Is the max tow rating really the max towing capacity?

DJFriar · Apr 21, 2017

I have a 2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn V6 4x4. According to the chart I found here:

http://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/towing_guide/pdf/2015_ram_1500_towing_charts.pdf

My max towing capacity is 4,190 lbs.* I am renting a 6x12 U-Haul that fully loaded would weigh 4,400 lbs. Is being 210 lbs over a huge deal, or should I still be ok?

To be fair, I doubt I will truly load the trailer with 2.480 lbs of cargo; but I'd rather know ahead of time if i have to make sure I under load it, or if I'll be ok loading it up. It's just household furniture going in it.

*I used the VIN decoder at dodgeforum and it said my truck has 3.21 gears. Anyone know a way to confirm this?

14hemiexpress · Apr 21, 2017

On your rear axle it should have a tag that says what axle is in your truck. I have found the decoder to be a little messy on specific details.

crash68 · Apr 21, 2017

You'll be over if you put that much weight in the trailer. With that being said, this sounds like a one time tow(guessing this isn't a cross country trek?). Over by 200 lbs in the trailer isn't a deal breaker.
Don't be in a hurry, give yourself plenty of room and error on the side of caution and you should be fine.

novelmike · Apr 22, 2017

Pff....the max is not the max. I saw a Tundra pull the space shuttle in a commercial. Right down a street in LA. The space shuttle is way over its max. But it pulled it.

THETANK · Apr 22, 2017

don't get into an accident is all I will say. Don't ask why.

7777xm · Apr 22, 2017

You will be fine.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

TRCM · Apr 22, 2017

But to answer your question....yes...legally, the max is the max.

Nothing you can do will ever change that.

You can choose to exceed it, but just beware there could be consequences.

Now, you say it's 200 over the max....is that 4400 lbs of cargo you're gonna put in it, or 4400 lbs of trailer weight + cargo ??

big difference

csuder99 · Apr 23, 2017

Well as you've probably noticed in the spreadsheet you linked, merely having the 3.55 axle ratio increases the tow rating by ~ 3000lbs. The reason it is low for the 3.21 is simply that the SAE J2807 tow rating stipulates a number of things a truck has to be able to do without overheating or mechanical failure. Examples are repeated starts on a steep grade, reaching a minimum speed and such. You're not going to run into trouble with a mere 200 lbs over the limit, especially not if you stay under the 9,850 combined weight.

Get the build information directly from RAM here http://www.ramtrucks.com/webselfservice/ram/index.html under equipment listing.

DJFriar · Apr 24, 2017

TRCM said:
Now, you say it's 200 over the max....is that 4400 lbs of cargo you're gonna put in it, or 4400 lbs of trailer weight + cargo ??

big difference

4400lbs total between trailer and cargo. And I don't know if I will hit the max or not, I don't have a way to weigh all my stuff before tossing it into the U-haul. So in reality I'm probably worried about nothing, but I wanted to double check that there wasn't a major mechanical risk if I went a little over the max.

DannyMK2 · Apr 24, 2017

the issue you might run into is the possibility that u-haul wont rent you that trailer to be pulled behind your truck, being that it would put you over the max capacity if fully loaded.

Witch · Apr 24, 2017

You have to know the engineers are being conservative to CTA

Running it at rated weight or below is you being conservative to CYA

I have ran trucks almost sapping the ground already, just a ***** to stop them :favorites13:

bcbouy · Apr 24, 2017

^^clueless.

DJFriar · Apr 27, 2017

DannyMK2 said:
the issue you might run into is the possibility that u-haul wont rent you that trailer to be pulled behind your truck, being that it would put you over the max capacity if fully loaded.

Perhaps, but I've yet to see a Uhaul ever pay that much attention. Since the 3.55 gears would more than cover it, I think they are just going to see "Full Size Truck" and go with it. But if that fails I have friends with larger trucks, so I can pick it up regardless.

I did a bit more cleaning this past week and I'm pretty certain I won't come close to filling it though so I'm not too worried about it now.

Thank you all for the replies.

Totesmygoats · May 5, 2017

Towing capacity on these charts is ENTIRELY limited by hill hauling. That is to say, how well the engine and transmission can handle the load going up a hill, How much of an incline you will be able to start off from a stop, etc. That's why you see such large changes in capacity just from a change in axle ratios.

The frame, brakes axles ETC can handle the 9200 you see on that chart. Your engine and drive train depending, on how you are hauling can not (according to the test specs.

I'm in Florida, we have no hills, I have no problem going completely over the GCVR as long as I am stay within my payload and don't overload the axle.

TRCM · May 6, 2017

DJFriar said:
Perhaps, but I've yet to see a Uhaul ever pay that much attention. Since the 3.55 gears would more than cover it, I think they are just going to see "Full Size Truck" and go with it. But if that fails I have friends with larger trucks, so I can pick it up regardless.

I did a bit more cleaning this past week and I'm pretty certain I won't come close to filling it though so I'm not too worried about it now.

Thank you all for the replies.

I have...they refused to rent me a tow dolly to be pulled behind my 79 dodge ramcharger.

It had a towing capacity of almost 10k, and I wanted to pull a 3300 lb car behind it. They said no, based on their 'books'.....then when I drove to the uhaul place and they saw the truck, they said ok.

Tim7139 · May 7, 2017

It's been about 50/50 for in my experience if the check the door to see if I'm legal.

Only time I had an issue was with an Explorer. The guys said he knew the generation I had was not an issue but it was a no go.

Is the max tow rating really the max towing capacity?

DJFriar

Junior Member

14hemiexpress

Senior Member

crash68

ACME product engineer

novelmike

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THETANK

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7777xm

Senior Member

TRCM

USN, Retired

csuder99

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DJFriar

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DannyMK2

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Witch

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bcbouy

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DJFriar

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Totesmygoats

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TRCM

USN, Retired

Tim7139

Senior Member

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