Talk me OUT of a buying a RAM 3500 Dual Cab Dually...

[mjncad]

Enjoy your new ride!

 

[bdog]

Yeah,just aslong within 150miles of farm,last I checked. I run I45 loaded all the time,pass the weigh stations and never had an issue...

Not wanting to derail the thread but it is not exactly that simple. True there are exemptions for farm use but it is very strict on what you are hauling. There are also situations where you don't need an actual commercial drivers license but rather a special class of drivers license to drive something over 26k. Bottom line is it gets tricky when you go over 26k.

 

[scrappy isb67]

Take the lift and big tires off and keep the jetta. I'd take the 40-50 mpg everyday. I don't know what the attraction is on these dodges besides they look good. The mileage is horrible and the emmission equip isn't as efficient as on a duramax or ford even. Join a cummins forum. If you are dead set on getting a dodge I would wait for the 13 or 14s with urea. Less aggressive egr, more power and better mileage.

Brett

it can't go back, the stock control arms are gone and even if I did get another set, the mounts to the frame for them are gone. the control arms on it are at their minimum height @ 6" so no lower. even if i lowered it, it will never be a longbed either so it gets traded/sold.
and it is a DODGE! and it gets about the same mileage as anyone else's diesel so the mileage thing is moot to me.

 

[SanDucerro]

One thing also to watch out for on the dually's if you tow is that the GVWR on them is over 12,000lb. I don't remember what exactly it is 12,500 or 13,000 but this means if you hook up to a 14k rated trailer (which are very common) then you are over 26k and in CDL territory even if you don't weigh that much because they base the need of a CDL on if either your actual weight or rated weight is over 26k.

Noted - thanks for the heads up. The GVWR on the RAM 3500 DRW I bought (ST Model 4x4 Long Bed) is 12,300 and the trailer I'm considering has two 7000 lb axles (14k rated), so you are correct that this would put me over the 26000 threshold. Only by 300 lbs, but it would be my assumption that "over the line" is "over the line" no matter how small the amount.

The "Applicability" of the Texas Transportation Code is what's at "play" here - from the code...

Sec. 522.004. APPLICABILITY. (a) This chapter does not apply to:

(1) a vehicle that is controlled and operated by a farmer and:
(A) used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm;
(B) used within 150 miles of the person's farm; and
(C) not used in the operations of a common or contract motor carrier;

(2) a fire-fighting or emergency vehicle necessary to the preservation of life or property or the execution of emergency governmental functions, whether operated by an employee of a political subdivision or by a volunteer fire fighter;

(3) a military vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle, when operated for military purposes by military personnel, including:
(A) active duty military personnel, including personnel serving in the United States Coast Guard; and
(B) members of the reserves and national guard on active duty, including personnel on full-time national guard duty, personnel engaged in part-time training, and national guard military technicians;

(4) a recreational vehicle that is driven for personal use;

(5) a vehicle that is owned, leased, or controlled by an air carrier, as defined by Section 21.155, and that is driven or operated exclusively by an employee of the air carrier only on the premises of an airport, as defined by Section 22.001, on service roads to which the public does not have access; or

(6) a vehicle used exclusively to transport seed cotton modules or cotton burrs.

(b) In this section, "recreational vehicle" means a motor vehicle primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational camping or travel use. The term includes a travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper, and motor home.

Here's a link to the whole code: http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.522.htm

 

[SanDucerro]

Did a bit more thinking about what I will be towing and what the heaviest load might be. The tractors are the first things that come to mind - they top out at an estimated 8500 lbs (M7040 at 5470#, the FEL and Bucket add an additional 2000#, and I tossed in an additional 1000# for weighted tires). I'd also like to be able to make runs out to west Texas to pick up grapes if needed. These come in 2000# containers and I can't imagine needing more than 5 - so that's 10,000# for grapes and another 500# for the plastic container they come in and the pallets they sit on. Beyond that - I can't think of anything I'd need to haul on a "regular" basis that would be heavier than these two items.

With that in mind I can "downsize" the trailer to a 12000 GVWR rating (two 6000# axles) and not worry about the numbers. I'll be at 24300# total and well under the limit for needing a CDL. The heaviest load would be the grapes at 10500# and that's 87.5% of the trailers capacity. I'd prefer to be at 80% max, but I can easily put one of the containers in the bed of the truck and reduce the load on the trailer itself. BTW - the payload capacity on the RAM 3500 DRW is 4550# - on a SRW 2500 or 3500 it's only 2270#. I really like the extra payload capacity on the DRW! It's gonna come in handy on "grape runs".

Now - if I go with a GN trailer, then I'll lose the room in the bed of the truck - but, I'm still under the capacity of the trailer on a grape run if I go full up - and chances are I wouldn't need 5 containers anyway...

 

[foreman Etexas]

Not wanting to derail the thread but it is not exactly that simple. True there are exemptions for farm use but it is very strict on what you are hauling. There are also situations where you don't need an actual commercial drivers license but rather a special class of drivers license to drive something over 26k. Bottom line is it gets tricky when you go over 26k.

Its simple for the farmer,not the ones trying to pass as one...

 

[Diamondpilot]

Cant wait to see it. Hope it has the factory brake controller or you wilk be kicking yourself later.

Chris

 

[SanDucerro]

Cant wait to see it. Hope it has the factory brake controller or you wilk be kicking yourself later.

Chris

I had an uh-oh moment there... The truck I was originally looking at "online" - and had been discussing with the internet sales manager - got "loaned out" a few days prior to my going in to see the truck. It was back at the dealership on Friday, but it was NASTY filty and I do mean NASTY. The clowns who took it home while they added leather to their actual truck had literally trashed the truck - so much so that I didn't want any part of it! I had already confirmed that truck had the factory brake controller - but that's not the truck I bought...

Luckily the dealer had just taken in a swap of a nearly identical truck from another dealer. This "new" truck was $90 more on the sticker than the truck I was originally going to buy - but I never looked at the window tag. The dealer said they were identical and I took him at his word with both of us thinking the extra $90 was for Raised White Outline Tires. I bought this truck without looking at the sticker...

So, as I said - I had a bit of an uh-oh moment when you mentioned the factory brake controller. So I checked the window sticker and we're golden - the truck I bought does have the Integrated Trailer Brake Controller with Display as well as the Raised White Outline On/Off Road Tires ($200 option). The $90 difference was due to a slightly different Base Price (-$30), no factory rubber floor mats (-$80), and the added RWOL Tires (+$200) - for a difference of $90.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I had an uh-oh moment there... The truck I was originally looking at "online" - and had been discussing with the internet sales manager - got "loaned out" a few days prior to my going in to see the truck. It was back at the dealership on Friday, but it was NASTY filty and I do mean NASTY. The clowns who took it home while they added leather to their actual truck had literally trashed the truck - so much so that I didn't want any part of it! I had already confirmed that truck had the factory brake controller - but that's not the truck I bought...

Luckily the dealer had just taken in a swap of a nearly identical truck from another dealer. This "new" truck was $90 more on the sticker than the truck I was originally going to buy - but I never looked at the window tag. The dealer said they were identical and I took him at his word with both of us thinking the extra $90 was for Raised White Outline Tires. I bought this truck without looking at the sticker...

So, as I said - I had a bit of an uh-oh moment when you mentioned the factory brake controller. So I checked the window sticker and we're golden - the truck I bought does have the Integrated Trailer Brake Controller with Display as well as the Raised White Outline On/Off Road Tires ($200 option). The $90 difference was due to a slightly different Base Price (-$30), no factory rubber floor mats (-$80), and the added RWOL Tires (+$200) - for a difference of $90.

That's just sad they would do that to the dealer,even crazier they didn't try to hide any of it but then you may have bought it not knowing what they had done. Couple things I really like is the exhaust brake and 900w alpine stereo...

 

[bdog]

Its simple for the farmer,not the ones trying to pass as one...

Yes and no. The DOT people can be real butt heads. I had a guy tell me a story that was a full time farmer. He had a tandem dual flatbed trailer he bought and used to move his hay. He was remodeling his house and took the trailer to the lumber yard to get materials and got popped on the way back with all kinds of tickets because he was over 26k gvwr and it was not farm use. Another story I have heard was a similar deal except the farmer was hauling home a family members truck that broke down on the side of the road.

I have no idea why they rate these trucks for 12,300 lbs. They could leave 300 lbs off and simplify things for a lot of people. OP if I were you I would look at having a new trailer built with two 7k axles and have the manufacturer derate it to 13,700 gvwr.

I just hate the loss of flexibility in the use of the trailer if you try to get by on the agricultural exemption. You do not want a over 26k and no cdl ticket. They can really throw the book at you because there are lots more violations at play then just the license it could cost you thousands.