Advice on Towing

[upi441]

NEED ADVICE

New travel trailer after looking at following specs do I need to upgrade to a Ram 2500? If so would you get Turbo Diesel or 6.4 gas? Any advice would help me out.

EQUALIZER SWAY/DISTRIBUTION HITCH

Thanks

Karen Baker



2021 Ram 1500 5.7 hemi Etorque Axle Ratio 3.92

GVWR – 6900

Payload – 1760

Base weight -total – 5136

Front – 2983

Rear – 2153

GAWR –

Front – 3700

Rear - 4100

CTCWR – 17000

MAX TRAILER WEIGHT – 11,370



2021 Grand Design 2970RL

Length = 34 feet

Dry Weight – 7397

Payload – 1598

GVWR – 8995

Hitch Weight - 751

 

[LSG]

No you should be fine. i Would put load leveling system On it if you will be in high winds high traffic roads etc or long tows. If you are not going far or fast maybe not your truck is more than rated for it.
and something to think about after you have it would be air bags. There not cheap if you have remote controlled air pump. But I kind of like mine on my smaller truck but will most likely put them on my one ton dually because you can at the push of a button fix a lot of bounce and sway not to mention level out for varying loads without finding air.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

First, Welcome!

I agree with LSG. Remember the hitch weight is dry weight. When loaded should be around #900 so load accordingly. truck payload is 1760 so you can, including passenger weight (add 800 max) to the truck payload while towing, although I like keeping that at 80%. What I am saying is the family can go along for the ride.

My 5.7 /w 8 speed is a great hauler even in the 11000 ft mountains. With the "E" addition it should prove even better. Adding to LSG's post I would add that high winds are a disaster waiting to happen with any high profile rig. that said plan your trips and stay safe.

 

[kayakterp]

Sorry but IMHO I respectfully disagree with above.
The brakes and the trans cooler will help with safe towing. Also your Payload seems small on the truck by the time you get the tongue weight, hitch weight, and any gear/accessories in the truck bed not to mention other passengers.
whether you get a diesel or gas is a big dispute between owners. Most people that go diesel never go back to gas but for me, it’s my daily driver and I don’t want all the upfront costs into owning a diesel so my 3/4 ton gas is great.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Sorry but IMHO I respectfully disagree with above.
The brakes and the trans cooler will help with safe towing. Also your Payload seems small on the truck by the time you get the tongue weight, hitch weight, and any gear/accessories in the truck bed not to mention other passengers.
whether you get a diesel or gas is a big dispute between owners. Most people that go diesel never go back to gas but for me, it’s my daily driver and I don’t want all the upfront costs into owning a diesel so my 3/4 ton gas is great.

Please tell me more. How would you add a transmission cooler to a ZF transmission? What truck manual tells you that without trailer brakes the truck has limited tow capacity (all), no matter what the truck size is. On occasion I feel compelled to respond. Please do your research if you want to help someone with proper information.

 

[kayakterp]

I simply meant that a 3/4 ton truck usually comes out of the factory with bigger/better brakes than a 1/2 ton truck...as well as a transmission cooler.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I simply meant that a 3/4 ton truck usually comes out of the factory with bigger/better brakes than a 1/2 ton truck...as well as a transmission cooler.

I can appreciate that. the brakes are bigger and better, however i would not sell a larger truck when the truck in question is engineered for much more weight than is needed for the trailer in question. The 1 ton chevy I have has comments on adding a trans cooler for weights over #xxxx lbs. On my RAM the trans cooler is on the transmission using water from the cooling system. To tow over 2000# the trailer must have brakes. Take that how you want to but I take it that the brakes are designed for GVW +2000#.

My RAM has a DID that can be set up for trans information.

 

[Germanrazor]

I have always been a proponent of buy more truck than you currently need. So when you up the game, then you have the truck that meets the need.

The spec’s on the truck in question look within the ability and then some. I do agree the payload on the truck seemed lower than what I would have guessed. But if you truly don’t think the payload will come into close range, then no issue.

 

[drmox]

It depends on more than a few things:
Is your tow vehicle your daily driver?
Can you put up with a rough ride day in and day out?
Do you mind towing at 60-65 mph?
Are you retired, and are going to be towing all over the US?
Or are you a weekend warrior?

I have a dedicated tow vehicle; a Dodge Ram 2500 w/Cummins diesel. It tows great and pulls like a freight train. But I have a car to drive every day. Driving my truck every day to work just wouldn't be my cup of tea. If I could only afford one, I would have to find a way to make a 1/2-ton truck work.

 

[Germanrazor]

Not sure I would anymore agree with ride quality being a deterrent for a HD/SD truck as a daily driver. They ride quite well as compared to over 25 years ago. Yep, not a Cadillac but who needs to be that pretentious in life.

I have done off-roading and can you show you a real buckboard ride if you wish.

But then again, to each their own in life. Cars are truly dinosaurs now days. I believe to some who have a hard time with large vehicles should stick with them but in all reality, SUV and trucks are practical.

 

[Robert E]

I am also new to this. I have a 2021 dodge ram 1500 with 5.7 hemi echo torque. It rated for about 12,000 lbs. I currently tow a car on a Trailer. Its total weight of 5,000 lbs. I have no problems with the power of the engine and the brakes work great while towing.
My question: I am thinking of getting a tow behind RV, with a total loaded weight of about 8,500lbs. I would assume this will ok with my PU truck. Any thoughts, suggestions or concerns?

Thanks

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Should do fine

 

[itsrook]

I am also new to this. I have a 2021 dodge ram 1500 with 5.7 hemi echo torque. It rated for about 12,000 lbs. I currently tow a car on a Trailer. Its total weight of 5,000 lbs. I have no problems with the power of the engine and the brakes work great while towing.
My question: I am thinking of getting a tow behind RV, with a total loaded weight of about 8,500lbs. I would assume this will ok with my PU truck. Any thoughts, suggestions or concerns?

Thanks

Be careful I have a 2021 ram 1500 e torque also, none of the 5.7's are rated that much. Even with the 3.92 gears they max at 11,000. Also the allowable tongue weight is usually abysmal after you add in all the heavy options these trucks have. For example the Limited with sunroof, airbags, bed boxes and 2 part hitch only has less than 1000 lbs cargo capacity. Just be careful and research your vin number, not what the FCA website says.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

NEED ADVICE

New travel trailer after looking at following specs do I need to upgrade to a Ram 2500? If so would you get Turbo Diesel or 6.4 gas? Any advice would help me out.

EQUALIZER SWAY/DISTRIBUTION HITCH

Thanks

Karen Baker



2021 Ram 1500 5.7 hemi Etorque Axle Ratio 3.92

GVWR – 6900

Payload – 1760

Base weight -total – 5136

Front – 2983

Rear – 2153

GAWR –

Front – 3700

Rear - 4100

CTCWR – 17000

MAX TRAILER WEIGHT – 11,370



2021 Grand Design 2970RL

Length = 34 feet

Dry Weight – 7397

Payload – 1598

GVWR – 8995

Hitch Weight - 751

Well for starters, most use 80% of ratings to figure the numbers. The RAM 1500 payload of 1760 lbs, and a suggested target of 80% of the payload is 1408 lbs. So 1408 - 751 - 2x 200lb passengers - 20 gal fuel = 137 lbs for "stuff" that would be in the tow vehicle. Not a lot of margin

Then for RAM tow weight of 11380 thus 80% of 11370 is 9096. 9096 - 8995 = 101 Those numbers look OK but not a lot of margin. Loading carefully the tow vehicle and trailer and you should be under the recommended values.

Yes for towing that trailer you DO WANT a weight-distribution hitch with a sway bar.

 

[Gronk]

First thing I would say is get rid of the dry weight. You will never tow it at that weight. You don't even tow it at that weight when you leave the dealership. Concentrate on the GVW. You also can forget about the "Max trailer weight". At 11,370lbs you will have a minimum tongue weight (12%) of 1364 pounds. Add a spare for the truck, ONE person, and a tank of gas and you are over payload capacity without anything else. That 751lb tongue weight is the light weight of the trailer. You are probably looking closer to 1080lbs (12% of GVW). That only leaves you with an additional 680lbs. Subtract weight of people, equipment in the truck, and the possibility of a higher tongue weight and you can see where this is going. Can you tow it? Yep, no doubt in my mind. Is it going to be blown around by a semi or side wind? Yep, bet it will. Would your truck be able to handle emergenct manuevers? Doubtful in my feeble mind.
Not trying to discourage you by any means, just trying to keep you safe. Just remember, you cannot have too much water in your black tank, or too much hitch, or too much truck. Believe it or not, my 14,000lb gvw trailer is a lot closer to maxing out my one ton dually that you would think........

 

[Germanrazor]

Without getting into the numbers like a college calculus lesson I try to keep things simple for the most part. Anytime you are looking to a TT over 30 feet and over 6000 lbs dry and we all know dry weight is just that…….never tow using a non-heavy duty PU.

Just pony up to a work truck. If you think one day you will go beyond the TT to a fifth wheel you may want to start calculating the numbers a bit to see if a gasser heavy duty or diesel is best.

Do people tow trailers you are asking about with 1500 series trucks? All day. But I would hate for that one time of catastrophic failure due to wear and tear or stressing that series of truck to a breaking point and injure others.

Now if you like the math of calculating precisely, go for it. Just don’t go with just getting by.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

Without getting into the numbers like a college calculus lesson I try to keep things simple for the most part. Anytime you are looking to a TT over 30 feet and over 6000 lbs dry and we all know dry weight is just that…….never tow using a non-heavy duty PU.

Just pony up to a work truck. If you think one day you will go beyond the TT to a fifth wheel you may want to start calculating the numbers a bit to see if a gasser heavy duty or diesel is best.

Do people tow trailers you are asking about with 1500 series trucks? All day. But I would hate for that one time of catastrophic failure due to wear and tear or stressing that series of truck to a breaking point and injure others.

Now if you like the math of calculating precisely, go for it. Just don’t go with just getting by.

Take your tow vehicle or the VIN number to the vehicle dealer. Ask the service department to look up the trailer towing specs for that specific vehicle. The GVRW of models of the same year and type will vary due to accessories. Then multiply that number by 80%. The result is the maximum GVRW of the trailer you should be towing.