Max 5th Wheel GVWR for my new 2500

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

OP
OP
CodyWyBound

CodyWyBound

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Posts
21
Reaction score
18
Location
Colorado
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7L Cummins
Hi everyone. I am still watching videos and reading to get as knowledgeable as possible about what my truck can tow. I do have a question. These are numbers from Ram truck and I have a question about them:

Truck: 2020 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.7L Cummins Night Edition
Equipment:
6 speed A68RFE transmission
3.73 Axle Ratio
Traction control
Trailer sway damping
Trailer-brake control
Diesel exhaust brakes
Tires: LT285/60R20E 125R

Payload: 2070 lbs
Combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed: 2096 lbs
Max Towing: 15980 lbs
Max Towing w/5th wheel/gooseneck prep: 19,680 lbs

GVWR: 10000
GCWR: 27000
GAWR Front: 6000
GAWR Rear: 6040

My question is this. Supposedly with the 5th wheel/gooseneck prep which my truck has, that max towing capacity goes up from 15980 to 19680. Exactly how and does that really mean anything if the 5th wheel/gooseneck prep doesn't change payload or any of the other values? Or does it? Does the gain in max towing capacity with the prep (around 3700 lbs) mean the truck can tow more than the 10000 GVWR or less travel trailers or lite 5th wheels I've been looking at?

I have greatly appreciated the input I have gotten so far and I look forward to further input that will hopefully help me understand how the max towing capacity according to Ram can be increased almost 20% with the prep.

Dan
 

392DevilDog

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Posts
1,939
Reaction score
2,893
Location
Glasgow, Pennsylvania
Ram Year
2015
Engine
392 Hemi
27000 minus 15980 equals 11020

27000 minus 19680 equals 7320.

Ok. So the 19680 is impossible. Your truck weighs 7904 empty. That number is completely bogus.

Be back with thoughts
 
OP
OP
CodyWyBound

CodyWyBound

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Posts
21
Reaction score
18
Location
Colorado
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7L Cummins
Actually, entering my vin gave me slightly higher numbers for payload capacity and max towing: 2170 and 16,980.
 
OP
OP
CodyWyBound

CodyWyBound

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Posts
21
Reaction score
18
Location
Colorado
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7L Cummins
27000 minus 15980 equals 11020

27000 minus 19680 equals 7320.

Ok. So the 19680 is impossible. Your truck weighs 7904 empty. That number is completely bogus.

Be back with thoughts

I agree with you. Why would Ram say that with the 5th wheel/gooseneck prep that the max towing capacity goes up 3700 lbs?! Taking the various numbers, it doesn't seem possible. I think it just cause more confusion. I think plenty of people dont' do their research and they look at that number and they think they can pull the large 5th wheels. I think Ram is doing a disservice to buyers.
 

392DevilDog

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Posts
1,939
Reaction score
2,893
Location
Glasgow, Pennsylvania
Ram Year
2015
Engine
392 Hemi
When you tow with a fifth wheel in a 2500...your max tow will be less because of the hitch. A gooseneck however could have a higher rating as the ball weighs less than a WDH and much less than a 5th wheel hitch.

Yours is the first in a long time that the VIN lookup did not match the door sticker
 

392DevilDog

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Posts
1,939
Reaction score
2,893
Location
Glasgow, Pennsylvania
Ram Year
2015
Engine
392 Hemi
Now. On a 3500 the 5th wheel allows for a larger tow rating...because the class V is limited to 2000 TW. And the gooseneck allows for the max tow of 35000 ish
 

392DevilDog

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Posts
1,939
Reaction score
2,893
Location
Glasgow, Pennsylvania
Ram Year
2015
Engine
392 Hemi
I see in an earlier post that you posted the 19680

That is for a 2wd regular cab with the 5th wheel prep.

Yours is 4x4 crew cab 6'4 bed.

So you got 15980 listed there.

So mystery solved on the 19k...that is for a totally different truck.
 

392DevilDog

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2019
Posts
1,939
Reaction score
2,893
Location
Glasgow, Pennsylvania
Ram Year
2015
Engine
392 Hemi
I think I already did this. But let's start over.

10000gvwr all 2500 trucks
6000 front 6040 rear. All Cummins 2500 trucks.
27000 GCWR. All crew 6'4 4x4 cummins 2500 trucks.

Your door sticker says 2096. The configurator has been known to be wrong much more often than the door sticker.

10000 minus 2096 is a base weight of 7904

27000 minus 7904 is a useable combination weight of 19096

A 2500 is limited to 2000 tongue weight but we will be no where near that. They have given 300lbs for passenger and 100lbs for options and 70 lbs for hitch in the charts...so a 470 lbs allowance.

So the base weight of the truck with allowance is 8374 allowing 1626 pounds for tongue weight. So a 16260 lb trailer. But if you do 8374 plus 1626 plus 16260 you are at 26260 .

I would say your max tow capacity according to SAE j2870 would be 16260. And that falls between your 2 numbers.

Now they figure a 150lb hitch for 5th wheel. So the 470 becomes 550. And the hitch weight goes from 10 to 15 %.

So 7940 plus 550 is a base 5th wheel towing weight of 8490 leaving 1510 for pin weight.

So a 5th wheel trailer of 10066lbs


But note some 5th wheel hitches are more than 150lbs and most campers are more to the 20 to 22% pin weight.

That is thr best explanation I can give.
 
OP
OP
CodyWyBound

CodyWyBound

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2020
Posts
21
Reaction score
18
Location
Colorado
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7L Cummins

Ed2104

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2021
Posts
3
Reaction score
2
Location
Los angeles
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Cummins 6.7
I’m in the same predicament in 2021. So I have a 2021 ram 2500 laramie 4x4 with the 6.7 Cummins. It has a payload capacity of 1987 lbs, GAWR front 6000 lbs, GAWR REAR 6040 lbs, R rated tires, and the 5th wheel prep package. We are looking to purchase a keystone Sprinter 31MB that weights 9500 lbs dry with a pin weight of 1715 lbs. My family would roughly be 350 lbs, the hitch 250 lbs, and maybe 300 lbs in cargo. I can’t seem to find a straight answer anywhere. The RV dealership says that I should have no problem and to not worry about the payload numbers since occupants and cargo is already taken into account and will not count agains my total payload. Everywhere else I go (online) I’m told something different. I contacted the dealer and RAm’s headquarters and both said they’ll have to research the information and will call me back (it’s been 4 day and no call yet). This would be my first towing experience and I’m trying to be as safe as possible. Thanks in advance.
 

Attachments

  • FB5381DA-DA63-4B36-AA94-CFD7BB164EE4.jpeg
    FB5381DA-DA63-4B36-AA94-CFD7BB164EE4.jpeg
    197.1 KB · Views: 3

dhay13

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
3,212
Reaction score
2,792
Ram Year
2018
Engine
2500 6.4L Hemi 4.10's 'Off-Road'
So how can they factor in occupants and cargo without knowing anything? Big difference between having a couple weighing 150lbs each and no cargo and a hefty family of 4 with a load of firewood in the back. No way they can factor that in. Your payload is calculated based on your GVWR minus curb weight. If your GVWR is 10,000 and your truck weighs 8000 then your payload is 2000. Has nothing to do with cargo, etc. Bottom line is your 4 truck tires cannot be over 10,000lbs, whether you have 8 people in it with an empty bed or 2 people with a full bed
 

Ed2104

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2021
Posts
3
Reaction score
2
Location
Los angeles
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Cummins 6.7
So how can they factor in occupants and cargo without knowing anything? Big difference between having a couple weighing 150lbs each and no cargo and a hefty family of 4 with a load of firewood in the back. No way they can factor that in. Your payload is calculated based on your GVWR minus curb weight. If your GVWR is 10,000 and your truck weighs 8000 then your payload is 2000. Has nothing to do with cargo, etc. Bottom line is your 4 truck tires cannot be over 10,000lbs, whether you have 8 people in it with an empty bed or 2 people with a full bed
That makes a lot of sense. So I’m guessing that at this point the dealer is just trying to make money And don’t really about safety.
 

dhay13

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
3,212
Reaction score
2,792
Ram Year
2018
Engine
2500 6.4L Hemi 4.10's 'Off-Road'
typically salesman know very little about towing or capacities other than what we all see in the brochures and on TV. In my experience most of them can't even change their own oil
 

Riccochet

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Posts
1,796
Reaction score
1,618
Location
Somewhere around Charlotte
Ram Year
2020 2500 Laramie Longhorn
Engine
6.4
I've never, in the 25 years of buying and driving heavy duty trucks, have heard that payload ratings account for occupants or cargo. That rating only takes in to account the wet weight of the vehicle. Meaning full of fuel and fluids. Anything, including you, that is added to the vehicle reduces the payload by the weight of that item.

It's also why I've never bought a 3/4 ton diesel. Their tow rating and payload capacities make no sense. A 3/4 ton gasser is a much better option if you actually plan on towing and want to have the payload capacity to support a heavy trailer.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
194,902
Posts
2,863,860
Members
155,252
Latest member
radikio
Top