SRW 3500 max leaf spring capacity

[GA Cattle]

I pull and carry some heavy weights, I'm wondering at what point these leafs are considered maxed out? Is it when its hitting the bottom helper leaf or when they are totally flattened out.

 

[U&A]

You dont know your max payload, tongue weight, or Gross weight...?

Google it.

Here is the one for 2016’s


https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/towing_guide/pdf/2016_ram_3500_towing_charts.pdf


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[GA Cattle]

That's not what im asking. I do know my payload capacity. I'm asking when these leafs are considered maxed out.

 

[superjoe83]

When its sitting on the bumpstops

 

[GA Cattle]

If that's the case, the dully comes with top overload springs, I haven't found any after market that sells top overload for these SRW 3500 to be more OEM style. Does anyone make this? Ive only found bags and Hellwig helper leafs.

 

[superjoe83]

How much weight are you planning on hauling? I would be concerned with overloading the tires way before the springs max out

 

[Nickx86]

If your going to be carrying that much weight and you don’t know the exact weight

Are you going a few miles from home or are you going long distance

If your going long distance and don’t know the weight but worried about the payload capacity, put the weight on a trailer.

Also be mindful when loaded heavy, you have less suspension flex

 

[GA Cattle]

How much weight are you planning on hauling? I would be concerned with overloading the tires way before the springs max out

4000+ at times in the bed, this truck is used on my farm, so rock, gravel, wood, hay, cattle minerals and feed. I was wondering if anyone has try to retro fit the dully overload spring on the SRW trucks.

 

[GA Cattle]

If your going to be carrying that much weight and you don’t know the exact weight

Are you going a few miles from home or are you going long distance

If your going long distance and don’t know the weight but worried about the payload capacity, put the weight on a trailer.

Also be mindful when loaded heavy, you have less suspension flex

Most of the time its on my property, if I need supplies its no more than 30 miles. I only have a flat bed trailer, so I wouldn't put gravel on that, bumping down back roads, Id most likely loose it all. Also I wouldn't drag a trailer through pastures, that's why I bought this truck. I was worried about flatting the leafs out over time and if anyone had retro fitted the dully overloads.

 

[tjfdesmo]

A good old-school spring shop can fix you up for cheap.

 

[lpennock]

I pull and carry some heavy weights, I'm wondering at what point these leafs are considered maxed out? Is it when its hitting the bottom helper leaf or when they are totally flattened

When they are fully against the thick leaf. The thick leaf provides the progressive spring rate. As the rest of the springs lay down on the big leaf the spring rate increases. When you are fully against it you have maxed out the progressive spring rate.

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[mtofell]

I think it would take A LOT of long term weight to deform the stock leaf springs.

btw.... why not just get some air bags or timbrens? Either one of these would easily protect the leaf springs and help keep the truck level right up to (and well beyond for that matter) the ratings on the tires and axle.

 

[Nickx86]

Most of the time its on my property, if I need supplies its no more than 30 miles. I only have a flat bed trailer, so I wouldn't put gravel on that, bumping down back roads, Id most likely loose it all. Also I wouldn't drag a trailer through pastures, that's why I bought this truck. I was worried about flatting the leafs out over time and if anyone had retro fitted the dully overloads.

Ahh, that make more sense now, when I owned my half ton. I used to frequently overload the half ton springs and they would be close to the bump stops which I know were close to being over loaded. Two things you could do to help us get a set of custom leave springs made since it looks like you don’t have the overload bump stops installed or I would try a set of super springs, for me they didn’t adversely affect unloaded quality but acted like a progressive rate spring like the over load springs.

 

[GA Cattle]

I think it would take A LOT of long term weight to deform the stock leaf springs.

btw.... why not just get some air bags or timbrens? Either one of these would easily protect the leaf springs and help keep the truck level right up to (and well beyond for that matter) the ratings on the tires and axle.

I have air bags on my 1500 and after 3 years they started leaking. Ive had to replace them once and I am just sick of having to deal with leaks. I would like something that doesn't effect the unloaded ride but is going to be bullet proof. It could be the air lift 1000 bags are just not as high quality as some of the rubber HD bags, but im hesitant to try them now.

 

[lpennock]

I have air bags on my 1500 and after 3 years they started leaking. Ive had to replace them once and I am just sick of having to deal with leaks. I would like something that doesn't effect the unloaded ride but is going to be bullet proof. It could be the air lift 1000 bags are just not as high quality as some of the rubber HD bags, but im hesitant to try them now.

Look at Timbren or Ait Aide Air Cell. Being all poly they don't develop leaks.

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[mtofell]

I have air bags on my 1500 and after 3 years they started leaking. Ive had to replace them once and I am just sick of having to deal with leaks. I would like something that doesn't effect the unloaded ride but is going to be bullet proof. It could be the air lift 1000 bags are just not as high quality as some of the rubber HD bags, but im hesitant to try them now.

I'd say a combination of factors - Airlift 1000 are pretty cheap but, of course, air bags of any quality can leak. I'm on my third truck with them (Firestone 5000) and I did have one leak shortly after being installed. I took it back to the shop and they swapped it out for free and said it was a fluke. So, I totally understand wanting something that can't leak. Timbrens are a great option if you haven't looked into them.

 

[lpfm1990]

I’ve had around 6,000 lbs of stone and landscaping stuff in the back of my 3500 srw, truck was sitting level and still had suspension travel

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[U&A]

I wont lie, 6,000 lbs is a LOT of weight. Here are 2 examples of my SRW 3500 that has way less than 6,000 lbs in it. Both the truck was past level. Our truck regardless of the factory setup are not much different in payload capacity.

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

 

[lpfm1990]

I wont lie, 6,000 lbs is a LOT of weight. Here are 2 examples of my SRW 3500 that has way less than 6,000 lbs in it. Both the truck was past level. Our truck regardless of the factory setup are not much different in payload capacity.

Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]

Yeah. I know I was way past the 4K rating, (90 bags of stone at about 60lbs each, and a bunch of landscape bricks) but I was only going like 20 miles and took it easy, I was surprised that my truck wasn’t bottomed out [emoji23]


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[U&A]

My point is there is. NO WAY your truck was level with 6,000 lbs in the bed unless you had airbags. 6,000 lbs is MORE than the curb weight of an F-150


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]