Dry weights (Manufacturer weight ratings)

[Yillbs]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

The first thing to learn is to forget the dry or brochure weights. Use the trailer GVWR unless you never all anything to the trailer.

The dry weight does not include any items listed as optional. This includes such items as awnings, TV, microwave, sometimes A/C, battery or full propane tanks.

5er pin weights will typically hit 18% to 22% when loaded.

Ken

I didn't ask my question because the dry weight was what I was going by, I was trying to understand why i was UNDER the dry weight, I even made note that most people come to say that those weights are useless, but generally in the other direction. However; someone set me straight on what that meant for me.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by kdauto

I'm assuming you meant to type 35" tires and 5th wheels are NOT a great idea but it can be done"? That's what I think anyway. Aggressive tread, big soft offroad tires are not conducive to a great trailering experience, and this is exacerbated the heavier the towing gets.

Also, airbags are not always the best when used improperly. Many people use them as a bandaid for a weak suspension, but many use them because they'd like to see the arse end of their truck at the same height as when unladen, even if they have 3000-3500lbs of pin weight and gear in the bed. I just put this as an extra FYI for some.

And again I find myself wishing this site had a "like" button.....


Dave

[Yillbs]

Originally Posted by kdauto

I'm assuming you meant to type 35" tires and 5th wheels are NOT a great idea but it can be done"? That's what I think anyway. Aggressive tread, big soft offroad tires are not conducive to a great trailering experience, and this is exacerbated the heavier the towing gets.

Also, airbags are not always the best when used improperly. Many people use them as a bandaid for a weak suspension, but many use them because they'd like to see the arse end of their truck at the same height as when unladen, even if they have 3000-3500lbs of pin weight and gear in the bed. I just put this as an extra FYI for some.

I think that's what I was trying to figure out was if I was just using them improperly, and I was. I had them over-inflated I think. I set them back down,a nd it lowers the truck about 1.5 inches.

That said, my ride seems really, really good now. It doesn't wonder on the road, it doesn't do much of anything. I'm just so close to my RAWR I was concerned I was doing something ELSE wrong, looks like I'm not.

To be clear though, I'm within my rear axle rating, front axle rating, combined gross weight rating, but i'm over my 10k gvwr and my payload due to that.

My trailer is well within the rating of it's axles as well. It has 6k axles, and my trailer when hooked to my truck weighs 9300 pounds, when off my truck on it's legs it weighs 11,100 pounds. So i feel like i'm good there. It has a GVWR of 13,655


I took out 320 pounds of weight from the storage bins in the 5er ( i weighed them on a scale ) so my pin weight is now at 2100 instead of 2400, which puts me 440 pounds under my RAWR now which is 6040 pounds. It's not a lot of room for buffer, but i'm within the limits of everything ( other than my artificially deflated payload capacity. ).

Thanks for your assist!

[Rhagfo]

So the stuff you took out of the basement, was it stuff you needed or liked to have to make camping enjoyable?? Well at some point you will likely put it back, and be pushing the weight limit of the rear axle again. Just some food for thought.


We towed our about 13,000# 5er with a 2001 Ram 2500 GVWR 8,800#. Loaded ready for a trip we hit the scales. the rear axle was within it's 6,084# rating, the front axle was within it's 5,200# rating, the total weight on the truck was 10,500#, or 1,700# over GVWR.
It towed fine, no issues, BUT always in the back of my mind was the accident chasing lawyers!! I was so far over GVWR, even if not at fault was worried that I was an easy target to be sued.



It it your choice to run over GVWR, just realize that just because you can, not always a wise choice.


Problem solved 2016 RAM 3500 DRW!

[JIMNLIN]

Originally Posted by Yillbs

Sounds like I was just confused about how the weights are actually calculated. 20% of my total weight right now is 2352, so i'm slightly over the 20% which is nice, the truck honestly drives really, really nice with it on the back.

Thanks for the assist! Now I just need to lose a couple hundred pounds so i'm not so close to my RAWR

JFI...trucks rawr is the lessor of the tires/wheels/rear spring pack/axle assy.

The axle assy is a 10.5" AAM rated to around 10500 lbs.
Rear spring packs will easily handle their rating .
17" tires and wheels are generally the weakest link. Most 3/4 and one ton srw diesel trucks today come with higher rated 18" or even higher rated 20" sizes.

Commercial haulers run these trucks at their gawrs for hundreds of thousands of miles with no issues other than more tire wear.

Truck drives really nice and under gawrs indicates a good match.