Wanted to thank everyone for their replies and tips - much appreciated!! Guess I still have lots to figure out, but on my way. The truck's not here now so I can't peek at any of those labels at the moment, but sure will this weekend when DH is back with it. Am nearly certain it's the HO model though, and it's definitely automatic not standard. Maybe something they offered later in the model year? Still have the original printout from Kelly Blue Book with all the details on how it was equipped - they called it an "ETH" engine with "DG8" tranny, and Dodge is the source I learned the "48RE" part from (I asked them to specifically tell me which engine, and they rattled off a bunch of letters/numbers, which included all those parts, plus specifically "HO Cummins TD" and "4 speed AT" - so who knows... Hopefully the stickers in/on the truck will clear up the rest of the confusion! But it sounds like the payload or pin weight is going to rule out that 10,700 GVWR for our truck, regardless if its towing capacity turns out to be 10,000 or 13,000 anyway - so the root of my question is kind of moot I guess, if I'm following correctly about pin weight. Bummer. Well thanks for clearing that up - feel good that I spent the time to figure it out *before* the sales guy convinced us it would be no problem (which he tried hard to do!)
Tara
At the risk of repeating myself, if it's really a 2003 and it has an auto trans, it IS NOT an HO. The new beefed up 48RE (which replaced the 47RE) needed for the new HO engine was not available until well into 2004.
If some how it really is the configuration you state, it has been modified by someone (305 HP eng were on Ebay for $5K) as I know for a fact it did not leave the factory that way.
Good luck.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4 Cummins (lightly bombed),
2004 Forest River 25RKS many, many mods.
I have an 03 Dodge like yours except it is a 2WD model. The HO engine only came in manual transmission trucks. The towing capacity of my truck is around 10,600 lbs . The 5th wheel we are purchasing is a Cruiser by Crossroads model CF32BL. Its almost 35ft long. The truck can handle this fine. Check the sticker inside the 5th wheel that shows the weight of unit at delivery.It should be in the door of one of the kitchen cabinet. It is refered to as UVGW If I remember correctly You maybe able to handle it as the number you refer to is loaded to the max which you may never do. For example the cruiser at delivery is around 8500 lbs but loaded out is over 11,000 so we will make sure we dont load it to the max.I may be mistaken but this is how a relative who has had a lot of RV's explained it.
The GVWR of the unit we are purchasing is 11935 but the UVGW is 8500 and pin weight is 1775 according to hauling capacity of the 03 dodge I should be within acceptable limits. Check hitch weight and go from there you probably will be ok.
donn0128 wrote: Another "can my truck pull this thread"!
Look, look inside the drivers door pillar and read the manufacturers GVWR off the sticker.
Now, load up the truck like you would go camping and make a trip to the local scales and weigh yourself. Add 250 pounds for the hitch and subtract your total from the GVWR number you found on the door pillar. Now you have the net cargo carrying capacity (pin weight) you can load on. Pin weight is generally calculated as 20% of the trailers GVWR A little simple math and you have the max fifth wheel you can pull with your truck. This is not hard. Now if YOU choose to ignore the manufacturers ratings, then go ahead and hitch up what ever YOU choose.
I don't usually like to do these "quote the post and add me too" replies, but in this case, donn0128 gave you such a simple, unambiguous, straightforward method of deteriming exactly what you need to know about pulling a fifth wheel with your truck that I just felt compelled to acknowledge it. You don't need to do "a lot more research", you're already suffering analysis paralysis. Just do what he said and you will have your answer.
ScottG wrote: At the risk of repeating myself, if it's really a 2003 and it has an auto trans, it IS NOT an HO. The new beefed up 48RE (which replaced the 47RE) needed for the new HO engine was not available until well into 2004.
If some how it really is the configuration you state, it has been modified by someone (305 HP eng were on Ebay for $5K) as I know for a fact it did not leave the factory that way.
Good luck.
I am hoping there's a way to attach or link to the jpg scan of the brochure we bought from, that clearly stated in writing the 5.9L H.O. Diesel was standard in a 6-speed manual, and Optional in a 4-speed automatic, which is what we paid for and were told we got...
Tara,
Just remember ALL salesmen LIE! You cal always tell that by the fact that their mouth is moving. It really is quite simple and like I said before if YOU choose to ignore the manufacturers GVWR ratings and simply load it up and go, that has to be your decision. Personally after towing overloaded for a couple of years, I will NEVER tell someone that is is OK to do so. I know how badly my 2004 3/4 ton truck handled the load no matter what I did too it trying to make it work. I was in the same boat. Had a really low mileage truck, and did not want to trade it but I knew in my heart that if we were going to keep the trailer that we had to have more truck one that was fully capable of handling the load.
Good luck in your search.
Don
ScottG wrote: At the risk of repeating myself, if it's really a 2003 and it has an auto trans, it IS NOT an HO. The new beefed up 48RE (which replaced the 47RE) needed for the new HO engine was not available until well into 2004.
If some how it really is the configuration you state, it has been modified by someone (305 HP eng were on Ebay for $5K) as I know for a fact it did not leave the factory that way.
Good luck.
Sorry ScottG and malojeer, but you both are absolutely incorrect. The 48RE was available for the mid year 2003 Dodge trucks. It became available I believe in January of 2003 if memory serves.
So to the original poster, you do indeed have the 48RE if you have a 2003 Cummins HO engine. You have a late 2003, not an early 2003. I had an early 2003 Ram Cummins and had the 47RE and SO(standard output) Cummins. I bought my truck in Oct. 2002, and when I saw the 48RE tranny become available just a few months later, I was wishing I had waited. Although my buddy who owns that truck now has over 70,000 trouble free miles on that tranny, and the rest of the truck too.
But it sounds like the payload or pin weight is going to rule out that 10,700 GVWR for our truck, regardless if its towing capacity turns out to be 10,000 or 13,000 anyway - so the root of my question is kind of moot I guess, if I'm following correctly about pin weight. Bummer. Well thanks for clearing that up - feel good that I spent the time to figure it out *before* the sales guy convinced us it would be no problem (which he tried hard to do!)
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It really is quite simple and like I said before if YOU choose to ignore the manufacturers GVWR ratings and simply load it up and go, that has to be your decision. Personally after towing overloaded for a couple of years, I will NEVER tell someone that is is OK to do so. I know how badly my 2004 3/4 ton truck handled the load no matter what I did too it trying to make it work. I was in the same boat. Had a really low mileage truck, and did not want to trade it but I knew in my heart that if we were going to keep the trailer that we had to have more truck one that was fully capable of handling the load.
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