On our way to the glorious Canadian Rockies a few days ago (here now - safe and sound), I decided to stop at a self weigh (unmanned) weigh station to let the dog pee. While there, I took a trip across the scales.
Front axle - 4520# (GAWR 5200#)
Rear axle - 4920# (GAWR 6084#)
GVW - 9440# (GVWR 8800#) 7% over
Trailer axle - 9360#
The trailer was also overloaded. It's GVWR is 9580#, and there's usually 1000# to 1200# on the hitch .
We brought the generator, some firewood, and a whole lot of liquids to drink this year (several 24 packs of water, juice and sodas - I don't touch that other stuff ) The gen and firewood were in the truck, but the water and an extra bar fridge were in the trailer. We're camping for almost a month this trip.
The GCW was 18800#. This is 2800# over GCWR for my 2002 Dodge/Cummins automatic, but would be 1200# under GCWR for the same truck equipped with a 5 or 6 speed stick with the same engine. I guess the auto trans is the limiting factor there. Mine is still working great despite the extra power I've added, and the heavy loads.
the trip was about 600 miles, we did it in two days (I have small kids). I had no handling issues at all (I have a WD hitch with 1200# bars and a friction sway control). I ran into some pretty gusty winds and hard rain too, there was a tornado reported a hundred miles or so from where we were. Most of the trip was at about 65mph, but I slowed down to 50-55mph in the poor weather/hard rain (which was brief). I was sure glad to have a heavy truck under me and in front of the heavy trailer. I had no engine heating issues, and never lacked power (thanks to the mods I've made). I did wish for better fuel economy though when fighting the high winds we drove through, though I did get a best tank of 12.8mpg (I was very happy with that), but a worst tank of 9.3mpg fighting a stiff wind climbing some rolling hills.
So, for next year, I'll pack the trailer lighter (shame on me), and I'll be in the 2007 3500 SRW megacab, so the GCW and truck GVWR (10,100#) won't be an issue.
You won't gain much payload capacity with the Megacab. I drove a 3500 DRW Megacab the other day and according to the door panel it only had a payload capacity of 2800lbs. I assume the SRW is less. I was shocked as this is only 400lbs more payload than my SRW 2500HD Duramax. I also drove a Quadcab 3500 that had a payload of 4500lbs. It amazed me that the Megacab was rated 1700lbs lower than the Quadcab.
The Megacab I drove was an 08 with the 6.7L so maybe the 07 with the 5.9L weighs less.
2006 2500HD CC SB 4X4 Duramax/Allison
Prodigy/16K Reese/265E Tires/Bilstein Shocks
RM Active Suspension/RDS 60gal Toolbox combo
You are within your axle weight ratings on the truck so why are you concerned? You went through some demanding terrain with no problem. I'd quit worry"in.
And if you are worried about your new MegaCab.....don't. Dodge has way underrated their trucks. As long as you don't exceed your rear tire ratings - and their is a fix for that on a SRW - you can haul amazing weights with these trucks. With an exhaust brake, 19.5 inch wheels and maybe some upgrades to the brakes, I think you could easily see a GCVWR of 26000 lbs.
MikeRP wrote: Dodge has way underrated their trucks.
Mike , what are you basing this on? I see this posted all of the time for every manufacturer and on the face of it it makes no sense at all. The manufacturers are in a war with each other to have the highest load/towing capacity in class, just look at the commericals. The thought that Dodge would intentionally de-rate their truck makes no sense.
USN Retired
2007 Cedar Creek 30 RLSTS
2008 F350, DRW, V-10, B&W hitch,
Pressure Pro, JT Strongarms
The mentality that "everyone" underrates the towing capacity of their vehicles (be it trucks, minivans, or cars) is just the type of thing that causes folks to run overloaded unsafe towing combinations on the road that are much harder to handle in an emergency situation because of exceedng capacities. Not to mention the wear and tear on a vehicle that towing beyond the limits that the engineers have determined it can tow. I would NEVER buy a used tow vehicle unless it has never been towed with, no telling how much extra stress was put on the vehicle by someone who thinks the rating was too low.
Mike, are you an automotive design engineer? And I don't mean the looks, I mean the mechanics. A vehicle is a complicated piece of machinery and when looking at towing capacities, the engineers have to look at the whole package, not just one individual part, which is what most consumers concentrate on. Tow ratings have to be based on the weakest part of the equation.
What the OP has finally figured out is the weight ratings for all 3/4 ton pickup trucks. There are lots of armchair engineers out there making all sorts of comments with no consequences attached to them. For what can happen when towing outside of the vehicles limitations one only needs to go back to the thread running last week about a family nearly wiped out in an accident. Anytime a person tows in excess of ANY of the vehicles limitations there is a chance for problems. People every day choose to ignore the engineering and do what they want, And that is their choice in a free society as long as they do not hurt anyone else in the process. But to tell others to do it is not smart thinking.
ib516 wrote: Trailer axle - 9360#
The trailer was also overloaded. It's GVWR is 9580#, and there's usually 1000# to 1200# on the hitch
I'm don't agree that your trailer is overloaded. Your trailer is rated to carry 9580# and it's only carrying 9360#. The fact that the truck is carrying part of the overall load is irrelevant to the trailer axles. For example, I can lift 1000# over my head as long as someone (or something) else lifts 990# of it -- and it won't hurt me a bit.
MikeRP wrote: Dodge has way underrated their trucks.
Mike , what are you basing this on? I see this posted all of the time for every manufacturer and on the face of it it makes no sense at all. The manufacturers are in a war with each other to have the highest load/towing capacity in class, just look at the commericals. The thought that Dodge would intentionally de-rate their truck makes no sense.
Well the thing is, in many cases the weight ratings that Dodge places on its vehicles is purely for a performance standpoint, not a safety one. I can give you two examples to back this up.
Here is a quote from the OP's post......
"The GCW was 18800#. This is 2800# over GCWR for my 2002 Dodge/Cummins automatic, but would be 1200# under GCWR for the same truck equipped with a 5 or 6 speed stick with the same engine. I guess the auto trans is the limiting factor there. Mine is still working great despite the extra power I've added, and the heavy loads."
See, the same truck equipped with the manual transmission has a higher GCWR. The ONLY factor is performance and perhaps longevity because the truck whether auto or stick has the same size brakes, axles, suspensions, etc. It can haul the higher load safely, but perhaps not as fast or not as long without a breakdown of the weak point which is the transmission.
Another example, on a 2004 Dodge Dakota. A truck equipped with a 3.92 rear axle ratio has around 1000 lbs higher tow rating than the exact same truck with a 3.55 ratio. The brakes and suspensions are the same, the engine is the same and other than the gears, the axles are the same. So obviously, a 3.55 truck can safely haul the same as a 3.92 equipped truck, but may not perform as well as the other.
There are many other cases where some of the Dodge ratings are questionable. If you take the rating of each component and add it up, the truck can haul more than they claim. I think they like to play it very safe with the weight ratings perhaps to void warranty issues on heavily loaded vehicles or maybe for other reasons that we are unaware of.
I am sure there are examples of this with other manufacturers as well.
2005 Surveyor SV-291 Tows smooth as silk!
1995 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie SLT 4x4 5.9L V8 low miles, It ain't pretty, but it's paid for!
ib516 wrote: On our way to the glorious Canadian Rockies a few days ago (here now - safe and sound), I decided to stop at a self weigh (unmanned) weigh station to let the dog pee. While there, I took a trip across the scales.
Front axle - 4520# (GAWR 5200#)
Rear axle - 4920# (GAWR 6084#)
GVW - 9440# (GVWR 8800#) 7% over
Trailer axle - 9360#
The trailer was also overloaded. It's GVWR is 9580#, and there's usually 1000# to 1200# on the hitch .
We brought the generator, some firewood, and a whole lot of liquids to drink this year (several 24 packs of water, juice and sodas - I don't touch that other stuff ) The gen and firewood were in the truck, but the water and an extra bar fridge were in the trailer. We're camping for almost a month this trip.
The GCW was 18800#. This is 2800# over GCWR for my 2002 Dodge/Cummins automatic, but would be 1200# under GCWR for the same truck equipped with a 5 or 6 speed stick with the same engine. I guess the auto trans is the limiting factor there. Mine is still working great despite the extra power I've added, and the heavy loads.
the trip was about 600 miles, we did it in two days (I have small kids). I had no handling issues at all (I have a WD hitch with 1200# bars and a friction sway control). I ran into some pretty gusty winds and hard rain too, there was a tornado reported a hundred miles or so from where we were. Most of the trip was at about 65mph, but I slowed down to 50-55mph in the poor weather/hard rain (which was brief). I was sure glad to have a heavy truck under me and in front of the heavy trailer. I had no engine heating issues, and never lacked power (thanks to the mods I've made). I did wish for better fuel economy though when fighting the high winds we drove through, though I did get a best tank of 12.8mpg (I was very happy with that), but a worst tank of 9.3mpg fighting a stiff wind climbing some rolling hills.
So, for next year, I'll pack the trailer lighter (shame on me), and I'll be in the 2007 3500 SRW megacab, so the GCW and truck GVWR (10,100#) won't be an issue.
Not only is the trailer over it's GVWR according to the specs for the 2004 model year the 301BHS came with 222R75x15"C" rated tires. These should be rated at 2150lbs each for a total of 8600. It you got the "D" rated that take 65psi vice 50 then the capacity is 10,160. Also, you need to make sure your not over the FAWR or RAWR on the plate on the front drivers side front of the trailer.
Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974. TRAILER MODS
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) The gen and firewood were in the truck, but the water and an extra bar fridge were in the trailer. We're camping for almost a month this trip.
