Fifth wheel towing...

[Sonnie]

To confirm my suspicions.... I have the 2020 Laramie 4x4 5.7 eTorque 3.92. I believe I read on the door sticker a 1162lb payload.

Therefore... towing the following fifth wheel would not be advisable nor safe...

 

[devildodge]

Nope. Suspicions confirmed

 

[Sonnie]

Maybe we are not quite ready to do the camping thing just yet. A few years and it will be time to trade.

 

[devildodge]

1495 is dry hitch weight. Dry weight is 7980

So 19% pin weight. It says it can carry 2015...but lets say you pack light and empty tanks. Just for giggles 1000lbs. 8980. Pin weight is now 1700 lbs.

5th wheel hitch is about 150lbs so you got 1850lbs on your rear axle.

7100 minus 1162 means your truck weighs 5938. Which mean your rear weighs 2375lbs empty. With just the hitch and pin weight your rear axle is at 4225. Rear axle rating is 4100 so 125 pounds over...before you even put a coffee in your truck.

Not a good idea

 

[Sonnie]

We are not much for dry camping, so we'd be parking where there is hookup... so no reason to haul water, and we do indeed travel very light as for my wife and I. However, I still haven't added the 5th wheel hitch in the bed (puc?)... and I've also exchanged my 23 gallon tank for a 33 gallon tank, have a dual subwoofer under the rear seat with amp, tool box on back of the truck (which might would have to come off anyway)... so I'm heavy either way.

We can wait a few years, not a big deal. We are seriously fearful that we will be excited about doing the camping thing and then end up not doing it. We had a lake house for about 5 years and sold it cause we got burnt out. We can wait until it makes more sense. To do it now would require wasting a lot of money.

 

[Sonnie]

Okay... so we were originally looking at travel trailers and my friend got us side-tracked on 5th wheels. IF we got back to considering a travel trailer. I am curious as to what we can safely pull with my truck.

I was mistaken on the payload... transposed the numbers. Sticker in door well shows 1612lbs.

1612lbs to start.
-400 - my wife and I
-100 - tool box with a few tools (I can pick it up easily)
-200 - other stuff in the truck (sub box, running boards, etc)
-150 - ? truck hitch weight
762lbs - is what the trailer hitch weight can be - am I calculating this correctly?

We will have some clothes in the trailer... no water... a couple of lounge chairs, hoses, cables, a few dishes, and some food. We'll add a Dishmate for our Dish satellite.

So if I am safely at about 600-700lbs hitch weight... how do I calculate what the weight of the trailer can be?

 

[devildodge]

Campers are usually set up with 12 to 15% tongue weight

So using the numbers you gave...762 left for tongue weight not the 912.

For a buffer lets go 13% take 762 ÷.13 for 5861.

So look at the 5500 to 6500 GVWR range and pay attention to the hitch weight.
Come back with some thoughts and we can check it out.

And I know...people are towing 8 to 10k campers...but it doesn't make it right.

 

[Sonnie]

lol... my calculator did not subtract correctly... 762 it is.

I'll look around.

 

[Drewster]

What if you got a camper that wasn't a 5th wheel?

 

[Sonnie]

That's what we are looking at now.

 

[devildodge]

What if you got a camper that wasn't a 5th wheel?

He said in post 6 he was getting back to looking at travel trailers.

There are a few members who do tow 5th wheels. But they have Bighorn properly equiped in 2wd usually and the 5th wheel is small.

I am ready for winter to pass and get back to camping

 

[LoNeStAr]

He said in post 6 he was getting back to looking at travel trailers.

There are a few members who do tow 5th wheels. But they have Bighorn properly equiped in 2wd usually and the 5th wheel is small.

I am ready for winter to pass and get back to camping

No winter camping in PA?

 

[devildodge]

No winter camping in PA?

There are a few places to winter camp.

The issue for me is they are much farther north and the past few years we have got more ice than snow..so we have not done any for a few years. Our camper is parked and winterized now.

 

[blakei]

Campers are usually set up with 12 to 15% tongue weight

So using the numbers you gave...762 left for tongue weight not the 912.

For a buffer lets go 13% take 762 ÷.13 for 5861.

So look at the 5500 to 6500 GVWR range and pay attention to the hitch weight.
Come back with some thoughts and we can check it out.

And I know...people are towing 8 to 10k campers...but it doesn't make it right.

I would suggest one adjustment to this. With 762 tongue weight available, 13% gives you 5861 TOTAL weight for the trailer. Figure you’ll load about 750-1000 lbs of stuff, so I’d say the GVWR should be no more than 6000 and the dry weight should be lower than 5000.

We are towing 7000 dry and 8000 loaded with 1760 payload. Hitch is about 1000. Ended up being more than I thought it would be.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Trooper4]

Love to watch/listen to speculation. What if's are fun.

 

[devildodge]

Yeah. I can not believe this. Damn guy wants to tow a fifth wheel.

Hell, he should go get a 11k unlaiden 5th...he has 11900 towing.

Pin weight means nothing his truck can take 6 passengers and the pin weight and go 75 down the highway.

Payload...pft. These trucks axles add up to 8000lbs. No trouble at all loading them to 9k. Those numbers are just for emissions.

7100 has nothing to do with the weight the truck can stop and turn. That is an old wives tale.

Just hook and go. Numbers are for sissies.

 

[devildodge]

so I’d say the GVWR should be no more than 6000 and the dry weight should be lower than 5000.

That is why I said look.

I learned on another help session that a 7000lb GVWR camper had a 4600lb dry weight. The tanks were huge. .

The OP said he was never going to dry camp.

So I gave the option of a bigger trailer.

The problem is if the person asking isnt paying attention...they can buy a camper and end up being completely wrong or luckily right.

Each number has to be viewed and understood

My camping trips mean having over 1700lbs payload in the truck alone.

Others may only have the significant other or a dog

Each situation is different

I might suggest a 7000lb trailer for a Bighorn to find out the guy lives in Florida and it is him and his wife. Well shoot...go for a 10k.

Or you might have a guy with a limited wanting to tow a 10k camper in the Rockies. Better get that rig down near 6.

I think I am going to stray from towing threads for awhile. It isn't fun anymore.

 

[Sonnie]

Yeah. I can not believe this. Damn guy wants to tow a fifth wheel.

Hell, he should go get a 11k unlaiden 5th...he has 11900 towing.

Pin weight means nothing his truck can take 6 passengers and the pin weight and go 75 down the highway.

Payload...pft. These trucks axles add up to 8000lbs. No trouble at all loading them to 9k. Those numbers are just for emissions.

7100 has nothing to do with the weight the truck can stop and turn. That is an old wives tale.

Just hook and go. Numbers are for sissies.

Referring to me as that "Damn guy" and in third person is very disrespectful... and if you are going to be disrespectful to members, you don't need to be a moderator... or I don't need to be a site supporter.

I came here to ask a question (or two) and seek assistance. Please excuse me for mistaking this as the proper place to do so. Furthermore, you are insinuating that I've stated a lot more than I have. You certainly have a creative imagination.

To confirm... I never said I "wanted" to tow a fifth wheel. I have been researching because I do care. If I didn't care, or didn't think the numbers mattered, I would have no reason to come here and have someone attempt to humiliate me for lack of knowing and attempting to try to learn more. It's as if everyone should just know everything and not even have to ask.

To further confirm... if you had bothered to read carefully (there is indication you at least read part of it)... we were originally looking at travel trailers and our friend got us side-tracked and wanted us to look at a fifth-wheel. I told him I did not think my truck could handle it, but he insisted it could, as did the dealer. HOWEVER, because "I did not know" AND "I do care and want to know"... I decided it would be best to research it and find out what my truck is capable of towing and what would be safe for us, hence my coming here and seeking help and advice.

Several of you guys have been helpful, and I appreciate your assistance.

 

[Rickyrocket]

Start at the top,buy a used DP and tow your RAM behind, not having to get out when you stop for a break is a bonus, no nasty roadside rest areas, your own food,etc.

 

[devildodge]

@Sonnie

Notice that I am the original person who had replied to you. Notice that I also am the one who explained to another member that you were looking at travel trailers.

Notice the winking smiley face at the bottom of my quoted post.

I will pm you and explain why I did what i did

I meant no disrespect to you. I will delete my post if you like.