Towing question. Ram 2500

[Jcaldwell195]

The new 2019 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty boasts a 17,400 lb. towing capacity. Would that be enough to pull any of the Vanleigh Beacon 5th wheels? I know there max weight loaded is around 18,000 lbs. I don’t foresee pulling at that max rate, maybe slightly under 17,000 lbs.

[mobilemike]

Tow capacity is not the important number. Pin weight on the rear of the truck is the important number. The pin weight will be close to 22% of the GVW of the 5th wheel. Your truck can tow 18k lbs but will not support the pin weight of 4000lbs. There are many many towing capacity threads to be found with a simple search.

[tuffr2]

Agree, it is the yellow cargo capacity door sticker that will probably dictate what 5th wheels you can tow. Towing capacity has nothing to do with cargo capacity for the most part. I would bet the 219 Ram 2500 diesel 4 x 4 will only have 3,200 - 3,500lbs cargo capacity. Those big 5th wheels will have a pin weight of 4,000 - 5,000lbs ready to camp. You can not tow a 5th wheel with a pin weight of 4,000 lbs with a truck with a cargo capacity of 3,200lbs.

Go to any vehicle a open the drivers side door. You will see the yellow cargo capacity.

I would still say you would need a Ram 3500 dually to tow those big 5th wheels. The Ram 3500 dually will have a cargo capacity of at least 6,000lbs.

[1bigmess]

Forget everything you were sold about what you can tow. Cargo capacity is what matters first.

For example, if you have a 2300 pound cargo capacity, and you pull a trailer that puts 2000 on the truck, you've got 300 pounds that you can put in the truck before you're overloaded. If you and the wife weigh 150 each, and you put nothing else in the truck in this scenario, you'll be fine.

You need a pickup with more capacity if you end up with the pin weight for an 18000 pound fifth wheel trailer. That's a potential pin weight that might be as high as 3600 pounds!

[Wundertaker]

Originally Posted by 1bigmess

Forget everything you were sold about what you can tow. Cargo capacity is what matters first.

For example, if you have a 2300 pound cargo capacity, and you pull a trailer that puts 2000 on the truck, you've got 300 pounds that you can put in the truck before you're overloaded. If you and the wife weigh 150 each, and you put nothing else in the truck in this scenario, you'll be fine.

You need a pickup with more capacity if you end up with the pin weight for an 18000 pound fifth wheel trailer. That's a potential pin weight that might be as high as 3600 pounds!

You are mostly correct, not totally. CCC includes Both Full Fuel Tank AND 150 lbs for a driver. I'm 300 lbs so I only need to deduct 150 from CCC then go from there.

[Peto]

At those weights, go with a dually.

[Old-Biscuit]

Trucks RAWR and Tire Max Load Ratings ARE your limiting factors.


Trucks rear axle/tires have to CARRY the 5th wheel WET Pin Weight (20%-25% of trailer weight)


I would suspect a 15,000# trailer with 20% pin weight will max your RAWR

[Bob_C]

This old Ram has a rear axle rating of 6082 lbs......tires I'm using now are rated for 3750,and 20% of 10,000 is 2000 lbs.....See any problems?

[tuffr2]

I will add, a Ram 3500 SRW truck will not cost very much more than a Ram 2500 truck. The 3500 will always give you more capacity, usually 1,000 - 1,500 lbs more cargo capacity than the 2500 truck.

Again - not much more $$$ for more capacity. Also known as getting more bang for the buck with the 3500.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

This old Ram has a rear axle rating of 6082 lbs......tires I'm using now are rated for 3750,and 20% of 10,000 is 2000 lbs.....See any problems?

Nope, not with the info provided.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by Wundertaker

Eh, close enough!

[Bob_C]

These old trucks don't list cargo cap on sticker

[Cumminsfan]

You must be looking at the Beacon. Only one of them has a low pin weight. The smallest one would be marginal for a 3500 SRW. The rest would be DRW only.
None of the Beacons will work with a 2500. In fact the only model that will with the 2500 is the Pine Crest.

[Old-Biscuit]

Is this post about a NEW 2019 2500



OR an OLD Dodge Truck


I'm getting confused on which info is what