Bought a TT - Pretty sure my truck will be okay. Am I?

[The Helpful Badger]

So, as a follow up to this original topic. I installed my brake controller and configured it to manufacture starting settings. I called up the RV dealership and asked them if I could come get my RV (finally!). They said sure!!

So I got the RV all hooked up and drove it off the lot. Not far, just about 15 minutes to the storage lot I'm paying for. I have to tell you all a couple of things.

1. My truck can pull that sucker like it's not even there. Listed on the registration slip it has the trailer weighing in at 5980# With me, the family, the 100# weight distro hitch and a bunch of extra gear didn't seem to make any difference

2. I'm glad I was told the Hemi would be fine roaring around 4k RPM. We have a few long hills at probably a 20-25⁰ grade and the truck was able to maintain a speed of 46mph chugging up these hills. Gas pedal was not floored (about half way) and it did fine.

3. The WDH I have seemed to do a great job with managing any away or anything odd. I never felt like I was not able to control the truck or anything.

Right now, because holidays and such the RV will stay parked for maybe a month. We'll see how the weather does. If there isn't snow in January I'll see about getting it down to a CAT scale and getting this rig weighed. ( Will post pics of the slip for y'all).

I went to the dealership very nervous and afraid to drive this thing, but it performed very well and I'm more confident now. We'll see what the weight is later on and how it does for our first camping.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

 

[Willwork4truck]

So, as a follow up to this original topic. I installed my brake controller and configured it to manufacture starting settings. I called up the RV dealership and asked them if I could come get my RV (finally!). They said sure!!

So I got the RV all hooked up and drove it off the lot. Not far, just about 15 minutes to the storage lot I'm paying for. I have to tell you all a couple of things.

1. My truck can pull that sucker like it's not even there. Listed on the registration slip it has the trailer weighing in at 5980# With me, the family, the 100# weight distro hitch and a bunch of extra gear didn't seem to make any difference

2. I'm glad I was told the Hemi would be fine roaring around 4k RPM. We have a few long hills at probably a 20-25⁰ grade and the truck was able to maintain a speed of 46mph chugging up these hills. Gas pedal was not floored (about half way) and it did fine.

3. The WDH I have seemed to do a great job with managing any away or anything odd. I never felt like I was not able to control the truck or anything.

Right now, because holidays and such the RV will stay parked for maybe a month. We'll see how the weather does. If there isn't snow in January I'll see about getting it down to a CAT scale and getting this rig weighed. ( Will post pics of the slip for y'all).

I went to the dealership very nervous and afraid to drive this thing, but it performed very well and I'm more confident now. We'll see what the weight is later on and how it does for our first camping.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

Glad that your first limited experience was positive. Power certainly isn’t the hemi’s issue.
Just be careful at highway speeds, always try to go a little slower than you think the truck can really do. Ignore the diesels that blow by at 80 mph with their 30+ footers. Braking and emergency maneuvers will really suffer at 80 vs 65.
Your family is precious cargo. The other guy that gets hit likely thinks his is precious as well.
So enjoy your trailer and maybe report back sometime this spring after a good long trip!

 

[Planepilot]

I said I would report back after getting new Continental 22” tires so here I am! The Continental’s are much stiffer tires than the Goodyear Eagle Touring tires. The ”wiggle” is much improved but still there. It is good enough that I can live with it the way it is... BUT I won’t! I am fascinated with all of the variables including the 4 corner suspension system.

There are many more visits to the Cat Scale in my future. I am going to start a new thread. I am looking forward to y’all’s input. My tag line is: “None of us is a smart as all of us!”

 

[cj7]

I said I would report back after getting new Continental 22” tires so here I am! The Continental’s are much stiffer tires than the Goodyear Eagle Touring tires. The ”wiggle” is much improved but still there. It is good enough that I can live with it the way it is... BUT I won’t! I am fascinated with all of the variables including the 4 corner suspension system.

There are many more visits to the Cat Scale in my future. I am going to start a new thread. I am looking forward to y’all’s input. My tag line is: “None of us is a smart as all of us!”

Been thinking ab your sit, PlanePilot...a couple more questions (as I’m curious too)
- does the wiggle frequency go up (period go down) with increasing speed? Does it just start at a certain speed, or gradually appear?
- is there any way for someone else to tow your rig, even just for a short distance?
- does the wiggle go away in a strong crosswind?

There are only a small number of sources for a periodic/repetitive motion, right? Assuming the wiggle is side-to-side (not front to back or up and down):
- anti-sway spring loading/unloading (induced by various sources)
- trailer wheel alignment and trailer axle left-right shift
- mechanical and electronic anti-sway interaction
- tow vehicle axle to trailer axle alignment
- trailer aft-loading

i would add wheel eccentricity, but that would like.y manifest as vibration, not wiggle. I think your experience between old and new show the truck tires are a symptom, not the disease.

Curious to hear what you discover...

 

[DivingOtter]

After thinking about what the OP has been talking about, I'm wondering if it's not the load distribution in the trailer that's causing the wiggling... I towed/hauled a trailer with I-beam for a project and had the same problem as I increased in speed. I moved some of the parts around on the trailer and it became much more stable.

This youtube link gives a really good example of what I mean about load distribution for a trailer.

 

[RedSox10NG]

So, as a follow up to this original topic. I installed my brake controller and configured it to manufacture starting settings. I called up the RV dealership and asked them if I could come get my RV (finally!). They said sure!!

So I got the RV all hooked up and drove it off the lot. Not far, just about 15 minutes to the storage lot I'm paying for. I have to tell you all a couple of things.

1. My truck can pull that sucker like it's not even there. Listed on the registration slip it has the trailer weighing in at 5980# With me, the family, the 100# weight distro hitch and a bunch of extra gear didn't seem to make any difference

2. I'm glad I was told the Hemi would be fine roaring around 4k RPM. We have a few long hills at probably a 20-25⁰ grade and the truck was able to maintain a speed of 46mph chugging up these hills. Gas pedal was not floored (about half way) and it did fine.

3. The WDH I have seemed to do a great job with managing any away or anything odd. I never felt like I was not able to control the truck or anything.

Right now, because holidays and such the RV will stay parked for maybe a month. We'll see how the weather does. If there isn't snow in January I'll see about getting it down to a CAT scale and getting this rig weighed. ( Will post pics of the slip for y'all).

I went to the dealership very nervous and afraid to drive this thing, but it performed very well and I'm more confident now. We'll see what the weight is later on and how it does for our first camping.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

Which WDH are you using?

TT I bought comes in at about 6,900 dry and 795 hitch weight

 

[Pristine1]

After thinking about what the OP has been talking about, I'm wondering if it's not the load distribution in the trailer that's causing the wiggling... I towed/hauled a trailer with I-beam for a project and had the same problem as I increased in speed. I moved some of the parts around on the trailer and it became much more stable.

This youtube link gives a really good example of what I mean about load distribution for a trailer.

What about the electronic trailer sway control? My F150 I had previously felt like that occasionally if I didn’t turn it off. I always knew when I forgot to turn it off because I’d feel some random wiggling. This is with the 4pt equalizer that recommends to turn away control off.

 

[The Helpful Badger]

Which WDH are you using?

TT I bought comes in at about 6,900 dry and 795 hitch weight

I'll have to get back to you on that. I know according to my RV dealer, the arms on the WDH can handle 1000lbs/(ea?) and are pretty snazzy looking too.

 

[The Helpful Badger]

Good luck. Anxious to see your CAT scale slip

So, after a long time waiting I was able to finally take my RV to the nearest CAT scale and get everything weighed!!!!!
Here's how I went in:
Fuel 1/2 tank (by the time I got to the scale, almost an hour away)
No liquids in the tanks other than the winterizing fluid still in it.
Propane tanks @ full, battery installed.
RV Camping kit (includes all the hoses, electrical connections, chocks, blocks, and other misc gear that would make the camper "ready to camp")
My tool bag with a bunch of tools that I put together over the winter to be deemed 'essential' as per almost every RV guide I could find.
I also have truck safety essentials like rope, tow straps, medic kits, etc. Not a lot of extra gear though.
My son stayed in the truck. He's about 80lbs.

All in all the total slip weight came to 11,820! I'm pretty stoked about that. I've attached the picture.

If I'm reading this right, this tells me I should be just fine to head out when I finally leave the PNW (and go camping of course). We've already committed to using only lightweight gear, minimal clothing necessities, and not loading up the water tanks until we're past the mountains (in the desert). From my newbie understanding I think we're in good shape with this truck. What are your thoughts?

-R

 

[SKT Customs]

Most of the stuff listed here is correct but at the end of the day jeez you’re not trying to tow a 15000 lb trailer. You’re close enough to the limits of the truck to where you’ll be 100% fine. Maybe not legally, but I doubt you’ll ever run into an issue. Like other people said, the 1500s can’t handle a ton of payload (because they’re sprung to have a softer ride and therefore squat when you add stuff). The solution? Add air bags in the rear. And if you feel like the truck is struggling you can always regear but be prepared to pay like $2000 for that.

 

[Dragonmaster13]

No issues there at all. Even if you added water you’d probably still have room to spare.


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[devildodge]

So, after a long time waiting I was able to finally take my RV to the nearest CAT scale and get everything weighed!!!!!
Here's how I went in:
Fuel 1/2 tank (by the time I got to the scale, almost an hour away)
No liquids in the tanks other than the winterizing fluid still in it.
Propane tanks @ full, battery installed.
RV Camping kit (includes all the hoses, electrical connections, chocks, blocks, and other misc gear that would make the camper "ready to camp")
My tool bag with a bunch of tools that I put together over the winter to be deemed 'essential' as per almost every RV guide I could find.
I also have truck safety essentials like rope, tow straps, medic kits, etc. Not a lot of extra gear though.
My son stayed in the truck. He's about 80lbs.

All in all the total slip weight came to 11,820! I'm pretty stoked about that. I've attached the picture.

If I'm reading this right, this tells me I should be just fine to head out when I finally leave the PNW (and go camping of course). We've already committed to using only lightweight gear, minimal clothing necessities, and not loading up the water tanks until we're past the mountains (in the desert). From my newbie understanding I think we're in good shape with this truck. What are your thoughts?

-R

You have lots of capacity to make for a very uneventful trip.

The CAT scale slip looks like a perfect pairing of truck and trailer.

Enjoy

 

[The Helpful Badger]

Most of the stuff listed here is correct but at the end of the day jeez you’re not trying to tow a 15000 lb trailer. You’re close enough to the limits of the truck to where you’ll be 100% fine. Maybe not legally, but I doubt you’ll ever run into an issue. Like other people said, the 1500s can’t handle a ton of payload (because they’re sprung to have a softer ride and therefore squat when you add stuff). The solution? Add air bags in the rear. And if you feel like the truck is struggling you can always regear but be prepared to pay like $2000 for that.

Thanks, yeah now that I have the slip I feel much more at ease about everything. I was looking for ways to upgrade, and somewhere in this long line of posts is the RAM buildout for my truck. If you notice just below it the exact same specs for everything is identical, but increases the GCWR was to change the axle ratio to a 3.97 (iirc) (which because it's 4x4 could be costly). So that could be an option if I had globs of money (maybe on day eh?). Course, could always just trade in and upgrade to a 2500, but that's a deal to be made in the distant future.