Does anybody know what the stock wheel load rating is, for the rim? I ordered some after market wheels rated at 3,200 lbs per wheel and now I'm worried about them not being beefy enough. I'm mainly concerned about the integrity when the truck is loaded up/towing. They fit the bill when calculating GVWR per axle, but after doing some research on other after market rims they are in the 3,400-3,600 lb range. I'm just curious of what other people have run into...

The problem with using the 3500 GVWR numbers is there is no SRW option for 3500s. Depending on MY and gearing/trans options, the GVWR of an 01 3500 DRW is 11000 lbs with a RAWR of 7500lbs. This would put virtually every SRW truck over their tire/wheel ratings unless they had 19.5s or some 18" wheels, depending on tire/wheel configuration.

 

It's no different that applying 3500 DRW GVWR ratings to a 2500 on a 3rd gen, or 4th gen. The frames are the same, steering, brakes, etc...

 

Lets look at 03-09. Take a QC LB Hemi 2500, QC LB CTD 2500, QC LB CTD 3500 SRW, and a QC LB CTD DRW you will find 1 frame part number, 1 front axle, 1 size brakes, etc. All of the 3 diesels even use the same axle.

 

You don't  need a 3500 SRW to compare to, just look and see if the frames are the same. Are the brakes the same? It's all personal homework to determine what you are comfortable with.

 

On any 2500 HD I can think of the limit is tires/wheels. So exceeding GVWR but staying within FAWR and rear tires/wheels is fine as long as you stay within the highest GVWR the frame received (regardless of door badging).

 

Looking up a few posts I see Micheal's door sticker. 5200+6084 = 11,284 which is over the GVWR for a DRW. Load that 2500 up to 11,000lbs and you should be within OEM axle limits, with OEM wheels/tires. OEM tires are plenty for the max GVWR the frame received. (Please correct me if the 2500 and 3500 don't share a common frame, but I understand that they do).

 

My truck OEM limits are 5200+6200 = 11,400 but the tires are actually good to 5200+6390 = 11,590. I found myself right on the edge of those tires/wheels so I upgraded and now run at 75-80% of tire/wheel rating instead of 95-100%.

 

 

I guess I feel better anyway, the axle is rated at 11k so before we brake that, we will blow tires and bent rims.

 

No you won't brake the axle, but you will overload many components before the axle. Suspension, frame, brakes, etc.

 

The AAM 11.5 in 3rd gens is rated for 10,912lbs but that's not a number people use for loading like you are implying with your Dana 80.

 

The highest RAWR for the AAM 11.5" axle on a 3rd gen frame is 9,350 and that is the limit people talk about, for SRW or DRW when tires are adequite.

 

That same thing would want you to limit your Dana 80 to 7500lbs , with suspension enhancements.

Yes frame, suspension, brakes are all the same. Again, it all depends on what you've got for tires. (Just re read your first post, and misinterpreted it the first time). OEM 245/75/16 typically max out at under 6400lbs per axle, so unless one has higher capacity tires and wheels there's no point in looking at anything else. The 16" wheels are the crutch of the 2nd gens and by far the limiting factor.

Yes frame, suspension, brakes are all the same. Again, it all depends on what you've got for tires. (Just re read your first post, and misinterpreted it the first time). OEM 245/75/16 typically max out at under 6400lbs per axle, so unless one has higher capacity tires and wheels there's no point in looking at anything else. The 16" wheels are the crutch of the 2nd gens and by far the limiting factor.

 

Yep, but no where near as limiting as the 17's on 3rd/4th gens.

 

Even then with a set of decent LRE 16's and wheels one can hit/exceed the 11,000 Frame GVWR so unless one is planning to exceed that number there isn't much "need" for 19.5's, or anything but 16's, on a 2nd gen.

 

Now having run 19.5's I can tell you that at a 6K lb load the 19.5's are far far far superior to LRE in every way, unless you drive above 75.