WDH Weigh Safe True Tow

[Ramboy13]

Up-front: I’ve skimmed many threads and learned a lot. I’ve tried to pick up as much as I can, but want to ask the smarter / more experienced towing folks out there for advice.

I have a 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten (so it has Hurricane HO, 4x4, air suspension, 3.92, and 5’7” box). My door sticker says GVWR = 7,100 lbs, and max cargo is 1,030 lbs. GAWR Front = 3,900, GAWR Rear=4,100.
From what I can find, the GCWR = 17,000.

I have a tractor that weighs about 5,500 lbs total. The trailer is a Bri-Mar EH-18, and it has a weight of about 2,700. So GTW= ~ 8,200.

I have a 3500 for pulling the big trailer with heavy loads. Now I’m faced with selling that truck, and dealing with whatever realities that brings. At first I thought I’d end up renting a truck to move my tractor. But after talking to some people, I’m exploring if I can safely tow it with my Tungsten.
I think I have the math right, but want to know if I don’t. 10% - 15% for TW of the GTW is 820 lbs - 1230 lbs. Obviously, there’s no way I can do 15%.
If you figure me at 180 lbs, that leaves me 1030 - 180 = 850 lbs for TW + whatever else I have in the truck. If I have it totally empty, I think I’m on the hairy edge of safe.

I’m looking at a Weigh Safe True Tow WDH (medium), and want to know what everyone thinks of this choice. I sure I need a WDH, and I like the idea of having the scale built right into the hitch. I figure that should allow me to move the tractor forward and back on the trailer to tweak the TW.
I’m also aware that I’ll have to put the truck in jack mode when I’m setting it up (due to the air suspension).

Last thing I want is to damage my truck or my trailered load. Any advice is welcome.

 

[Granite Goat]

Keep in mind that using a WDH will transfer some of your tongue weight off the rear axle and split it (unevenly) between the front axle and the trailer axles. So if you have it set up right, going closer to the 15% tongue weight (without the WDH springs connected) should be okay because you can tune the end result to be within your limits (by adjusting the height of the spring rests and/or changing ballmount drop.

According to the 2025 Ram Payload & Towing spec sheet, your vehicle should be good to 9,340# minus any extra stuff you're carrying (while remembering that whatever is on your door sticker is tailored to the way the truck was optioned, so it always trumps what the generic spec sheet says. So yeah, you'll be right up near your limits. If you are towing across the country or planning to cross the Bighorn Mountains, you might want to reconsider. But it is technically feasible. I always double-check my setup by rolling over a CAT scale at a truck stop for some ground-truth data and adjusting my load if necessary and re-weighing.

 

[Ramboy13]

Good point, and thank you.
I have a CAT scale not too far away and I plan to visit it if/when I get this set up.
I meant to mention that I only plan to tow relatively short distances near home. Between properties I help maintain and the local Kubota dealer (when I can’t do something myself). Not planning any long hauls.

I figure if I can get 800-850 lbs TW before pulling up the WD arms, I should be pretty safe.
And I won’t have anything in the bed of the truck for these runs.

Thanks again!

Edit: I did find the specs you included. When I get back to my computer I’ll include a screen shot from Ram website that I had been using. In the end, I think it’s more about my TW than GCWR.
Thoughts of blowing out my air bags keep me awake at night. I had a 2014 with air, and it was nonstop problems with that suspension.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Can it pull it? Yeah. Is it above your door sticker and not legal (unsafe operation)? Yeah. Don't forget your WDH also will weigh around 100 pounds, so that reduces your payload to 750 or so. Top trim trucks unfortunately aren't towing or hauling trucks, they're luxury vehicles.

 

[Ramboy13]

Can it pull it? Yeah. Is it above your door sticker and not legal (unsafe operation)? Yeah. Don't forget your WDH also will weigh around 100 pounds, so that reduces your payload to 750 or so. Top trim trucks unfortunately aren't towing or hauling trucks, they're luxury vehicles.

I can remove the FEL and save at least 1500 lbs. That should more than account for the WDH and get me back into safe and legal territory.

 

[Bt10]

Good point, and thank you.
I have a CAT scale not too far away and I plan to visit it if/when I get this set up.
I meant to mention that I only plan to tow relatively short distances near home. Between properties I help maintain and the local Kubota dealer (when I can’t do something myself). Not planning any long hauls.

I figure if I can get 800-850 lbs TW before pulling up the WD arms, I should be pretty safe.
And I won’t have anything in the bed of the truck for these runs.

Thanks again!

Edit: I did find the specs you included. When I get back to my computer I’ll include a screen shot from Ram website that I had been using. In the end, I think it’s more about my TW than GCWR.
Thoughts of blowing out my air bags keep me awake at night. I had a 2014 with air, and it was nonstop problems with that suspension.

Sway gets to be a problem for most people around 55-60mph. I’d tow that on 2 lane at 50mph with WDH and no helper springs (seen the bent frames here lately?) without worrying.

 

[Ramboy13]

Sway gets to be a problem for most people around 55-60mph. I’d tow that on 2 lane at 50mph with WDH and no helper springs (seen the bent frames here lately?) without worrying.

Thank you. Appreciate the feedback. I plan to pull this locally, on mostly back roads. I doubt I’ll even get to 50, but even if I could go above, I won’t.
I’m planning to buy that True Tow WDH so I can watch the TW. I’ll spent a lot of time getting it set up the first time, and mark exactly where I want the tractor wheels on the trailer. I may even screw down a board to use as a stop (once i get it dialed in).

 

[Ramboy13]

FWIW… from the Weigh Safe website:

 

[John Kloehr]

For non-commercial use, the law does not come in directly as a criminal matter. It can come in as a civil matter. Anything from getting sued by injured parties to your insurance denying coverage for a claim. The middle ground would be a ticket for unsafe operation.

As a practical matter, there is also your warranty and more directly, not hurting your tow rig. What you are outlining is in the likely need of WD, it moves load from the rear axle to the front. And a CAT scale is the "source of truth" for front axle, rear axle, GVW, and GCVW. The minor matter is overall combined length and if you need a non-commercial endorsement in your state (I violated this once as my front brush guard put me 8" over). Did not get pulled over.

For WD setup, see the instructions for any setup. They vary. My preferred setup is to have the front and rear drop the same amount, but the instructions for a partner's hitch is to move half the rear squat to the front (and this leaves the front slightly lifted). It does work and that setup is within the specs of the truck. And the CAT scale agreed on all limits, but barely on all three. It also tows well. Still think it should lever forward a bit more but do not feel the front end is "light" when towing. It also does look reasonable in profile.

Then there is the gut check, if the rig is too squatted, it is not right and no application of bags or boosters to mask it will make it right. The best those bandaids can do is mask it. CAT scale be damned even if the numbers are good, it also has to look right in profile.

And finally, consider outsourcing. I am about to sell my 3/4 ton Chevy truck, just do not use it enough to justify the insurance and maintenance. Home depot (et al) will deliver heavy loads for $50, and a tow of a trailer is under $100 for anything I am likely to do. Over the course of a year, that costs less than the convenience of a heavier truck. I use my Rebel for lighter stuff.

Start by going to a CAT scale without a trailer when they are not busy and find out what your front and rear axle weights actually are, with a full tank of gas. I do not fully trust the door sticker.