Confused

[N U 2 Fiver]

We are looking to buy a Dodge 2500HD4x4 with the CTD. It has a towing capacity of 17,100lbs. We are also looking at a Cougar 303RLS with specs
Specs for 303RLS
Shipping Weight 9735
Carrying Capacity 2365
Hitch 1705
Length 34' 8"
Height 147
Fresh Water 60
Waste Water 38
Gray Water 76
LPG 60
Tire Size ST235/80R16
My question is will this truck be able to pull this trailer safely?
I will use the Pull-rite superglide hitch.
Thanks to all in advance for your input

[Ken / Claudia]

No one will know until you post the payload rating of that truck. (how much can it carry). Looks like if it is in the 2,000lbs area you should be OK. Check with the dealer or look at the stickers on the inside of the drivers door to get that information.

[N U 2 Fiver]

The GVWR for the truck is 10,000lbs and the payload is 2,300 lbs.

[hankpage]

The EMPTY pin weight plus the weight of the hitch, propane, battery and one passenger will put you at your limit. Yes the 2500 will tow it fine but you will be at or above the (manufacturers suggested) limits for the truck. If you are buying new consider a 3500 SRW just for safety sake. Extra cost is minimal.

[therink]

With a 12000 gvwr, the fiver will likely weigh around 11000 loaded. Based on that weight and 20 percent pin weight factor, the pin will weigh around 2200 lbs. You might get by with a 3/4 ton but will be near or over payload ratings once you install the hitch fill cab with people, gear and load the bed as most campers do (tools, firewood, etc.).
Like already mentioned, if buying new get at least a 1 ton SRW. See my signature below. I have 3900 payload (per the scale). My fiver weighs 12,280 loaded and pin is 2400.
I used to have 3/4 ton truck with 2700 payload and I was running about 500 lbs over with my fiver. That is why I bought a 1 ton.
It handles better too because I am not maxing out the rear Springs.

[N U 2 Fiver]

So we looked at a 3500 CTD dually and a few things jumped out. The GVWR jumps up to 12,400 and the payload jumps up to 4,400, BUT the towing capacity drops to 16,830 The 3/4 ton has a 3:42 rear and the 1 ton has a 3:73 rear, and the same engine, so it should be able to tow more
Can someone please explain this to me.

[dieselsmoke]

I have a 2012 ram 2500 with the cummins that has 3.73's. Its a Laramie mega cab so the towing capacity of mine is less than a crew cab or one with less features. I also have a 2014 hideout 298bhs which has very similar specs to what you listed. I am under but close to my limits as far the specs given for the truck and its towing capacity. I would not put my family or anyone for that matter at risk when towing. I worked for a towing company and have a feel for when a truck is close to overloaded or is overloaded. With that said, when towing with my 2500 it tows like a dream, It sits mostly level, not like the bed is dragging along the ground, has plenty of power for pulling though some of the hills in NY and PA where we mostly go. I watch my trans and engine temps in the summer with the a/c on and never a problem. My response is not as technical as some of the others but as a ram 2500 cummins guy with a similar trailer I figured Id chime in. Im not suggesting running a 2500 at its limits but I know Im close and have no problems. Im not exactly easy of it either. I run 65 with the cruise control set and get 11mpg when loaded. It has 22,000 miles on it so hopefully the mpg will get better. If its no problem for you to get a 3500, Id say do it and have the added capacity, especially if your on the road constantly, but if your like me and go out once or twice a month the 2500 will do the job fine. JMHO

[Desert185]

My older 2500 (not rated as high a tow weight as your newer 2500) does very well without suffering white knuckle syndrome with a similar weight trailer as your's, but if you are buying why not get a 3500 (with an exhaust brake)?

If you haven't already bought a hitch, you might consider saving some bed weight by buying an Andersen Ultimate hitch (less expensive) or the Goosebox (more expensive). You'll save weight, mitigate the possibility of a hernia if you have to remove the typical 5er hitch and have an open bed with no rails.

[GaryWT]

2 TV with the same engine but weighing differently will have different tow values. A 3500 DRW will weigh more than a 2500. My 350 srw gas engine has a payload of 3,860 and tow rating of 12,200. If I got the diesel it would be something like 18,000. You do not need DRW to get good payload numbers. The 250's had payloads of 3,200. Unfortunately Ram payloads are not great.

[audio1der]

Those newer 2500s have rear coil suspension which results in a nearly car-like ride, but low payload numbers as mentioned above. What about trying the new 6.4 Hemi?
I second the bump to a 3500 SRW for added safety margin.

[Barbell]

We pull our '14 Montana with a '01 2500 Cummins, six speed, 3.73 rear end with absolutely no problems. Truck has exhaust brake and air bags, which make a difference. Cruise set at 62; mpg from 11.5 to 13.5. We covered over 15,000 miles last year with ne'er a white knuckle. That said, when I replace this truck, it will likely be a 3500 SRW.

[Desert185]

My thought exactly.

[CWtheMan]

We have been towing with the same set-up for more than 10 years. We used careful planning when purchasing our rig. The trailer is a 2003 Everest 363K. Its GVWR is 14.1K and it has 6K axles. Our truck is a 2004 dodge dually, long bed, crew cab, 5.9 Cummins with auto trans connected to a 4.10. That configuration gives us a GCWR of 23K.

Our trailer is always nearly at max axle weight or about 11,500# (on the axles). With careful balancing the weight is evenly enough balanced across the axle ends to prevents any end from being over weight. (Frequent trips to the scales helps in learning how to keep your trailer balanced). Our hitch weight is normally around 2500# - 2600#. (our washer/dryer is on the main floor level and close to the axles. Our single 15K A/C is over the axles).

Our truck’s listed GVWR is 11,500#. We have a flush mounted box in the bed behind the cab. The tail gate has been removed and replaced with a “V” box - much lighter than the tail gate. In the forward box is the necessary emergency warning signals, tools and a Honda 2000 generator. The rear box carries the blocking and other necessary materials for leveling the trailer once parked. The truck with a full fuel load, myself and the wife, a cat cage, the cat, a litter box and a cooler in the back seat tops out at 8800#.

If you do a little math with the above figures you will see that we are always very close to our 23000# GCWR but within the limits of the truck’s advertised capacity. The Cummins does not balk with our load.

At the American Legion park, Jacksonville, FL
http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=20679

At Deer Run, Troy, AL
http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=17208

CW