towing with a dodge 2500 ctd

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mickey51

Member

• Feb 11, 2010

• #1

Ok i need this in plain ENGLISH. My truck is a 2004 dodge 2500 ctd 4x4 long bed dealer says equiped with heavt duty tow package. I weighed my truck with me and a full tank of gas 7800lbs rear axle 2910lb, srw.

Truck says 9000lbs truck, and total 20,000lbs

We are lookin at the 3200re sundance hitch 1850, dry 10,100 gvwr 13,800, Tell me if iam doing this right ? take the 7800lbs and in pin weight of 2000lbs or more when loaded and iam over 9000lbs and if i take 10,100 add 800lbs of camping stuff say 11,000lbs to my truck and iam over 20,000lbs, so tell me is anyone else towing a 3200re with similar situation.

 

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branson4020

Icantre Member

• Feb 11, 2010

• #2

You're on the right track, but 11,000 + 7,800 = 18,800. Your under your GCWR of 20,000. Your real issue is the pin weight.

 

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Rrloren

Well-known member

• Feb 11, 2010

• #3

I'm towing a 2900 mk with pin weight of 1980lbs. and have no problem. I did put airbags on which helped to level the truck. You'll have no problem towing your unit , use your tow/haul button and enjoy the ride.

 

DMitch

Well-known member

• Feb 11, 2010

• #4

Micky, be sure you consider truck tire capacities, they are very important!

 

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mickey51

Member

• Feb 11, 2010

• #5

Branson. Do inot have to add the pin weight to the weight of the truck?

 

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mickey51

Member

• Feb 14, 2010

• #6

After researching this dilema here is what i got.

Truck plus pin weight 9800 ie 7800 truck plus 2000 pin
Camper dry 10,2000 plus cargo of 800 to 1000lbs

total weight 7800 Plus 11,200 = 19,000lbs make sense to everyone

 

jnbhobe

Well-known member

• Feb 14, 2010

• #7

mickey51 said:

After researching this dilema here is what i got.

Truck plus pin weight 9800 ie 7800 truck plus 2000 pin
Camper dry 10,2000 plus cargo of 800 to 1000lbs

total weight 7800 Plus 11,200 = 19,000lbs make sense to everyone

Click to expand...

From what I see 7800lbs + 2000lbs pin weight = 9800lbs = 800lbs over truck GVW

Truck 7800lbs + Trailer GVW 13,800lbs = 21,600lbs GCWR =1600lbs over GCWR

All this is if loaded to the max, witch is possible, That said many people are pulling a little over

weight with no problems. Just remember you are over a little if loaded to the max weight.

 

Jellystone

Well-known member

• Feb 14, 2010

• #8

Mickey51, also remember to add up the weight of all the passengers in the truck, weight of hitch in truck, weight of various cargo in truck, weight of any add on you or dealer put on truck, etc.--you get the point. All of this weight adds up quick if you are already a little overloaded to begin with.

 

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mickey51

Member

• Feb 14, 2010

• #9

If you read the beginning my 7800 lbs is with a full tank of gas and me and wife in truck As far a gvw of trailer why cant you just go with whats in the travel trailer now and put in 5ver why does everyone assume we will be maxed out on gvw thats crazy.

 

Jellystone

Well-known member

• Feb 14, 2010

• #10

Mickey51, anyone that cares about safe towing practices will advise you that it is better to have too much truck than not enough. I have heard that a good rule of thumb is to stay 800 lbs-1000 lbs less than your gcwr to be safe. A lot of folks will scoff, cough, sputter, and groan & start all the idiotic "weight police" comments but the aftermath of overloading a tow vehicle/trailer combo can be deadly (at 60 mph) w/your family and possibly someone else's involved in the wreck. Then, all the shoulda, coulda, woulda mess comes into play. Anyhow, use your best judgement and tow safe.

 

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beardedone

Beardedone

• Feb 15, 2010

• #11

It is true that we have to watch the weight of our rigs at all times. The newer the truck and trailer the safer it will be. The more experienced and responsible the driver is the safer it will be. But tell me this, in many areas of North America governments will license these truck as much as 15,000 lbs over the manufacturer recommended level. So who is safe? Who is right? Does big brother know something nobody else does. When you have double standards I guess you have to expect the consequences. It must be a money game.

 

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rumaco

US Army Retired (CW4)

• Mar 28, 2010

• #12

Drive the 5th wheel! Don't drive 75mph! Be careful and you will do fine. If someone is telling you that a 350 is going to stop a heavy trailer better than a 250 say...........NOT EVEN A CHANCE! Use a progressive controller and drive it like it is a 5th wheel. Ever seen someone pass you by at 85 mph with a 5th wheel and a boat in tow........................THESE ARE THE ONES THAT DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I pull a 3580 with a modified F250 SD and never have a problem!!! The problem is PIN weight and if you put devices that compensate for it ytou are fine......................you do NOT need to buy a $55,000.00 tow vehicle because someone else wants you to make the same mistake they did!

 

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mickey51

Member

• May 20, 2010

• #13

ok i need someone smarter than me i need to know which engine i have in my 04 dodge 2500 ctd 4x4 8ft bed auto trany. http://dodgeram.info/2004/load-tow/2500.html on the valve cover it says 305 hp is that the ho version