Towing 5th wheel with a 2500

[Gr8bawana]

For those of you that tow a 5er with your 2500, did you find that you needed some additional support like Timbrens or air bags or did the factory stuff work out ok?
Weight of your 5er?
And to the payload police, I don't want to hear it. We own a 2500 so that's what we have to work with.

 

[MADDOG]

Keeping within the weight specs is tough with a 2500/CTD truck because you lose some of your payload to that big piece of iron under the hood.

I've towed a 5'vr with two different 2500's and while the 6.4L HEMI gives up some torque compared to the 6.7L CTD, you do get more payload.

My 6.4L HEMI did a bit better job holding level due to the automatic air system on the rear vs. the CTD that didn't have it. I liked the factory system a lot.

I would have added an airbag to the rear of the CTD had I kept it and continued to haul a 5'vr with a pin weight over 1700 lbs.

 

[NewBlackDak]

No way. Mine is too tall. Even with the 2300lb dry pin weight I still have rake, and the trailer is nose high. It tow fine other than I can’t get enough clearance, and the pin box is taking small chips out of the tailgate. Mine is a 6.4 with 4.10s.


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[AFMoulton]

Check out timber grove airbags. These are some serious live of hardware. Dare I say make your 2500 handle 3500 weight! They are mounted outside the coil springs also so the provide more lateral stability. And at 80 psi they lifted the back of the truck about 4.5”





https://timbergroveenterprises.com



2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[AFMoulton]

No way. Mine is too tall. Even with the 2300lb dry pin weight I still have rake, and the trailer is nose high. It tow fine other than I can’t get enough clearance, and the pin box is taking small chips out of the tailgate. Mine is a 6.4 with 4.10s.


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How? My 2500 with my travel trailer hooked up with only 1400# tongue weight drops the back 2-3” and it stays that way till I put the W/D on


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[NewBlackDak]

How? My 2500 with my travel trailer hooked up with only 1400# tongue weight drops the back 2-3” and it stays that way till I put the W/D on


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

Leverage. When you drop a trailer on a ball the rear axle gets heavier, and the front lighter. Put 1400 LBs just in front of the rear axle, the load gets shared. It’s also a toy hauler, and the pin weight actually decreases as I fill tanks and load toys.


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[AFMoulton]

Leverage. When you drop a trailer on a ball the rear axle gets heavier, and the front lighter. Put 1400 LBs just in front of the rear axle, the load gets shared. It’s also a toy hauler, and the pin weight actually decreases as I fill tanks and load toys.


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Toy hauler piece is what I was missing. Even with my Dads 5th wheel on my truck it drops 2-3” and his pin weight is close to yours.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[GsRAM]

I've always hated the term "payload police"

While one may not like the advice, when you post a thread on a public forum, you are going to get responses. Some you may not agree with and that's fine.

Many times the "payload police" are simply folks who are more conservative than others when it comes to truck loaded weights. That's their right, just as its yours to disregard limits with your 2500.

The fact of the matter is diesel powered 2500s are payload limited as maddog correctly stated. At one time 2500/3500 shared nearly identical chassis components except for the rear springs (3500 got leafs) but I believe that changed with the 5th gen 2500s.

My 17 2500 has the heavy 6500lb rear axle, but not all of them do. Check your driver door jamb sticker to confirm. Mine is a 6.4 tradesman with a 3100 lb payload limit. The newer 2500s have a 6,000 lb rear axle under them, not as heavy duty.

By all means, its your choice how you want to load your truck. God gave us the choice of free will. If you load yours heavy, air bags are recommended.

However, regardless of payload limit....GRAWR is a number you do NOT want to exceed.

 

[spoon059]

OP, your rear axle is rated to 6500 lbs (assuming 18" wheels, of course) with the coil springs. The leaf spring 1 ton is only rated 500 lbs higher at 7000 lbs. While I'm not advocating it, you can easily pay for a higher registered weight (11K, 12k, etc) for your 3/4 ton truck and be perfectly legal and safe towing up to those higher weights. Same brakes, wheels, axles, transmission, engine and frame (other than spring mounting points) between the 3/4 and 1 ton truck.

 

[GsRAM]

OP, your rear axle is rated to 6500 lbs.

How can you be 100% sure about that without seeing the sticker on his driver's door jamb?. He has a 2018 and that may be when things started to change. I forget the actual cut off date now.

I suggest he check his sticker to be sure.

 

[spoon059]

How can you be 100% sure about that without seeing the sticker on his driver's door jamb?. He has a 2018 and that may be when things started to change. I forget the actual cut off date now.

I suggest he check his sticker to be sure.

Fair enough, I guess I can't be 100% sure. OP, check your sticker, I believe your rear axle is rated for 6500 lbs, assuming 18" wheels.

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[Gr8bawana]

Door sticker does state GAWR 6500 lbs.

 

[mtofell]

I have an 11,000# loaded 5th wheel and with everything loaded up (hitch, people, 5th attached, etc.) I have about 3000# added.... most of which is in the bed, of course. I have Firestone 5000 airbags are like them. Could I live without them? Sure. The truck actually sags very little under that weight. The coil springs with these trucks are very stout and capable. The main benefit to the bags is they just stiffen up the "hinge" between truck and trailer and help control the rhythmic bouncing that can happen over bumps.

As for RAWR, I think the change from 6500# to 6000# was around 2018 but can't remember for sure. Of course, the door sticker is always the best way to know. I have a suspicion that the rear axle on the older 2500s might even really be rated for 7000# as it was the same one used on the 3500 SRW during those years. I got into a debate on a message board once and someone posted a bunch of part numbers but only the newer years (2018 onward) showed different ones from 2500 and 3500SRW. I didn't ever research it more since it doesn't matter to me but if someone wants to geek out on part #s you might be able to figure it out.

The whole payload vs. axle weight argument has and will go on until the end of time. I run right at or a 100ish pounds over payload (3000# - Hemi with 7000# unloaded weight) but am comfortably under axle weights. Tires are rated at 7200# total and axle is 6500# (maybe 7000#). The most I've ever scaled my rear axle when totally loaded is 5800#. I'd have no problem doing the same with a Cummins.

 

[dhay13]

My 2018 is 6500

 

[GsRAM]

I have an 11,000# loaded 5th wheel and with everything loaded up (hitch, people, 5th attached, etc.) I have about 3000# added.... most of which is in the bed, of course. I have Firestone 5000 airbags are like them. Could I live without them? Sure. The truck actually sags very little under that weight. The coil springs with these trucks are very stout and capable. The main benefit to the bags is they just stiffen up the "hinge" between truck and trailer and help control the rhythmic bouncing that can happen over bumps.

As for RAWR, I think the change from 6500# to 6000# was around 2018 but can't remember for sure. Of course, the door sticker is always the best way to know. I have a suspicion that the rear axle on the older 2500s might even really be rated for 7000# as it was the same one used on the 3500 SRW during those years. I got into a debate on a message board once and someone posted a bunch of part numbers but only the newer years (2018 onward) showed different ones from 2500 and 3500SRW. I didn't ever research it more since it doesn't matter to me but if someone wants to geek out on part #s you might be able to figure it out.

The whole payload vs. axle weight argument has and will go on until the end of time. I run right at or a 100ish pounds over payload (3000# - Hemi with 7000# unloaded weight) but am comfortably under axle weights. Tires are rated at 7200# total and axle is 6500# (maybe 7000#). The most I've ever scaled my rear axle when totally loaded is 5800#. I'd have no problem doing the same with a Cummins.

As I think back now, I think it was you who enlightened me on the 6 vs 6500 rear axle change date. Good stuff man. Thank you.

 

[68PowerWagon]

I have a 2500 gasser & pull a 38' 5th wheel. You could get by without airbags. I bought some, didn't have them installed yet when I brought my camper home & all it did was level the rake out of my truck. I went ahead & installed them since I had them. I am sure it helps keep the truck from bouncing when hitting large bumps. All loaded up my fiver weighs in at 13,500.

 

[DiveSpider]

I toe a 13k 5er with our 20 2500 6.7 Cummings and it does great and with trailer attached rear only drops 2-3 inches. Am considering a air system but just as an add on I dont consider it a requirement.