2500 payload and driving experience

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6.4LMegaMan

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I did some landscaping at my house last weekend and needed some topsoil. I went to the local shop and got 1.5 ton. I can't tell you how happy I was driving this truck with a (supposed) load of 3,000lb in the bed. What a difference over my last 1500 with only 1 bucket (which was basically sitting on the frame)!

How much weight have you had in the bed? The chart I have says my truck (2016 6.4L Mega cab 4x4) has a 2,910lb payload. Is that correct? I can tell you this thing laughed at a yard and a half of topsoil. b60886b49d0177d415572c2a69297932.jpg

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ronheater70

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Had about the Approximately the same weight in #57 stone for a retaining wall project I was working on at the house.. I have a payload of 3100 pounds, it never phased it.
 

SouthTexan

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I have had 3k in the back of mine many times and it safely handled it just as your truck did with your load.

I would take the payload ratings on the 2500's with a grain of salt especially since they are de-rated due to truck class regulation reasons rather than what the truck can actually handle. Some people may feel the need to abide by these de-rated numbers, but I am not one of them especially since there is no legal reason to do so and registration for a 3500 costs twice as much where I live. I have enough knowledge and experience to know that my truck can safely handle well above what it is (de-)rated at, and now you do too.
 
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mohemipar

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One of the main reasons I traded to a 2500 was for the payload. Nice pic. Looks like a beast.
 

Sandbox

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I picked up a yard of topsoil about a month ago. It was nice not worrying about it. When we picked up the tile for our bathroom remodel, the 1500 almost popped a wheelie!
 

spoon059

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The payload of a 3/4 ton truck is a joke. Your rear axle is likely rated at 6500 lbs (with 18" wheels) and your empty weight is probably around 3000 lbs. That means you could put about 3500 lbs on the rear axle and be fine...
 

Mountaineer83

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I just got two scoops of hardwood mulch this past weekend. Filled my truck bed completely with enough room to roll my cover back over the bed. Never even knew it was on the truck. I loved my Tundra, but man, this Ram 2500 is awesome in every way, if I just could have afforded the Cummins...one day...one day.
 

GsRAM

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Good stuff guys, thanks for sharing. Good to hear that our 2500s have plenty of capacity
 

mtu1293

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I can get 2 yards of topsoil in the bed of my truck - which should be roughly 5600lbs. Also haul around 3k worth of retaining wall bricks at least once a week in summer. Not driving too far with the 2 yards of dirt, and the biggest issues I have is that stupid plastic strip on bottom of bed and cab. At least now that I know about it I make sure to wash off anything that spills down there since it will just sit and rub on back of cab.
 
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6.4LMegaMan

6.4LMegaMan

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Wow they load your dirt heavy. A yard around my parts is only around 2000 lbs.

I have the 5th wheel package and have to be careful not to bust up the covers with the shovel. I need to get a mat or something to put down over top of them.

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theviking

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Nice truck!
 

mtu1293

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Wow they load your dirt heavy. A yard around my parts is only around 2000 lbs.

I have the 5th wheel package and have to be careful not to bust up the covers with the shovel. I need to get a mat or something to put down over top of them.

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Yeah same here with the 5th wheel package - I finally took the stupid plastic caps off. I put a chunk of rubber belting over the area when I fill the bed. Since we slide a lot of heavy pallet in my bed, I figured it was best to have my caps in the toolbox for now.

Weights are going off what the landscape place says - so technically never weighed a load.

If you spill over top of bed, make sure to clean off that plastic strip on the bottom of bed that fills gap between there and cab.
 

mtofell

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Yeah, the change from 1/2 ton to 3/4 ton is pretty huge. Within the payload numbers, take a 1/2 ton @ 1500# and a 3/4 ton @ 3000#. Assuming 750# of people and stuff in the cab and truck bed (common for a family of 4 heading camping), you have 3X the amount of availability for trailer tongue weight with the 3/4 ton.

I remember the day I learned how all the numbers worked and realized it just wasn't going to be fun with the 1/2 ton, a family AND a trailer. I felt like I could take the family OR the trailer... just not both :)

And yes, loading up the gravel or building materials with the 3000# payload is always fun.
 

loveracing1988

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I have had 3k in the back of mine many times and it safely handled it just as your truck did with your load.

I would take the payload ratings on the 2500's with a grain of salt especially since they are de-rated due to truck class regulation reasons rather than what the truck can actually handle. Some people may feel the need to abide by these de-rated numbers, but I am not one of them especially since there is no legal reason to do so and registration for a 3500 costs twice as much where I live. I have enough knowledge and experience to know that my truck can safely handle well above what it is (de-)rated at, and now you do too.
I would clarify this to say the 2500's with Cummins engines, overloading my 2500 with the 6.4 really isn't all that smart. If I loaded it like a 3500 it would be on the bump stops.
 

loveracing1988

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Before and after pictures, this was 1.5 yards of crushed limestone that was pretty wet so I'm guessing it was around 3800 pounds, I didn't know it would be that heavy otherwise I would have stopped at 1.25 yards. 793aaa4794e68048f439516a1827892e.jpg84f096429190cb1582beb9a23fa5b4d0.jpg
 

mtofell

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I would clarify this to say the 2500's with Cummins engines, overloading my 2500 with the 6.4 really isn't all that smart. If I loaded it like a 3500 it would be on the bump stops.

Airbags!! I can pump my Firestone's up to 100# and my truck won't sag more than 1" with 3000# in the bed. Realistically, I don't ever run them that high as it feels like I'm on concrete. But, I'd have no problem loading my bed right up to the tire and RAWR limit if needed. Especially, just to get some product home from Home Depot or the gravel yard.

edit - LOL.... holy crap, yeah that's a load in your truck. I think that's got to be at least the 3800# you say. I've had nearly 3000# in my bed before the airbags and the squat was not bad at all.
 
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loveracing1988

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Airbags!! I can pump my Firestone's up to 100# and my truck won't sag more than 1" with 3000# in the bed. Realistically, I don't ever run them that high as it feels like I'm on concrete. But, I'd have no problem loading my bed right up to the tire and RAWR limit if needed. Especially, just to get some product home from Home Depot or the gravel yard.

edit - LOL.... holy crap, yeah that's a load in your truck. I think that's got to be at least the 3800# you say. I've had nearly 3000# in my bed before the airbags and the squat was not bad at all.
My philosophy has always been if you need air bags you probably should buy a bigger truck or haul a smaller load. That doesn't always apply as the 1500 I had squatted 1" at least with 600 pounds in it. The stuff I was hauling in the pictures was kind of a one and done thing when we redid a retaining wall last year.

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loveracing1988

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Says the guy with 3800# in his bed :) :)

I agree that bags don't change ratings..... but do see a pretty nice improvement when towing the 5th wheel over bumps.
Exactly why I did that once, and if I knew just how heavy it was going to be I would have just made 2 trips but I was trying to save time and for once it didn't come back to bite me... Yet.

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SouthTexan

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My philosophy has always been if you need air bags you probably should buy a bigger truck or haul a smaller load. That doesn't always apply as the 1500 I had squatted 1" at least with 600 pounds in it. The stuff I was hauling in the pictures was kind of a one and done thing when we redid a retaining wall last year.

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Well, that depends. I can see someone using air bags or other suspension mods if they have leveled their truck and don't want to squat when towing. I am in that boat right now since I put my Thuren 2" kit on. The truck still sits slightly lower in the front unloaded, but it it will look like it is nose high with anything 1,000 lbs in the back. Before my level, it would take well over 2,000 lbs to make the truck look nose high.

I plan on getting Timbrens or air bags to resolve this issue soon.
 
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