Power Wagon Registry

What would be easier to get the payload capacity of a regular 2500 crewcab 6'4" bed Hemi in a PW? Add-a-leaf or or swap out the PW leafpack for the regular 2500? Not worried about losing articulation. I was just comparing the two and the PW is considerably less payload and only about 400lbs more than a half ton. I'm guessing either option would give the rear a higher rake as well?

Air bags???

Carli is the way I'll go when I've got the time/money......

What problem are you trying to solve?

pzoeller wrote:Air bags???

Carli is the way I'll go when I've got the time/money......

Maybe BajaXplorer will see this and give you his experience with the Carli's. He's already had two bags fail in the last couple years. And they ain't cheap!

I have been thinking the same thing for when I load up the truck camper. It would be nice to have the articulation when not loaded/in tow but the sag is a drag with a camper. looking at the firestone airbags at this point in time myself. stiffer rear end when needed would be good.

bones wrote:What would be easier to get the payload capacity of a regular 2500 crewcab 6'4" bed Hemi in a PW? Add-a-leaf or or swap out the PW leafpack for the regular 2500? Not worried about losing articulation. I was just comparing the two and the PW is considerably less payload and only about 400lbs more than a half ton. I'm guessing either option would give the rear a higher rake as well?

I've bought and installed 3 sets of Air-Lift brand airbags on my last 3 trucks ( '92 FORD Ranger SuperCab STX 4x4, '96 Dakota Club Cab 4x4 and my '05 Power Wagon ) to help carry my campers.
Here is my two cents...
1. Air bags DO NOT increase payload !
2. They work great for leveling and reducing sway
3. At $200 for the Ranger, $240 for the Dakota and $277 for the PW they are reasonably priced.
4. Not one of the three sets have EVER FAILED.
5. All my campers have been light weight , well under the max. payload of each truck. I used them to level out the ride but more importantly to control sway from left to right.
6. When my truck is empty and the air bags @ 5 lbs. ( the minimum psi ) it rides very, very close to stock.

pzoeller wrote:Air bags???

Carli is the way I'll go when I've got the time/money......

Cactus Red wrote:

pzoeller wrote:Air bags???

Maybe BajaXplorer will see this and give you his experience with the Carli's. He's already had two bags fail in the last couple years. And they ain't cheap!

This is My opinion on the Carli LT Air Bag.

Damn expensive...
but more importantly to me is the inboard mounting location. For me, when hauling my slide-in camper, controling left to right sway produced by a higher center of gravity is job 1 and IMO the Carli's lose leverage due to their location on the axle.

I got the Carli's. Had them for about 18 months now. Never had a problem with them. My camper weight is 8,600 fully loaded, Tongue weight is 870 lbs. Put 30 lbs in the air bags to level it out. Then hook up the WD hitch. When empty, 5 lbs of air. I've been to Moab and Rausch Creek with them. Didn't have to worry about pulling them apart off-roading. Where I have read about firestones being pulled apart while off-roading. Remember that the PW flexes more then any other truck out there.This was the deciding factor when I was looking to buy air bags. When I haul stuff in the bed. I just add air untill the PW is level. And I've had over 2,000 lbs in the bed. That only took 45 lbs of air if I remember right. The only problem with the Carli's is $800 for the set. I don't have a slide in camper like cruz. So I can't tell you guys anything about that.

What I would like to do is. Get a new set of leafs so that I would get rid of the spacers. And keep my air bags too.

Thanks for all the replies. I would like to keep the stock stance of the truck in the rear. But I want to increase payload to that of a standard Ram 2500 crewcab with the Hemi.

I have the Hellwig LoadPro 35's on mine. No issues. They work well. I had airbags on my 2000 Dakota. They leaked after 1 year of our salt & sand in winter. I fixed them, they leaked again. People in areas not subject to winter/salt/sand seem to do well with them. My truck did NOT sit in my driveway most of the time (like my PW does now). It was my daily driver. I installed them, so i know it was done right. I was just not impressed. If the air line went in horizontally, or vertically from below, instead of vertically from the top, then maybe the water sand/salt would not have kept making them leak. Airbags actually are better & more versatile than helper springs. Gotta figure out what will work best for you.

TwinStick wrote: Gotta figure out what will work best for you.

Twin,
There it is in a nutshell, there will probably never be a " do it all solution " to what we want our trucks to do.

bones wrote:Thanks for all the replies. I would like to keep the stock stance of the truck in the rear. But I want to increase payload to that of a standard Ram 2500 crewcab with the Hemi.

Based on everything I have read and various people I have talked to, there is nothing you can do to increase your vehicle's payload. It is much more involved than simply added stiffer springs or airbags. If you need more payload I would trade-in your PW and get what you really need.

coder wrote:

bones wrote:Thanks for all the replies. I would like to keep the stock stance of the truck in the rear. But I want to increase payload to that of a standard Ram 2500 crewcab with the Hemi.

Based on everything I have read and various people I have talked to, there is nothing you can do to increase your vehicle's payload. It is much more involved than simply added stiffer springs or airbags. If you need more payload I would trade-in your PW and get what you really need.

Hmm.. I don't think that is accurate for this situation. If a standard Ram 2500 Crewcab Hemi has a payload capacity of lets say, 2400lbs (for purpose of this example) and the PW is at 1800lbs, the only difference is the suspension. So I would think just by swapping out the leaf pack (and maybe the coils) to the standard 2500, it would increase the payload to that of a standard 2500 Crewcab, no?

Payload would still be less. Payload = GWVM - curb weight. Regular Hemi has higher GVWR (8800lb) but also weights less (~300-400lb). So technically speaking swapping springs your payload would still be less than that of Hemi. Speaking of which the payload of Cummins powered 2500 is a lot less than either one because it's so much heavier (GVWR same as Hemi 8800lb). Cummins undoubtedly can pull more but that's not same as payload.

Doesn't matter what you add to the truck, your payload will always be 1800 lbs. Every truck has a max payload and tow rating from the factory and neither can be changed, no matter what you do. Having said that, you can add the standard 2500 leaf springs or air bags so your truck handles the weight better without sagging.

Keep in mind payload and tow ratings assume no cargo and a 150 lb driver, anything above and beyond this will deduct from the ratings. A few heavy friends in the cab can put a pretty big dent in your payload capacity.

Agree. From legal perspective.

2500 Cummins max payload is more then a Hemi 2500 and much more than a PW.

From the Ram website:

Crewcab, 2500, Cummins, 6'4" bed - Max Payload: 3110lbs
Crewcab Hemi 2500 6'4" bed: 2900lbs
Crewcab PW 6'4" bed: 1880lbs

While I will agree with everyone that the airbags will not increase your "rated" capacity, it sure will let you haul a with no squat. I have hauled and will continue to haul over a ton in the bed or in pin weight, on my PW (yes I know very bad) and just had to air the bags up a little to get rid of the squat. I strongly recommend Carli bags as I have had very good luck with them. As kind of a war story with air bags, I use my 02 1500, as my farm truck and it does all of the hauling of my cattle trailer. I had to ship my calves a few weeks ago and I got 10 head on the trailer at ~950lbs/head. This is on a gooseneck trailer (4000lbs) so figure the pin weight (25% of total) is approx 3400lbs on my 1/2 ton . I do not recommend this (again very bad, and it's illegal), but I had the bags on it aired to 70psi and by visually looking at the truck you wouldn't know there was that kind of weight on the truck. Driving (stopping mostly) was a different matter, but I was honestly shocked I didn't snap a rear axle.

Yes, it's technically illegal to carry more than the GVWR. But, how many times have you ever been stopped when carrying anything in the bed and had the officer ask to see the GVWR and break out scales? My guess is never. If you want more carrying capacity I'd throw some 2500 series leaf springs in there or airbags and haul what you need. I've overloaded my truck plenty (both in towing and payload) and I have never been pulled. Not saying that I won't but it's a risk I'm willing to take if I have to move something and don't feel like taking more than one trip. I bought some Timbren helper springs to help out when I tow heavy or have to carry something heavy in the bed.

bones wrote:2500 Cummins max payload is more then a Hemi 2500 and much more than a PW.

From the Ram website:

Crewcab, 2500, Cummins, 6'4" bed - Max Payload: 3110lbs
Crewcab Hemi 2500 6'4" bed: 2900lbs
Crewcab PW 6'4" bed: 1880lbs

No. Websites are always confusing. Read this brochure http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/pdf/141550_ ... ochure.pdf Page 3
4x2 Hemi Reg Cab LB has highest capacity at 3190 lb. Same package diesel is "only" 2650. On average 4x2 diesels have payload 500-700lb less than equivalent HEMI. Gap is less for 4x4 truck but still there because Dodge didn't what those GVWRs go too much beyond 9000lb. Only notable exception is Power Wagon with GVWR of 8510.

I think what people want (including me), is to be able to carry 1200-2000 lbs without squatting the truck. It is unsafe to drive long distance while the truck is squatted down hard. It REALLY accelerates wear on u-joints because of the force applied (even though the driveshaft is more level), and the pinion gear area. It is much easier & less stressful on components to carry the weight at level. I have accomplished that with my truck. It tows my camper with a 1250 lb EMPTY tongue weight at level. There are a few ways to accomplish this: Helper springs, add-a-leafs, air-bags, Timbrens, shocks with helper coils around them, or any combination of them. It is up to the user to decide what will work well for them. I can also carry my 1000 lb 2003 Bombardier Traxter-Max atv in the bed without squatting. No matter HOW MUCH you reinforce the suspension, you simply CAN NOT change the GVWR or the GCWR. That is set from the factory. What you CAN DO is make it carry its rated load MUCH more safely & easily. In an accident, lawyers will use ANYTHING to show fault & make the other person seem liable.

NOTE: if carrying heavy loads on the tailgate, DO NOT trust the cables to do all the work. They do break-even when new. When bouncing over bumps & waves in the road, the weight can double or triple momentarily. I watched in horror (& while trying hard to avoid debris) as someones Polaris 500HO came out the back when the tailgate cables broke & the tiedowns failed, at 70 mph, right in front of me. I also had my atv on a trailer behind my 2000 Dakota. I am SO GLAD that i used 4 2000 lb ratchet straps to secure mine to the trailer at all 4 corners in an X pattern. My atv did not move at all, even through all the swerving back & forth to avoid debris.

What he said..

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