True tow capacity of the 3/4 ton D100?

[GnomeSaiyan]

Hello,

I’ve been browsing old threads here to read up on the D100’s tow capacity. The official (1960’s) guide says 3500 lbs max. With trailer brakes, U-Haul allows up to 4500 lbs (probably an abundance of caution).
My D100 specs:

- Remanufactured 318 roller motor, custom camshaft for more low-end torque
- 3/4 ton axle
- Probably 4.10 gears but I don’t actually know - I inherited this truck upon the owner’s passing. I know that 3/4 tonners of this era often had the 4.10.
- Front disc brakes
- NP 435 tranny
- Am installing a new radiator and electric fan
- I also might install a 6000-lb hitch

My wife’s Camry weighs 3275 lbs + U-Haul’s 750-lb dolly = 4025 lbs. That exceeds my curb weight of 3600 lbs. Let’s say the Camry broke down; would it be unsafe to tow it home on a brakeless car dolly? How about on a 2200-lb trailer with brakes?

I’m just wondering this because it feels like a real lowball to say that I probably shouldn’t tow our Camry home. Why am I calling a tow truck to bring my sedan home when I own a 3/4 ton pickup?

[Wildergarten]

I’m just wondering this because it feels like a real lowball to say that I probably shouldn’t tow our Camry home. Why am I calling a tow truck to bring my sedan home when I own a 3/4 ton pickup?

Officially, a D100 is a half-ton truck. It doesn't matter what anybody did to it to make it a 3/4-ton truck, the U-Haul people will go by the data plate.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Hello,

I’ve been browsing old threads here to read up on the D100’s tow capacity. The official (1960’s) guide says 3500 lbs max. With trailer brakes, U-Haul allows up to 4500 lbs (probably an abundance of caution).
My D100 specs:

- Remanufactured 318 roller motor, custom camshaft for more low-end torque
- 3/4 ton axle
- Probably 4.10 gears but I don’t actually know - I inherited this truck upon the owner’s passing. I know that 3/4 tonners of this era often had the 4.10.
- Front disc brakes
- NP 435 tranny
- Am installing a new radiator and electric fan
- I also might install a 6000-lb hitch

My wife’s Camry weighs 3275 lbs + U-Haul’s 750-lb dolly = 4025 lbs. That exceeds my curb weight of 3600 lbs. Let’s say the Camry broke down; would it be unsafe to tow it home on a brakeless car dolly? How about on a 2200-lb trailer with brakes?

I’m just wondering this because it feels like a real lowball to say that I probably shouldn’t tow our Camry home. Why am I calling a tow truck to bring my sedan home when I own a 3/4 ton pickup?

Is your rear axle 8 lugs? Did u have the truck weighed to determine 3600#? U really think your truck only weighs 325# more than a damn camry? That is a really light number that I have not heard before.
Towing a camry is nothing, even for a D100. Especially on a trailer with brakes. Unless you're in Heber or Park City coming down one of the canyons, or the road is wet or icy.

[GnomeSaiyan]

I’m just wondering this because it feels like a real lowball to say that I probably shouldn’t tow our Camry home. Why am I calling a tow truck to bring my sedan home when I own a 3/4 ton pickup?

Officially, a D100 is a half-ton truck. It doesn't matter what anybody did to it to make it a 3/4-ton truck, the U-Haul people will go by the data plate.

From what I understand, the 3/4 ton axle was a factory option that my great grandpa bought in 1969, and the upgraded axle is listed on the sert tag. Is it still considered a 1/2 ton? I guess the max tongue weight and suspension are probably still lighter than the D200.

[GnomeSaiyan]

Hello,

I’ve been browsing old threads here to read up on the D100’s tow capacity. The official (1960’s) guide says 3500 lbs max. With trailer brakes, U-Haul allows up to 4500 lbs (probably an abundance of caution).
My D100 specs:

- Remanufactured 318 roller motor, custom camshaft for more low-end torque
- 3/4 ton axle
- Probably 4.10 gears but I don’t actually know - I inherited this truck upon the owner’s passing. I know that 3/4 tonners of this era often had the 4.10.
- Front disc brakes
- NP 435 tranny
- Am installing a new radiator and electric fan
- I also might install a 6000-lb hitch

My wife’s Camry weighs 3275 lbs + U-Haul’s 750-lb dolly = 4025 lbs. That exceeds my curb weight of 3600 lbs. Let’s say the Camry broke down; would it be unsafe to tow it home on a brakeless car dolly? How about on a 2200-lb trailer with brakes?

I’m just wondering this because it feels like a real lowball to say that I probably shouldn’t tow our Camry home. Why am I calling a tow truck to bring my sedan home when I own a 3/4 ton pickup?

Is your rear axle 8 lugs? Did u have the truck weighed to determine 3600#? U really think your truck only weighs 325# more than a damn camry? That is a really light number that I have not heard before.
Towing a camry is nothing, even for a D100. Especially on a trailer with brakes. Unless you're in Heber or Park City coming down one of the canyons, or the road is wet or icy.

Rear axle is 5 lugs, which Dodge apparently used for “lite duty” models that had the 3/4 ton (I’ve never read “lite duty” and “3/4 ton axle” in the same sentence before doing this research). The sert tag in the door says 3600 lbs empty weight, and 5200 lbs GVWR; I’d believe you if you told me that the D100 weighs much more than that, but I’ve never gotten it weighed.

The ‘14 Camry is a massive sedan, and my truck is 60% empty bed, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Camry were almost as heavy to be honest. That’s why the weight comparison between the two didn’t sound too far off to me, but it’s still a little bothersome that I couldn’t just rent the $40 car dolly from U-Haul to bring the Camry anywhere. I guess I’ll just rent from someone else.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Hello,

I’ve been browsing old threads here to read up on the D100’s tow capacity. The official (1960’s) guide says 3500 lbs max. With trailer brakes, U-Haul allows up to 4500 lbs (probably an abundance of caution).
My D100 specs:

- Remanufactured 318 roller motor, custom camshaft for more low-end torque
- 3/4 ton axle
- Probably 4.10 gears but I don’t actually know - I inherited this truck upon the owner’s passing. I know that 3/4 tonners of this era often had the 4.10.
- Front disc brakes
- NP 435 tranny
- Am installing a new radiator and electric fan
- I also might install a 6000-lb hitch

My wife’s Camry weighs 3275 lbs + U-Haul’s 750-lb dolly = 4025 lbs. That exceeds my curb weight of 3600 lbs. Let’s say the Camry broke down; would it be unsafe to tow it home on a brakeless car dolly? How about on a 2200-lb trailer with brakes?

I’m just wondering this because it feels like a real lowball to say that I probably shouldn’t tow our Camry home. Why am I calling a tow truck to bring my sedan home when I own a 3/4 ton pickup?

Is your rear axle 8 lugs? Did u have the truck weighed to determine 3600#? U really think your truck only weighs 325# more than a damn camry? That is a really light number that I have not heard before.
Towing a camry is nothing, even for a D100. Especially on a trailer with brakes. Unless you're in Heber or Park City coming down one of the canyons, or the road is wet or icy.

Rear axle is 5 lugs, which Dodge apparently used for “lite duty” models that had the 3/4 ton (I’ve never read “lite duty” and “3/4 ton axle” in the same sentence before doing this research). The sert tag in the door says 3600 lbs empty weight, and 5200 lbs GVWR; I’d believe you if you told me that the D100 weighs much more than that, but I’ve never gotten it weighed.

The ‘14 Camry is a massive sedan, and my truck is 60% empty bed, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Camry were almost as heavy to be honest. That’s why the weight comparison between the two didn’t sound too far off to me, but it’s still a little bothersome that I couldn’t just rent the $40 car dolly from U-Haul to bring the Camry anywhere. I guess I’ll just rent from someone else.

Everything u are saying about the truck makes no sense. A D100 truck is a 1/2 ton truck, period. There was no option for an 8 lug 3/4 ton axle in a D100, nor was there ever a 5 lug 3/4 ton axle. I have a D100 VIN plate laying here on my desk. It states: Rear axle capacity 3600#. GVWR 5200#. The VIN plates and the SERT stickers on these trucks have NEVER stated an empty, unladen weight. 5200# GVWR is NOT the max weight when towing. GVWR is the max weight for the truck and its load. When towing, the spec is called GCVWR, which means Gross COMBINATION Vehicle Weight Rating. That is the spec for the weight of a truck and a towed vehicle/trailer etc. GCVWR is NEVER spec'd on a sweptline VIN plate. U mentioned a SERT tag. If in fact there is such a tag, please post a pic so that the facts of any such tag can be accurately determined.

[GnomeSaiyan]

[/quote]
Everything u are saying about the truck makes no sense. A D100 truck is a 1/2 ton truck, period. There was no option for an 8 lug 3/4 ton axle in a D100, nor was there ever a 5 lug 3/4 ton axle. I have a D100 VIN plate laying here on my desk. It states: Rear axle capacity 3600#. GVWR 5200#. The VIN plates and the SERT stickers on these trucks have NEVER stated an empty, unladen weight. 5200# GVWR is NOT the max weight when towing. GVWR is the max weight for the truck and its load. When towing, the spec is called GCVWR, which means Gross COMBINATION Vehicle Weight Rating. That is the spec for the weight of a truck and a towed vehicle/trailer etc. GCVWR is NEVER spec'd on a sweptline VIN plate. U mentioned a SERT tag. If in fact there is such a tag, please post a pic so that the facts of any such tag can be accurately determined.
[/quote]

I don’t know how to insert images inline, so I’ll attach the VIN plate to this message.

You’re right, there’s no curb weight mentioned anywhere. Just a 5200# GVWR. I remember now that I researched my truck’s weight a few months ago on this forum, and 3600 lbs is approximately correct.

The previous owner had mentioned the 3/4 ton axle occasionally, and that’s what I’ve believed all this time, but now I’m not sure. The only 5-lug 3/4 ton axle I could find was for the B250 van; maybe that was swapped in at some time?

What confuses me is the sert item “RR Axle 3”. What is that? I absolutely cannot find it online. The VIN plate doesn’t give me any rear axle capacity because the axle is somehow custom. The three people on Earth who knew this truck well have all died, so I’m trying to figure out this truck as I go.

[GnomeSaiyan]

Sorry here’s the photo

[dodgeboykim]

Wonder if Eric Bannerman is in the group. He is a wealth of knowledge regarding Dodge/Fargo etc trucks.
He is in a number of Dodge, Power Wagon etc FACEBOOK Groups.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Cool. There is definitely something SPECial, but unknown at this point. The VIN puts the rear spring capacity at the std 1400#. It would be weird to have a heavier capacity axle, but not increase the springs. What would be the point? I also see that the truck is a shortbed, so towing stability would be impacted by that. Being a shortbed, it would also have a lighter unladen weight but it has the same GVW as a longbed.
Possibly Ben might have insight on that SERT #. Nothing is known online about the SERTS, nor is their a decode/reference book available.

[soopernaut]

There was a member recently that has a 65 D100 that came from the factory with 8 lug axles and corresponding SERT numbers. In this case, a 5 lug axle and standard spring capacities does not seem to be the same thing. There is no real way to tell what is special about the axle unless you can find something specific to your truck that others do not have. The 3 could be a clue, but I have no idea.

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Interesting that it has SPEC for the axle make and model as well as the ratio and capacity. So is it a corporate 8 3/4 or something else? That would be easy to determine visually.

[GnomeSaiyan]

Interesting that it has SPEC for the axle make and model as well as the ratio and capacity. So is it a corporate 8 3/4 or something else? That would be easy to determine visually.

I finally got back down to the truck. I looked up the serial number, and the rear end is a 489 case according to this website: https://www.hemmings.com/stories/articl ... s-rearends

That’s the spec axle; a Chrysler 8.75 3rd member. Maybe that’s what the “3” means on my sert tag. Also, it’s a 3.55, no traction lock. Not the best for heavy towing anyway. Not sure why my great grandpa bought the heavy duty rear end without upgrading the springs.

Thanks for your help!