How do you determine towing capacity?

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tiger9297

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I have a '99 2500 Cummins, auto. I think it has 4.10 gears??? I'm not sure, but it's the lower speed gears. How do I find the towing capacity of this particular truck?
 

jadocs

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You should be able to enter your VIN on the RAM website and it will tell you. You should also be able to look on your door placard.

One thing to note though is paying attention to your available payload. A lot of people think tow capacity is all you need to worry about. They don't understand that you will run out of payload before capacity on 1/2 and 3/4 tons.
 

dodge dude94

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My 99 brochure says the Max Trailer Weight Rating is 12,200lbs.
 

jadocs

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What you need to find out is the tongue weight or pin weight of the trailer you plan to haul. Then compare that to your available payload. On your door jam it should tell you what your payload is (payload = how much weight you can have on the truck - not what it can tow). That figure is calculated with a full tank of fuel and a 170lb (I think) driver. Anything you add to the truck as far as gear, extra passengers, aftermarket equipment takes away from that payload. What is left over is what is available for tongue/pin weight of the trailer.

You should be good, all I'm saying is you need to check and understand how all this stuff is calculated.
 

dodge dude94

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What you need to find out is the tongue weight or pin weight of the trailer you plan to haul. Then compare that to your available payload. On your door jam it should tell you what your payload is (payload = how much weight you can have on the truck - not what it can tow). That figure is calculated with a full tank of fuel and a 170lb (I think) driver. Anything you add to the truck as far as gear, extra passengers, aftermarket equipment takes away from that payload. What is left over is what is available for tongue/pin weight of the trailer.

You should be good, all I'm saying is you need to check and understand how all this stuff is calculated.

Teehee, dunno what it is now, but it USED to be 150. :roflsquared:
 

jadocs

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You might be right on that, I can't remember for sure. On the other hand what grown man weighs 150? Lol
 

dodge dude94

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You might be right on that, I can't remember for sure. On the other hand what grown man weighs 150? Lol

I don't know....I'm not fat but I haven't weighed 150 since I was 14. :roflsquared:
 
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tiger9297

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I thought towing capacity had something to do with Gross Vehicle Weight Rating?? or something like that. Isn't this the max weight the truck can handle including truck and trailer? It seems like you could max the payload (hauling capacity) of the truck and still have available towing capacity.
 
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