HolyRoller

Hi All,

Glad to be part of the forum. We are getting ready to upgrade our family vehicle to a new Ram 4X4 Mega cab 6.7/aisin srw. We need the maximum towing capacity for towing and I'm finding it hard to get the straight scoop about the difference in towing capacity between the 2500 and 3500. What is the difference in the two models and what is there max towing capability? The dodge website said 12,800 for the 2500 and that doesn't really seem right to me.Can someone please enlighten me?

Rrloren

I recently ordered a new 2500 with the 6.7 and have a brochure from the dealer which says 13000 lbs. on the 2500 4 wheel drive Quad Cab. They vary a couple hundred lbs. depending on cab and whether it's 4 wheel drive.Surprisingly the tow rate doesn't change whether it's 3.73 or 4.10 rear.
Get the brochure from the dealer ,should answer all your questions.

grantx5

Dodge.com states that for a 2500 Mega SLT 4x4, the towing capacity is 12500 (max) while the 3500 is 15500 (max). Not sure why the 3K difference.

I have run into many folks towing more than 12500 with a 2500, one guy was towing a 13.8K fiver. He thought the truck did great and it was an '05 with the 48re.

Flying Ram

My 2007 spec sheet states Mega Cab 2500 4X4 Auto towing capacity is 12,450 for either 3.73 or 4.10 gear ratio (Only SRW) - 20,000 GCWR.

The Mega Cab 3500 4X4 Auto is 13,450 (SRW)/13,100 (DRW) - 21,000 GCWR with 3.73 gears and 15,450 (SRW)/15,100 (DRW) with 4.10's - 23,000 GCWR.

For the Manual 6-speed (3.73 gears): 2500 4X4 is 12,350 - 20,000 GCWR and 3500 is 15,350 SRW/15,000 DRW - 23,000 GCWR

grantx5

Not even close to what the new F450s are capable of.

RustyJC

If one is concerned about the manufacturer's towing ratings, one should understand that the "manufacturer's trailer tow rating" is greatly oversimplified and is calculated by subtracting the curb weight of a fictitious truck (base truck with no options or accessories and only a 150 lb driver) from the truck's GCWR; therefore, for a given GCWR, the lighter truck will always have a higher "manufacturer's trailer tow rating".

However, buried deep in the fine print is the admonition that no other ratings should be exceeded when towing - this includes GVWR and GAWRs. This is where the 3/4 ton truck runs into a problem since it will almost always run out of GVWR when towing a gooseneck or 5th wheel before it approaches the manufacturer's trailer tow rating.

If one wants to stay within the manufacturer's ratings, he needs to know the laden curb weight (LCW) of his truck with full fuel tank(s), driver, passengers, options, accessories, hitch, etc. just as the truck will hit the road. With this actual scale weight:

Truck's GCWR - Truck's LCW = maximum total allowable weight of loaded trailer.

Truck's GVWR - Truck's LCW = maximum allowable pin/hitch weight of loaded trailer.

When selecting a 5th wheel trailer, a conservative approach is to use the trailer's GVWR as the total loaded weight and 20% of the trailer's GVWR as pin weight.

Now, if ratings mean nothing to someone, then none of the above matters.

Rusty

HolyRoller

This is what I was wondering about exactly. Why 3000 more for the 3500 when the only difference is supposedly the spring pack. My thought was to get the 2500 and ad an oem leaf to get the 15000 towing capacity. I would just get the 3500 but there harder to find here. Can anyone tell me why the spring pack would make such a huge difference in towing capacity? Thanks

HOV

Rusty said what I was too lazy to type. Gents, don't worry about tow ratings, they're marketing tools. Worry about your GVWR, your axle ratings, hitch weight or pin weight, and what your truck REALLY weighs when loaded.

There is no better or clearer way to say it than what Rusty typed there. If you don't understand those acronyms, learn what they mean before you go to buy a truck!

HolyRoller

I'm still not clear on the difference between the 2500 and 3500. My question is, If I buy a 2500 and put on the same springpak as the 3500 has on it, Will the 2500 safely pull 15,000 that the 3500 is rated to pull? I'm having a hard time believing that a simple springpak will increase tow rating by 3000lbs. I always thought you needed more power and gearing to pull a heavier trailer. I guess those two things are only part of the equation and not the whole picture. It almost sounds like the model (2500/3500) is more important than the engine size and type (gas/diesel). My 2002 3/4 GMC 4x4 with the 6.0 gas is rated to pull 8300lbs with stock gearing and 10,300 with lower gears. The dealer said I could pull 10,300 with the gears I have now but it just wouldn't be very peppy on take off. Considering the last two sentences, it sounds like gearing changes the pulling capacity instead of adding a heavier spring pak. I think I'm getting more confused

bigsnakebud

HolyRoller
The 2500 and the 3500 do not have the aisin but the DCX 68rfe. There is a difference with pulling power with a numerical lower gear ratio as it moves the load from a standing stop without as much stress on the drive train BUT it also has a lower MPG when not pulling. Please check dodge.com for all towing specs.

HolyRoller

The dealer said they were both exactly the same truck except for the spring pak. They also said both trucks have the same 6.7 with the aisin.This was told to me by Dave Smith in Idaho and my local dealer. They even said the gears were the same for both trucks. I have been looking at the Dodge.com site and it doesn't make it any clearer. I seem to be coming up with more questions than anwsers to myself now.

morkable

None of the pickups have the aisen,, that is only for cab and chasis. You will want to have the 3.73 gears, as the 4 10s are way to low for most people they are only good if you are doing really heavy towing 20000#s ish. IMHO. It really boils down to a legality issue, if you exceed your gcvw you can get a ticket and even be asked to unload your trailer.

One thing that your dealer was right about is that the 2500 and 3500 are the same truck other than the springs. The 3500 has an extra spring.

I have a 37' 5er that ways 13k dry. In order to tow legally I would have to go to a 3500srw, a dually wouldnt cut it for me.

Kevin

RustyJC

As pointed out in the discussion above, the 3500 SRW will run out of GVWR before the DRW, "manufacturer's trailer tow ratings" notwithstanding. That's why a dually can tow a larger 5th wheel than a SRW without exceeding any of the ratings (i.e., GCWR, GVWR or GAWRs).

Rusty

bigsnakebud

HollyRoller
Try this web site
[URL="http://www.dodge.com/bridge/full_vehicle_picker.html?app=vehiclespecs&family=r am_2500_3500&model=Technical"]

HolyRoller

Okay now it gets better! I just called the dealer to have him confirm through service that the 2500 and 3500 are the same except springs. The service guy says that the 3500 has a bigger axle than the 2500 and the springs are heavier. He also said that the 3500 he had (wrong color for me) had the 6.7 with the new 6spd auto in it. Does Dodge have to 6 spd auto's they use?It sounds like it boils down to both trucks will pull the 15000lbs nicely but the 3500 will do it legally because its sticker says so. I plan on double towing with our fifthwheel so I should probably hold out till I can find the exact 3500 I want (dark grey). I'll probably get unwanted attention pulling doubles, so the sticker saying I can tow 15000lb would be probably pretty important if I get weighed. Thanks for all the info posted. It has certainly helped us with making the decision in the purchase of our new truck. I hope to be posting pics of it soon. Go Rams!!!!!