Need some extra thoughts/opinions on camper...

[smellis745]

Good morning everyone! I'm new here, but this is something I've been researching and I've lurked these forums for a few months now. Based off what I've read and my limited knowledge of this subject matter, I *think* I should be fine. I don't really know anyone with expertise on this so I'm hoping to get some good guidance here...

My wife and I are looking to purchase a TT within the next few months. I drive a 2020 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew 5'7" box, with the 5.7 Hemi, a 3.21 rear end and 4x4. Based on Ram's site, the payload and towing max for my truck are 1,734 lb and 8,190 lb. Of course, those are what's provided from the factory and I've never actually put the truck on a scale.

That said, the two campers we're gravitating to at the moment are the Salem Cruise-Lite in either the 273QBXL or 28VBXL floor plans. Both of these trailers are right at 33' long. The 273QBXL specs are; dry weight = 6,028 lbs, GVWR = 7,752 lbs, and tongue weight = 752 lbs. The 28VBXL specs are; dry weight = 6,208 lbs, GVWR = 7,790 lbs, and tongue weight = 790 lbs.

All that said, I'm not sold on either of these two models, but they are my wife's preferred models. We have two daughters and they'll want to take friends, so having the bunk house room with a shutting door is nice. With a properly setup WDH (looking at Blue Ox SwayPro), maybe even adding bags, should my truck handle this load? I seriously doubt we'd ever go anywhere that I'd need to carry the camper with loaded fluids. We live in upstate SC and most camping will be between the NC mountains and beaches. Maybe taking 6-8 trips a year.

 

[Belvedere]

You're truck's specific payload capacity will be on your door jam sticker. It will be less than what you think.

There are also websites (they're on this forum somewhere) that you can plug in your VIN to get window sticker, build sheet and towing capacity/payload.

Just remember payload is everything that didn't come with the truck... you, your trailer (trailer mfgrs often under rate tongue weight, not counting battery and propane, so watch for that), family, gear, weight distribution hitch...

I prefer to not get close to towing capacity. My truck is around 11,500lbs and 1424lbs payload. I also prefer to not lug around a long trailer that limits where I can go. We have a 21' bunkhouse that's about 3k lbs dry. We have two girls and when they bring a friend there's plenty of room for them to share a bed, but they're still young and small.

We might go a little nicer someday, but probably never bigger. We bought this one new in early 2020 for about half what they sell for today, so may just keep it. My wife is liking RTT camping more and more. She just ordered us a new tent for my truck. It's like hiking/hammock camping, but not quite so minimalistic.

 

[LaxDfns15]

Those are relatively big trailers for the 3.21 rear end to haul. Like @Belvedere said, payload is anything you put in the truck over what came from the factory, including people and gasoline. A good WDH is usually 100 pounds, you have 4 people which will take up a decent amount. You didn't say the trim, but usually the higher trims are lower payload. Checking the yellow sticker in the driver door jam tells you exactly what you have. You'll run out of payload long before you run out of towing capacity.

 

[smellis745]

I updated the OP, but the trim on my truck is the Big Horn.

 

[Eighty]

Those are relatively big trailers for the 3.21 rear end to haul. Like @Belvedere said, payload is anything you put in the truck over what came from the factory, including people and gasoline. A good WDH is usually 100 pounds, you have 4 people which will take up a decent amount. You didn't say the trim, but usually the higher trims are lower payload. Checking the yellow sticker in the driver door jam tells you exactly what you have. You'll run out of payload long before you run out of towing capacity.

Full fluids (including fuel) is accounted for already in the door sticker. You only have to consider cargo and occupants (and tongue weight).

 

[crusher]

also one thing to consider is the tongue weight is for a empty tt, so when you load it keep that in mind to distribute the weight

full you will be close to 900lbs to 1000lbs tongue weight, depending on how you distribute the weight in the tt

just the propane tank since infront on the tongue of trailer will add around 50lbs maybe more, depending what ever their weight capacity is,

maybe consider adding helper bags, the 1000hd bags are not expensive, take about 30 to 40 min to install if you use the fold and tie rap methot and will help level you out

 

[LaxDfns15]

also one thing to consider is the tongue weight is for a empty tt, so when you load it keep that in mind to distribute the weight

full you will be close to 900lbs to 1000lbs tongue weight, depending on how you distribute the weight in the tt

just the propane tank since infront on the tongue of trailer will add around 50lbs maybe more, depending what ever their weight capacity is,

maybe consider adding helper bags, the 1000hd bags are not expensive, take about 30 to 40 min to install if you use the fold and tie rap methot and will help level you out

As nice as it is to have air bags level the truck they don't increase payload. The opposite in fact, because you're adding more items to the truck. The truck can usually handle it, but it all comes down to if OP is willing to assume the legal liability of running over payload.

Let's use 1700 as his payload and over estimate his passenger weight (to be conservative). 100 pounds WDH, 200 pounds for him, 400 pounds for his wife and 2 daughters. 300 pounds of luggage and "stuff" in or attached to the truck (it adds up quickly). He's now down to 700 pounds of payload. He also mentioned his daughters bringing friends which is even more passenger weight.

1500's can't legally tow bigass TT's. The payload is too low.

 

[Dschmid37]

As a long time camper, I will say this. My first camper was a 37 ft travel trailer, but had no slide-outs (not as popular back in 1990) so it weighed under 7000 lbs, and I towed it with a 1/2 ton chevy extended cab. That trailer made me feel like I was barely in control going down the road. I quickly traded up to a 3/4 ton! You can't just go by the numbers. When I got underneath that 3/4 ton and saw just how much beefier everything is compared to the 1/2 ton, I was amazed. From the steering components to the brake hubs and drums filling up the wheels. Towing was night and day difference. I know this is probably not what you want to hear since you're camper shopping and not truck shopping, and I wouldn't let your wife read this. At the very least, you should upgrade the tires to a load range "E". That will help reduce the sidewall roll tendencies when you tow. Good luck. Be safe.

 

[crusher]

As nice as it is to have air bags level the truck they don't increase payload. The opposite in fact, because you're adding more items to the truck. The truck can usually handle it, but it all comes down to if OP is willing to assume the legal liability of running over payload.

Let's use 1700 as his payload and over estimate his passenger weight (to be conservative). 100 pounds WDH, 200 pounds for him, 400 pounds for his wife and 2 daughters. 300 pounds of luggage and "stuff" in or attached to the truck (it adds up quickly). He's now down to 700 pounds of payload. He also mentioned his daughters bringing friends which is even more passenger weight.

1500's can't legally tow bigass TT's. The payload is too low.

who said it would increase payload? i know i didnt say that so.please.dont say stuff i did not say

2 air bags weights about 5 pounds total for both, and it is in the suspension not over the suspension therefore it does not deduct the payload and even if it does the 5 pounds you loose vs being level is well.worth it security wise

i did not say etheir that he will be fine payload wise i only suggest some.advice to think of

, i said to not forget the tongue weight did not include the extra , so the 750lbs tongue will be heavier with propane, luggages etc.. at max weight of the tt it will equale to about 950lbs tongue if he max.out the limit of tt

also if he put the luggage in the tt, you dont deduct the whole weight to the payload.. if a 100lbs is put in the back of the tt, the tongue weigh will bearly change... if he put it in front of tt or in thr pickup then its another story

anyway thinking that if you put 400lbs luggages in trailer you deduct that from.pickup payload is wrong, you only deduct the added tongue weight, so thats why its essentiel to load the tt proprelly

your guessing their weight and every thing else, at the end the only thing that matters is to respect the payload and towing capacity, and that, other then weighting on a scale the tongue its all guessing, without the real numbers impossible.to say if its legal or not.

 

[Crawpapa]

Another option, get on rvshare and rent a 21 foot, then a 23 foot and test the waters with those. People usually already have a WDH to use. Airbags only assist with rear sags when under load, but don’t help with overall towing capacity. I would highly urge you NOT to get anything longer than 25 foot with a 1500.

 

[smellis745]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I’m not married to either of the TTs and driving separate when it’s anyone other than my wife and I would be the norm so packing luggage is no concern. I like to golf when we travel and she likes to shop, so a second vehicle will almost always be with us. That should help with payload concerns. She’ll be fine going with something smaller, because she has to be. This is something we’ve talked about for a while, and are looking to make a purchase within the next 2-3 months.

 

[smellis745]

Another option, get on rvshare and rent a 21 foot, then a 23 foot and test the waters with those. People usually already have a WDH to use. Airbags only assist with rear sags when under load, but don’t help with overall towing capacity. I would highly urge you NOT to get anything longer than 25 foot with a 1500.

When you say over 25’, do you mean total length or shell length?

 

[crusher]

25ft of shell youll be fine if you follow the payload and max towing, even a 28 if that what you want, as long that your under the max limit and have trailer brake controller

eventho.air bags do not get you more payload, i still suggest them to level.out your truck, that will give you better control and a safer drive, all that for around 200$

 

[Bigbags85]

My neighbor has similar floor plans to those two campers and while I'm not 100%, I am fairly certain that he has a V6 classic quad cab (not certain of the engine) and he claims to not have any issues. Don't know how true that is but over 33ft seems like a pretty long trailer for a 1500. I don't know if you can find a TT with a bunkhouse that is less than 30ft if you're dead seat on that feature. We ended up starting out with a Starcraft 241BH and now have an Imagine 2400BH. Both under 30ft, your bedroom has a door, both have double wide bunks so the trailer can sleep 8. Both tow fine so far. I'd say it depends on your experience and comfort level with towing.

 

[Crawpapa]

When you say over 25’, do you mean total length or shell length?

Shell. With the trailer part - that will add about 3 more feet. Also if you plan to go to a lot of national parks, they have limits for trailer length (I don’t remember what it is, or if it’s the same for all national park), so that’s something you’d need to research.

 

[Loudram]

I'll throw my $.02 in. There is some good advice in this thread. Having owned 4 travel trailers, two of which were 33' I personally would not go longer than that. I towed all my trailers with a 1500. My current trailer is 29'. My brochure tongue weight is 650 lbs. My actual loaded tongue weight is between 900 lbs and 950 lbs. My dry weight is a hair over 6000 lbs. My scaled (wet) weight is about 7100 lbs. Keep in mind there is only myself and my wife. When you add in kids you'll probably have close to 1500 lbs of gear. Use that as an example of how fast the weight adds up. Watch your CCC (cargo carrying capacity) as well. Make sure it can carry your stuff. Take the dry weight of the trailer and add 1500 lbs to that to get you in the ball park of your loaded weight. Notice I said ball park.

Also don't buy the line that you shouldn't get a trailer with a GVW higher than you can tow. That's bad advice. You can get a trailer with a higher GVW just watch what you load into it. It'll have better rated axles and tires. Get a lower CCC rated trailer and you could be border line maxing the trailer's CCC out. Know your weights. Scale the trailer when it's loaded. That's the bottom line.

Also if you're looking at or near a 30' trailer please get a quality weight distribution and anti sway hitch. Don't cheap out on safety. I've personally used an Equalizer hitch in the past and they are excellent. I am currently using a Weigh Safe True Tow hitch. That has a scale built in and you always know your tongue weight and proper weight distribution. They are pricey but worth every penny.

One final thing, sorry I didn't mean for this to be a book but I'm passionate about camping and towing safely. Here is a great video on explaining weights and what they mean. It's worth a watch.