5th GEN Ram Towing TT & Golf cart

[TR5th GenRam1500]

I have a 2020 Ram 1500 5.7 etorque w/Crew cab 6-4 bed and 3.92 rear. I added load leveler 5,000lb air bags and have been towing my 7,600lb 32’ TT with a weight distribution hitch. Have made several long trips this season with absolutely no issue.
Ok so Now.. I want to put a golf cart in the bed of the truck and bring it with us camping.
How has others experiences been with this set up?

 

[LoNeStAr]

I am pretty sure that’s going to put you well over your payload capacity.

 

[TR5th GenRam1500]

How do I figure that out? Trailer tow capacity is 12,750 and payload is 1800 pounds.

 

[Mtsabo]

Tongue weight + cargo + passengers is what makes up payload.
The sticker inside your door jam will list your exact payload for your truck.
If you are right around there or under Id say go for it.
This is all best verified taking a trip to the CAT scales loaded up like your going camping to see actual weights.

 

[JJRamTX]

Do you know how much the golf cart weighs? your TT is probably around 800-900bs with the WD hitch taking approx 2-3% off of the rear and putting it on the front axle and TT. If the golf cart is under 600Lbs your probably right at the sticker limit. (I am guessing from the picture of your truck that your payload is around 1600-1750?) Can the truck do this, yes, are you over capacity, maybe. Get the scale numbers to see if you are within the rated cap or not. Then decide if you are good with it.

 

[TR5th GenRam1500]

Tongue weight + cargo + passengers is what makes up payload.
The sticker inside your door jam will list your exact payload for your truck.
If you are right around there or under Id say go for it.
This is all best verified taking a trip to the CAT scales loaded up like your going camping to see actual weights.

Tongue weight + cargo + passengers is what makes up payload.
The sticker inside your door jam will list your exact payload for your truck.
If you are right around there or under Id say go for it.
This is all best verified taking a trip to the CAT scales loaded up like your going camping to see actual weights.

Door sticker. 1,510 total
Camper loaded tongue weight 800lbs +-
Golf cart. 800lbs +-
4 Passengers. 600lbs +-
Totals 2,200 +- That doesn’t take into consideration having the Air bags. They keep me level. For everyone reading this and saying “should have bought a 2500” Ya I know . unfortunately figured that out little Too late so need to try and make this work.
I think it’s close but don’t have the experience to form a proper opinion.
Hence the Forum thread.

 

[LoNeStAr]

Airbags don’t do anything to increase payload capacity. And with those numbers you are way over your payload capacity. That is definitely not something I would attempt.

 

[devildodge]

@TR5th GenRam1500

Where are you getting your Trailer weight? Have you been to a CAT scale? Are you certain of the other listed weights?

I see you originally quoted the configuration payload. As you can see you lost almost 300lbs with just your options.

So lets look at your numbers. With 1510 payload your base weight is 5590. These trucks have about a 60/40 weight balance...so there is about 2236 pounds on your rear axle before you load anything

So you are saying you have 1600lbs at the rear of the truck. GAWR is 3900 front and 4100 rear. So 2236 and 1600 is 3836. Some of that 600 passengers will also go to the back. You will be real close to axle rating and that is not good.

Depending on how you know your camper weighs 7600 lbs. I think you will have tongue weight north of 875 lbs...probably 950 even. Unless you actually weighed this with the 3 weigh system.

And I wont say you need a 2500...but you do realize even 2200 lbs is more payload than some 2500 HD trucks have.

I think if you actually weigh your setup you will find you are overloaded

 

[AmericanRebelution]

Regardless of the numbers, I would also like to see if anyone has a setup like this - maybe with a smaller TT that aligns with weight capacities. I don't have a TT yet, but I may be purchasing one in the future. I'd like to haul an quad in the bed of the truck, but that means leaving the tailgate down which poses a serious challenge for pulling a TT. Let's so the OP and myself some options!

 

[devildodge]

8 foot bed HeftyDuty

Fixes all the problems...just pickin

 

[devildodge]

You can tow with the tailgate down. But you have to get an extension hitch. And that will greatly increase the tongue load on a 1500.
Small travel trailer...maybe one of those bed covers you load the ATV onto.
With the 1500...too many compromises. Heck travel over to HDRAMS and you can see guys still not having enough truck for their wishlist

 

[devildodge]

A toy hauler would be a good idea, if you could fet a smaller one and never tow it without the toy

 

[LoNeStAr]

Regardless of the numbers, I would also like to see if anyone has a setup like this - maybe with a smaller TT that aligns with weight capacities. I don't have a TT yet, but I may be purchasing one in the future. I'd like to haul an quad in the bed of the truck, but that means leaving the tailgate down which poses a serious challenge for pulling a TT. Let's so the OP and myself some options!

Unless you are looking at a pop up camper your asking for options that just don’t really exist for a 1/2 ton truck. The load capacity of the 1500 just can’t accommodate.
Lets just say a quad weights 500 lbs. if you have a load capacity of 1500 that leaves 1000 lbs for passenger, gear and tongue weight. So unless you go pretty small on a TT it’s not possible.
At the end of the day you need to back into the numbers with what you currently have (passengers and quad) to figure out what size TT a you can purchase.

 

[Zeronet]

This is what toy haulers are made for.

 

[JJRamTX]

Door sticker. 1,510 total
Camper loaded tongue weight 800lbs +-
Golf cart. 800lbs +-
4 Passengers. 600lbs +-
Totals 2,200 +- That doesn’t take into consideration having the Air bags. They keep me level. For everyone reading this and saying “should have bought a 2500” Ya I know . unfortunately figured that out little Too late so need to try and make this work.
I think it’s close but don’t have the experience to form a proper opinion.
Hence the Forum thread.

How much does your WD hitch take off the rear axle and put on the front truck axle and back on the TT? Check that at the scale, I am guessing it is putting around 120-200 Lbs back on the front wheels and 80-240 Lbs back onto the trailer. Not sure if that will get you there, but it could. The truck is way more capable and I have probably stress tested the payload more extremely than anyone on here with 4020 Lbs with a yellow door sticker of 1345... was it good for the truck, no. Was it safe, not as safe as it should be. If you are pulling through the mountains like I do, I wouldn't go over 10,000 Lbs and 1,000 Lbs tongue just to have some extra. Which means with the Golf Cart unless the WD hitch is doing double duty you are probably over capacity.

 

[JJRamTX]

Unless you are looking at a pop up camper your asking for options that just don’t really exist for a 1/2 ton truck. The load capacity of the 1500 just can’t accommodate.
Lets just say a quad weights 500 lbs. if you have a load capacity of 1500 that leaves 1000 lbs for passenger, gear and tongue weight. So unless you go pretty small on a TT it’s not possible.
At the end of the day you need to back into the numbers with what you currently have (passengers and quad) to figure out what size TT a you can purchase.

I use a Jack-e-up for one of my trailers (Car Hauler) which allows the tailgate to be down. And I am probably going to get another one (Enclosed Cargo trailer) or two (Snowmobile trailer) for 3 of my 4 trailers.

 

[silver billet]

Door sticker. 1,510 total
Camper loaded tongue weight 800lbs +-
Golf cart. 800lbs +-
4 Passengers. 600lbs +-
Totals 2,200 +- That doesn’t take into consideration having the Air bags. They keep me level. For everyone reading this and saying “should have bought a 2500” Ya I know . unfortunately figured that out little Too late so need to try and make this work.
I think it’s close but don’t have the experience to form a proper opinion.
Hence the Forum thread.

Your camper, WDH, and passengers already take you to the max of your payload (what about cargo inside the truck or truck bed, that adds up too). At that point, every pound that the cart weighs, is 1 pound over your payload. As you noted, Airbags keep you level, but have no effect on reducing payload.

I try not to be "that guy", but if you do this anyway, please let me know where/when so I can make sure I'm off the road at that point

 

[TR5th GenRam1500]

Your camper, WDH, and passengers already take you to the max of your payload (what about cargo inside the truck or truck bed, that adds up too). At that point, every pound that the cart weighs, is 1 pound over your payload. As you noted, Airbags keep you level, but have no effect on reducing payload.

I try not to be "that guy", but if you do this anyway, please let me know where/when so I can make sure I'm off the road at that point

Thanks to everybody for their feedback. Is a huge help with understanding all these different factors. Was hoping this was going to go in a different direction. Lol. Although tempting to push it to the limit I do have a family on board and I think I will probably now stick with renting the golf carts at the campgrounds. Although they rip you off in a big way.
thanks again all!!
If any ideas come up that may help I would appreciate any updates.

 

[devildodge]

Thank you @TR5th GenRam1500 you are making a good choice. This is why I like state parks and state and national forests...no golf carts or ATVs allowed. Do not have to worry about hearing them or loading them

 

[intelligence209]

Bro I was thinking of the same thing, I have a similar setup and weight, unfortunately no matter what a golf cart will put you over your payload. Best bet is to have another vehicle follow with cart and trailer. Maybe a friend you camp with often or wife or whatever