A friend who sells used cars told me that you don't see many 2500HD 3500s pulling big gooseneck trailers, such as 3 car haulers. He says that the frame breaks right over the rear axle because they joined two pieces of frame there. I looked at mine, and sure enough, the frame is spliced just ahead of the axle. Anyone heard of this, or experienced it?

Only thing I've seen was springs re-arched the wrong way on a friends truck. Not sure whether it was the load of concrete or the load of hay, but after that weekend, the truck went in for some new springs...


Overload would be an understatement!


Plenty of heavy gooses and fivers getting tugged around.


Sounds like another case of "...those aluminum heads are gonna melt right off!.."

That was the case on the early Dodge trucks. They used the same design
but only riveted the frame together. They were mostly a problem on
wreckers due to the load they see when using a wheel lift

Horsepucky. I've overloaded my 02 CC 2500HD 4X4 LB (weight was 9200 empty with all the goodies) many times putting as much as an additional 6,000 lbs of concrete block in it. I also crossed the scales at Santa Nella on I-5 with the bed and a 24' triple axle pull type enclosed trailer full of tile from Mexico. Weight on the two truck axles was 15,350 lbs and the weight on the 3 trailer axles was 17750. Lord only knows what the tongue weight was (my rear bumper is 1/2 steel with my own trailer hitch - weighs 450 lbs and was welded to the frame). In other words, very much overloaded. (And not too smart of me either). I checked the truck frame for cracks or stress marks and found none. Truck hauled heavy lots of times during my 73,000 mile ownership, but could never find any damage. And in case your curious, tires and rims on truck were rated at 13,600 and on trailer were rated at 18,000. Strong trucks, but I doubt if my 05 would have the pull it. Gutless wonder!

There is no way. He is full of it. Go have a look at your frame. It is very tough.

Gardner,


Are you saying that you were 33,100 GCVW? on the 2500?


Pete

Yes, SIR, total combined gross weight on truck and trailer at the Santa Nella Rotton Robbies scale last summer. Drove from San Diego to Bend Oregon, a little over 1,000 miles. Actually, it pulled the Grapevine very well and handled very well all the way home, including pulling from Redding to Shasta City, and on up past Mt Shasta to K Falls. I had to drive with my eyes a mile ahead though, as braking was the weakest part of the link. Huge triple axle brakes on the trailer helped, but it still took a country mile to stop it. Left San Diego at 1am so I would drive through LA with the least traffic and not have stop and go traffic. Didn't even use Tow Haul except going down the Grapevine. I normally go down the Grapevine on the north end in 5 Towhaul, but with this weight I went down in 3 Towhaul and tapped the brakes often - they didn't get hot, but I was glad to see the bottom of the grade. Won't tow that heavy again (until next time).