Heavy Weight Raptor, OH BOY!

[Dan Lockwood]

Well after many readings on the forum and not being able to travel until now, I was only speculating on what I "should" haul weight wise.

Forgot to mention that I have a Raptor 395LEV that has a gross of 18K. I also just this past Thursday upgraded to all new Sailun S637 G 14 ply tires. They look awesome on the rig! Thanks for the heads up on the Sailuns…

But as many have said, once you're an owner, there's not much to do but to either live with it, or start from scratch. I'll say now that I'm going to live with what I have and try to make the best of "my" situation.

Here are my '12 RAM door stickers.









I probably only needed to post the last picture, but they are free to post, just in case they're needed...

Also, I only had one Harley loaded. I have two B&W Biker Bars installed and the first of August will be leaving for a month with both of my Harleys, so add another 900# to the trailer axle weight! We're also packed pretty much the same for this two week trip as we will pack for the Sturgis Rally in August. But we may also add our riding leathers, so there's possibly another hundred pounds or so that will be behind the trailer axles.

Drum roll please...…………

Steering Axle: 5000#
Drive Axle: 7560#
Trailer Axle: 13680#
Total: 26240#

Again this is probably light on the trailer axle by 1000# when we leave for Sturgis the first of August for a month on the road.

Also towing up here I averaged 10.2 mpg! I don't think that's too shabby.

As I said right up front, it is what it is and I can't change anything, or I'm not going to change anything at this point. I wish I had a '13 RAM instead of the '12 as they're rated much high for weight capacity etc. But the4 '12 has NO DEF...

I just want to know how badly I'm pushing the limits of my setup. I think I read someplace that my '12 RAM 1 ton DRW has a total towing capacity of around 23000#, not sure though.

THOUGHTS?

[sourdough]

Have you looked into the license requirements for driving a rig in excess of 26,001 lbs.? I believe MO requires a commercial DL.

[wiredgeorge]

Dan, Buy a Ford! bwhahahaha seriously, not sure what more truck you could buy since you have a diesel dually but your LRE tires pressures bothered me. 65 lbs doesn't sound like LRE to my untrained brain. I have cheapo Americaus Commercial 270/70R18 and they are LRE and my tires say 80 PSI. And I don't understand why they air up the spare 10 more lbs... perhaps anticipating that the spare pressure won't be checked and will leak a little? Since you are not in a position to change trucks or camper probably should have saved yourself some pain by unleashing the weight police bwhahahaha!!!

[flybouy]

The first pic tells all, the "combined weight..." 4300 lbs. The 18K trailer should have a 20% pin weight of 3,600 lbs. So that leaves a 700 lb remaining payload on the truck. That should be good as long as you don't go loading in a cord of firewood in the bed to take with you.

I think toy haulers typically lighten up the pin a bit when loaded in the back so you may be even better than the 700 lbs. One way to tell - load up and take the time to hit the CAT scales.

[LewisB]

Without a loaded truck (less trailer) weight, I couldn't figure all the numbers. If I'm reading your stickers correctly and assuming the numbers you posted after the drum roll are actual measured weights...
Truck:

• GVWR Truck of 12,300 vs actual of 12,560 is only 260# over - about 2% which isn't much.
• GAWR Front 5500 with actual of 5000 is good.
• GAWR Rear 9350 with actual of 7560 is good.

Trailer:
Can't figure exact without the hitch weight which comes from the (loaded truck+loaded trailer) less the (loaded trailer) number.

• RVUSA spec lists Trailer GVWR of 18,000.
• You had an axle weight of 13,680 and the spec sheet lists a hitch weight of 3560 making a total estimated trailer weight of 17,240. With your added 1000# for Sturgis, you would be 760# over or 1%.
• The RVUSA specs (which I don't really trust) list your trailer as having 3 ea 6000 axles - doesn't make sense when the trailer GVWR is 18000. So check the sticker on the trailer to make sure you are not overloading the trailer axles.

GCWR: I found a spec sheet (attached) that lists the towing capacity for the 2012 Dodge ram DRW from 24K to 30K depending on axle ratio and cab/body configuration. HD_Payload_Selector.pdf So your truck is certainly in the right range.

I'm certainly not an expert - others will jump in. To be exact, you need to weight the truck+trailer, then drop the trailer and weight the truck only; that would give you the true hitch weight from which you could figure the actual trailer loading. As pointed out, you also need to consider tire loading, etc.

But from what I see here, maybe dropping a bit of water and shifting a few things around you would be right in the ball park for being under on everything. At the end of the day, if a Dodge DRW can't pull your trailer, then there is no hope for the rest of us (ha-ha).

Hope that helps.

[Dan Lockwood]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Dan, Buy a Ford! bwhahahaha seriously, not sure what more truck you could buy since you have a diesel dually but your LRE tires pressures bothered me. 65 lbs doesn't sound like LRE to my untrained brain. I have cheapo Americaus Commercial 270/70R18 and they are LRE and my tires say 80 PSI. And I don't understand why they air up the spare 10 more lbs... perhaps anticipating that the spare pressure won't be checked and will leak a little? Since you are not in a position to change trucks or camper probably should have saved yourself some pain by unleashing the weight police bwhahahaha!!!

George,

I have G 14 ply tires with 110 psi and wheels to match the load capacity of the tires. I don't think I have any issues with the load limits of the new Sailun tires and my wheels.

Thanks!

[scottv92]

Recreational vehicles are not considered commercial so if his truck isn't licensed commercial otherwise there shouldn't be a problem. Although the truck license probably needs cover the total weight.

[Dan Lockwood]

Lewis, Thanks.

I can't log in right now on my laptop, so I'll review your comments a bit later.

I will say that my truck with wife and I weighed 8400 with full fuel when taking tree debris to the recycling lot. That was without hitch that weighs around 125#.

Towing up here from MO, we had very little in the truck other than us, maybe 50# tops.

Does that give you any more needed information?

Thanks!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by scottv92

Recreational vehicles are not considered commercial so if his truck isn't licensed commercial otherwise there shouldn't be a problem. Although the truck license probably needs cover the total weight.

Good to know. The section I read seemed to imply that a rig with a gcvwr over 26k required a commercial or special endorsement; but then again, licensing requirements for various states are confusing at best.

[LewisB]

Originally Posted by Dan Lockwood

Lewis, Thanks.

I can't log in right now on my laptop, so I'll review your comments a bit later.

I will say that my truck with wife and I weighed 8400 with full fuel when taking tree debris to the recycling lot. That was without hitch that weighs around 125#.

Towing up here from MO, we had very little in the truck other than us, maybe 50# tops.

Does that give you any more needed information?

Thanks!

Thanks Dan. Not really...still guessing. The only real way to get your hitch weight is to have the truck & trailer loaded for a trip - all the normal fuel, bikes, water, groceries, people, etc. 1. Weight the truck with the trailer attached, getting all axle weights. For the trailer, most people weight just the combined (3 axles) weight. Later on, if you want to get deep into the specs or are having axle/tire problems, you might want to weigh each trailer axle individually - but for your current purposes, just weigh them as a group. Then, 2. weight the truck axles (front & rear) without the trailer attached.

That is the only way to get an accurate hitch pin weight. Obviously, your bikes will change that weight since they are behind the trailer axles. So make sure you have all your toys loaded.

Most truck scales are set up in "segments" that allow you to put each truck axle and the trailer axles on individual segments to get individual weights. In some cases, you can drop the front levelers and disconnect the 5th wheel and cords right there on the scale and ask for a re-weight of just the truck. I typically don't do this because I don't want to hold up a trucker-for-hire while fiddling with my RV, so I just pull off the scale, drop the trailer, and then pull back on the scale. One thing you will immediately see is that a 5th wheel will change the "balance" of your truck by generally adding weight on both the front and rear axles. Your motor cycles will add weight to the trailer axles and REDUCE the hitch pin weight. So you really can't just guess at these numbers.

Some scales will capture "rolling weight" allowing you to slowly drive across the scale which captures each individual axle weight. I've never done that - maybe someone else can pitch in on that. My experience has been that if you go in to the scale house (truck stop) and ask them how they prefer you to do it, folks are usually quite cordial and willing to walk you through the process.

Best of luck.
Brad

[Jshopes81]

The only weights that are legally enforcable are axle weights, which youre within. Beyond that its comfort and warranty numbers. Gcvw and gvwr have no bearing on anything you can get a ticket for.

[notanlines]

Lewis, the statement "Your motor cycles will add weight to the trailer axles and REDUCE the hitch pin weight" is true, but just barely. With our two-axle Raptor with the Road King and sidecar loaded we added 1020 pounds to the two axles and 120 pounds off pin weight. On another weigh we added 1040 pounds to axles and 80 pounds off the pin weight.
My point being that your two Harleys will take very few pounds off your pin weight.
In looking over your weights, I believe you have done the best you could and are within safe parameters. (Not by much)

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Jshopes81

The only weights that are legally enforcable are axle weights, which youre within. Beyond that its comfort and warranty numbers. Gcvw and gvwr have no bearing on anything you can get a ticket for.

Except if you live in a state that requires a special endorsement on your driver's license if your trailer is over a specific weight or in many states, if your combined rig weight is over 26,001 pounds. In those states, you can get a ticket for operating a vehicle combination over your authorized license weight rating. California has been known to weigh rigs on Sunday as they return from "boondocking hotspots". According to some who have witnessed it, CHP will unhitch your trailer, leave it parked on the side of the road and instruct you to go find a qualified driver to tow it home for you.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Dan, Buy a Ford! bwhahahaha seriously, not sure what more truck you could buy since you have a diesel dually but your LRE tires pressures bothered me. 65 lbs doesn't sound like LRE to my untrained brain. I have cheapo Americaus Commercial 270/70R18 and they are LRE and my tires say 80 PSI. And I don't understand why they air up the spare 10 more lbs... perhaps anticipating that the spare pressure won't be checked and will leak a little? Since you are not in a position to change trucks or camper probably should have saved yourself some pain by unleashing the weight police bwhahahaha!!!

One only needs 65 psi in DRW tires to meet the weight rating of the axle, my 2016 with a rear axle rating of 9,750# states 65 psi also, so the OP has plenty of tire capacity.
If inflated to 80 psi that is 3,042# per tire or 12,168# capacity for all four, that is like riding on rocks.

[gearhead]

Our Landmark is 18,000GVW and we're about the same pin weight, 4,200-4,400. I tend to load heavy in the front storage bay.
As mentioned, adding weight to the rear is not directly proportional to taking weight off the pin. I experimented with a full vs. empty fresh water tank and found about the same ratio as Jim.
Oh, and yeah it was a overloaded pin on a F350 SRW pulling a Montana HC with that helium technology stuff. LOL.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

One only needs 65 psi in DRW tires to meet the weight rating of the axle, my 2016 with a rear axle rating of 9,750# states 65 psi also, so the OP has plenty of tire capacity.
If inflated to 80 psi that is 3,042# per tire or 12,168# capacity for all four, that is like riding on rocks.

I am too lazy to deflate my LRE tires from 80 PSI and the riding on rocks comment was pretty much on the mark. At some time I will deflate to 65 PSI and see if my clunker rides like a Rolls Royce!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I am too lazy to deflate my LRE tires from 80 PSI and the riding on rocks comment was pretty much on the mark. At some time I will deflate to 65 PSI and see if my clunker rides like a Rolls Royce!

Maybe not a Rolls but my winter neighbor took a ride in my new truck this past winter. I had aired down to 65, he always runs his at 80. He got in and we rode to town to pick up a pair of batteries for his truck. His comment? "Ahhh, rides like a Cadillac."

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Maybe not a Rolls but my winter neighbor took a ride in my new truck this past winter. I had aired down to 65, he always runs his at 80. He got in and we rode to town to pick up a pair of batteries for his truck. His comment? "Ahhh, rides like a Cadillac."

To be honest, I probably don't put many miles on the truck when not dragging the 5ver. Last week was an exception as I went into the big city and bought 400 lbs or blasting media for my business and that was about 100 mile round trip otherwise, don't get off the property much. Worst is I changed out the bumpers between cab and frame and used poly-whatever so they would be durable and the squeaking is very noteworthy. The ones Ford originally installed were made out of angelfood cake... Mine were pretty much gone and the truck didn't feel good at all... not rides steady but squeaks.

[Dan Lockwood]

Thanks everyone for the input and for comments.

Next I need to figure out a new pin box.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Dan Lockwood

Thanks everyone for the input and for comments.

Next I need to figure out a new pin box.

I sure wouldn’t panic, you are 260# over GVWR, if that Ram was one year newer you would have a 14,000# GVWR and nothing to worry about, once you add the second bike, likely about 150# over.
When the time comes and you want a new truck just get another 3500 DRW and you will have plenty of spare payload.