Last summer, I purchased a 2014 RAM 3500 Laramie DRW, 4x4 Crew-cab with the Cummins diesel and the stock automatic transmission.

According to the RAM Brochure (2014 RAM Pickups), my truck has a maximum payload of 5,830#.

But according to the 2014 RAM Builder's Guide (under 2014 Camper Guide), the maximum weight of a camper I can place on my truck is 4,631# - an approximate 1,200# reduction!

Can anybody explain the discrepancy in these two numbers? I suspect that part of this is based on the estimated weight of passengers (5 seating locations in my case - Ford uses 150# per position) which would account for 750#, but that still does not explain the additional ~450#.

We are considering the purchase of an Arctic Fox 990, but I'm discovering that the estimated wet weight (4,375# - not including any of our "stuff"), may not leave as much margin as one would expect.

I know plenty of people successfully haul these campers (and larger). I'm just trying to understand how it is that I could potentially exceed the limits of my truck with this camper.

Thank you,

Kevin Taberski