New to ram, new to trucks, new to towing

[Bno_QV]

Good evening everyone! First post, been lurking.

Recently picked up a 2020 ram 5.7 V8 limited with etorque and factory air suspension. My father also just got a 2022 ram 1500 big horn.

Brother in law purchased a toy hauler that we’re supposed to pick up a couple hours away but we’re relatively new to this. We’re in FL so it’s all straights and flats. No inclines or declines.

Our original idea was we use my ram since I have etorque and air suspension to drive the toy hauler, then his ram to carry the family, toys etc.

We have towed over 12000lbs regularly in an old Ford econoline van for years with no issues or fancy WD hitch. But that was a beater work van not a luxury truck.

Attached you’ll find some specs. If anyone can give advice, we’d appreciate it. and yes I know, way in over our heads.

 

[jchurchbrah]

Weight distribution hitch and I’d go 5-10 under the speed limit and/or take back roads (55mph ones?) if I was towing above capacity. Is all I got.

 

[PurpleRT]

Enterprise trunk rental…rent a F250 or 2500 for a day and pull it back with that. A couple hours away and your towing over the limit screams bad idea.


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[Bt10]

Might look at switching roles here. His Big Horn may very well have a higher payload and you won't have to fool with air suspension, assuming he has a hemi and not a 3.21 gear. WDH should be a given. Etorque cuts payload (tongue weight capability) and air susp only masks the rear overload without a WDH. You may not technically be overweight on his truck picking up a new, "dry", empty camper, but loaded for a trip, you surely will be, at least on the tongue. Someone needs a 2500.

Edit to add: The tongue weight of your listed trailer is above the hitch rating, so probably not wise at all.

 

[Rick3478]

My knee jerk is that it's way too big for either of your trucks. Think 3500 dually.

 

[WXman]

So you hook that trailer onto your truck and by the numbers you're automatically 14 lbs. over payload.

Then you hop in the the truck and you're 200+ lbs. over payload.

If you have a family, dogs, gear, etc. they put you several hundred lbs. over payload.

A 2500 truck won't help much if it's a diesel, those are typically 1,900 lbs. of payload rating. Need a 2500 gas truck minimum and preferably a 3500 truck.

Having said that, an *experienced* towing driver could get away with it using a weight distribution hitch with sway control, good trailer brake controller, and skill and it would be OK. I’ve had about 8,300 lbs. behind these Ram 1500s and it was fine, but I had the right equipment and 30 years of experience under my belt.

At the end of the day a 3500 series truck will be better for you……plus caution.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

Way too much trailer for either truck.

 

[Bno_QV]

So you hook that trailer onto your truck and by the numbers you're automatically 14 lbs. over payload.

Then you hop in the the truck and you're 200+ lbs. over payload.

If you have a family, dogs, gear, etc. they put you several hundred lbs. over payload.

A 2500 truck won't help much if it's a diesel, those are typically 1,900 lbs. of payload rating. Need a 2500 gas truck minimum and preferably a 3500 truck.

Having said that, an *experienced* towing driver could get away with it using a weight distribution hitch with sway control, good trailer brake controller, and skill and it would be OK. I’ve had about 8,300 lbs. behind these Ram 1500s and it was fine, but I had the right equipment and 30 years of experience under my belt.

At the end of the day a 3500 series truck will be better for you……plus caution.

The idea would be 1 person in the ram towing the trailer, everyone/ everything else in the other ram.

What would be my concern? Would my airbags give/frame bend etc?

As far as safety concerns, I drove box trucks and cargo vans well over payload from Chicago to Miami before. Not trying to go 70mph with my hands off the wheel or anything.

Just trying to better understand potential consequences.

 

[Eighty]

Dude, I can't believe you're even considering towing a trailer like that with a 1500. With a 1,366-lb tongue weight, your hitch receiver isn't even rated for that (a Class IV hitch is only rated for 1,000 lbs). Even with a WDH, it's only rated for 1400 lbs - and you'd be above 1400 with the WDH.
The potential consequences? Killing yourself. Or more importantly, killing a family next to you on the road.

 

[WXman]

Just trying to better understand potential consequences.

I mean, the truck is not going to spontaneously combust and burn if you hook that trailer to it. I guess the *potential* consequence is if the trailer causes the truck to lose control and you accidentally run over another vehicle and kill a family I imagine the insurance company will be keenly interested in how much your trailer weighed.

Like I said, it can be done. It's just not ideal. You said that you both recently purchased your trucks? How come you didn't get a 3500? Or better yet, if your brother in law is the one buying the toy hauler, why doesn't he have a 3500?

 

[nc_beagle]

I imagine as a Big Horn, your father's truck would have more payload and potentially a higher tow rating if he's got the 3.92--unless he got the V-6. I've only got experience with my own camper that's 25', but nearly 38' seems like a lot of trailer behind a 1/2 ton. A windy day might make for an unpleasant experience, weight aside.

 

[Andymax]

You get into an accident and cause anyone any harm and you are likely uninsurable...your current carrier will drop you immediately. Wouldn't do it. Best of luck to all the people anywhere near you because, frankly, it sounds like you're gonna do it anyway.

 

[Tymeks]

With all that experience driving your cargo truck and all of that, I suspect this post is somewhat fake. My guess is that you're trying to bait the tow police, lol. With all that experience, you already knew the answer prior to posting since it's really not even close. There's a zero percent chance that anyone would look at a 38 foot trailer being pulled by a 1500 who has any type of towing experience and think " Yeah....this is a good idea " " Can't imagine a down side here...pack it up, lets roll! " hahahah

28 ft trailer.....meh, maybe. Probably pushing it with a Ram 1500. But 38 ft....hahahahah..... yeah right.