVWR = 14000
Max trailer wt = 29,370
Max combined (truck and trailer) wt = 37,500
IF this is the truck you're buying, you'll be fine towing the DRW..HOWEVER, as mentioned previously by many of us, IF the truck you're buying is not EXACTLY as described above we need to re-evaluate it's capabilities.

[Sightseer33]

All is correct except 2013. The first one was 3.42. Told dealer we did not want it. Therefore the 4.10. But is a 4x2 not 4x4. Towing is only 25,000 lbs but is dually. We sign papers on Monday. Dealer is getting it from another dealer

[NCTraveler]

X2 on Ram 3500. This past spring I bought a 2013 Jayco Seismic 3812 5th wheel toy hauler. Loaded its in the 16,000-16,500lbs range. I needed a truck and the RAM 3500 DW Long Bed was the only thing that on paper could handle the weight. The truck is a true beast, and very comfortable. What ever truck you decide on make sure it has the exhaust brake feature.

[Sightseer33]

Yes has exhaust brakes and pos-track re end

[Sightseer33]

X2 dud you get 4x4?

[Sightseer33]

Originally Posted by NCTraveler

X2 on Ram 3500. This past spring I bought a 2013 Jayco Seismic 3812 5th wheel toy hauler. Loaded its in the 16,000-16,500lbs range. I needed a truck and the RAM 3500 DW Long Bed was the only thing that on paper could handle the weight. The truck is a true beast, and very comfortable. What ever truck you decide on make sure it has the exhaust brake feature.

Did you get4x4

[wandering1]

Get the truck towing specs from the dealer and figure it out. The specs will tell you how much 5er you can tow with different configurations. Get the facts not personal opinions, you are legally responsible for having an adequate tow vehicle.

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by wandering1

Get the truck towing specs from the dealer and figure it out. The specs will tell you how much 5er you can tow with different configurations. Get the facts not personal opinions, you are legally responsible for having an adequate tow vehicle.

The facts are that the specs are misleading UNLESS one bothers to read ALL the footnotes. For instance, "maximum trailer tow rating" and "payload capacity" are calculated based on the fictitious curb weight of a base model truck (no options or accessories beyond what comes on that base model) with only a 150 lb. driver. The curb weight doesn't even include the weight of a hitch. Every pound of options, accessories, driver weight, passenger weight, 5th wheel hitch, cargo, etc. over and above that base model truck with the 150 lb. driver must be deducted from the "maximum trailer tow rating" and "payload capacity" to accurately calculate the total trailer weight and pin/hitch weight capacities.

Enough of us have been down this road that we know what corrections must be made to these factory ratings to give a rig that, when run across the scales, will not exceed the manufacturer's GVWR, GCWR or GAWRs (a requirement buried in the footnotes of all the manufacturers' ratings). That's why knowing the actual curb weight of a truck with options, accessories, driver and passenger load, full fuel tank(s), cargo and hitch loaded as it will be when headed out on the road is so important.

Rusty

[sk734]

Have you ever towed before? That is a heavy 5ver! I would want more truck then I have.