# Weighed My Tt And Tv. Need Advice.



## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

Ok guys, I'm baffeled by all these weights so, please help! Can someone break this all down for me, not sure how much my vehicle can tow or if I have to leave the wife at home, j/k.

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 Heavy Duty, Cummins HO, Quad Cab
2005 Outback 29FBHS

Here are all the weights I got off the scale.....

Vehicle mfg sticker....
GVWR- 9,000lbs
GAWR Front- 5,200lbs
GAWR Rear- 6,000lbs

Actual weight off the scale truck only...
4,440lb steering
3,000lb drive

7,440lb gross

Truck with trailer....
4,420lb steering
4,560lb drive
6,720lb tandem

15,700lb gross

Thanks in advance.


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

campaholics said:


> Ok guys, I'm baffeled by all these weights so, please help! Can someone break this all down for me, not sure how much my vehicle can tow or if I have to leave the wife at home, j/k.
> 
> 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 Heavy Duty, Cummins HO, Quad Cab
> 2005 Outback 29FBHS
> ...


 What is your tv gross combined vehicle weight rating? GCVWR?


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

I looked on the sticker and everywhere else there was no GCWVR. I did however look at the owners manual and said that with a class IV hitch you should be able to tow a trailer up to 12,000lbs. Does that sound right?



egregg57 said:


> Ok guys, I'm baffeled by all these weights so, please help! Can someone break this all down for me, not sure how much my vehicle can tow or if I have to leave the wife at home, j/k.
> 
> 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 Heavy Duty, Cummins HO, Quad Cab
> 2005 Outback 29FBHS
> ...


 What is your tv gross combined vehicle weight rating? GCVWR?
[/quote]


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

Sounds like you are right at your truck's weight limit (4420+4560=8980), irrespective of the towing capacity. When you weighed the TV and camper, were you packed as if traveling on a camping trip? Full cargo, passengers, etc?

If you were by yourself and the trailer not packed, then looks like you need an UPGRADE! Tell DW that she stays home on camping trips, or you get that brand new 1 ton Dodge!


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

I was by myself, and the trailer is lacking maybe 50 more pounds of things tops and plus wife and daughter in the cab. Not sure I can afford another truck...guess I'm in a hole. Is there anything else I can do besides downsizing trailer? Not sure if it makes a big change or not but the tires that are on the truck now are 315/70-17 and was planning on downsizing some.



GoVols said:


> Sounds like you are right at your truck's weight limit (4420+4560=8980), irrespective of the towing capacity. When you weighed the TV and camper, were you packed as if traveling on a camping trip? Full cargo, passengers, etc?
> 
> If you were by yourself and the trailer not packed, then looks like you need an UPGRADE! Tell DW that she stays home on camping trips, or you get that brand new 1 ton Dodge!


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

GCWR 20,000 lbs on your HO Diesel

Source Here

Happy pulling.

Bill.


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

I was about to get excited when I read that. BUT....if you click that link go to the bottom and this is what I have..I still don't see a GCVWR for this one.

SB Diesel & HO Diesel
2500 quad cab 4wd Load and Ratings
A4- 
GVWR- 9,000lbs

I orignially thought I was fine, now I'm not so comfortable so far.



2500Ram said:


> GCWR 20,000 lbs on your HO Diesel
> 
> Source Here
> 
> ...


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

I'm not sure I understand Bill's point in his post. You can't ignore GVWR and only look at GCWR. You may be fine on your total combined weight of trailer and truck, but you are definitely over rated capacity of your truck when you have passengers in it. Still being within GCWR does not excuse being over the gross weight limit of your truck.


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## Humpty (Apr 20, 2005)

Bottom line is ANY Â¾ ton, 4x4, 4 door truck with a diesel engine is not going to have a lot of weight carrying capacity left (or at least as much as I personally think they should). Sure, the diesel engine will pull the same as it will in the 1 ton dually, but the weight ratings are what they are. I really didnâ€™t want a dually, but we will probably be moving up to a 5th wheel soon and I want to be sure I had as much carrying capacity available for pin weight as I could.

I didnâ€™t have a clue about weight ratings when I got the 28BHS. I thought that the Suburban could handle it with plenty of room to spare because it is â€˜ratedâ€™ to tow 7400 pounds. I donâ€™t recall what the GCVWR is but I quickly learned that I would max out the GVWR on the Burb long before I would get anywhere near the Max Trailer or gross combined. I was not exceeding any ratings, but was very close to maxing out the gross vehicle rating and not too far from the rear axle rating.

You have to keep a certain percentage of the camperâ€™s weight in the pin so that it tows well, but you can try to reduce any extra pin weight as well as any â€˜extraâ€™ weight in the truck. Helper springs or air bags can be used if you need to level out the truck, but nothing will change the official â€˜ratingâ€™. You could upgrade trucks, downgrade campers, or have the DW follow in another vehicle â€" none of which would go over well at my house.

I have read posts on â€˜the dark sideâ€™ by many folks that have the same situation. Many would say that if you are not exceeding any of the other ratings â€" tires, axles, gross combined â€" then running â€˜a littleâ€™ over the gross vehicle rating is not the end of the world. If you search long enough, you can always find someone to agree with anything â€" no matter how right or wrong. As for me, I would do everything I could to make sure that I was not exceeding any of the ratings.


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

I appreciate all of you guys comments and I've learned alot since I started this post that I didn't realize. Looking like somethings got to give...


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

I called and talked with a dodge service guy and gave him my vin and he looked the truck up. I gave him all the weights of the truck and trailer. He said it had the towing package and it should be fine with an additional 200/300lbs in the cab which would put the truck over the GVWR by 280lbs roughly. That really doesn't make me feel any safer so, in the mean time I will be deciding on either a new truck or trailer. You know with the trailer hooked up the drive axle was 4,560lbs and the sticker inside the truck says not to exceed 6,000lbs on the rear axle....still baffels me there.


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

The thing you need to know when pulling a 5'er is not what it can tow per say but what payload the truck can take. Total capacity is importtant though. You actual payload varies by the tranmission type, anywhere from 2140 down to 2000lbs. According to you weights the truck empty the rear is 3000 when connected to the trailer you are 4560. that means you trailers tongue weight is 1560.

So depending on your transmission you have between 580 lbs or as little as 440 lbs of capacity left.

So you add extra passengers and anything in you bed, plus anything not in your underneath storage and you will probably be at max. A set of air bags will increase you capacity.

I am surprised the payload is so low for the dodge. My 2500HD chevy has a payload of 3317 which is almost 1200 lbs more.


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

How would adding airbags help, if there is between 580lbs/440lbs capacity left for the transmission? How would that work?

Does 1,560lbs sound average for the tongue weight for this 5th wheel 29fbhs?



nynethead said:


> The thing you need to know when pulling a 5'er is not what it can tow per say but what payload the truck can take. Total capacity is importtant though. You actual payload varies by the tranmission type, anywhere from 2140 down to 2000lbs. According to you weights the truck empty the rear is 3000 when connected to the trailer you are 4560. that means you trailers tongue weight is 1560.
> 
> So depending on your transmission you have between 580 lbs or as little as 440 lbs of capacity left.
> 
> ...


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

As we all know most 3/4 tons are over on gvwr with a 5th wheel.. I wouldnt worry, your closer than most..
Knowone will say a word about being a little over.. If it has been towing fine, dont worry.. You might look to adding synthetic fluid in the tranny, and differentials.

Yes, if you talk about it the weight police will pick on you... lol

The air bags will help the ride, and give you more safety if in a quick manuever, they will also add capacity, but most disagree with that.. You really should have them.. With those, I wouldnt worry.. Like the dealer said, your close enough...

Your weight of your loaded truck is nicely balanced, that means a lot.. I bet it tows very nice..

Carey


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

It doesn't help the transmission just the suspension. the 1560 sounds right, my Laredo 30BH has a listed tongue weight of 1575, not sure of the actual weight, never put on a scale.

You are far below the trucks listed max of 20000lbs GCWR, which means the transmission is rated for a larger load, just your suspension needs some help to carry that load.

Air bags can stop the squat of the load on the suspension and level off the truck to provide a better towing experience. I think you also need to see which transmission you have to determine you max capacity.

I wouldn't suggest a larger trailer, just assiting with the one you have. That is why we chose our as I knew people tow bigger rigs with the same truck I have, but wanted to make sure I was well below my max's as I want my truck to last.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

nynethead said:


> It doesn't help the transmission just the suspension. the 1560 sounds right, my Laredo 30BH has a listed tongue weight of 1575, not sure of the actual weight, never put on a scale.
> 
> You are far below the trucks listed max of 20000lbs GCWR, which means the transmission is rated for a larger load, just your suspension needs some help to carry that load.
> 
> ...


Well said, NY!

Your tranny will be fine... Its a 48re.. Its a heavy duty tranny only behind the cummins.. The V10 gas had a 47re, thats the next closest tranny.. It will have no trouble with your gcwr.. Dont even worry..

Carey


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## mik0445 (Jun 5, 2006)

I'm not a 5'er guy but I'll throw my .02 in. Isn't pin weight supposed to be 15-20%? You've got roughly 22% right now. If you drop down to 20%, pin weight by shuffling some stuff to the back of the TT it frees up 135# for the dw to ride with you. If you drop to 15%, you would be able to bring kids, dogs, birds, or whatever it is you have, and maybe a little room for beverages. Btw, you may want to try to take your tv back to the scales and try weighing all 4 wheels at once, it may make a difference, I don't know. I did see, however, that your front axle weight went down while hooked up to the TT, which leads me to believe either the weigh was off a bit or that your hitch is either right over the axle or a little behind instead of just in front of it.


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## firefighter320ms (Feb 19, 2007)

I will definately be adding synthetic fluid in the tranny, and differentials hopefully within the next few weeks.

The air suspension I need to look into alittle more(cost wise)....I know one thing I'd have to have the compressor with the switch inside the cab

mik0445- I think the pin weight is suppose to be somewhere between 10-15%. I went to this website for keystone below to see how they recommend weighing the TV and TT. When I weighed the truck I weighed each axle front/back. I didn't weigh the TV with both axles on the scale like you suggested or like the picture on the below website. I wonder if that would make any difference? Anyway, looks like I will be reweighing for comfort of mind.

http://keystonerv.com/media/manual/KRV_9-0...ingLeveling.pdf


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

Just tow it and also find another scale . You guys are throwing out some hefty numbers. The CAT scale I go to told me I have 600 lbs of available payload with my 5'er hooked up and most of my supplies in it. My hitch is 1360 lbs. Maybe the CAT scale I go to is wrong but the weight slips are in my truck as proof for them there authorities. My GCW is 15,900 which is more then yours.

Dodge did kind of screw up with their payloads just a couple hundred extra pounds like GM and Ford and it isn't even an issue. Also bet you 10 bucks that your 5'er on a Ford drops the Ford lower then your Dodge.

Fill the fresh water tank up 1/2 way and some hitch weight will disapear.

Contrary to what has been stated I would not add air bags. From what I have seen most mid profile 5'ers are tongue high already and picking it up with airbags will make it more so and then you will feel the chucking for sure.

Glenn- Our trucks have no where near 3300lbs payload. 2300 is more like it. I'm right about 6900 lbs, or 7220 with 1/2 tank of gas ,me (170lbs) ,my kid and the 5th wheel hitch.

Mike C


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## mik0445 (Jun 5, 2006)

campaholics said:


> I will definately be adding synthetic fluid in the tranny, and differentials hopefully within the next few weeks.
> 
> The air suspension I need to look into alittle more(cost wise)....I know one thing I'd have to have the compressor with the switch inside the cab
> 
> ...


Alright, so we were both wrong...20-25% for a 5'er 10-15 for bumper pull, and 15-20 I must've just pulled out of my *&^. I don't know that weighing both axles would for sure make a difference, but depending on how the scale is set up it might. If brakes on an 18 wheeler can affect a scale reading, they've gotta be at least a little temporamental? (sp?)


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## NobleEagle (Jul 8, 2006)

NJMikeC said:


> Just tow it and also find another scale . You guys are throwing out some hefty numbers. The CAT scale I go to told me I have 600 lbs of available payload with my 5'er hooked up and most of my supplies in it. My hitch is 1360 lbs. Maybe the CAT scale I go to is wrong but the weight slips are in my truck as proof for them there authorities. My GCW is 15,900 which is more then yours.
> 
> Dodge did kind of screw up with their payloads just a couple hundred extra pounds like GM and Ford and it isn't even an issue. Also bet you 10 bucks that your 5'er on a Ford drops the Ford lower then your Dodge.
> 
> ...


As a commercial driver I would like to point one thing out about CAT Scales.....If you have a legal problem (pertaining to weight) after getting weighed at their scale (and have the ticket), they will pay it for you. They are the most reputable and accurate scales available and stay ontop of it. OTR (Over The Road) Drivers prefer to use Cat Scales whenever possible


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

Mike,

They chevy does have a great payload for the 2500Hd, that's why I like our 5'ers they are not pin heavy so we have a low percentage of total. The 2500hd has a 1 ton suspension compared to a normal 3/4.

I just got back fro a week in virginia, 420 miles over about 8 hours with stops and I had the crusie set for 72 the whole way and it ran great, never slowed down or lost speed on any hill.


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