2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup Owner Manual - Page 156

156 UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF YOUR VEHICLE WARNING! • Care should always be exercised when operating a vehicle with unrestrained cargo. Vehicle speeds may need to be reduced. Severe turns or rough roads may cause shifting or bouncing of the cargo that may result in vehicle damage. If wide building materials are to be frequently carried, the installation of a support is recommended. This will restrain the cargo and transfer the load to the pickup box floor. • If you wish to carry more than 600 lbs (272 kg) of material suspended above the wheelhouse, supports must be installed to transfer the weight of the load to the pickup box floor or vehicle damage may result. The use of proper supports will permit loading up to the rated payload. • Unrestrained cargo may be thrown forward in an accident causing serious or fatal injury. There are stampings in the sheet metal on the inner side bulkheads of the box in front of and behind both wheel housings. Place wooden boards across the box from side to side to create separate load compartments in the pickup box. There are four tie-down cleats bolted to the lower sides of the pickup box that can sustain loads up to 1000 lbs (450 kg) total.