How screwed am I?

[Seadoorxpguy]

So I just picked up my new 2021 ram Laramie ccsb 5.7 e torque with every option except air ride ( it was on the lot and checked all the boxes for the price) Tried towing my 32` keystone cougar last night and boy was it kinda sketchy even with a wd hitch. The camper is 8300 lbs with 1100 lbs of tongue weight. Told the dealer exactly what I had for a camper and he said it wouldn't be a issue. Now im thinking I should have done a little more research on the truck. I just ordered the helper bags. Any help would be appreciated

 

[Scram1500]

The rear sway bar in these trucks is built for comfort and not much else. Many of us here have upgraded the rear sway bar with a Hellwig or Roadmaster. I went with the Hellwig as it's adjustable. It's much more stable than stock. You may also want to consider Bilstein shocks

 

[blakei]

I’m towing 28’ with 33’ total length, 8000 lbs tongue weight around 1100. Big Horn with not many options which gives me 1700 lbs payload. I had to upgrade my WDH hitch to an Equalizer 1400 lbs and adjust it properly so it was returning weight to the front axle.

I think you could pull with your truck but you are most likely over spec - your payload is probably about 1300 lbs - sticker inside driver door - and that is what you want to deduct passengers, cargo, and tongue weight from.

Keep in mind we have class IV hitches with a 1275 lb max tongue weight, and rear axle ratings of 4100 lbs. You are close to the limits.

Most important is to go to a CAT scale and measure your truck and trailer setup. You want your WDH to return weight to the front axle as close to unloaded as possible, otherwise your steering and stopping will be negatively affected.

My WDH is set up well and I’m level, but I put on Timber Grove airbags to add stability and remove the couple inches if sag from the rear suspension.

If you set it up right and tow carefully, you could probably do it. But you are at or over limits and that is a lot of trailer!!


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[blakei]

What I wouldn’t (and don’t) do is throw a generator, firewood, coolers, bikes, kayaks etc in the truck bed, and take passengers, and pull that big of a trailer. Definitely overloaded if trying to haul and tow at the same time. I assume I’ll have more toys to haul at some point and will likely upgrade to a 2500 or 3500 when that happens.


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[LaxDfns15]

So many threads on payload. Dealer's gonna say "It's got 11,000 pounds towing you're fine! Buy my expensive truck!" With the very short description you listed I'd say you're around 1300 pounds payload give or take. Check the sticker on your driver door.

So if you're at 1300 pounds, 100 pound WD hitch, 1100 pound tongue weight, that leaves you 100 pounds for passengers and gear. That's any gear you've put in for every day use too. I personally have probably 50 pounds of just "stuff" (extra hitch+ball, towing straps, air pump, essential tools, etc) that is in my truck 24/7.

 

[Ramster]

My 33' has a rear kitchen which puts a lot of the weight on the other end of the teeter totter. My listed tongue weight is only 500 lbs. If I were you I would distribute some gear in the back of the camper and get some of that weight off the hitch but keep an eye on you trailers max load.

 

[silver billet]

As scram suggested, a hellwig may help, but it will be slight.

Adding helper shocks/spings won't help sway, they just prevent you from hitting the bump stops, nothing else.

Sway is caused by 2 main factors. The front end being too light, and the trailer catching lots of wind. Too put weight on your front you need to get it off the back end, either by dialing in your WDH, or by lightening your tongue weight (different trailer, or possibly arranging cargo in the trailer). To mitigate wind sway, you can purchase hitch sway bars which make it harder for the trailer to pivot on the ball. Best hitch in the business for that is the hensely stinger (pricy) but eliminates this sway completely. Other WDH's like the husky centerline have it built in, but you can purchase add on sway bars to help out.

I think you're overloaded though. I wouldn't pull that trailer with your truck. Just my pair of pennies.

Edit: reread your post, you actually didn't mention what problem your hoping to solve. For some reason I thought you were dealing with sway issues, so will leave my reply in for that. If you're trying to reduce shock travel, bags may help for that but again, I think you will have to worry about sway at some point with such a large and heavy trailer.

 

[emings]

So I just picked up my new 2021 ram Laramie ccsb 5.7 e torque with every option except air ride ( it was on the lot and checked all the boxes for the price) Tried towing my 32` keystone cougar last night and boy was it kinda sketchy even with a wd hitch. The camper is 8300 lbs with 1100 lbs of tongue weight. Told the dealer exactly what I had for a camper and he said it wouldn't be a issue. Now im thinking I should have done a little more research on the truck. I just ordered the helper bags. Any help would be appreciated

He made a sale too didn't he...once you start adding cargo to the camper suddenly you're overloaded

 

[Aseras]

If you load the cargo in the back of the camper to take tongue weight off it can improve handling somewhat by lowering the tongue weight. It won't overload you unless it shifts.

 

[silver billet]

You kind of want to keep loading in the trailer "even" though. Yes you can dump more weight in the back to get it off the hitch, but that can induce trailer sway as well if you do too much of that.

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

I’m buying a Hensley arrow hitch today. Going to install airbags and change out to load range e tires. I have to make due with what I have for 3 years. So hopefully it will help. If Hensley can pull a 30ft airstream with a dodge intrepid my truck should be able to handle this camper.

 

[Techguy2000]

So I just picked up my new 2021 ram Laramie ccsb 5.7 e torque with every option except air ride ( it was on the lot and checked all the boxes for the price) Tried towing my 32` keystone cougar last night and boy was it kinda sketchy even with a wd hitch. The camper is 8300 lbs with 1100 lbs of tongue weight. Told the dealer exactly what I had for a camper and he said it wouldn't be a issue. Now im thinking I should have done a little more research on the truck. I just ordered the helper bags. Any help would be appreciated

If you can post the payload from your door sticker that'll be helpful, if its truly fully loaded on options you could be overloaded just you as driver, the WDH and 1,100lbs on the hitch, everything else empty and no mods.

 

[silver billet]

I’m buying a Hensley arrow hitch today. Going to install airbags and change out to load range e tires. I have to make due with what I have for 3 years. So hopefully it will help. If Hensley can pull a 30ft airstream with a dodge intrepid my truck should be able to handle this camper.

I'm extremely interested in your feedback after getting the stinger. Please keep us updated, I've had my eye on that hitch for a while.

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

The door sticker says 1300ish

 

[AmericanRebelution]

Does your dealer offer any type of return grace period? Sounds like a 2500 would fit your needs better and give you some cushion. Fancy hitch or not, your bordering on the edge of unsafe conditions.

 

[ClancyO]

Definitely scale it. With and without the trailer. Dial that wdh in. It’s it’s really 8300 (wet) you might be limited on capacity in the truck, but it’s capable of towing it safely.

 

[silver billet]

Definitely scale it. With and without the trailer. Dial that wdh in. It’s it’s really 8300 (wet) you might be limited on capacity in the truck, but it’s capable of towing it safely.

He said hitch weight was 1100 pounds. Payload is 1300. If he climbs in his truck and weighs 200 pounds, he is at payload. Now add the WDH weight, some more cargo, passengers... even if that is wet, he is going to be over payload.

I absolutely wouldn't do it, though some would as long as rear axle isn't over rated capacity once your stuff is all in.

Then again there are guys on here cheerfully (read: stupidly) towing 5w that are so far over payload I'm surprised the rear wheels aren't sitting in a V.

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

So basically if you buy a Dodge Ram and have 3 friends (225lbs x4 ) in the truck with you, you cant even haul a yeti cooler full of beer in the bed or your going to be over payload capacity.

 

[ClancyO]

He said hitch weight was 1100 pounds. Payload is 1300. If he climbs in his truck and weighs 200 pounds, he is at payload. Now add the WDH weight, some more cargo, passengers... even if that is wet, he is going to be over payload.

I absolutely wouldn't do it, though some would as long as rear axle isn't over rated capacity once your stuff is all in.

Then again there are guys on here cheerfully (read: stupidly) towing 5w that are so far over payload I'm surprised the rear wheels aren't sitting in a V.

That’s why I said to scale it. The scale is the ultimate truth teller. Properly set up, the wdh moves weight to the front of the truck, AND back on the trailer. If the TT is really 8300, I’m thinking his tongue weight isn’t 1100. Read my long post on towing near limits. It can be done. But I agree, payload in the truck is gonna be an issue.

Cat charges $12 for the initial weight. $2.50 for all subsequent re-weights (within 24 hrs!). I’d take it empty/dry and scale the whole rig. Drop the trailer and scale just the truck (leave the wdh in the receiver, put the bars in the bed). The difference on the rear axle is going to reveal the real tongue weight. The difference on the front axle is going to tell you how well you have the hitch setup. And you’ll also have an idea where you can and can’t add weight later.

 

[Aseras]

So basically if you buy a Dodge Ram and have 3 friends (225lbs x4 ) in the truck with you, you cant even haul a yeti cooler full of beer in the bed or your going to be over payload capacity.

yeah but it's a truck not the space shuttle.