2017 2500 vs. 2017 3500 payload rating

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wschnoor

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Assuming two vehicle with the same drive train....can anybody tell me what changes on the vehicle that determines the 3/4 ton vs. 1 ton.

A 2500 crew cab 6'4" box SRW, 6.7L with automatic 68RFE, GVWR 10,000 has a payload capability of 2,380 lbs.

A 3500 crew cab 6'4" box SRW, 6.7L with automatic 68RFE, GVWR 11,100 - 14,000 has a payload capability of 4,070 lbs.

It the difference the axle or the springs or a combination of both?
Is the axle different between the 2500 and 3500 SRW?

Add air bags to the 2500 and what? Firestone claims the airbags are good for 5,000 lbs.

I'm looking for info to make an educated decision about a fifth wheel RV selection.
 

ColdCase

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You can have axle ratio, spring rates, axle load rating affect payload. Adding on airbags does not change the truck's payload rating, although it may may for a better tow vehicle.

I think the 2500 now has coil spring rear suspention, the 3500 leafs
 
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Jimmy07

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2500's have coils. 3500's have leafs. Everything else is identical. Payload comes from gvwr, which isjust a number on paper for the manufacturer to separate their class 2b trucks and class 3 trucks
 

drittal

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2500's have coils. 3500's have leafs. Everything else is identical. Payload comes from gvwr, which isjust a number on paper for the manufacturer to separate their class 2b trucks and class 3 trucks



Yes, but in the case of Ram they have a completely different rear suspension between the two. What weight is the coil suspension good for??? That is the $64,000 question. Is it good for the axle rating or less? Are you overloading suspension component(s) when going over GVWR?


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crash68

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With a 2500 truck which the GVRW is "limited" to 10K to meet truck class specifications, don't go over the GAWRs or GCWR.

GAWR is the maximum distributed weight that may be supported by an axle(that includes the suspension) of a road vehicle.
 
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Juvenator93

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Like stated above, the 2500 come with a coil spring rear suspension on an 11.5 AAM axle. The 3500 have the same 11.5 AAM axle (unless it's a dually, which comes with the 11.8 AAM axle) but are on a leaf spring suspension, capable of higher payloads. My 2500 on 35s sits 1/2" higher than my coworker's 3500 on 35s, but mine sags more than his with a load6c8894646750b4afe8b6d73116e20afb.jpg


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spoon059

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Yes, but in the case of Ram they have a completely different rear suspension between the two. What weight is the coil suspension good for??? That is the $64,000 question. Is it good for the axle rating or less? Are you overloading suspension component(s) when going over GVWR?


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According to Ram they are good to 6500 lbs with 18" wheels. That is what my placard reads. Ram has to certify the entire axle (and everything attached to the axle) from the factory. They have to certify, according to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), that the axle has sufficient spring rate to hold the weight, the lugs have sufficient shear strength to hold the weight, the brakes have sufficient braking power to stop the weight, etc. Something in there limits the axle to 6500 lbs. Its likely the coil spring, rated lower than the leaf spring by 500 lbs.

The 3/4 ton truck is a Class 2B truck. 10,000 lbs is an arbitrary number that was agreed upon as the maximum allowable GVWR to be Class 2B. Class 2B trucks have various allowances that a Class 3 truck don't have. For example, some streets (or even lanes on streets) and bridges allow vehicles under 5 tons to pass... Class 2B. Some states say a Class 3 truck has to follow commercial vehicle laws, but a Class 2B doesn't. It is a distinction without much of a difference.

All that being said, if you are buying a truck to haul a 5er, its just plain easier to buy a 1 ton truck. If you already have a 3/4 ton truck, make sure you have E rated tires, don't exceed your axle or tire rating and pay sufficient registration fees for the weight of your truck.
 

Jimmy07

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According to Ram they are good to 6500 lbs with 18" wheels. That is what my placard reads. Ram has to certify the entire axle (and everything attached to the axle) from the factory. They have to certify, according to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), that the axle has sufficient spring rate to hold the weight, the lugs have sufficient shear strength to hold the weight, the brakes have sufficient braking power to stop the weight, etc. Something in there limits the axle to 6500 lbs. Its likely the coil spring, rated lower than the leaf spring by 500 lbs.

The 3/4 ton truck is a Class 2B truck. 10,000 lbs is an arbitrary number that was agreed upon as the maximum allowable GVWR to be Class 2B. Class 2B trucks have various allowances that a Class 3 truck don't have. For example, some streets (or even lanes on streets) and bridges allow vehicles under 5 tons to pass... Class 2B. Some states say a Class 3 truck has to follow commercial vehicle laws, but a Class 2B doesn't. It is a distinction without much of a difference.

All that being said, if you are buying a truck to haul a 5er, its just plain easier to buy a 1 ton truck. If you already have a 3/4 ton truck, make sure you have E rated tires, don't exceed your axle or tire rating and pay sufficient registration fees for the weight of your truck.
Yup. Everybody's so concerned about this "payload" number, when all they really need to be concerned about is their axle/tire ratings. That's why they give them to you. Payload is just a "this is what's leftover after the base weight of the truck" number based on the class of truck gvwr. So just register your plates for your anticipated gvwr.
 

Bigdaddy

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Yup. Everybody's so concerned about this "payload" number, when all they really need to be concerned about is their axle/tire ratings. That's why they give them to you. Payload is just a "this is what's leftover after the base weight of the truck" number based on the class of truck gvwr. So just register your plates for your anticipated gvwr.


Interesting, can you explain this a little more or anybody because even though I'm looking on buying a 3500 but it's hard to find the one I want so I might have to go with a 2500? I will try to get the 3500 of course I have to see.
 

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Interesting, can you explain this a little more or anybody because even though I'm looking on buying a 3500 but it's hard to find the one I want so I might have to go with a 2500? I will try to get the 3500 of course I have to see.

The 3500 and 2500 (assuming single rear wheel and 18" wheels) are essentially the same truck. The frames are slightly different because of the way the rear suspension mounts, however they are engineered the same to hold the same weight. Brakes, engine, transmission, axles, body, seats are all the same between 2500 and 3500.

The ONLY difference is the rear suspension and the fact that the 2500 is class limited to 10,000 lbs.

However you can register your truck for whatever weights you want. The only numbers that matter on the road are your TIRE rating (my truck has 3604 lbs rating tires) and the federal bridge axle rating of 20,000 lbs. As long as you are at or under the lower of those two numbers, you are legal.

My 2500 is rated from Ram at 10,000 lbs, but simple addition of axle ratings (6000 front, 6500 rear) shows that Ram has certified my truck to 12,500 lbs. My tires are rated to 7208 lbs per axle. Those are both under the 20,000 lbs federal bridge rating. I can walk in to my Motor Vehicle Administration and pay to increase my registered GVWR, above the 10,000 lbs Ram rating, and be perfectly legal to drive down the road.

Its so much easier and less controversial to just buy a 3500 if you have that option though.
 

HvyDuty

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With 6.4L gas trucks, the difference in payload 2500 vs. 3500 is about 800 lbs, 10000 vs 10800 GVWR. Not a huge step up going to a 3500 (SRW) when talking gas. As stated before same frame and 11.5" rear axle. IMO the multi-link coils offer better stability and ride than leafs.

My 2500 6.4L yellow door sticker payload is 3190 lbs.
 
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wschnoor

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Spoon - thank you for the explanations.

My truck has
- F GAWR of 6000 lbs and R GAWR of 6500
- stock tires are rated at a max load of 3638 lbs each

Is it correct to think that I should take the truck to the scales and subtract the actual weight from 12500 to determine the technical payload rating?

I have never weighed a vehicle at the scales. Is it feasible to think that the truck can be weighed on the rear axle only?

I am fairly confident in knowing the truck is capable of a 3500 trailer pin weight but I would like to see the numbers for a better understanding.
 

mtofell

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Coils on a 2500 and some good airbags or Timbrens is a great setup if you use your truck for more than just towing. The coils ride and handle much better and the airbags are superior to the 3500's leaf springs - meaning, put a yard of gravel in the back of each truck and the 3500 sags more than the 2500 with bags. Of course, there is more to towing than just sag but the point is the bags are plenty strong enough to supplement the springs to be at least as good as the leafs.

The door sticker GVWR versus axle ratings has and will go on until the end of time. It's just a personal choice. I have a hard time worrying about the GVWR much when the axles can clearly handle the weight. There's a reason axle weights are what commercial truckers and bridges always go by.
 

Mitag3

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Spoon - thank you for the explanations.

My truck has
- F GAWR of 6000 lbs and R GAWR of 6500
- stock tires are rated at a max load of 3638 lbs each

Is it correct to think that I should take the truck to the scales and subtract the actual weight from 12500 to determine the technical payload rating?

I have never weighed a vehicle at the scales. Is it feasible to think that the truck can be weighed on the rear axle only?

I am fairly confident in knowing the truck is capable of a 3500 trailer pin weight but I would like to see the numbers for a better understanding.


Scales should have multiple large pads on them allowing you to have your rear axle on one pad and your front axle over the next. When you get your ticket it will then tell you how much weight you have on the corresponding axles. This will help greatly when adjusting loads on your trailer as well.
 

HvyDuty

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Spoon - thank you for the explanations.

My truck has
- F GAWR of 6000 lbs and R GAWR of 6500
- stock tires are rated at a max load of 3638 lbs each

Is it correct to think that I should take the truck to the scales and subtract the actual weight from 12500 to determine the technical payload rating?

I have never weighed a vehicle at the scales. Is it feasible to think that the truck can be weighed on the rear axle only?

I am fairly confident in knowing the truck is capable of a 3500 trailer pin weight but I would like to see the numbers for a better understanding.

You can go to a big rig CAT scale at any Love's or Flying J truck stop and get front and rear axle weights separately (also separate trailer axle weight if needed). Costs around $12 for the first weigh and about $3 for as many additional weights you want within 24hrs from the first weigh.

You just get in line and drive right up on the scale. There should be a lower push button to talk (if not look up to about big rig door level and there should be a button). When they ask for your truck number, just say private or your own favorite number lol. When they say done, go find a place to park out of the way of truckers and go inside to pay for your weight ticket. Hope that helps
 
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