I need some towing advice from someone that has done it.

[Garvanzo]

I'm planning a long family trip next summer out west. It will include a run from Florida out to the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, up to Yellowstone and then to Mt Rushmore. I have a 2022 1500 with a 5.7 and 3.21 gears. I tow a 30' Jayco travel trailer that weighs around 7300#s loaded. I have a good weight distribution hitch with sway control, airbags and Cargomax springs on it already. We took this setup out to New Mexico and Texas last summer and it handled pretty good. I am a little worried that the truck isn't quite enough for the mountains and am on the fence about whether to get into a bigger truck before this trip. I know that my setup is teetering at the upper range of what my truck is rated for. Fully loaded and weight distribution hitch connected we were over payload but under axle weight rating. Without weight distibution we were over axle rating by 200lbs. I'm looking for advice from people that have towed that area with a similar setup.

 

[TNRamGuy]

Avoid Colorado and you should be fine, some of the grades they have are tough for a sedan if you have a passenger . Also hoover dam should be along the way, cool to see

 

[Brutal_HO]

3.21 rear end is going to kill you in the mountains.

 

[Trooper4]

I'm planning a long family trip next summer out west. It will include a run from Florida out to the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, up to Yellowstone and then to Mt Rushmore. I have a 2022 1500 with a 5.7 and 3.21 gears. I tow a 30' Jayco travel trailer that weighs around 7300#s loaded. I have a good weight distribution hitch with sway control, airbags and Cargomax springs on it already. We took this setup out to New Mexico and Texas last summer and it handled pretty good. I am a little worried that the truck isn't quite enough for the mountains and am on the fence about whether to get into a bigger truck before this trip. I know that my setup is teetering at the upper range of what my truck is rated for. Fully loaded and weight distribution hitch connected we were over payload but under axle weight rating. Without weight distibution we were over axle rating by 200lbs. I'm looking for advice from people that have towed that area with a similar setup.

The only problem I see is that you will spend a lot of time in the lower gears, so the mpg is going to be terrible, but as long as you don't push it and keep the speeds down and watch the temps you should be OK as long as you don't go over the Rockies, but come up through Texas and then head north. I have pulled my RV through that country north to south and back north pulling heavy and had no problems at all, but I have the 3.92's.