First Tow Impression: 5200+# Travel Trailer

[raven_DT]

We bought a 26ft TT (5200# empty) this weekend and towed it back home, approx. loaded weight is probably around 5600# (first trip). I'll get it on the CAT scale in the next 2weeks to get a better ideal where we are at. Tongue weight is around 750-800#, yep this TT is nose heavy with dual axles closely spaced together. 290 mile trip: Interstate (65mph) 90%/ 2 lane backroads 5%/ Congested Urban Traffic) 5%
Overall not a bad experience. Is it like towing with my 2500 CTD? No. Still cant get used to downshifting to 3500-4500 rpm. Truck had no issue maintaining 65mps even in the "hills" of eastern Tennessee.
We went with the equilizer 10K WD hitch and we very pleased with the sway control esp. on the interstate with RVs, semis, and other large vehicles passing us. A much better hitch than our previous eazlift WD. Bonus with equilizer hitch is that you do not have to drill the TT frame. Also the bars were much easier to install and remove than the eazlift chain setup.
I did notice some slight push and some wiggle from the rear of the truck. I would attribute that to the P series OEM tires. As soon as the bridgestones are worn out they will be replaced with Michelin LTs. I might also look into the Timbrens, but I wouldnt hesitate to hook up and take the trailer back out on a 4-6hr trip. Now let me tell you how I wish I had gotten the 33 gallon fuel tank. 8.9mpg (lie-o-meter) with a couple for fuel, lunch and rest stop (all idling)...In reality it would have probably been closer to 10mpg without the heavy traffic and idling. Not bad, just use to making that trip without refueling.

 

[NDanecker]

That mileage is pretty good considering the size and weight. I pulled a light 7 x 14 cargo trailer on a 80 mile trip this weekend (mostly highway with few hills) and averaged 9.x mpg (lie-o-meter). Truck was stuck in 7 gear with 3.92 running 65 - 70 mph.

Still getting used to this truck while towing. Any one of my 3500 diesels would not have even felt this trailer with much better fuel mileage and towing experience. For the few times I tow I am still happier living with this truck over a tightly sprung diesel dually as a daily driver.

 

[dieseldork]

Very similar experience with me. My new TT is about 5900# dry. We brought it from Chattanooga to Nashville. Also went with the equalizer hitch, which is indeed much nicer than my old eazlift chain unit. The first 20 miles or so were TERRIFYING! The dealer set up the hitch, and I assumed that they did a good job; as they do 6 or 8 of them a day... (meaning, I didn't watch them do it, or bust out any tape measures before/after). In hindsight... I definitely should have. I stopped at a Pilot just outside of Chattanooga and aired up my back tires to about 55PSI (60PSI Max Cold). That made a tremendous difference. Needless to say, I'll be adjusting my hitch.

My 2012 was a BigHorn with the 20" wheels and sidewalls that were WAY lower profile than the balloon-like A/T Tires on 17" wheels that came on this 2019 Rebel. I assume that most of the waggle and sway can be attributed to all that sidewall on these different style tires.

Anyway, congrats on the camper! Safe travels and happy trails!

 

[raven_DT]

Very similar experience with me. My new TT is about 5900# dry. We brought it from Chattanooga to Nashville. Also went with the equalizer hitch, which is indeed much nicer than my old eazlift chain unit. The first 20 miles or so were TERRIFYING! The dealer set up the hitch, and I assumed that they did a good job; as they do 6 or 8 of them a day... (meaning, I didn't watch them do it, or bust out any tape measures before/after). In hindsight... I definitely should have. I stopped at a Pilot just outside of Chattanooga and aired up my back tires to about 55PSI (60PSI Max Cold). That made a tremendous difference. Needless to say, I'll be adjusting my hitch.

My 2012 was a BigHorn with the 20" wheels and sidewalls that were WAY lower profile than the balloon-like A/T Tires on 17" wheels that came on this 2019 Rebel. I assume that most of the waggle and sway can be attributed to all that sidewall on these different style tires.

Anyway, congrats on the camper! Safe travels and happy trails!

DD-
I can't agree with you more re the hitch setup. No tape measure was used and I'm still not sure how they setup the head angle... Nevertheless I made sure that all the TT tires were inflated to 65psi, the truck tires were at 35psi vs 40psi max. I will also be reinstalling my hitch this weekend...per spec (tapemeasure, inclinometer). Having the previous WD "professionally" installed I knew better...
The other thing was they wanted to use the 14K 14K equalizer WDH until I insisted that they use the 10k(1000# tongue weight) model. One size fits all I guess...

 

[Zeronet]

The other thing was they wanted to use the 14K 14K equalizer WDH until I insisted that they use the 10k(1000# tongue weight) model. One size fits all I guess...

I would have taken the heavier hitch if your trailer has a dry tongue weight of 750-800#. Loaded up for camping you could easily be at or over 1000# plus the weight of the hitch itself and any stuff in the bed. That’s a lot of weight for these lightly sprung trucks. I think the 14k hitch would have given you more adjustment options and not need to have it tensioned to the max.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Most folks add several hundred pounds of lp fuel, water, food, clothing, stuff. Its certainly easy to get another 1K above your trailer wet weight. Gotta watch were you load it as well. Ft to back and side to side...

 

[raven_DT]

I would have taken the heavier hitch if your trailer has a dry tongue weight of 750-800#. Loaded up for camping you could easily be at or over 1000# plus the weight of the hitch itself and any stuff in the bed. That’s a lot of weight for these lightly sprung trucks. I think the 14k hitch would have given you more adjustment options and not need to have it tensioned to the max.

I see what your saying, but we are typically passengers only and load everything in the camper. It will be interesting to see what the tongue weight is when we are loaded and ready to camp. I'll post that number. It we go from 700# dry tongue weight to 1K plus we've packed wrong.

 

[raven_DT]

I see what your saying, but we are typically passengers only and load everything in the camper. It will be interesting to see what the tongue weight is when we are loaded and ready to camp. I'll post that number. It we go from 700# dry tongue weight to 1K plus we've packed wrong.

Dropped the trailer on the scale today...850#. That is essentially how we brought it home, not packed yet. Advertised dry hitch weight is 709#.... Add another 100# for the WD hitch, it starts to add up quickly.

 

[odhinnhrafn]

I just towed my camper 2.5 hours away this past weekend over fairly flat ground (west Texas, east NM). My trailer only weighs 2600# UVW, maybe 3k# loaded up (no water), 21ft tongue to rear bumper mounted spare. I have an E2 Round Bar WDH, and it's set up perfectly (front tire to fender height EXACTLY at unloaded height). I got 7mpg at 75mph... 10-11mpg at 65.

I really expected the numbers to be better, but I do have a Rebel with 3.92 gears. Those numbers are with the dash readout, but mine has always been within 0.05 mpg. I really wish I'd gotten the 33 gallon tank.

On the plus side, even with moderate winds in my face and across, the truck and trailer were perfectly composed. I had zero issues with sway, dragging, or rear end bouncing. The truck had no issues keeping itself at the set speed with CC.

We're going to be trading our camper up this spring to a 31' 5980# UVW TT, and I hope the mileage doesn't drop... Lol

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Rob5589]

Yikes! 7 mpg with a 3k trailer is horrible. For reference, I used to flat tow a TJ Wrangler which was 3400 lbs with my 03 Silverado 4.8, 2wd, 3.73. Even fully loaded down with gear in both vehicles I would get 11-12 driving from CA to ID.

 

[bfp9]

That atrocious gas mileage. I just towed a BMW M5 on a Uhaul dolly that weighs 2k itself, so about 6800lbs total with gas in the M5 and some other stuff I had loaded into it, and I got 10.4 going from Central TX to South Carolina.

Limited with 3.21 and just a standard Uhaul hitch rated for 11k lbs and it was stable as can be.

 

[NDanecker]

I just towed a BMW M5 on a Uhaul dolly

Dolly were 2 rear wheels are on the ground turning with the front wheels on the dolly not turning? Doesn't this damage the drivetrain. Aren't those AWD vehicles supposed to be flat bed?

Yikes! 7 mpg with a 3k trailer is horrible.

I purchased a 7 x 14 cargo trailer in PA. Towing the empty trailer home to NJ (guessing about 2200lbs) I averaged 9.x according to the lie-o-meter doing 65 to 70. Its not so much about the weight then the drag created by a trailer.

I also towed a small Mitsubushi weighing 3k+ on a tow dolly and I barely noticed it was back there unlike the cargo trailer which I def felt (deeper in the pedal to maintain speed). That setup had a smaller profile then the truck. Averaged 13+ mpg on a short highway run.

I'm spoiled coming from a world of diesels, and kind of miss the towing ability they offer. My 5th RV empty weighed around 16k and it towed very well on the highway averaging 10mpg. It was 13'-4" high and full 8ft wide. Imagine towing that profile with the Hemi (even without the weight)? It would have a cow. LOL.

Still though - love the 1500 Hemi as a daily driver over the diesel dually.

 

[raven_DT]

Update: increased the tire pressure from 36psi to 40psi. Felt much more stable, didnt feel the need to go to max pressure (44psi). 500 mile (round trip) pull coming up in 2 weeks, we'll see how much the mileage improves with the tire pressure increase.

 

[bfp9]

Dolly were 2 rear wheels are on the ground turning with the front wheels on the dolly not turning? Doesn't this damage the drivetrain. Aren't those AWD vehicles supposed to be flat bed?

Still though - love the 1500 Hemi as a daily driver over the diesel dually.

My fault - I meant their auto transport which has all 4 wheels off the ground.

And I absolutely love mine as a daily driver as well. First truck I’ve ever owned, and I can see why people love them.

 

[raven_DT]

I just towed my camper 2.5 hours away this past weekend over fairly flat ground (west Texas, east NM). My trailer only weighs 2600# UVW, maybe 3k# loaded up (no water), 21ft tongue to rear bumper mounted spare. I have an E2 Round Bar WDH, and it's set up perfectly (front tire to fender height EXACTLY at unloaded height). I got 7mpg at 75mph... 10-11mpg at 65.

I really expected the numbers to be better, but I do have a Rebel with 3.92 gears. Those numbers are with the dash readout, but mine has always been within 0.05 mpg. I really wish I'd gotten the 33 gallon tank.

On the plus side, even with moderate winds in my face and across, the truck and trailer were perfectly composed. I had zero issues with sway, dragging, or rear end bouncing. The truck had no issues keeping itself at the set speed with CC.

We're going to be trading our camper up this spring to a 31' 5980# UVW TT, and I hope the mileage doesn't drop... Lol

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

The concern that I would have would be with the TT length, depending on where you plan on camping. At 31ft a TT is a pretty big sail that tends to push a 1/2 truck around on the interstates (semis, other rvs, etc). We tow in all kinds of weather (windy days, tstorms, hurricanes...) so being able to handle the trailer in any weather condition (emergency maneuvers too) is important to us. That being said, if you plan on only taking your TT to the local park then it may not be an issue. We saw a 4th gen 1500 pulling a 37ft bunkhouse TT, nose up with about a 6" squat, white knuckles apparent thru the passenger side window (yep, he was parked in the left lane), bed full and what looked to be about a dozen bikes on the back of the TT, on our last camping trip. I'm sure if asked, he would say that it tows like a dream. You can see that setup all the time. We quickly passed the rig I hoped that we didnt see them again. We use to pull a 30ft (6500#) TT with a stock 2500 CTD, completely no stress pulling. Could I pull that 30ft TT with my 1500? Yep. Would it be the same experience as pulling with the 2500? Absolutely not. In addition to the mods on your truck that increase the CG, increase drag and decrease on-road available traction, that works against towing, especially a larger TT. Ultimately it comes down to staying within the capabilities of your specific truck and your towing expectations. Stay safe, good luck and happy camping!

 

[jmac576]

We bought a 26ft TT (5200# empty) this weekend and towed it back home, approx. loaded weight is probably around 5600# (first trip). I'll get it on the CAT scale in the next 2weeks to get a better ideal where we are at. Tongue weight is around 750-800#, yep this TT is nose heavy with dual axles closely spaced together. 290 mile trip: Interstate (65mph) 90%/ 2 lane backroads 5%/ Congested Urban Traffic) 5%
Overall not a bad experience. Is it like towing with my 2500 CTD? No. Still cant get used to downshifting to 3500-4500 rpm. Truck had no issue maintaining 65mps even in the "hills" of eastern Tennessee.
We went with the equilizer 10K WD hitch and we very pleased with the sway control esp. on the interstate with RVs, semis, and other large vehicles passing us. A much better hitch than our previous eazlift WD. Bonus with equilizer hitch is that you do not have to drill the TT frame. Also the bars were much easier to install and remove than the eazlift chain setup.
I did notice some slight push and some wiggle from the rear of the truck. I would attribute that to the P series OEM tires. As soon as the bridgestones are worn out they will be replaced with Michelin LTs. I might also look into the Timbrens, but I wouldnt hesitate to hook up and take the trailer back out on a 4-6hr trip. Now let me tell you how I wish I had gotten the 33 gallon fuel tank. 8.9mpg (lie-o-meter) with a couple for fuel, lunch and rest stop (all idling)...In reality it would have probably been closer to 10mpg without the heavy traffic and idling. Not bad, just use to making that trip without refueling.

I have a similar TT, 28' bumper to bumper and weighs about #5400 dry. Pulling it with a 2019 Laramie. I noticed right away how much squat there was when the trailer was hooked up even with a WD hitch. The rear end was extremely soft and moved around a lot while towing. I decided to go with the timbren springs and will never look back. Forewarning, the only thing I do not like about them is hitting bumps while driving unloaded. With the soft coil over rear suspension, it hits the timbrens on small bumps and can be pretty jarring. But to me the benefits are greater having them. Truck sits perfectly level when loaded, bumps are very minor when towing, and a much more stable ride. Easily the best $200 I've spent on thats had that drastic of a difference when loaded.

 

[rudyyoko]

I have a similar TT, 28' bumper to bumper and weighs about #5400 dry. Pulling it with a 2019 Laramie. I noticed right away how much squat there was when the trailer was hooked up even with a WD hitch. The rear end was extremely soft and moved around a lot while towing. I decided to go with the timbren springs and will never look back. Forewarning, the only thing I do not like about them is hitting bumps while driving unloaded. With the soft coil over rear suspension, it hits the timbrens on small bumps and can be pretty jarring. But to me the benefits are greater having them. Truck sits perfectly level when loaded, bumps are very minor when towing, and a much more stable ride. Easily the best $200 I've spent on thats had that drastic of a difference when loaded.

Timbrens and a weight distribution hitch/anti-sway create a very pleasant tow vehicle. I have been using the same set up on my 2019 laramie and I previously had it on my 2014 express.

 

[odhinnhrafn]

The concern that I would have would be with the TT length, depending on where you plan on camping. At 31ft a TT is a pretty big sail that tends to push a 1/2 truck around on the interstates (semis, other rvs, etc). We tow in all kinds of weather (windy days, tstorms, hurricanes...) so being able to handle the trailer in any weather condition (emergency maneuvers too) is important to us. That being said, if you plan on only taking your TT to the local park then it may not be an issue. We saw a 4th gen 1500 pulling a 37ft bunkhouse TT, nose up with about a 6" squat, white knuckles apparent thru the passenger side window (yep, he was parked in the left lane), bed full and what looked to be about a dozen bikes on the back of the TT, on our last camping trip. I'm sure if asked, he would say that it tows like a dream. You can see that setup all the time. We quickly passed the rig I hoped that we didnt see them again. We use to pull a 30ft (6500#) TT with a stock 2500 CTD, completely no stress pulling. Could I pull that 30ft TT with my 1500? Yep. Would it be the same experience as pulling with the 2500? Absolutely not. In addition to the mods on your truck that increase the CG, increase drag and decrease on-road available traction, that works against towing, especially a larger TT. Ultimately it comes down to staying within the capabilities of your specific truck and your towing expectations. Stay safe, good luck and happy camping!

I'm not too worried about it. I've done dangerous towing in the army, and I know what to expect and how to deal with it. I'll have trailer brakes, a WDH hitch, and I'll be readjusting my hitch to perfection. Plus I'm not averse to slowing down or even pulling over to keep safe and level. With the 10 ply tires, and a low tongue weight, I don't believe I'll have many issues outside of very severe weather. It'll definitely be in mind, though. Thank you for the advice, it's much appreciated!

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[trainman]

We tow our new Oliver TT, weight around 5400 lbs. loaded and a hitch weight around 500 lbs. When we first got it we pulled it with no WDH and the trailer pulled just fine, but did go with the Anderson WDH as the trailer weight ratings were just slightly over the Ram's weight limits. We get around 12.5 to 13.1 MPG on the average towing at a highway speed of 65-68 MPH and up as much as 23.0 MPG without the trailer. We have the standard rear axle and it handles the trailer just like it's not back there, no need for the lower ratio rear axle as this one works just fine. The eight speed transmission will do all the work for you and adjust as needed when towing, I was really pleased on how well it works.

trainman

 

[raven_DT]

We tow our new Oliver TT, weight around 5400 lbs. loaded and a hitch weight around 500 lbs. When we first got it we pulled it with no WDH and the trailer pulled just fine, but did go with the Anderson WDH as the trailer weight ratings were just slightly over the Ram's weight limits. We get around 12.5 to 13.1 MPG on the average towing at a highway speed of 65-68 MPH and up as much as 23.0 MPG without the trailer. We have the standard rear axle and it handles the trailer just like it's not back there, no need for the lower ratio rear axle as this one works just fine. The eight speed transmission will do all the work for you and adjust as needed when towing, I was really pleased on how well it works.

trainman

It looks like you also are getting the benefit of a much smaller frontal area vs. a typical travel trailer.