# What will a 3500 4x4 dmax dump weigh?



## mrusk (Jan 18, 2004)

I was going to go buy a new Ford, however i am having secound thoughts because of all the proablems. So i been looking in the paper and some dealerships have some good deals on 04 and 05 3500 reg cab 4x4 dmax allison with 8-9 ft mason dumps. I belive the GVW on these trucks is 11,400, so my question is what will one of these trucks weigh? I am curious to see what the acctual leagal payload will be since the GVW Is 1600lbs less then the f350.
I have about 3500 dollors on my gm card, so with the deals the dealers have i should be looking at 30k before taxes.
So how much can the truck legally carry?

Thanks 
Matt


----------



## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

I have a 2003 not 4x4 and my GVW is 11,400lbs. I believe the 4x4 GVW is 12,000lbs. I bought the shortest wheelbase possible and I only have a flat deck with no sides and obviously no hydraulics or motors or anything for a dump and my maximum legal weight in the box is 4,000lbs. I would think you need to find a aluminum box to have a good payload. I have a plow and with the plow on we cannot fill the salter full.


----------



## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

My 2003 duramax 4x4 with maunder 2 dump body and 8 1/2 Western ultra mount weighs 9200 lbs gvw is 12,000. I had 2 leaves and 1 helper spring added. I see your from NJ if you want to see the truck in in Somerville.


----------



## djd427 (Dec 19, 2004)

Turfmower,
How hard was it to install the extra leafsprings? I would like to beef up my 04 3500. It is a 4wd with the dump box and gas motor and weighs 7850lbs with one person and 50 gallons fuel, (no plow) 12,000 lbs GVW.
Was thinking about an aluminum box to put on mine, does anyone know the weight difference between the two? How about the price of the aluminum box ?


----------



## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

I had the front torsion bars cranked up. I had the rear springs installed at a spring shop for $500.00. 2 leaves on each side, 1 helper on each side, insulator pads, and new U-bolts, and hardware. The truck rides much better now that it dont sit on the over load springs.


----------



## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

$500?? How many springs did they install?

My local spring shop added two leaves to each pack on my front axle, including new u-bolts, for $200 Cdn. plus tax.

I ended up having to take one back out as it was too much even with the BOSS blade on the front... two springs made my front suspension almost immobile while jumping on the front.

Rear springs are smaller, so if anything they should be cheaper.

Definately shop around of you do it, obviously the price varies quite a bit from shop to shop.


----------



## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

I had 6 total 3 on each side. They are real leaves not the little add on ones.


----------



## steveair (Feb 24, 2000)

Hello,

I installed timbrens on the back of my 2500hd and they worked out very well. Think they were around $150 and couldn't be any easier to install. I can carry a pallet of versa lok block in the back (close to 4k) and the truck handles it pretty well. Maybe a cheap option to look into, and I like them as they don't affect the truck's ride empty as does adding more leafs.

Also, if you are really concerned about GVRW, then look at a 4500 instead. They will be equivalent to the fords and are available in 4x4 now. With all the ford rumors floating around on their new trannies, don't think I would even consider one at this point in time. DOT wise, the 3500 is almost over its weight with a yard of gravel. Not much of a truck at that point.


----------



## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

Del makes a steel dump box in this area and it weights 2450lbs. Eloquip makes the aluminum one and it weights 990lbs. Big Difference.


----------



## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Turfmower said:


> I had 6 total 3 on each side. They are real leaves not the little add on ones.


Not sure what you mean by 'little add on ones' (do you mean clamp on helpers?) but mine were full length leaf springs, custom arched to my truck. They make everything on site, including the U-bolts.

The shop specializes in heavy trucks (tri-axle dumps are common place there) but they were more than willing to do mine too.


----------



## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

I don't see what you point is 

you got 2 springs for $200 or $100 per spring

I got 6 for $500.00 or $84.00 per spring


----------



## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Try again.

I got two per side (four springs) for $200 Cdn.

ie:$50 per spring Cdn.

or with todays exchange rate, about $41 each. With the higher exchange rate when I bought them, about $37 each...

That is quite a difference. Not knocking you, just seemed awfully high.


----------



## djd427 (Dec 19, 2004)

Just got back a price for adding 2 leafsprings and helper on each side. 6 leafs total. $520. This guy is very reputable in my area as doing a good job so I might just go with him. 
Turfmower how does the truck ride empty? I am thinking about switching to an aluminum box this year as I can really use the extra load capacity. I never thought they were that much lighter!!


----------



## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

The truck ride better now empty As it used to sit on the over load springs empy. so it rides better now. I can put 2 pallets of pavers in the truck with out any problems.


----------



## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)




----------



## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

*Derek*

That seems like a great price. I got a price in Richmond Hill for 2 rear springs each side for $300 installed. The guy in Aurora wanted $500.


----------



## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Well, maybe I got an exceptional deal from the guy. I wouldn't know. If anyone is fairly local and wants to deal with him, I can provide an address. He is in St. Catharines.

Realistically, think what a leaf spring is--it's a flat piece of steel (a specific springy grade) that they bend into an arc and bolt onto your truck. They can't be paying more than a few dollars apiece for the blank, so once the machinery is paid for, its all money in the bank.

Same with the U-bolts. They start as just roundbar of various lengths with the ends threaded a little ways. I don't know if they make the blanks there themselves ahead of time, but that is what I saw there. They hydraulically bend these blanks over a mandrel of the appropriate width to fit the springs and axle tubes.

It was surprisingly simple, not the rocket-science I guess I was expecting. Maybe I'm in the wrong line of work?

Another item of note, steel prices have more than doubled since last year when I had it done--that can affect the price as well.


----------



## mrusk (Jan 18, 2004)

I went to look at trucks today. I can get a 05' reg cab 4x4 dmax allison with a 8ft mason dump for 35000. Then i have another 2k on my gm card. So i can get the truck for 33000 before taxes. I got to think about it alittle more, but i feel i am going to go for it. 

Matt


----------



## djd427 (Dec 19, 2004)

Matt, 
that is a good price for a duramax. I wanted to get the durmax also but my dealer didn't have one and no other dealer wanted to part with theres (give to my dealer). We ended up getting 2 gassers we paid $27,300 for each of them with automatic, 8' mason dump box, and plow prep. Oh, and the one has a underbody tool box on. The tool box is worth every penny. Try to squeeze one out of them for that truck it will be worth it.
Dave


----------



## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

hey my dealer has a left over 03 45oo dump, mason 10ft, for 34k with the dmax and allison and plow prep. just a thought


----------



## grassmanvt (May 27, 2004)

My question is do you really need a diesel. If not, save the money and get a gasser. Around here regular unleaded is about 45 cents cheaper a gallon and there is a big enough differance in mileage to make it worth it. Anyway, this fall I picked up a 04'3500 brand new off the lot, with a body, base trim,(upgraded cloth seat,cd, ac, w/c mirrors, locking diff, plow prep. Etc. for $25,500.I got about 12k off sticker with all the rebates,(don't forget to get the extra commercial rebate)and g.m. card money.Its been a great truck so far. Also, gvw wise, the fords run very similar gvws unless you go to a 450 or 550 and you are talking much more money.It's a sad fact but a true 350 or 3500 series truck can only legally haul a yard when realisticly they can haul closer to four with a 2-3 yard dump and a set of sideboards. So far, d.o.t. seems to be o.k. with that around here unless you are ridiculously overloaded.Who's gona stop loading after one yard anyway. You could do that with a pickup.Just my 2 cents.


----------



## Herbie (Sep 12, 2003)

I've hauled 5 ton on my 3500 D/A diesel long bed with a 9' dump, got space for a tool box between cab and bed. Hauls it just fine. Need to use caution though going around curves.
Adding more suspension to the rear sounds like a good idea. Might look into that here.
Need some of those timbrens though. Where can I order them? Can my mechanic get/order them cheaper?


----------

