2000 Dodge Ram 2500 weight questions

[zzyzxpat]

I am a new member here, enjoy the forum very much. Having read through about 40 pages of different posts, mine will probably sound familiar, but here goes.
I have a 2000 Dodge 2500 diesel 4WD that I ordered new. I optioned it with the trailer and camper packages when I ordered it. It has a double overload spring setup from the factory with a DANA 80 differential that is rated at 11,000# from DANA. The GVWR is 8800#, which is part of my question as I believe it would still be 8800# even without the camper package. I don't understand that as it is the same rear setup as the 3500 except for the dual tires in that year. I carry a '94 Skyline Weekender 1010 camper in it now, had a '92 Lance Squire 8000 previous. Outside of Monroe Magnum shocks, 265/75/16E Goodyears, and Firestone bags, it is stock. With the camper on dry with myself and wife and full of diesel it weighs F4740/R6320, for a total of 11060#. Drives like a dream, but I am used to having a camper.
We want to get a new camper, either a NL 9.6, AF 865, or a Lance 995, not sure on a slide, trying to keep the weight down. IMO my weakness is the tires which I will address either going to 18" or if I have to 19.5", but would prefer to stay in a LT tire. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated from all

[HadEnough]

Similar Dodge here. 2002 model. Hauling Arctic Fox TC with slide and full 48 gallon water tank. No issues.

Have different rims with 19.5 Load Range G tires. Not dually. Done go lower than load range G because you need about 110psi to carry a load like this. The F tires only go to 100psi and don't stand up properly to the load. They "cup" where the tread touches the road and wear on the edges only while overheating.

[EfonFred]

We had a NL 811 on our 2001 Dodge 2500 CTD. Air bags and larger tires in the stock rims was all the mods we did. Ran it that way for 5 years on a lot of forest service roads and around N Cal, OR, Nv,, and Wa comfortably.

[weedrancher]

I bought my 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 new for the purpose of hauling around a truck camper. The weight numbers are the same as your rig and my truck camper weighs about 3,200 lbs fully loaded. The last time I weighed at the scales, the total was 11,480 lbs. I have air-lift air bags and torklift upper stableloads but the shocks and brakes are original. The tires are Firestone TransForce A/T on the stock rims. The biggest issue I had was the side to side rocking and sway. I removed the stock anti sway bar and I installed a roadmaster anti-sway bar. This was the most noticeable change to the handling. It's great with the load but a little harsh with no load. I use the air bags to raise the rear and bring the headlights down so that I don't have to re-align them. I have no problem with the weight but I wouldn't want to go much heavier unless I had a dually.

[Kayteg1]

I would not buy TC with no slide. The feature is great improvement to any design, even sealing it from the leaks is the issue.
On both my older campers I had dryrot under the slide as manufacturers not only put cheap seal, but did no protection to open frame there.
Simply putting aluminium flashing on the floor under slide would prevent lot of problems.

[burningman]

About the camper... especially since you seem to be the kind to buy something good and keep it, I’d strongly suggest going with the Northern Lite because of the way they’re built.
They last. They have very high resale value if you do ever want to sell.
They don’t have seams down every edge and delamination issues.
No slide means no problems or leaks with the slide. No having to put the slide out to use it or even get in.
And the generator compartment is made to fit a portable Honda.

[otrfun]

zzyzxpat wrote:
. . . We want to get a new camper, either a NL 9.6, AF 865, or a Lance 995, not sure on a slide, trying to keep the weight down . . .

If you're in the least concerned about weight, suggest researching the "realworld", empty/dry weights of these three campers carefully. You'll find the 995, especially the 865, will probably weigh at least 500-700 lbs. more than the NL 9.6. AF advertises the empty/dry weight of the 865 at 2,641 lbs. . . . which does not include the mandatory Fox Value Package which weighs 595 lbs. In reality, the 865 weighs 3,236 lbs. with no/zero options. Add some basic options and the weight easily increases to more than 3,500 lbs. The NL 9.6's empty/dry weight rarely exceeds more than 2,900 lbs. even when fully optioned.

[Grit_dog]

Good ole dodge!
375k is a lot of miles!
Idk the weights of the others, but you're not too heavy now but you'll add 500-1000lb which still isn't bad IMO.
Easy, economical wheel upgrade is get some takeoff 18s or 20s from a newer Ram.
Then you have a ton of tires to choose from in the 3600-4000lb range.
I'll not get into the ratings discussion, but have packed on a lot of miles on OE ram 20s tires and wheels with an AF 860 on the back. Never weighed it but a lot of folks on here have and it's about 7500 on the rear axle.

[zzyzxpat]

Thank you folks, yes it's a stick, 375,000 miles or so, never done anything but normal service. Started with the Lance 20 years ago, my kids got bigger, went to a class C for about 12 years, now usually just the wife and me with an old camper, so looking for a new camper again to see the country soon. Can't afford a new truck so we will keep this one going.

[burningman]

Well he bought a good one! I’ve considered a newer one but they just don’t do anything mine won’t, and the electronics are getting scarier and scarier for those of us who buy stuff intending to keep it!

[ScottG]

Not many of us that buy them new and keep them that long. Nice going!

[KD4UPL]

I think you know more about your truck than most people. You certainly have a good handle on what it's capable of. I would guess that most people hauling TCs are over their GVWR, I always was on 3 different set ups. Just watch your tire and axle weights and you should be good.
I don't know how the tag weights work in CA. In VA you can pay to license the truck for as much weight as you want. My '05 Chevy dually weighed in about 13,100 pounds with the camper on and boat hooked up so I had it tagged for 14,000 pounds even though the GVWR was only 11,400.

[burningman]

Forget that 8800 pound GVW. As you already know. your truck has a Dana 80 rear that’s good for more than that just by itself. You must have the manual transmission too, because the automatic trucks that year got a Dana 70. Which is also more than enough.
That truck absolutely won’t break from hauling the campers you mentioned but you’re right, you’ll want some really stout tires.