Confused, what size trailer to get.

[Fanman01]

2019 Ram Laramie. 5.7 Hemi with 3.21 axle ratio. GVWR 7,100. GCWR 13,900. Family of 4 weighing around 650. I'm so confused on how to do the math. Can someone tell me what size travel trailer I can safely tow?

Thanks

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

2019 Ram Laramie. 5.7 Hemi with 3.21 axle ratio. GVWR 7,100. GCWR 13,900. Family of 4 weighing around 650. I'm so confused on how to do the math. Can someone tell me what size travel trailer I can safely tow?

Thanks

What's your payload?

Best you're going to do is about 8k or so GVWR on the trailer, but you'll run out of payload before hitting that.

 

[Fanman01]

What's your payload?

Best you're going to do is about 8k or so GVWR on the trailer, but you'll run out of payload before hitting that.

Payload is 1840.

 

[devildodge]

Payload is 1840.

I think you may want to go look at your door jamb and see what it says your payload is.

This thread here explains all the math.

So you want to tow a camper!

The first thing you need to do is decide which camp you fall in. The best camp to be in is to own neither the truck or the camper. This allows you to research and keep feelings out of your decision. This allows you to easily sit back and learn the process. The next camp is owning the truck or...

5thgenrams.com

Any specific questions after you read that...let me know.

Report back with your door jamb payload and i will calculate the math for ya.

 

[Fanman01]

I think you may want to go look at your door jamb and see what it says your payload is.

This thread here explains all the math.

So you want to tow a camper!

The first thing you need to do is decide which camp you fall in. The best camp to be in is to own neither the truck or the camper. This allows you to research and keep feelings out of your decision. This allows you to easily sit back and learn the process. The next camp is owning the truck or...

5thgenrams.com

Any specific questions after you read that...let me know.

Report back with your door jamb payload and i will calculate the math for ya.

 

[devildodge]

So 1473 lbs of payload.

7100 minus 1473 is a base weight of 5627. This is nothing in or on the truck...full tank of fuel.

13900 minus 5627 is max towing of 8273. This is the maximum weight of trailer snd payload. This is not the maximum trailer. You have to keep tongue weight and payload under 7100 on the truck...so this is where it gets tricky and moves into opinions.


You need at least a driver and hitch. You said a family of 650lbs.

1473 minus 650 and 90 for hitch...so 733 lbs left for tongue weight. That is pretty good.

A travel trailer will have between 12 snd 15% tongue weight.

So...let us go with 13%. So you need a trailer less than 6300lbs.

Any questions let me know.

Opinions vary from you can tow whatever you want...to you should only tow 2500lbs.

These are the facts using the numbers.

Based on experience and ability...you can cheat a few more out of it.

I suggest using the numbers.

 

[Fanman01]

So 1473 lbs of payload.

7100 minus 1473 is a base weight of 5627. This is nothing in or on the truck...full tank of fuel.

13900 minus 5627 is max towing of 8273. This is the maximum weight of trailer snd payload. This is not the maximum trailer. You have to keep tongue weight and payload under 7100 on the truck...so this is where it gets tricky and moves into opinions.


You need at least a driver and hitch. You said a family of 650lbs.

1473 minus 650 and 90 for hitch...so 733 lbs left for tongue weight. That is pretty good.

A travel trailer will have between 12 snd 15% tongue weight.

So...let us go with 13%. So you need a trailer less than 6300lbs.

Any questions let me know.

Opinions vary from you can tow whatever you want...to you should only tow 2500lbs.

These are the facts using the numbers.

Based on experience and ability...you can cheat a few more out of it.

I suggest using the numbers.

Thank you so much. It was all a little confusing for me but now I understand a little better. Now I can start looking for a camper. Thanks again.

 

[devildodge]

No problem. Good luck on the search

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Are you planning on putting anything in your truck or have any modifications that didn’t come from the factory? If so, don't forget to take that away from the 733 lbs.

Easiest way to get an accurate number is to load up your truck how you're going to tow the trailer, including family, cargo, and hitch if you already have it. Go get it weighed and subtract that number from 7100. That's what you'll have left for tongue weight.

 

[swoter]

Most newer 25, 26’ campers will be in your weight range. A dual axle camper will usually have a little less tongue weight. A single axle has more of its weight resting on your truck.

 

[devildodge]

I figured you under stood that the 733lbs of tongue weight would change both with more cargo or a heavier load to the front of the camper.

6300 is a good size camper.

If you plan to have more cargo or go with a camper with a bunch of storage at the front...be sure to take that away from 733.

Remember...dry hitch weight is always way lower than the real hitch weight.

Use GVWR campers at under 6500 and under 26 foot and you should be good.

Sorry i did not explain that. I outlined it all in my thread...and sometimes I just assume people know stuff...my fault.

Dang configurator is annoying...see how much payload you just lost in options.

Going to a CAT SCALE loaded to camp is the best way...but I weigh something different every time we camp. Just wanted to give you a max line and then as you cone back with thoughts or campers answer as we go.

Buying a camper is confusing. But atleast you where smart enough to see what your truck can do before asking for help to fix a too big of camper.

That is when camping is not fun.

Good luck

 

[Fanman01]

Looking at Grand Design Imagine 23BHE. Do you all think this will be too much? I'm thinking if I keep the tanks empty we should be ok right?

 

[NRitland2]

As everyone said loading up and heading to a CAT scale is best way to know.

After looking at those specs they should be within what you truck could handle with a good dialed in W/D hitch.

We are pulling a ‘21 bullet 250bhs for comparison sake.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Looking at Grand Design Imagine 23BHE. Do you all think this will be too much? I'm thinking if I keep the tanks empty we should be ok right?

If you do 13% of 6k lbs, you're looking at 780 lbs of tongue weight, and you're over payload. Even towing that trailer as delivered, you're probably close by the time you're loaded up.

 

[IvoryHemi]

Looking at Grand Design Imagine 23BHE. Do you all think this will be too much? I'm thinking if I keep the tanks empty we should be ok right?

5300 lbs dry / 7000 GVWR is a good size and should work fine with a properly dialed in WDH

Those are the exact dry/loaded weights of my last TT, it towed very comfortably.

 

[deese]

5300 lbs dry / 7000 GVWR is a good size and should work fine with a properly dialed in WDH

Those are the exact dry/loaded weights of my last TT, it towed very comfortably.

What WDH did you have or could recommend? Looking myself at getting a TT a little smaller than what you have/had. One is a Keystone Passport about 4,825 lbs dry and the other is a Keystone Hideout at about 4,085 lbs dry. The specs say the hitch lbs are 615 and 525lbs respectively. The passport is dual axle the hideout is single. Never pulled a camper before so trying to research a good WDH so I don’t have to worry about any white knuckle drives. Any suggestions? My eyes are getting crossed.

 

[IvoryHemi]

What WDH did you have or could recommend? Looking myself at getting a TT a little smaller than what you have/had. One is a Keystone Passport about 4,825 lbs dry and the other is a Keystone Hideout at about 4,085 lbs dry. The specs say the hitch lbs are 615 and 525lbs respectively. The passport is dual axle the hideout is single. Never pulled a camper before so trying to research a good WDH so I don’t have to worry about any white knuckle drives. Any suggestions? My eyes are getting crossed.

I’ve been very pleased with the Equalizer 4-point WDH.

Had 10k/1,000 lb with my old TT (31’/7k/850 lb) and then upgraded to the 12k/1,200 lb with my new TT (33’/8k/960 lb)

Distributes weight back to the front axle very well and does good with sway prevention/control.

 

[jdefoe0424]

What WDH did you have or could recommend? Looking myself at getting a TT a little smaller than what you have/had. One is a Keystone Passport about 4,825 lbs dry and the other is a Keystone Hideout at about 4,085 lbs dry. The specs say the hitch lbs are 615 and 525lbs respectively. The passport is dual axle the hideout is single. Never pulled a camper before so trying to research a good WDH so I don’t have to worry about any white knuckle drives. Any suggestions? My eyes are getting crossed.

Dual axles will be more stable, plus spreading the load out onto that axle and twice the number of suspension mounting points on the frame.
I ran a Husky centerline and had very little sway with our 32' TT.

 

[NRitland2]

What WDH did you have or could recommend? Looking myself at getting a TT a little smaller than what you have/had. One is a Keystone Passport about 4,825 lbs dry and the other is a Keystone Hideout at about 4,085 lbs dry. The specs say the hitch lbs are 615 and 525lbs respectively. The passport is dual axle the hideout is single. Never pulled a camper before so trying to research a good WDH so I don’t have to worry about any white knuckle drives. Any suggestions? My eyes are getting crossed.

Very happy with our Fastway e2 1000/10000 wdh