Towing ability

[RobertE]

I go further than that and figure 50-60% of the mfg ‘er specs for tow capacity. That would mean 5000# max for your truck.

Err on the safe side and go 15% for hitch weight instead if the standard 10%.

Two things to consider 1) suspension and 2)drive train. Brakes aren’t as important since the trailer has brakes.

1) Suspension. Always hitch the trailer before buying to see how much squat there is. Weight distribution are supposed to help - I’m not convinced of they affect hitch weight. Probably more for stability.

Remedies are air bags (best), helper springs.

2) Drivetrain. Most trucks have are capable of towing, but a towing package is better. 4WD drive trucks have usually a beefier suspension.

Tow packages often just have the hitch, connectors, maybe some features related to towing, but things like higher capacity transmission coolers maybe not. Locking differential is a good feature.

All that said, it’s not an exact formula, with many variables such as terrain, and you never know what you will have until you get the trailer out on the road. Wind resistance can influence things white a bit and really test your vehicle.

 

[Rosy]

I go further than that and figure 50-60% of the mfg ‘er specs for tow capacity. That would mean 5000# max for your truck.

Err on the safe side and go 15% for hitch weight instead if the standard 10%.

Two things to consider 1) suspension and 2)drive train. Brakes aren’t as important since the trailer has brakes.

1) Suspension. Always hitch the trailer before buying to see how much squat there is. Weight distribution are supposed to help - I’m not convinced of they affect hitch weight. Probably more for stability.

Remedies are air bags (best), helper springs.

2) Drivetrain. Most trucks have are capable of towing, but a towing package is better. 4WD drive trucks have usually a beefier suspension.

Tow packages often just have the hitch, connectors, maybe some features related to towing, but things like higher capacity transmission coolers maybe not. Locking differential is a good feature.

All that said, it’s not an exact formula, with many variables such as terrain, and you never know what you will have until you get the trailer out on the road. Wind resistance can influence things white a bit and really test your vehicle.

No, air bags are not a good remedy to excessive squat due to overloading your truck. A WDH can help but the real solution is more truck or less trailer.

 

[T’sOVR&Explore]

One comment to offer about 4wd vs 2wd: Our Ram 2500 Crew diesel puller 4wd is NOT something that you should consider suitable to take mud bogging with the heavy Cummins up front.

However, our home parking space that we back the OVR into was just unimproved Florida sugar sand initially. Picking up the trailer had the Ram 2500's rear wheels positioned on the sugar sand and front wheels on a few feet of concrete at that end of the driveway.

Ram-Bro, as we affectionately refer to this second 2500 Ram diesel that we have owned, apparently does not have a locking rear differential. Sure enough, our next pull out of the trailer saw the rear wheel trying to bury itself in 2wd as the pull started.

Slipped the transfer case into 4wd low range and let the front axle pull things right along to get clear of the sugar sand. Kinda biased now, no way that I would accept 2wd in my puller for trailers that weigh more than 2000 lbs.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Engine, transmission,gear ratio? All important in vehicle choice. People are using vehicles the manufacturers intended as daily drivers to haul trailers full time. When designed to haul weekend toys.

To say you have a 1500 may put the truck in that box. Many of them were made for that specific market.

Take the boat (that's how the brochures show them hauling) on a weekend outing. Trailers have more frontal area. That puts more consistent loads on the drivetrain.

What I Am saying is how the truck is equipped is likely more important than it's rated capacity. I would put a disk brake kit on the trailer, before I modified the truck with one exception.

I would consider overload springs to increase load capacity in the truck, and move some of the gear into the truck, rather than loading the trailer.

I am a heavy metal advocate. That is because I live this life full time. Even still in drive a 1500 and haul a rig rated 7500 max GVW. Choose your battles and don't exceed your capacities.

 

[Vint]

WDH transfer about 25% of the tow to the front axle, hence the name.

Good post by Kevin, truck commercials show boats being towed for a day or weekend at the lake.

 

[RobertE]

No, air bags are not a good remedy to excessive squat due to overloading your truck. A WDH can help but the real solution is more truck or less trailer.

I agree on more truck, but air bags can help if you can’t afford a new truck. I’m not talking about an overloaded truck, just to help it out. I see a lot of people running down the road that could use them.

 

[T’sOVR&Explore]

I had Firestone Ride-Rite air bags on the back of the old Chevy P30 MH chassis, rear air bags on the 2008 Canyon baby truck, and just got half done completing Ram-Bro's air bag install on Thursday. Curb side bag installs Friday morning (so much rain in FL this week).

Spring compression under significant applied download changes vehicle trim angle as the supporting leaf or coil spring does the F=KX response equation. Just physics, just a fact.

For ride quality, leaf and coil springs in 1500 and 2500 series vehicles are not constant rate springs, which is to say that the full hard-k max spring rate value of the spring is typically not in play until the spring is loaded far enough into it's deflection travel range.

A slight squat while loaded within the by-design softer initial range of spring response can be trimmed back up to level by adding helper springs, air adjustable shocks or air bags.

But you can't "air down" helper springs to return to the original unloaded mall cruiser soft ride if they are already doing their thing within the by-design softer initial range of the OEM springs. And if the helper springs only start to pick up load after displacement downward is significant, you will have to just accept and live with the unmitigated squat while loaded...

Air bags or air adjustable shocks are great for minor trim up, bit not as a "fix" for overload, which is why such add-ons have long enjoyed a durable sales pattern and repeat customer base.