Hi,
I have a 2005 3500 SRW Quad cab SLT, with the 4.1 Gears and the cummins in it. It has the factory towing package and I am curious what that means my hitch is rated to handle. If you look on the dodge site I believe it says that my towing capacity it 15,800lbs with Gross combined of 23,000lbs. It is extremely vague, because it doesn't mention anything about a weight distributing hitch, or if they are talking fifth wheel or goose neck.

Does anyone know what my factory towing package hitch is rated to. My reciever I bought is rated 16,000and the ball is 14,000, but I am concerned about the hitch itself. My boat and trailer weighs 13,040 lbs without fuel (another 13-1500lbs if full of fuel). I always tow it virtually empty of fuel but I want to know if the boat trailer combo is legal or not.

Any info is appreciated because the Dodge site is extremely vague. Boating season is coming up and I don't want to be heading to the lake with my family in the pickup and be potentially putting them in harms way, not to mention liability associated with an accident if I am indeed not legal.

Lastly, the truck pulls the load no problem. When I bought the boat I towed it 600 miles and got an astonishing 14.4 mpg @ 66-69mph. On the way when I was empty I got 23.2 at 73mph cruise ( I actually figured the mileage when I purchased diesel, I don't trust the digital readers)

 

Baywatch.......Welcome to DF!

Your absolute max is gonna be with a GN or 5th. The bumper pull weight it limited by your receiver, which should be 10K weight carrying and 12K weight distributing.

If you need more than that, you need to look at Class 5, with a 2 1/2" receiver. Those are usually rated at 15K.

I'm assuming you mean the ball mount is 16K and the ball itself is 14K.

 

So based on that than I am way over my capacity. I am glad I checked before I do to much towing this summer. It actually pulls it very well. It is a cigarette style boat and it sits on a 38' triple axle trailer and the axles are clear back in the next zip code. I don't think I will be able to change it out by this weekend when I take it to the lake where it stays on a lift, but I will have to get it fixed before I tow it again.

So I guess it is fair to say that there are a whole lot of people that tow much more than there equipment is rated for. Because I see f250's pulling 40' boats all summer long and rarely do I ever see them with a weight distributing hitch. I will hit the cat scale again before I haul it to so I have an exact idea how far over I am.

So a class IV is what you get with the factory tow package? To bad they don't sell them so they will actually haul what the advertise they can haul "Under Correct equipment."

Thanks, for you info

 

Technically, correct equipment can mean a bunch of different things (i.e. GN or 5th hitch, trailer brakes, manual or auto, gearing, etc.) It's not as simple as a hitch.

The truck will "pull" it just fine......but what about emergencies? That is what has to be considered. Can the truck safely stop it? Can it safely make an abrupt turn in an emergency? Are those single rear tires rated to carry the weight that is being put on that hitch? What would happen to you, legally, in an accident if someone got hurt and YOU were grossly overloaded? Lots to consider.

As for guys pulling way over their weight............uhhhh, yeah. Some folks don't have a clue how much they are over the rating of the truck. But, they get away with it, legally, by registering the truck for the weight. Regardless of what the manufacturer says the truck can handle (which is completely arbitrary and determined by no one outside), if the owner registers it for more weight, then they are covered legally.

Is it safe.......that's questionable, as most equipment that is used to transport equipment is only "rated" at about 30% of it's actually capacity. Equipment that is used to move or carry people, is only rated at roughly 10%. So there is a margin of safety built into "most" things.

Now, would I want to tow that load on the OEM hitch for very long? No, I'd want a Class 5 that is actually rated for that kind of load.

Enjoy.

 

So all he has to do is change the hitch he has and he's good to go?

All of this is kinda cofusing to me, but keep in mind, I'm easily confused.

 

I just looked in my owners manual it states that the factory class 4 hitch is only good for 10K max and no where does it say you can haul more if you use weight distributing set up. It also shows that anything over 10K you need to use a 5th wheel/goose neck hitch.

At dodge.com/tow it shows the 2005, 3500 QC 4x4 Short bed with auto trans with 4.10 can tow 15,722 = 23K total combo weight. 6 speed manual can tow 15,644 = 23K max . Long bed with 4.10 can only tow 15,400

 

Thanks,

I appreciate your knowledge and input on the subject. I knew there was no way that my trucks current hitch could be rated that high when every other manufacturer's tag along rating is so much lower. I agree with you 100% I will have to get me a beafier hitch. The truck will pull it, but when something goes wrong I don't want it to be my A** on the line.

I actually saw a reciever ball sheer off once at a boat ramp. The guy was pulling about 9,000 lbs of boat and trailer with a half ton truck and he had it on a 3500 lb ball. There are some idiots out there, I just don't want to be one of them!!

 

Man ... I CLEARLY don't know enough about this stuff. I don't tow big stuff that often, but ifI ever do I really need to learn more about this stuff. I had no idea there were different pound ratings on hitch *****. I always thought a ball is a ball is a ball.

Man I betI was WAAAAAAAAAY over my limit last year whenI went to Orlando, with the race trailer and carhuh?

BTW ... Welcome aboard Baywatch !! Commence with the pics please !!

 

I didn't think we were talking sex Mayfair keep up with the subject will ya[:-]

 

I'll take a couple of pics with it hooked to the boat next week.

As far as the hitch goes, I think that there are a lot of people out there that figure since the dodge site says 15,700 that iswhat it is rated from the factory hitch. None the manufacturers explain in there capacity's that they are talking goose or fifth. I will be fine if I go class V and definately if I go weight distributing on the V. A boat trailer for my type of boat has the axles clear back so the tongue weight is minimal as well as the wind resistance. Let me look I am sure there is a pic of the boat saved on my laptop than it will make since about the axles being in the next zip code. The truck really pulls her like a breeze!

Here ya go. I get one with the truck when it isn't raining.

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