Power Wagon Chassis

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2022PWagon

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Hi All,

New here but have found a lot of helpful information on this forum so thanks all for that. I have a question about the power wagon chassis vs the normal 2500 chassis, and a question about towing numbers.

I currently have a 2020 ram rebel with the 5.7L crew cab rated to tow 11,300 lbs. I know the power wagon technically tows less, limited to 10,600 lbs. The rear suspension on the Rebel seems to actually be softer than power wagon after doing a lot of research, and when I hook up my 7500 lb travel trailer the squat is nothing less than horrendous. I have seen power wagons hooked with 9k+ lbs (and more tongue weight) and the squat is noticeable but not nearly as bad. My point in saying this is that if the rebel has a very similar off-road suspension in the rear to the power wagon, why does the wagon tow less? The only conclusion I can come to is that the power wagon is built on the same chassis as the rebel, but the other 2500’s are built on a beefier chassis? Can someone confirm? If the power wagon was built on a normal 2500 chassis, I can still see how and why it tows less than a normal 2500 because of the off-road suspension but it no way should it be only limited to 1500 lbs payload and 10.6k towing. Thanks all!
 

392DevilDog

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A RAM Rebel with the Hemi has a GCWR of 17000lbs.

The RAM PowerWagon has a GCWR of 18000lbs

So technically the PowerWagon has more capacity. Unfortunately it weighs more.

Which is why the Rebel has 11300 of towing and the PW 10600 according to your numbers.
 

392DevilDog

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The rebel chassis and powerwagon chassis are completely different.

The PowerWagon and other 2500 trims are exactly the same.

The sway bars disconnecting and the softer suspension are why the PW is rated less than other 2500s.
 
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2022PWagon

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A RAM Rebel with the Hemi has a GCWR of 17000lbs.

The RAM PowerWagon has a GCWR of 18000lbs

So technically the PowerWagon has more capacity. Unfortunately it weighs more.

Which is why the Rebel has 11300 of towing and the PW 10600 according to your numbers.
Right so on a 2500 chassis, shouldn’t the GCWR be a hell of a lot more than the Rebels? A 1,000 lb difference GCWR for a 1500 vs a 2500 doesn’t seem to add up if they are on different chassis.
 
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2022PWagon

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The rebel chassis and powerwagon chassis are completely different.

The PowerWagon and other 2500 trims are exactly the same.

The sway bars disconnecting and the softer suspension are why the PW is rated less than other 2500s.
I can understand the sway bar disconnect lessening the payload and towing to a degree, but the rebel has a softer rear suspension than the PW anyway. Blistein shocks and coil springs, not leaf springs. I’m just confused as to how the math adds up, but no matter which you do it, it seems that the chassis have to be similar, or the rebel is WAY overestimated in its towing capabilities.
 

Dinky

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Right so on a 2500 chassis, shouldn’t the GCWR be a hell of a lot more than the Rebels? A 1,000 lb difference GCWR for a 1500 vs a 2500 doesn’t seem to add up if they are on different chassis.

No power wagon was purpose built.
 
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2022PWagon

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No power wagon was purpose
No power wagon was purpose built.
Well I think it was purpose built for off-roading and being able to haul a decent amount in less than road conditions, but really just interested in figuring out how in the heck Ram got their numbers and their explanation as to why it tows less than the rebel because it doesn’t add up
 

392DevilDog

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The regular 2500 is 21000. The ability of the PowerWagon to control a load based on SAE J2807 is why it is less.

I think you are comparing the wrong metrics.

Look at tbe Rebel and how it is rated and you will see that the PowerWagon is built much more Heavy duty.

Also they habe to rate the PowerWagon with the thought of the lockers being engaged etc.

The PowerWagon is a HeavyDuty truck. The rebel is still just a light duty truck
 

392DevilDog

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For the same reason a diesel 2500 has less payload than the gasser.

Weight

There really is no other explanation.

Load the Rebel and the PowerWagon with the same load and the PowerWagon does it better.

Load them both over capacity and the PowerWagon does it even better yet.
 
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2022PWagon

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The regular 2500 is 21000. The ability of the PowerWagon to control a load based on SAE J2807 is why it is less.

I think you are comparing the wrong metrics.

Look at tbe Rebel and how it is rated and you will see that the PowerWagon is built much more Heavy duty.

Also they habe to rate the PowerWagon with the thought of the lockers being engaged etc.

The PowerWagon is a HeavyDuty truck. The rebel is still just a light duty truck
That makes sense. So overall if the truck fails any of the tests in regard to SAE J2807 it can’t tow whatever that amount happens to be when it failed?
 
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