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2019 Ram 1500 5th wheel towing

I will bet money your payload sticker on the door jam does not say 1804 lbs.

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Nope - I bet you that is the actual payload. My truck if heavier with a crew cab and 4x4 and I have 1726. Big Horn/Tradesmens have good payload.
 
here is a post i made in another thread ....
went to Camping World the other day after i got the brake recall done .... looked at the Cougar 29RDB ... it is labeled as a "half ton" model ... they also had several other models that all weighed about the same but this is the one that most fit our needs .... afterwards i did some research, got an email from the salesman and here is my email back to him ....

i have been busy researching this since we were there the other day .... here is where i am so far ..
got the blk trk weighted on the way home at the landfill, certified scale ... 6420 #s with ann, me and the dog .. includes cap and wooden gun storage box ... door sticker payload sticker for the blk trk is 1577 #s .. Leer cap weights 300 #s .. wooden gun storage box weights 100 #s ... GVW for blk trk is 7100 #s ...B&W Patriot Slider Fth Whl hitch total weight 452 #s (etrailer) ... Cougar 29RDB dry weight is 8325 #s (CW site) cargo capty is 1975 #s which make the 29RDB GVW at 10,300 #s and keystone site says the hitch weight is 1520 #s ... so now to put these numbers together ....
Blk trk real weight = 6420 #s
Leer cap weight = - 300 #s
wood gun storage box = - 100 #s
blk trk real EMPTY = 6020 #s
blk trk GVW = 7100 #s
net payload blk trk = 1080 #s
B&W FW hitch = 452 #s
net payload after hitch = 628 #s
Cougar 29RDB hitch wt = 1520 #s
net payload w/ trl = 892 #s over payload weight

so, i looked at this from a different point of view .... and keep it simple

blk trk payload says 1577 #s
Cougar hitch wt says 1520 #s
net payload is 57 #s for all passengers and cargo in the trk

Ram says my trks GCVWR is 17,000 #s
Cougar say 29RDB GCVWR is 10,300 #s
that leaves 6,700 #s for my trk that has a GVWR of 7,100 #s
therefore loaded for dry camping i can expect the combined vehicle weight to be 400 #s overweight even ignoring the payload problem
the biggest problems is the over payload, the second biggest problem is over GCVWR ... in total review i do not see how ANY Ram 1/2 ton will LEGALLY be able to tow this Fifth Wheel trailer


note: i do NOT think this is what the salesman wanted to hear
 
Ram says my trks GCVWR is 17,000 #s
Cougar say 29RDB GCVWR is 10,300 #s
that leaves 6,700 #s for my trk that has a GVWR of 7,100 #s
therefore loaded for dry camping i can expect the combined vehicle weight to be 400 #s overweight even ignoring the payload problem
the biggest problems is the over payload, the second biggest problem is over GCVWR ... in total review i do not see how ANY Ram 1/2 ton will LEGALLY be able to tow this Fifth Wheel trailer

As a 1 ton truck and 5th wheel owner, I will only say that despite your excellent math, impeccable logic, and irrefutable facts, you just need to wait for the people to tell you to just add airbags.

"Tows like a dream."
 
Just drove from Austin to Chilliwack, BC to pick up our new Escape 5.0TA fifth wheel. 2,500 miles up with out the trailer, averaged 22mpg. Return trip pulling the trailer averaged 14 mpg. Lots of mountain driving, and I drove the speed limit except in areas where it's 80 in Idaho and Utah, didn't go over 75. I'm sure holding it to 65 would have resulted in even better mileage.

The Ram tows this fifth wheel like a dream. On level terrain the truck drives literally just like it does without the trailer. On hills and mountain grades the transmission gears down but has tons of power, I did not encounter a single slope of any steepness at any altitude where I couldn't step on the gas and accelerate whenever I needed to. Passing a slow truck on a mountain grade while pulling a fifth wheel is a new experience for me...but I can get used to it!

The transmission really shines on long steep mountain downgrades. When I start picking up too much speed and brake to slow down it automatically downshifts to hold that speed and will not shift up a gear until I give it the gas again. And if I slow down further by braking more, it downshifts again. I had anticipated needing to use the gear selector buttons but never touched them once, the transmission always read my mind and responded perfectly.

The trailer is 21 feet, 4,300 pounds dry and around 5,000 loaded. Pin weight 700, my Demco Recon hitch 100, so with my 1,804 payload I still have 1,000 pounds left over for me, my wife, and cargo in the truck. I towed a small fifth wheel for 15 years with my 98 Ram and this is worlds different from that, a completely stress free towing experience.

Snoqualmie 1.jpgGoosenecks 5.jpg
 
Forgot to mention one thing - when I hitch up the fifth wheel there is very little squat, I haven't measured it yet but the truck sits perfectly level when hitched and loaded. I know from other 4th gen Ram owners with the same trailer that they got more back end squat. Ram changed from liner coil springs to progressive coil springs on the 2019's - they get progressively stiffer under heavy load, and they really do seem to work well. I was prepared to add Timbrens if needed but that won't be necessary, perfectly level ride and still very smooth and comfortable.

The first time I flipped the tow mirrors out to the "moose ears" position I thought "good grief!" but they are absolutely wonderful for towing, I can see behind the trailer very well and the blind spot mirrors give a very wide commanding view that makes changing lanes safe and easy.

Snoqualmie 4.jpg
 
Glad to see you got your fifth wheel,and are happy with the setup. Can not wait too hear more about your trips and experience.

Awesome @Davidmurphy02
 
Nice setup with this type of 5th wheel, which apparently is a match for the 1500.
 
2019 Ram Limited with 1780 Payload and 11,240 towing capacity.

So I'm looking at a Minnie Plus 25rks 5th wheel with 7220 dry weight and 820 pin weight. I'm not good at math but if I'm correct then after my wife and I (360 lbs) tha leaves me about 600 lbs for hitch weight and truck cargo? Seems doable?
 
2019 Ram Limited with 1780 Payload and 11,240 towing capacity.

So I'm looking at a Minnie Plus 25rks 5th wheel with 7220 dry weight and 820 pin weight. I'm not good at math but if I'm correct then after my wife and I (360 lbs) tha leaves me about 600 lbs for hitch weight and truck cargo? Seems doable?
Do you own this truck? If so look at your drivers door jamb. There will be your payload listed.

A limited will not have 1780 pound payload. And that towing number...it is with 300 lbs for driver and passenger. And 70 lbs for the hitch.

Anxious to hear if you really have 1780 pounds...that would be phenomenal
 
Do you own this truck? If so look at your drivers door jamb. There will be your payload listed.

A limited will not have 1780 pound payload. And that towing number...it is with 300 lbs for driver and passenger. And 70 lbs for the hitch.

Anxious to hear if you really have 1780 pounds...that would be phenomenal



You're right...it says 1333 on the sticker.

Why does this site say 1780 and 11,240 towing capacity for a limited 4x4 with 3.92? Am I reading it wrong?

 
You're right...it says 1333 on the sticker.

Why does this site say 1780 and 11,240 towing capacity for a limited 4x4 with 3.92? Am I reading it wrong?

If you read my many posts on this it will be explained in full.

But the jist is that it is a configurator. The configuration is what is rated. The crew cab and bed, drive and engine are what make those numbers. The configurator is for the most picked options...and well...a tradesman doesn't even qualify so a limited has too many options which weigh it down.

Look at the payload sticker thread...it has it all explained
 
If you read my many posts on this it will be explained in full.

But the jist is that it is a configurator. The configuration is what is rated. The crew cab and bed, drive and engine are what make those numbers. The configurator is for the most picked options...and well...a tradesman doesn't even qualify so a limited has too many options which weigh it down.

Look at the payload sticker thread...it has it all explained


So with 1333 payload then after I subtract about 600 for passengers/dogs/tools then that leaves me with about 700 lbs for pin weight.... which seems to rule our any possibility for a 5th wheel, unless there are some 5th wheels out there with pin weights that low?
 
When I was curious about 1/2 ton 5th wheels, I was looking(not very hard) and it was hard to find any that were even close to 1,000lb pin weight. Sure you might be able to look but is it going to be worth the pain to find or expense to have built?
Seems you would be limited to having driver only or you have to have a stripped down truck to pull a 5th wheel with these trucks.

I figure I can upgrade to a 5th wheel in 5-10 years when I upgrade to, most likely, a 1-ton dually.
 
Escape 5.0TA is the 5th wheel @Davidmurphy02 purchased and he pulls it with his 5th gen Ram. But he specifically ordered his for the task.

The limited version is just too heavy for this scenario...but I am sure a salesman would tell you it could be done.

Good luck with your search, @drhoda. Your numbers are correct in your last post. And as you can see if you find one, it is gonna be a light and short one.
 
The B&W Turnover Ball hitch seems to be the only gooseneck for a 2019+ Ram 1500 with air suspension. The Curt looks like it should fit, but they don't specify it for the air suspension. The B+W instructions specifically call out the extra steps for an air suspension. https://www.bwtrailerhitches.com/si...uments/GNRK1319 Installation Instructions.pdf

Reese may have brackets for above bed 5th wheel rails. However, the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel with the B&W Turnover Ball would be lighter and has good reviews.

Upgrades to the truck--Load Range E LT tires, higher load capacity wheels, air springs, and maybe a rear anti-roll bar--could all add to the de facto capacity of the truck. I'm not positive, however since the supplemental air springs replace the jounce rubber, it is possible they could be used with 4-corner suspension, reducing the load on the rear suspension and preventing an overload warning.

I'm guessing de facto rear GAWR, which seems to be limited by wheels, tires, and spring rate, could be increased from 4100# to about 5000#. In addition to additional sidewall stiffness, LT tires can have a near 50% increase in capacity over OE tires. The Ford F-150 Heavy Duty Payload Package increases their official GVWR by 800 lb with what amounts to a tire upgrade and spring rate increase. Interestingly, they left the truck with 2275# wheels whose combined capacity is less than their rear GAWR.
 

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