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How big have you towed? w/Pics no tricks!

J92JRamsport

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My buddys 22' boat. Not sure weight. Under 6000lbs. for sure.

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OBXDave

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Well worn 24’ center console. Total trailer weight 5700# (scale verified). Tongue weight 500#. Payload with passengers/gear/tongue weight maybe about 150# below sticker limit. 1,000 mile new vehicle break-in before towing 2,000 mile round trip to FL Keys. Unfortunately trip cut short due to Covid but still a fun time. Mostly 70 mph on the infamous but flat Interstate 95. No issues at all with the stock suspension and 3.21 handling this reasonably lightish load. The wife even helped with a few hours at the wheel on the return trip. She really appreciated the adjustable pedals on the level 2 Big Horn. Also really liking my multi-fun tailgate and Softopper. Tailgate works great with the trailer
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Alxmlr789

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Towed a 200 lbs trailer with my car weighing about 4400 lbs. Towed from Virginia Beach to Carlisle Pennsylvania and back.
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I don't think that trailer is 200 lbs...maybe you meant 1200 but that is pushing it as well. Nice setup though, I have a camaro I tow on my 20' 1400 lb aluma trailer. Tows wonderfully.
 

bhurst10

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I don't think that trailer is 200 lbs...maybe you meant 1200 but that is pushing it as well. Nice setup though, I have a camaro I tow on my 20' 1400 lb aluma trailer. Tows wonderfully.
I meant 2000 lbs it is all steel

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VernDiesel

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I see the WDH spring bars. So wet likely around 7,500 gross. If so aim to set TW to around 900 as seen by the increase in your combined truck axle weight on the CAT scale with steer axle showing the same ish as when unloaded and she will tow straight & stable even with only two fingers on the wheel. TT axle weight would show 6,600 ish in that example. The air bags will help control & dampen the rear suspension when the road is rough as well as improve the ride feel and as a side benefit give the truck a better stance. At least thats my experience 660k miles transporting TTs for the Mfgrs. :)
 

DarkKn1ght

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I've been looking for a tri-axle car trailer to tow with my Ram. Our towing capacity is fine but our payload is a little low. I only plan on towing one car at a time though. Does anyone know of any companies that produce a trailer like that?
 

RainDesert

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I've been looking for a tri-axle car trailer to tow with my Ram. Our towing capacity is fine but our payload is a little low. I only plan on towing one car at a time though. Does anyone know of any companies that produce a trailer like that?
What length are you looking for? I can't recall seeing one but I never have really looked here locally. I recently had a relatively short 23' toyhauler. It was my first one ever with 3 axles and boy do they tow nice down the road! I'm pretty sure the triple axle also takes a little weight off the tongue when the trailer is properly balanced, which helps with the 1500 payload.
 

Cross88

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I see the WDH spring bars. So wet likely around 7,500 gross. If so aim to set TW to around 900 as seen by the increase in your combined truck axle weight on the CAT scale with steer axle showing the same ish as when unloaded and she will tow straight & stable even with only two fingers on the wheel. TT axle weight would show 6,600 ish in that example. The air bags will help control & dampen the rear suspension when the road is rough as well as improve the ride feel and as a side benefit give the truck a better stance. At least thats my experience 660k miles transporting TTs for the Mfgrs. :)

This is my first personal TT, I may have possibly went overboard with the prep to see what the truck was capable of, my absolute max solo driving and with my whole family (wife, 2 young kids and 3 dogs). Added up family weight, weight of WDH (info in signature), potential cargo and such. I even went to a CAT scale with the family in the truck on the way to get the trailer and on the way home with the trailer. Everything checks good. This was when I just had the 2” drop springs. Now I’m rocking a 2/4 drop, with a hellwig sway bar and adjustable endlinks, got to finish installing the airlift 1000 helper bags and get over to the TT to adjust and set up my WDH to the new height of the truck.
 

cookeze

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Don't have any photos, but just took my 2019 1500 Limited with 5.7 E-torgue with 3.92 from Sacramento to Phoenix on a fast turn around to pick up my restored 57 Chevy. The empty trailer weighs 3500 lbs and I was about 7500 lbs with the Chevy on board for the return trip. The truck did a fine job averaging 10.1 mpg on the return trip. This includes a 50 mph run up the Grapevine out of LA. The next test will be towing my 10.000 lbs 32 ft Arctic Fox travel trailer as soon as this Covid-19 stuff is over...
 

Boston

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I've been looking for a tri-axle car trailer to tow with my Ram. Our towing capacity is fine but our payload is a little low. I only plan on towing one car at a time though. Does anyone know of any companies that produce a trailer like that?

If planning on a single car a twin axle would be fine. Even a heavy single is unlikely to exceed 6000. So get something with twin 5000/5200lb axles.
 

JJRamTX

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I've been looking for a tri-axle car trailer to tow with my Ram. Our towing capacity is fine but our payload is a little low. I only plan on towing one car at a time though. Does anyone know of any companies that produce a trailer like that?

My tandem axle Car Hauler can carry 7,500 Lbs which I have even towed my truck on at 5,980 Lbs.

I asked about the Tri-Axle with my boat due to the weight and they built me a beefed up tandem axle (10,410 Lbs carrying cap) and said you don't want that third axle if you can avoid it due to the turning being so much easier with tandem.

New boat.jpg
 
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intelligence209

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2019 Apex Ultra Lite 293RLDS
UVW: 6440lbs (~7400 loaded)
GVWR: 7800lbs
Tongue: 832 (1,000 w/propane,batteries,cargo)
33.11ft length 10.7 height
Tows perfectly up steep grades with no lack of power, minimal sway with anti sway hitch installed. My truck has air ride so it sits level throughout. I have to be minimal of cargo in the cab/bed due to payload restrictions. My temps are in what i consider normal range for when towing a load, wish i took a pic of it to compare, maybe next time ill get a chance. The trailers height is a bit shorter then most other TTs so the wind resistance isnt as severe which i believe helps me with control.

I took a day to weigh my truck and trailer connected, both of them separate, as well as weighed my trailer and its hitch separately so i know exactly what and where to load cargo. 20200305_142949.jpg
 

VernDiesel

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FWIW actual seen tongue weight (TW) when using a WDH is calculated by subtracting combined unloaded truck axle weight using your CAT scale slips as example from your combined loaded with trailer truck axle weight.

This number is adjustable via WDH, trailer, and truck loading. This is great news to many who think TW a fixed number as it means you can adjust your TW towards an ideal number such as 12.0 % for a travel trailer (TT) or 10.0 % for most everything else of gross trailer weight.

I use 12.0 % on travel trailers with a half ton truck as its safely sufficient for stability (sway resistance) for 65 mph towing with semi bow wave and wind gusts without putting more weight on the truck than is needed. So for example with Intelligence's 7,400 pound wet weight TT I would adjust toward a TW of 880 to 900 pounds as calculated from the two weight slips.

Also on your unloaded truck scale slip is your unloaded steer axle weight. In making adjustments to your loading & WDH for the TW you are also adjusting the weight transfer from the drive axle back to your steer axle (as well as trailer axles) in doing so you will also work toward replacing your unloaded steer axle weight. Between reasonable best setting for these two numbers you will find both maximum towing stability for your truck and trailer and the maximum legal amount you can tow by the numbers for your truck.

By getting these two numbers close as you reasonably can your tow rig will be as safe and stable as can be. When set to this your truck and trailer will not move like an accordion when a strong bow wave truck passes you too close but rather be pushed aside a bit as one solid stable unit. By getting proper weight back on your steers you restore maximum braking traction and maximum slalom ability of truck & trailer. Naturally having proper tire inflation & a level trailer etc still come into play.

For the 5th gen 1500 max steer axle weight is 3,900 & 4,100 for the drive axle. Max receiver rating 1,150. CAT scales weigh in 20 pound increments so you could use 1,160. There are other numbers you can check from your scale slips such as CVWR (combined vehicle weight rating) GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) but they are not used in setting up your rig for maximum safety & stability.

Now you have instruction on how to set your own rig up properly and find out definitively "how much can I tow". And when you hear some one ask that question and you hear the next person ask what does your payload sticker say that you are about to witness the blind leading the blind. :D FWIW I transport commercially taking new TTs from plants to dealerships nationwide. 660,000 on my Ram 1500 diesel towing TTs. Generally any Mfgr 1/2 ton properly optioned is well suited to tow a wet trailer to 8k. At 9k and up an HD is a better tool for the job.
 
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INVISBLE

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24ft V-nose car hauler loaded about 8000 lbs, yes swayed but air suspension kept it leveled and the Hemi had no problems pulling it. Will be buying a load level hitch with sway control.
 

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