front end weight

As long as you have a gas truck, I see no issues. If it is a CTD, you need to watch it closely as that option iteslf adds about 600 to 700lb of front end weight to truck. Dodge uses the same frame with gas and diesel model 3/4 and 1 ton trucks so the gas truck has more reserve because it is carrying less weight.

The guys over at EarthRoamer.com ran a Dodge 2500 with a big bumper. winch, and large camper for years - no issues.

I wouldn't be jumping the truck or hitting rough terrain at 60MPH, but no... haven't heard anyone reporting cracked frames. In fact, I think the last guy in here talking about cracked frames was you, back in '96 or so, with roll-back beds on the 2nd gen trucks :)

I will tell you, in all seriousness, you're looking to push this truck right to the limits (or beyond) as far as weight's concerned. 5300# of payload, on a 7600# (or so) truck, with 400# or so of passengers, you're technically over the GWVR of the truck (I think it's rated at, what, 12,500#?)

I really wish you didn't have to to the camper/trailer combination.... a larger 5th wheel would be so much safer (but I understand why - we've been through all that already). I hate to say this... I mean I _REALLY_ hate to say it... but you'd probably be better served with an F-450... though I do hear rumors abounding about the long-awaited release of the Dodge 4500 and

5500 medium-duty trucks here in the States for '07.

Blah blah blah... like a freakin' broken record.

I do.... the fact that he'd have to install two aux fuel tanks to hold enough gasoline to get him through the remote areas he plans on taking, as he's getting 3-4MPG pulling/hauling that load through the trails...

The blah blah broken record is by people such as you that think the extra 600 or 700 lbs of a CTD has no impact at all on vehicle or front end when in fact it is such a problem in a Dodge that they quietly upgraded and replaced the front axle in 03 to try to better deal with the problems fromthis weight it. (gas trucks of same model have same frame and axle so they have a LOT more reserve capacity than a oil burner) If there had not been a problem, there would not been a change because even a Dana 60 was no deemed up to the task by Dodge. I guess you feel that this weigh is invisable and has no effect on it. The fact of the matter seem to cause you a lot of problem. Accept them and work with them rather than preteneding that they do not exist. You like the BS, I try to stick to the facts and physics of it.

No, of course it has an impact... but your post was completely useless. "Well, if you had a gas engine...." He doesn't. Period. Therefore, any discussion of that is useless.

Absolute bullshit. DC dropped Dana altogether over pricing, and gave the contract to AAM. It had nothing to do with weight considerations. Hell, the ISBe of today ways pretty much the same as the first 6BT weighed in '89. (Cummins lists the weight of the ISBe at 1034lbs. I've seen the 6BT weight listed at almost 1100lbs. Close enough for me).

See above. The D60 was perfectly fine for 12 years.

One thing for sure Tom, your posts are worthless because you do not base yours on facts and you let your hormones control your "advise" and answers.

those guys are awesome......just wish they had offered something for the dodge. on the other hand, with their $200,000+ price range you could have a well equipped unimog camper.

? why are they using only f550s now?

ive probably over-estimated a bit to be on the safe side, and was including

500# of passenger weight in the 4500# estimate. my heavy gear can be carried in the enclosed trailer. any idea what the gcvwr is on an '05 cummins dually 4x4? i dont know why, but its not listed on my data sticker.

ill follow the cummins and buy whatever it comes in. its an amazing engine (who am i telling, right? :-), and pulls loads through these mountains like nothing else.

that said, i just cant get the idea of a cummins powered king ranch outta my head. that would be sweet!

heh....in '07 im trading up regardless. that 750 ft.# cummins 6.7 liter isb is way to tempting. would probably be smarter to let them work the bugs out first, and snag an '08.

as always, thanks for the help tom.

its ctd. gas trucks (2500/3500) are special order only out here because they dont sell. no matter where you travel, youre climbing a mountain. gasoline powered trucks have their place certainly.....but its not here....not if youre pulling a load.

but it doesnt have the balls for the job. im not knocking gasoline powered trucks, please dont misunderstand. but they just arent up to pulling full rated loads at highway speeds in the mountains. i see it all the time, ill be towing 5,000# - 8000# with the cruise control set on 75 mph. on the downhills the gasoline powered trucks fly past me at

90+ mph. on the uphills i catch those same trucks and pass them, never having accelerated more than what the cruise control is set on. after passing the same truck 4 or 5 times i just look over, smile and wave as i pass. i have to wonder how many of those folks end up buying diesels because of it. :-)

Nathan W. Collier

YIKES! Didn't know they were charging THAT much.... yeesh.

Ummm.... probably for the same reasons you're running into... GVWR issues.

12,200lbs.

Okay... scratch the 450 (and the 550, too). Ummm... FL50, perhaps? :)

Once upon a time, you used to know how to swap engines. Go for it! :)

750? That all? Heh heh... :)

I hear ya, though... there's something to be said for the piece of mind of stock power.

thats the gvwr, and its listed. what i cant find is the gCvwr. any idea what that is?

heh.....thats great on a $10,000 toy, but not so great on a $45,000 truck.

my thinking is that if its 750 stock, what can she REALLY handle?

Sorry... missed the 'c'. According to the towing guide

with a 3.73 axle, your GCVWR is 21,000lbs.

Sledpullers are making over 1,800ft.lbs from the 5.9L.... how much do you want? :)