Hi again. I'm Still looking at buying a fifth wheel camper. What I need to know is how much hitch weight will my truck can handle. I've got D rated tires and no suspension mods. I tried to use the search feature on the site but was unsecessfull. I know it has something to do with GVWR, but i'm new to this and not good at math. . Thanks in advance for all help!!!

 

"by the book" - weigh your truck with it fully fueled, add to that number any/all accessories (thier weight) you plan to load into it when you travel - wife-SO/youngin's, food, tools, gen set, etc..... THEN subtract that number from your trucks' GVWR. The result is what DC recommends your max pin weight should be. This calculation can be easily done without a calculator.

You'll find that with a 2500, that number will be kinda small.

Some math practice for you:
My '03 from the factory weighed 7080, and with me/kids and all my goodies in it, I'm pushing 7700 lbs (guesstimate - I've weighed it fully loaded but don't remember the exact number). I think my GVWR is 8800.

So, 8800 - 7700 = 1100 lbs - that don't leave much for pin weight does it?

So, if you figure a 10,000 lb 5th wheel has an estimated 18% pin weight; the pin weight for that trailer would be 1800 lbs. I'd be overloaded according to "the book". With a 2500, you'll normally exceed GVWR way before you exceed GCWR.

End of math lesson.

 

Your GVWR is prolly with "E" tires. D's will reduce your capacity in a SRW.

 

Ok here is what I'm looking at. I want to buy a Jayco toy hauler (Jayco Talon f33x to be exact). It weighs in empty at 7530 lbs with a dry hitch weight of 2030 lbs. GVWR of 14500 lbs I think it's about 33 ft long. My father likes this one too so we are thinking about going in together on it. My father has a 97 dodge 1 ton CTD 5 speed, so this trailer would be nothing for it. My concern is this, is this to much of a trailer for my 3/4 ton. I've never pulled more than 7000 lbs with my truck before, and never with a 5th wheel. I know the engine is not the problem here, but my question is will my truck handle it? All suggestions are welcomed. What would you do in this situation? Thanks to you all.

 

Wagontrain,
You're going to know you've got some weight on your truck with that trailer, especially if you get close to its gross. My 2 wheel drive with my fifth puts me about 9200 truck and about 19k combined. My fifth grosses at 12 k.
Easiest way out is to swap trucks with your dad when you want to pull the trailer.

Bill

 

:Wagontrain, My owners manuel states:

2500 2WD Auto 355 16k GCVWR/410 18K GCVWR Yours would be lower due to 4X4's extra weight :-

Also the Hitch weight would be less for same reason.

 

8)
For what its worth. My 2500 has the "Campers Special" option which has the heavy duty Dyna 80 rear end plus the extra leaf springs like the 3500 has.

I pull a 37 foot 5th Wheel with a combined weight of 22,000 plus pound weight without any problems. I do however pay real close attention when descending a steep hill.

Realizing that posted weight limits should be adhered to, modifications can allow you to pull a little more weight.

Bob

 

Just to clarify, the Dana 80 has nothing to do with the camper package. 1996 through 2002, all 2500 V10 or CTD autos got the Dana 70 and all 2500 V10 or CTD manuals got the Dana 80. V8s got the Dana 60 rear end. Not sure about the 03s, but I believe the same is still true.

 

For '03, DC shelved Dana and started using American Axles.

 

Thanks bulabula,

I thought I had heard something different about the 03 axles, but wasn't sure.

 

If you have the camper package (extra helper springs) the only thing that would stop you from pulling a 2000 pound hitch weight is the tires. I would not even think about it with "D" rated tires.

A 2000 pound hitch weight will give you about 4500 pound axle weight when loaded. Your tires cannot be less than 2250 pound rated and that will sway quite a bit. Stronger tires will take the sway out.

 

Here's a question for you? :

I have thought of putting a dually bed (from ebay or salvage yard) and converting the wheel studs to use dually wheels. The advantages to this would be a higher "safe" hitch weight and saving the expense of getting a new or used 3500 dually. I have never heard or seen of anyone doing this and I am not really sure of what would be needed to bolt the dually wheels to my rear end.

Any thoughts about this idea?

 

Its not that simple, the inside wheel has to stay in the same position that it is in now and dual wheels use hub centering instead of lug centering. Adaptors are necessary for the change. They can be purchased from Truck Euipment and Accessories. I have been using them for over 100,000 miles, work well.

 

Yep, what HD said exactly.

 

Thanks again for all the replys. I checked on the side wall of my tires for the weight rateing and it states 3305 lbs at 60 psi cold !! Thats more than my old E rated tires. I checked the web site just to make sure i wasn't smokeing dope and i was right 3305 lbs. If that is correct, that is more than my GAWR. So I guess it would be ok to put 2100 lbs in the bed of my truck correct?