Getting ready for Arizona winter - how are my numbers?

[Dano1955]

So, have spent some time this summer getting the normal maintenance on my truck completed so I can be (relatively) worry free this winter down in AZ.

Things I've done: Bilstein 4600 on all corners, Timbren suspension enhancement, CCV Filter, air filter, Oil and filter, 2X fuel filters, Skyjacker steering stabilizer, upper radiator y-pipe replacement (crappy plastic OEM one) with welded aluminum one from Smokin' Diesel. New rubber all around, Goodrich TA KO2s 285/70/R17, 65psi front, 75psi Rear.

Just got the Bilsteins installed this Labor Day weekend, truck rides much more stable, still rides like a truck, but like a truck with new top of the line shocks. The OEM shocks that came off at 78K were pretty shot.

Went out to storage today, stopped at CAT before and weighed the truck "empty" meaning with hitch, tools and equipment in the bed. Then hooked up the 5ver and towed to the CAT scales and weighed the truck/trailer together. Here's some pics of the truck before and after hitching..




Also a pic of the CAT scale weights.....



The weights were taken with full fuel tank and partially full trailer tanks (fuel 35 gal, fresh water 45 gal, black water 25 gal, 2X gray water tanks 25 gal).

Looks like I'm over quite a bit on my pin weight, specs show 1279 unloaded and scales show me at 1840. Also Gross weight on the trailer spec is 10079. That is the gross LOADED weight, but both are over about 600 lbs. But with 45 gals FW X 8.3 lbs = 373 lbs and 50 gal X 8.3 waste water = 415 lbs, these are all up front of the axles and would add the weight to the pin, so running with waste empty and only 10-15 gals of FW, looks like I'll be good to go.

Can the weight police "weigh in" on this and let me know if I'm reading this right?

The Timbrens sit about 1.5 inches off the axles before hitching up and don't even come into play. When hitched they sit barely on the axles and it drives very stable.

[m35a2]

What's the ccc of the truck? Is it 1279?

[Dano1955]

Can't find my year 2500 for ccc, just found this link and not sure what this is telling me.

Dodge Cargo Carrying Capacity - Dodge Cargo Carrying Capacity | HowStuffWorks

Have found info on max payload 2470-3020, max loaded trailer 17,300, towing capacity 10960-11960. I suppose the lower numbers are probably for the cummins package.

Trailer specs are hitch 1279, gross 10079, dry 7490, cargo 2530, GAWR 4400 each. Tires were upgraded to load range E last fall.

Have taken trips this summer of several hundred miles each and seems like it handles well, even before the new shocks and Timbrens. There are some things that are nice to haves that could be left behind if I really had to, but just would really like to understand whether these numbers are within the bounds or have exceeded the capability of the vehicles. This is a safety issue, not just mine but for other people on the road. I don't want to jeopardize anyone because I didn't understand something and was just "guesstimating".

I've read many things and can see obvious discrepancies, but looking at my own I'm sorta confused.

[m35a2]

Originally Posted by Dano1955

Can't find my year 2500 for ccc, just found this link and not sure what this is telling me.

Dodge Cargo Carrying Capacity - Dodge Cargo Carrying Capacity | HowStuffWorks

Have found info on max payload 2470-3020, max loaded trailer 17,300, towing capacity 10960-11960. I suppose the lower numbers are probably for the cummins package.

Trailer specs are hitch 1279, gross 10079, dry 7490, cargo 2530, GAWR 4400 each. Tires were upgraded to load range E last fall.

Have taken trips this summer of several hundred miles each and seems like it handles well, even before the new shocks and Timbrens. There are some things that are nice to haves that could be left behind if I really had to, but just would really like to understand whether these numbers are within the bounds or have exceeded the capability of the vehicles. This is a safety issue, not just mine but for other people on the road. I don't want to jeopardize anyone because I didn't understand something and was just "guesstimating".

I've read many things and can see obvious discrepancies, but looking at my own I'm sorta confused.

There should be a sticker on the door, kinda like this one:

[ependydad]

IMO, ignore what the CCC is on the truck. Look at the sticker that tells you what the GVWR and GAWRs are.

Here's what I come up with numbers-wise for the fifth wheel (from my calculator):

• Gross Combined Weight: 19,300 lbs.
• Truck Weight (hitched): 10,660 lbs.
• Truck Weight (truck only): 8,620 lbs.
• Camper Weight: 10,680 lbs.
• Pin Weight: 2,040 lbs.
• Pin Weight Percentage: 19.1 %

Your 1,800 lbs. of pin weight is missing the 200 lbs added to the the front axle when hitched up. Really, it doesn't entirely matter as you want more to look at the camper and truck weights.

You want to make sure you're under:

• The front GAWR of the truck vs. the steer axle of the loaded weight slip (5,080)
• The rear GAWR of the truck vs. the drive axle of the loaded weight slip (5,580)
• The combined tire load capacity of the front + rear tires vs. what they're carrying
• The GVWR of the truck vs. the Truck Weight (hitched) (10,660) - on a 3/4 ton truck, this is the one that's most often exceeded
• The combined axle weight rating is higher than the measured "trailer axle" rating (8,640 lbs)
• The camper weight is less than the camper's GVWR

For the camper's axle weight ratings it's better if you do yet another weighing and split that across 2 scales and check them individually; even better is to find a place that does individual wheel weights. You may find incredible difference between tire positions and sides.

You especially want to make sure you get under the camper's GVWR. I run overloaded and thought I was fine because I'd upgraded the tires, replaced the leafs, and knew I was maxed up (but not exceeding) individual axle weight ratings. But, I recently experienced a frame failure.

[Dano1955]

Originally Posted by ependydad

IMO, ignore what the CCC is on the truck. Look at the sticker that tells you what the GVWR and GAWRs are.

Here's what I come up with numbers-wise for the fifth wheel (from my calculator):

• Gross Combined Weight: 19,300 lbs.
• Truck Weight (hitched): 10,660 lbs.
• Truck Weight (truck only): 8,620 lbs.
• Camper Weight: 10,680 lbs.
• Pin Weight: 2,040 lbs.
• Pin Weight Percentage: 19.1 %

Your 1,800 lbs. of pin weight is missing the 200 lbs added to the the front axle when hitched up. Really, it doesn't entirely matter as you want more to look at the camper and truck weights.

You want to make sure you're under:[*]The front GAWR of the truck vs. the steer axle of the loaded weight slip (5,080)[*]The rear GAWR of the truck vs. the drive axle of the loaded weight slip (5,580)[*]The combined tire load capacity of the front + rear tires vs. what they're carrying[*]The GVWR of the truck vs. the Truck Weight (hitched) (10,660) - on a 3/4 ton truck, this is the one that's most often exceeded[*]The combined axle weight rating is higher than the measured "trailer axle" rating (8,640 lbs)[*]The camper weight is less than the camper's GVWR[/list]
For the camper's axle weight ratings it's better if you do yet another weighing and split that across 2 scales and check them individually; even better is to find a place that does individual wheel weights. You may find incredible difference between tire positions and sides.

You especially want to make sure you get under the camper's GVWR. I run overloaded and thought I was fine because I'd upgraded the tires, replaced the leafs, and knew I was maxed up (but not exceeding) individual axle weight ratings. But, I recently experienced a frame failure.

Thanks for the info. Yea that frame issue looks bad, hope for the best for ya. With over 700 lbs of fresh and waste water, now emptied, the numbers will look a whole lot better. I knew that might be pushing it. I'll be taking it back to the scale with empty tanks this weekend to compare the numbers.

Thanks for the replies.

[ependydad]

Oy. I fixed the formatting up there.