2017 ram 2500 vs,3500 srw
- Thread starter skidrool
- Start date
Payload capacity is a large part of the equation. You cannot go by the advertised dry pin weight. It may be advertised as 2,500 pounds, but after you load your trailer that number could easily go beyond 3,000.
Payload is not only pin weight but a total weight of fuel, wife, kids, dog, hitch, tools and anything else you choose to have in your truck. If you choose to add an auxiliary tank then add another 7 pounds per gallon of capacity.
Do not make the mistake of buying a truck that will be at or over capacity.
Do you currently have a trailer? Shopping?
Peace
Dave
Payload is not only pin weight but a total weight of fuel, wife, kids, dog, hitch, tools and anything else you choose to have in your truck. If you choose to add an auxiliary tank then add another 7 pounds per gallon of capacity.
Do not make the mistake of buying a truck that will be at or over capacity.
Do you currently have a trailer? Shopping?
Peace
Dave
danemayer
Well-known member
It's pretty easy to get your head spinning, but it's good that you're looking at payload. Yes, you can tow even when exceeding the payload. Many people do and attest that they have no problem.
But I would be concerned about emergency situations, especially in bad weather conditions. If you're overloaded, the weight distribution of the truck may be affected, in turn affecting how the truck reacts to an emergency lane change, or emergency braking on wet pavement, to pick 2 scenarios.
But I would be concerned about emergency situations, especially in bad weather conditions. If you're overloaded, the weight distribution of the truck may be affected, in turn affecting how the truck reacts to an emergency lane change, or emergency braking on wet pavement, to pick 2 scenarios.
we recently purchased a 2018 big horn traveler bhtr 39mb..dry weight 13,400 and hitch weight 2525 by the brochure...not doing a lot of traveling at this point but don't want to buy a 2500 and realize in 2 months I should have bought a 3500..
TravelTiger
Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
Buy the Dually!
If there is even an inkling of concern, don't you owe it to your family to put their safety first? Do you want to alway be stressed, worrying about towing? Do you want to be fighting the wind, worrying about trucks passing, worrying about braking going down, or overheating going up, hauling in the mountains?
Get the Dually. For safety, peace of mind, and stability and better braking while towing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If there is even an inkling of concern, don't you owe it to your family to put their safety first? Do you want to alway be stressed, worrying about towing? Do you want to be fighting the wind, worrying about trucks passing, worrying about braking going down, or overheating going up, hauling in the mountains?
Get the Dually. For safety, peace of mind, and stability and better braking while towing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
szewczyk_john
Well-known member
I bought a 2017 3500 dually after using a 2006 2500 SRW to pull my unit. The 2500 managed our unit and I was within all weights except for payload which I was over by 375 pounds. Doesn't seem like much but what a difference it is towing with the new truck. I now feel as if I m in control and safe. I will admit that my new truck is overkill for the unit I pull but my piece of mind is worth it. I suggest you buy the bigger truck. It took me along time to be able to afford it but I am so glad that I did. The difference is unbelievable.
Before having our current trailer the previous one was much lighter and I owned a 2500 which handled that trailer nicely.
Then we bought a bigger trailer and suddenly the truck was overloaded. Towed with it for a few years then upgraded to a 3500 dually.
And as so many have already said, "what a difference".
I, like so many others, was apprehensive about getting a 3500 the first time around and now I wonder why I felt that way. I should have bought a 3500 the first time.
Going by the listed dry weight is a mistake because if you load it like many of us do you will gain a lot of weight.
As an example my pin weight is 1,000+ pounds over the advertised pin weight.
Peace
Dave
Bohemian
Well-known member
Payload is the most critical factor for 5th wheels because it is where people go out of spec most often. Included in your payload in the fully loaded pin weight of your trailer, the hitch, all passengers, and anything else loaded into the truck.
Hockster
-
I fully concur with Cookie, & Danemayer
I had an F-250 Diesel when I got my 2011 3450TS Big Country.
I was right at the maximum payload of the truck and had a few White Knuckle trips.
Engine would have towed forever, but being on the edge is no fun.
I went to the 2011 F-350 Diesel DRW Long Box and what a HUGE difference that made.
Today, it feels like sitting in the rocking chair in your living room, there is that much difference in ride, handling, and towing confidence.
I agree with Cookie on why I didn't do that in the first place.
I like many others, didn't want a DRW truck, but once you have towed with one, you won't go back.
It's a very comfortable feeling towing with the proper equipment.
TravelTiger said it best, Buy The DRW, you will not regret it.
Mine is my daily driver.
Hockster
I had an F-250 Diesel when I got my 2011 3450TS Big Country.
I was right at the maximum payload of the truck and had a few White Knuckle trips.
Engine would have towed forever, but being on the edge is no fun.
I went to the 2011 F-350 Diesel DRW Long Box and what a HUGE difference that made.
Today, it feels like sitting in the rocking chair in your living room, there is that much difference in ride, handling, and towing confidence.
I agree with Cookie on why I didn't do that in the first place.
I like many others, didn't want a DRW truck, but once you have towed with one, you won't go back.
It's a very comfortable feeling towing with the proper equipment.
TravelTiger said it best, Buy The DRW, you will not regret it.
Mine is my daily driver.
Hockster
olcoon
Well-known member
One thing to think about. If you are pulling a trailer that is too heavy, you "may" be in line for criminal/civil issues. Basically a 3/4 ton & 1 ton are the same truck. You can upgrade different things on a 3/4 ton to make it a 1 ton, however it will still be labeled as a 3/4 ton, and that's what law enforcement & the insurance companies, will go by.
An example of a problem you may run across, would be that you (God forbid) were involved in a serious/fatality accident, which initially was determined to be someone else's fault. Then powers that be decided to do a reconstruction at a later date. They would weigh your rig, and if it was determined to be overweight, it's possible/probable that you would then be the cause of the accident, because you were overweight, and shouldn't have had the rig on the road. I've known of something like that happening with a DWI.
Just a FWIW.
An example of a problem you may run across, would be that you (God forbid) were involved in a serious/fatality accident, which initially was determined to be someone else's fault. Then powers that be decided to do a reconstruction at a later date. They would weigh your rig, and if it was determined to be overweight, it's possible/probable that you would then be the cause of the accident, because you were overweight, and shouldn't have had the rig on the road. I've known of something like that happening with a DWI.
Just a FWIW.
thanks for all the input everyone.Sounds like the 2500 is not the right vehicle.I really do not want a dually..That being said when dodge states a 3500 srw rams towing capacity is roughly 17.400 lbs.is that considered trailer weight alone or not really ? hitch weight is fine for trucks payload capacity...sorry for my ignorance but all new to me and lots of good ideas and input here on forum..thanks in advance..
avvidclif
Well-known member
You are fixated on towing capacity when the limiting factor is hauling capacity, IE Payload. How much can you put in the bed of the truck. Take the GWR of the trailer you want. multiply that by .2. That will give good idea of pin weight. If that number is 3400 lbs for example and your payload (actual not brochure) is 4000 for example your hitch and everything else you put in the bed of the truck can't weigh over 600 lbs. For the purists I realize passengers count but some of that goes to the front. This is rough figuring and that's all it will be until the actual truck and 5er go across the scale. Then you have real numbers.
6 wheels turning, and six holes are a burning, its a cummins thing.
I had a GMC 2500 when I started too. Bought it new and used for a year on a 11000lb fifth wheel. Then I went (big mistake) to a RV show and saw a new big horn(13000lbs)...and I had to have that slightly larger big horn coach. Granted mine current rig isnt the GVRW 16K like some of the big horn line is. Had to buy a DRW RAM 3500 then, thank goodness slightly used trucks hold their resale better than cars, or it would have been ugly! So now if I have the fever to upgrade the coach again, I wont have to buy another truck. That upgrade fever is very contagious, so be careful.
I had a GMC 2500 when I started too. Bought it new and used for a year on a 11000lb fifth wheel. Then I went (big mistake) to a RV show and saw a new big horn(13000lbs)...and I had to have that slightly larger big horn coach. Granted mine current rig isnt the GVRW 16K like some of the big horn line is. Had to buy a DRW RAM 3500 then, thank goodness slightly used trucks hold their resale better than cars, or it would have been ugly! So now if I have the fever to upgrade the coach again, I wont have to buy another truck. That upgrade fever is very contagious, so be careful.
Gaffer
Well-known member
The SRW 3500 Ram has the same engine and tranny combo as the dually. Look at the dually and SRW specs with the standard axle ratio. This is the only ratio available on the SRW. With the standard tranny and axle ratio the SWR and DRW have the same capacity (after adjusting for the weight difference). With the Asian tranny the limit goes up about 5,000 lbs with the dually but not with the SRW. The SWR is limited from having this higher towing rating because of the SAE J2808 test procedure which is designed to level the playing field between the manufacturers that use it. You will still have all this power.
http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/
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