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Old 08-16-2018, 08:44 AM   #61
falcondan95705
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Bo View Post
Hey all,

We just purchased a Montana 3810MS and I'm trying to make sure I've got enough truck to pull this thing. Anyone that can give me some advice, I appreciate it.

Tow Vehicle:
2018 Ram 2500
6.7L Diesel
Automatic
4x4
Long Bed
Crew Cab

Montana 3810MS
Dry Weight: 13385lbs
Carry Cap: 3365
Hitch Weight: 2745lbs

Dealership seems to think I'll be absolutely fine, but I'd like to get the thoughts from experienced folks. Again, any help is appreciated. Hopefully we haven't gotten ahead of ourselves.
Thanks,
Bob
I have been here.. been doing this along time.. a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton SRW is not enough truck... I have a 3611 Montana.. similar weights as you have..The SRW does not have the hitch capacity ... You'll be over by a few hundred pounds.. Yes, people do it.. You will have the tow capacity just not the hitch capacity.. I traded in my 3500 SRW for a 2017 3500 Dually , Aisin, 4:10s, auto rear level..Sorry for the bad news...
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Old 08-16-2018, 08:57 AM   #62
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Originally Posted by MerlinB View Post
Many, many years ago (more than I care to remember) when I was young and newly married, I had Allstate insurance. I had a minor fender-bender in a parking lot. No damage to my vehicle; don't remember how much damage to the other party but it wasn't a whole lot. Allstate settled and paid. No problem. Then they cancelled me. No warning, just boom, cancelled.

I found other coverage and never looked back. So much for "good hands."
Same here! They actually didn't cancel just changed us to a "high risk" client after spending just shy of $1000 on 2 claims & quadrupled the premium, this after we had been with them for autos, rv & home for several years & NO claims. I wasn't in their "good hands" only long enough to go next door & get a company that we've been with now for 40+ years.
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:00 AM   #63
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You need a ram 3500 crew cab 4x4 dually with 8 foot bed.
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:17 AM   #64
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There is a GCWR for your truck. This is maximum combined legal weight of your truck and whatever you tow. This along with GVWR and maximum payload will tell you if you are exceeding the truck's rating. You can get this from Ram's website, or from the dealer (if you can trust him).
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:42 AM   #65
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According to your trailer figures 13385 + 3365 = 16750 lbs. check the tow rating of your particular truck.
Model: 2018 RAM 2500
MSRP: $52,245
Horsepower: 370 hp @ 2,800 rpm
Towing capacity: 11,040 lbs
Engine: 6.7 L 6-cylinder diesel
Curb weight: 6,785 lbs
Tire size: LT275/70R18
Dimensions: 248″ L x 80″ W x 78-80″ H
This is the online specification. Note Towing Capacity is 11,040 lbs. you may need to upgrade to a larger truck with a towing capacity of 16,750 lbs or higher.
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Old 08-16-2018, 09:56 AM   #66
sonofcy
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I have the MS2811. I had our rig weighed wheel by wheel. The pin weight was 4,125 lbs. Total truck 14,325 (325 over). Total trailer 18,275. Our truck is a dually F450 so pin weight is not a problem but an SRW would be way over spec. BTW, helper springs and airbags do NOT increase payload, just check their websites and they will tell you that. In order to increase payload, you have to increase GVWR and no add-on can do that. Good luck.
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Old 08-16-2018, 10:26 AM   #67
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In praise of the dually, I’ve been driving my 2003 4wd 3500 GMC diesel dually, crew cab, long bed, for 15 years now and I can’t praise it enough. It gets 21 mpg on the highway, unloaded, and 13 to 14 mpg loaded with a 9000 lb trailer on the ball. I’ve never owned a 5th wheel, but I’m sure it would be a pleasant combination - provided I stayed within similar load parameters. It’s rated for around 12,500 lbs on the ball and 14,500 lbs with a 5th wheel - which means I would personally not want to tow a 5th wheel much over 11,000 lbs, if such a rig existed. Granted, I’ve never approached the trucks’ capacity, and I do use it as a daily driver - but the pure grunt and go, with no sway or stopping problems, speaks volumes for having “more than a minimal tow vehicle.” In summary, I would conservatively rate my choice in tow vehicles to about 75% of the manufacturers claimed capacity
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Old 08-16-2018, 10:47 AM   #68
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Ok, I am going to provide my experience here. We bought a 2018 2500HD Diesel last year to pull our Keystone Alpine trailer which we bought in January 2018. We did the initial calculations and talked with both the RV dealer and Car Salesman. Both indicated that we could tow the trailer. Which is true.
However the issue became in how much payload capacity did we have when the RV was attached. We weighted the truck and then the truck and RV combined after a few months of ownership. The bottom line was that we were over 1,100lbs overweight and the RV was not at capacity yet. This resulted in us upgrading to a Dually since we were not comfortable with the risk of something happening in an accident.
To us the risk was not worth it. So we upgraded. As others have said, if you understand the risk and are willing to take it then move forward. IMO, you should consider the upgrade as it will let you sleep better at nigh.
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Old 08-16-2018, 01:56 PM   #69
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I just went through all of this. I bought a Cougar half ton dry weight 6500 capacity about 2000. According to the charts I was near the top but OK. Ram said I was OK, the TT dealer OK. but then I looked at the sticker on the door of my truck, it said 1000 max payload--The Ram site chart said 1500. The engines will tow it but the do you have the payload. I researched and there is no way to increase payload. So I would as has been recommended, get a one ton and even then check the max payload on the truck sticker then do the math. PS upgraded the 1500 to a 2500 payload 2700 and tow 12000, so now my wife can ride with me and get off her MOPED--lol
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Old 08-16-2018, 02:24 PM   #70
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There are 2 people that you should NEVER ask about what truck can tow what rv, the truck salesman nor the rv salesman. Neither know, or care, whether you can or can't, but do want to sell to you. You have to do your own homework to know for sure.
And 11000 pound 5th wheels do exist, mine weighs 16500 with pin weight of about 3900 & my GMC 3500 doesn't know it's back there. There are 5th wheels weighing much more than mine, look at the DRVs, New Horizons, Country Coaches, most of those are in MDT to HDT ranges.
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Old 08-16-2018, 04:26 PM   #71
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I also have a 3810. I pull it with a Chevy Silverado 2500 Duramax 6.7, short bed. I have a 24K slider hitch. It's alittle slow off the line but no problem to pull it.
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Old 08-17-2018, 10:19 AM   #72
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I have only read thru page 6 of this thread, but I have not seen anyone post this link https://www.ramtrucks.com/towing-guide.html It is from the Ram website. When you go to the page, choose "look up my vehicle" and then put in the vehicle VIN. It will tell you the payload and maximum towing. For our "2016 3500 Big Horn (w/ lonestar package) Crew Cab, 4x4, 8ft bed, SRW, 68RFE transmission" the maximum payload is 4430# and max towing is 16960#.
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Old 08-17-2018, 05:31 PM   #73
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To Midsouth, yes the numbers are on the Ram site, but they did not match up to what was on my door, should have check that first before the internet as there was about a 500 lb difference, but as some have said, the bells and whistles we put on these trucks change the payload, guess my ventilated seats are heavier than I thought. Dealers look those numbers up and give bad advice. I even called Ram and was given different numbers. It is all very confusing to us newbies. My problem was I found the trailer I liked first. PS graduated League City High School in Texas a long long long time ago.
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Old 08-17-2018, 06:00 PM   #74
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Midsouth,

The link you provided apparently doesn't give the information that is identical to the yellow payload sticker on any specific truck. From what I can see, it provides generic payload information for the series truck with specific engine, transmission and driveline options. It doesn't appear to take into account the options that are added beyond the ones in the previous sentence. So, if you add running boards, heavier mirrors, all season floor mats and a spray in bedliner, the weight of those options is not deducted from the website "maximum payload". Essentially, from what I could determine by entering two VIN's from two Tradesman trucks at the local dealer, both gave the same maximum payload and maximum towing capacity, but one had about 400 pounds of added optional equipment that wasn't included in the calculations.

I'd urge anyone who uses this website to verify the information on their specific yellow payload decal and not rely on the "best case information" given on this website. It does not appear to be VIN specific, but rather is "Model series as identified by VIN specific"

I think that's what Brodiegg found when he entered his VIN on that website and found it doesn't match the information that's on his yellow sticker on his specific truck.
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Old 08-19-2018, 09:39 AM   #75
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I had a F-250 when I purchased my alpine Not enough truck overloaded axles bought F-350 with all the trailer add ons I could get plus overload springs I have driven fords for 50 years and the 250 and 350 are not the same the alpine pulled the 250 down but not the 350
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Old 08-20-2018, 04:55 AM   #76
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Originally Posted by Frederick View Post
I had a F-250 when I purchased my alpine Not enough truck overloaded axles bought F-350 with all the trailer add ons I could get plus overload springs I have driven fords for 50 years and the 250 and 350 are not the same the alpine pulled the 250 down but not the 350
Boy talk about a statement with no background information!!!
A look at profile 355RL stated in post that is is an Alpine, well looked it up on RVGuide.com.
2017 Alpine 355RL
Length 37' 11"
Dry Weight 10,670#
Payload 2,330#
GVWR 13,000#
Dry Pin 2,205#

I doubt that the F250 was very recent if I found the correct Alpine.
No real comparison, what year was the F250, what engine and drive train?
New F350 SRW or DRW gas or diesel what drive train??

If a F250 I doubt if newer gas it would exceed rear axle rating, even if only 6,000#, if over likely not by much.

I agree that Frederick made a good decision going to the F350, but if talking newer F250 and F350 SRW just paid for a VIN sticker with a higher printed GVWR. There are not any major differences between the two.

I will say we are looking at a new or lightly used Ram 3500 DRW as our next step. We do just fine with the current setup, but a would like to future proof the next 5er decision.
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Old 08-20-2018, 05:07 AM   #77
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Hi Brodiegg, Small world! We have lived in League City/ Clear Lake area for about 20 years. Our kid graduated from Clear Creek HS. It sure has grown in that time.

Regarding the truck, my payload sticker shows 4319# (111# difference in what the website showed). JRTJH has a good point though. We just bought this truck in May and since then we got the bed re-sprayed; new steps and aluminum bed cover put on But, when dealing with payload and towing capacity, I like a big cushion, so I wouldn't want to get right at capacity or even close to the capacity-leave about 500# leeway. The truck pulls the Alpine real smooth--it's actually more comfortable riding in the truck when pulling then not.
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Old 08-20-2018, 06:37 AM   #78
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Info for those who have, or are looking at Fords for towing your RV:


https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
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Old 08-20-2018, 10:20 AM   #79
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I used to pull our 2670bhs with a 2012 Silverado 1500 4x4 and I was always right at payload. We got tired of leaving stuff home so I bought my old truck back from my dad.
It's a 2004 ram 2500 4x4 with 80,000 miles and he hardly drove it much. More is always better. I'll put up some pictures with the camper on next time I hook up. I actually ordered this truck new with 4.10's so it's smooth sailing now. Dan
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