Get your actual weights! don't guess

[1 MEAN66]

There is a bit more information under "what did you do with your ram ", things like how it towed, MPG, speed I towed at, what gain I decided on for trailer brakes, and so on. But there are way to many people asking for info about towing without REAL numbers, and also people giving out info with out real numbers. Real numbers help everyone help each other. Take your unit and weigh it. All truck stops have certified "CAT SCALES". It is usually $12-$15 for the first weigh and about $3-$5 for weigh after. I just finished setting up Our Ram, added a factory brake controller (got it from -infotainment) , set up the class IV adjustable hitch so trailer and truck were level with weight of car loaded. Then headed to scales to weigh 1) total package (to get what is called "bridge weight" the actual load on each axle (steer of truck, rear drive of truck, trailer axle assembly) 2) the total weight of the trailer with it's load (our 66 pro street Plymouth) and what the weight of that assembly is At the ball - which is considered hitch weight. 3) something most don't need but I wanted the actual weight of the 66 - did it so I got the weight of it showing what was on each of it's axles. Done this past spring 3580 total -51% front axle 49% rear. (4 actual Ram weight of Ram by itself. Attached you can see my results! once I got them done when I loaded the car back I moved it forward 1-2 inches. This take out the minor twitchy feeling I had going to the scales. On hitch recommended 10%-15% of total on hitch. My guess, as to where to place car got it at the 10%. The moving it forward added more to the hitch and it towed great going back home. For clarification the trucks weight is with only 1/4 tank fuel, as it has a 32 gallon tank add approx. 25 more gallons @ 6.25 lb per gallon another 157 lbs. making the truck 3800 lbs.
Tow SAFELY! It is NOT how much you can tow! But can you control (stop and steer) what you are towing.

 

[1 MEAN66]

Well, I must not of added the "stuff" about the towing experience driving it back and forth to the scale. It was about 56 miles from House to Pilot Truckstop in Nassau NY, and back. Had 10 of those miles at local traffic speeds (30MPH) the rest interstate- drove those 65MPH - one spurt to 80 just to see how it was, after moving car on trailer forward. As the trip is near a constant uphill going out. I got -per the dashboard info screen- 12.8 MPG average going out and 16.4 MPG average coming back. We took a 5-day trip in early July from home (Waterford NY) to Potter County PA. Just Rebecca and I in the Ram. Local stuff 20-30 mph, lots of scenic mountain rides 35-50mph, rural open roads 50-60 mph, and 150 or so each way interstate 70-75mph. The Rams average for the whole trip was 22.4 MPG. So low 20's truck solo, 13.5 14.5 with the trailer. Not bad. Combination was a bit twitchy on the road on the way to the scales, moving the car forward fixed that. And I like the trailer brake gain set at 7.5. WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW ! did I screw up the scale sheet that reads a total weight of 3640 is actually the 66 Plymouth with a full tank of fuel (has a 18-gallon fuel cell). The Ram weight is total weight 10,640 - trailer/car weight 5600 lbs, = truck with 1/4 tank of fuel 5040lbs. If the tank was full (I have a 32 gallon) that would add 150lbs. or so. So the actual weight of MY ram with a full tank (32 gallons) of fuel will be 5190 Lbs. Again the 3640 Lb. is for the 66 with its fuel cell full.

 

[crash68]

That weight of just the truck is wrong, there's no way a 5600 lbs trailer with an approximate 600 lbs tongue could make the truck add about 1000 lbs per axle.
A plain jane 1500 rolling off the assembly line weighs at least 4500 lbs
I'd I read it correctly, you moved the car forward so the there was more weight on the rear axle than what the weights were measured with both?

 

[jvbuttex]

where do you get truck weight with full tank at 3800lbs

. For clarification the trucks weight is with only 1/4 tank fuel, as it has a 32 gallon tank add approx. 25 more gallons @ 6.25 lb per gallon another 157 lbs. making the truck 3800 lbs.

Where do you get 3800lbs with full tank of fuel?

 

[DILLIGAF]

My Travel trailer tag say 1580 lbs dry, Its actually 1768 lbs dry ! on the scale.

I never understood how these trailer compagnies can get away with under rating the weights.

 

[GTyankee]

2016 Ram 1500 Crew Cab
4,937 to 5,663 lbs Curb Weight
Towing capacity: 4,150 to 8,180 lbs


Shipping weight, 2012 production year

https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/pdf/specsheet/ram_1500_dimensions.pdf

 

[mtofell]

My Travel trailer tag say 1580 lbs dry, Its actually 1768 lbs dry ! on the scale.

I never understood how these trailer compagnies can get away with under rating the weights.

Yeah, a lot of times they weigh them without propane tanks, batteries... maybe furniture? Who knows, but yeah, it's pretty fraudulent. Fwiw, the truck manufacturers are equally as shifty. Splashing the 10,000# tow rating all over the commercials with the fineprint being that can only be achieved with literally nothing in the truck other than the driver. Then, put both (trucks and RVs) with salesmen willing to sell their souls for a commission and we're left with the industries as they are. Of course, like so many things in life, a little bit of research, education and awareness could help many of us but humans are historically poor at those things.

 

[1 MEAN66]

You probably answered prior to me "fixing" what I wrote. The weigh of the Ram had to be calculated. I in my original post (before I edited it) said the ram was the 3600 lb. scale sheet. You are correct. I screwed up- that is the weight of the 66 Plymouth. I'm not a great typist, my fingers move faster than my brain, as my brain is at least as old as I am. To get the correct information just reread the post, as what is there now was changed about 20 minutes after I originally wrote it. The numbers ARE CORRECT, my explanation was not. Subtract the combined trailer/car weight from the combined "package weight" and that is the actual Ram weight. Moving the car on the trailer forward will have almost zero effect on Ram axle weights as it will only change tongue weight by 50-60lbs. By doing that I was not at the minimum tongue weight recommended but inside the window of the 10%-15% window. And the minor twitching I felt going to the scale was gone. Actually, got the speed up to 80MPH for a short distance to verify that the new position of the load (car on trailer) fixed the twitch. "Old Fart" screw up. Sorry! Ram weight is a bit over 5200.

 

[Choupique]

Just for a data point,

2018 2500
CCLB 4X4 diesel
100gal aux tank in the bed, everything slam full of fuel, driver, a few little tools and assorted regular truck stuff

9,280

 

[Random_Walk]

My Travel trailer tag say 1580 lbs dry, Its actually 1768 lbs dry ! on the scale.

I never understood how these trailer compagnies can get away with under rating the weights.

Look around for any correction stickers. My travel trailer officially has a dry weight of 3600lbs, but I quickly found a bright yellow sticker in the door jamb that stated an updated dry weight of 3750 lbs - the change was due to some added options, e.g. the 200W solar panel and charging gear, slightly-bigger-than-stock A/T tires, etc. I confirmed it on the state scales** , and it made perfect sense.

I just wish they would have put that updated sticker next to the official one.



** Oregon allows anyone to drive onto any unused non-busy weigh station and pull onto the scales, where a big fat LED display tells you your aggregate weight. Many stations don't break it down by axle/steers though (e.g. OR-30 near Scappoose, OR-26 near North Plains, etc), so you'll have to center it on the pad and unhitch for a true weight in those situations.

 

[PaulTGarrett]

My 2012 weighs in at 8040 pounds with me and a full tank of diesel... I don't want to know how overloaded my work trailer is... It's a 45' triple axle gooseneck with brakes on all 6... I usually run the brake controller about 8 to 9... I just hook it up, drive down the road, and not worry about it... Kinda like having dyed diesel in the fuel tank! Ha! (Flames are ignored and laughed at, by the way...)

 

[GTyankee]

Back when i bought my first Ram, it was a 2009
I outfitted it & i wanted to weigh it, for my own information.

I drove to a Mayflower Moving Company scale house, the Weigh Master was there.

I explained what i was trying to do,
he informed me that IF, i wanted the weight(s) on Official paper work, with his official signature, it would cost the same amount as if i went to a Cat Scale.

Because i just wanted it for my own peace of mind, it would cost me nothing, he just wrote the weight on a sheet of scrap paper.

Another place that i have used, was a soils plant, that is a place where dump trucks go to get things like Sand, Rock, hot or cold asphalt, etc.

Usually they are closed on Weekends, they have Security at the gate.
I talked to the guard during the the work week & he told me to stop by on Saturday & that i could weigh my truck.
I stopped by, said Hi to the guard, drove onto their scales, jumped out & looked through at the weigh station scale house window & wrote down weight.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

My 2012 weighs in at 8040 pounds with me and a full tank of diesel... I don't want to know how overloaded my work trailer is... It's a 45' triple axle gooseneck with brakes on all 6... I usually run the brake controller about 8 to 9... I just hook it up, drive down the road, and not worry about it... Kinda like having dyed diesel in the fuel tank! Ha! (Flames are ignored and laughed at, by the way...)

I don't think you have to weigh your truck.
Take the payload and subtract what you add to the truck.

Payload is calculation: if you have a light-duty truck with a GVWR of 9,000 pounds and a curb weight of 6,000 pounds, the payload capacity will be 3,000 pounds: GVWR – curb weight = payload capacity. 9,000 pounds – 6,000 pounds = 3,000 pounds.

 

[Choupique]

I think its important to get an actual weight. I didn't realize I had so much weight in just random stuff. Pipe wrenches, jug of oil, different hitches...

It adds up quick!

 

[18CrewDually]

I think its important to get an actual weight. I didn't realize I had so much weight in just random stuff. Pipe wrenches, jug of oil, different hitches...

It adds up quick!

Agreed and the point of the OP. And why I tell people all the time go weight it so you KNOW instead of guessing based on a sticker. Like you said junk behind the seat, tool box in the bed, ect. adds up quick.
Get you truck weight and subtract it from the GVWR. Now you gave your ACTUAL cargo capacity. Plus by weighing it you now also know the axle actual weights to see how close you're to the rear/front axle capacities.

 

[09SilverRam]

I want to start a youtube channel where I hang out at a Loves and bet people they don't know how much their truck + trailer weighs then go to the cat scale to see how off their guess is.

 

[18CrewDually]

I want to start a youtube channel where I hang out at a Loves and bet people they don't know how much their truck + trailer weighs then go to the cat scale to see how off their guess is.

Heck I'd watch.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

I want to start a youtube channel where I hang out at a Loves and bet people they don't know how much their truck + trailer weighs then go to the cat scale to see how off their guess is.

 

[1 MEAN66]

Lots of ways to find these "towing charts" online. And still this is what is supposed to be the vehicle "capability". NOT what is safe or unsafe, NOT what is a good idea or bad idea, JUST REFERENCE!!! This is one of many "charts" I looked at BEFORE I started to look for the Ram that I wanted to buy, so that when I did buy, I got what would "work for me". Highlighted one is what I was after, and found, and now own. Once here my additional modifications were then done to it (performance, lighting, and Stuff". So, it says I can tow 9,090 lbs. BUT I DON"T - I pull less than 7K. lots of info in different threads about how and what I have done to it, just like others have put on this site about their vehicles. How each of us drive is different, the results of that effect what we drive differently. Look at as much info as you can and realize that what works for some may not work for you. Everyone here seems to try and help others, good people here. Just make it work for you.

 

[Jim2015RAM]

Another data point for RAM pickup comparison:
2015 Tradesman Reg Cab (2-door), 6'-4" bed, 8-speed, 5.7 Hemi, tow package, 2WD
FCA shipping weight 4582 lbs

I have weighed this truck at the county trash dump and correcting for driver & fuel, the above is accurate.