So you want to tow a camper! Discussion thread.

[Bt10]

Check the rv manufacturer website for dry tongue weight of any that interest you.

 

[IvoryHemi]

This is what I needed, thank you! Do camper dealers typically advertise the dry tongue weight? I feel like I only see the total trailer weight on the listing. I found a 28.5' around 6,000 lbs, sounds like I will be super comfortable with that?

Do you also think I need the upgraded hellwig sway?

Is 6,000 lbs the dry weight or GVWR?

Dealers typically don’t advertise the dry tongue weight, only the manufacturers dry weight which itself isn’t accurate either. You’ll have to look on the manufacturers website for tongue weight

Ask for the entry door sticker showing that particular unit’s built dry weight. It’s better to compare TT’s based on GVWR.

Hellwig definitely helps handling with typical driving. How much it actually helps for towing I think is less conclusive.

 

[Gazza]

This is what I needed, thank you! Do camper dealers typically advertise the dry tongue weight? I feel like I only see the total trailer weight on the listing. I found a 28.5' around 6,000 lbs, sounds like I will be super comfortable with that?

Do you also think I need the upgraded hellwig sway?

Hi - I have a SportTrek 251 VRK (28.4 feet long) dry weight is 6060 - dry hitch weight is 770. We have a better mattress and with the camper loaded with all the necessities it weight around 6800 and the hitch weight is 910. That is with 10 gallon of fresh water. This is just a guide and I cannot make it work within my payload of 1293. the extra 300 lbs of payload you have will make a big difference.

 

[AngelPhoenix]

Hi - I have a SportTrek 251 VRK (28.4 feet long) dry weight is 6060 - dry hitch weight is 770. We have a better mattress and with the camper loaded with all the necessities it weight around 6800 and the hitch weight is 910. That is with 10 gallon of fresh water. This is just a guide and I cannot make it work within my payload of 1293. the extra 300 lbs of payload you have will make a big difference.

Just wondering, if your trailer was 800lbs lighter (i.e. it stayed unloaded), would it be doable? Asking cause the trailers I'm looking at have dry weights around 5300lbs, so my loaded weight will probably be only a bit more than your dry weight (and my payload is right about where yours is, 1268).

 

[sessman]

Hi - I have a SportTrek 251 VRK (28.4 feet long) dry weight is 6060 - dry hitch weight is 770. We have a better mattress and with the camper loaded with all the necessities it weight around 6800 and the hitch weight is 910. That is with 10 gallon of fresh water. This is just a guide and I cannot make it work within my payload of 1293. the extra 300 lbs of payload you have will make a big difference.

That trailer is AWESOME I may try to go with it...you think my truck will tow it easily and within the safe range?

 

[sessman]

Others can provide more specifics and details but basically:

Payload is the key number. You will hit that way before you hit your max tow.

The "Dry Hitch Weight" that TT mfg's list on their websites is a magical nothing burger. Loaded hitch weight is what matters and that will include the dry hitch, batteries, propane tanks, and your Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH). Speaking of which...

A WDH is pretty much a must when towing anything over 3,500lbs loaded (which a TT big enough for a family of 4 will be). They control sway and spread the weight pressing down on your hitch out to the trailer axel, and toward the front axle of your truck, so it's not excessively concentrated. People around here like the Equalizer, but there's many different brands that are better or worse with various different aspects.

A stronger sway bar helps, and is something pretty much everyone here will tell you is a must-do mod (even if you're not towing). Hellwig has this market cornered.

LT ties may or may not be needed. Some people swear by them, others insist they're overkill. If you have XL-rated tires already, my advice would be to try with them first and see how things feel. If you feel like even with a Hellwig sway bar and dialed in WDH you're getting too much sway and lean around curves, consider LT tires. Tow mirrors are in a similar category.

Now the preachy stuff...

Changes lanes as infrequently as you can. However fast you think is comfortable, drive 5 MPH under that. Pull over in heavy rain/strong winds. Be extra conscious of anything on the road bigger than you (i.e. tractor trailers). And make sure you enjoy the drive! If you find you can't, you might need a bigger truck (or a smaller trailer).

Speaking of trailers, with just a very surface-level read off of your numbers, you'd want to stay with a dry hitch weight under 800lbs, and length under 32 feet. The dry and loaded weight of the trailer is a whole nother topic and I've rambled enough as it is and will let someone else handle that. Everyone here was super helpful to me, and they will be to you as well!

SportTrek ST251VRK Travel Trailer | Venture RV

View the SportTrek ST251VRK lightweight travel trailer floorplan, specifications, 360 virtual tour, quick tour video and photos.

www.venture-rv.com

Is this a good option for my truck and a first time "tower"?

 

[AngelPhoenix]

SportTrek ST251VRK Travel Trailer | Venture RV

View the SportTrek ST251VRK lightweight travel trailer floorplan, specifications, 360 virtual tour, quick tour video and photos.

www.venture-rv.com

Is this a good option for my truck and a first time "tower"?

Payload is the magic number, what's yours?

 

[RedSox10NG]

Hi - I have a SportTrek 251 VRK (28.4 feet long) dry weight is 6060 - dry hitch weight is 770. We have a better mattress and with the camper loaded with all the necessities it weight around 6800 and the hitch weight is 910. That is with 10 gallon of fresh water. This is just a guide and I cannot make it work within my payload of 1293. the extra 300 lbs of payload you have will make a big difference.

800 lbs of necessities?

Havent gotten my loaded trailer to scales yet but I’m really hoping I haven’t added 800#
!!

 

[sessman]

Payload is the magic number, what's yours?

1,543

 

[AngelPhoenix]

1,543

That's a solid figure. Like @Gazza suggested, your extra poundage over his payload probably makes the difference between safely towing that camper and not. A good estimate of your actual loaded hitch weight (including propane tanks, batteries, and your WDH) is +200lbs over the dry number, so figure a tongue weight of at least 920lbs. That leaves you about 620 lbs for stuff in the truck, so then it comes down to how big your family is.

You should be fine with you, the wife, and a couple of youngsters, but probably not much else. All your gear and such would need to go in the camper, but keep in mind, this increases the actual loaded weight of the camper, which could put additional weight on the hitch, depending on where in the camper you put the gear.

That's where the the WDH comes in; you can spread that added weight out across the camper axle, the hitch/rear axel of the truck, and the front axel of the truck, to get a tongue weight you can handle. If you can do that, and keep the rest of your numbers in check, you'll be solid. It's always impossible to say with 100% certainty what the numbers will be. Gotta hit the scales for that.

 

[nc_beagle]

800 lbs of necessities?

Havent gotten my loaded trailer to scales yet but I’m really hoping I haven’t added 800#
!!

Yeah, 800# is my max cargo and we're more like 300-400#. I can't imagine what we'd be hauling at 800# (though I know many people have this much cargo, and more...)

I do travel with the 45 gallon freshwater tank 1/3 full, but my trailer's dry weight is actually calculated with the fresh tank full. Technically, I suppose I have 240# more regular cargo capacity when I'm not using the other 2/3 of the freshwater tank...

 

[IvoryHemi]

my trailer's dry weight is actually calculated with the fresh tank full.

Dry trailer weight is calculated with empty tanks, not full fresh water.

I assume you are confused by the cargo capacity label which lists different scenarios of weight carrying capacity depending on if the tank(s) are full.

 

[nc_beagle]

Dry trailer weight is calculated with empty tanks, not full fresh water.

I assume you are confused by the cargo capacity label which lists different scenarios of weight carrying capacity depending on if the tank(s) are full.

View attachment 116157

Sorry, I misspoke (mistyped?) Yeah, they show my cargo capacity as if I had a full fresh tank, exactly as your plate shows.

 

[Redfour5]

The society of automotive engineers has taken a lot of fun out of these discussions. The objective nature of the standards has removed all subjectivity and left it simply to math, gullibility associated with sales of both RV's and trucks and your pocketbook. I remember the day when I had to walk 7 miles to school uphill both ways.

 

[Wingz13]

I found this site to be extremely helpful while doing research on my 2021 Laramie purchase. There are so many variations it is incredible. This site makes it simple.

Ram Towing | Find the Best Truck for Your Towing Needs

Find everything you need to know about Ram towing capacity, payload & more here. Discover the best Ram truck or van that fits your towing needs today.

www.ramtrucks.com

 

[MotorCityBear]

I have a 22 1500 Limited, 5.7 eTorque, 3.92. towing package, off-road package.

From the door jamb sticker, the max towing capacity is 10,919 and the max cargo is 1,019.

The cargo capacity seems very low to me. I asked my dealer about it but he was no help.

Does anybody else with a similar vehicle have such a low cargo capacity?

 

[deeve]

All the added features of the limited trim cause the towing and payload to take a hit. The truck itself likely is on the heavier end of the spectrum. Did you punch your vin in to the ram towing info webpage?

 

[MotorCityBear]

I did and it confirmed my towing capacities. When I ordered the truck I looked at the Ram website which showed higher towing/payload capacities. Now that I have the truck the capacities are lower. It’s the payload that is preventing me from towing the travel trailer I ordered.

 

[devildodge]

I did and it confirmed my towing capacities. When I ordered the truck I looked at the Ram website which showed higher towing/payload capacities. Now that I have the truck the capacities are lower. It’s the payload that is preventing me from towing the travel trailer I ordered.

As mentioned in this thread...the non VIN numbers charts/calculators are for a minimally optioned truck.

The reason they call it a Limited is because of the limited payload.

We have compiled a great list here of payload numbers and configurations.

I will say it another.

Charts and towing calculators are a guide.

Using the VIN to get your capacities is 99% accurate.

Doing the math with the constant numbers I shared here and a trip to the scale is the only way to be accurate.

Ignore anything that gives you an allowance.

Work with facts and hard numbers.

 

[deeve]

That’s a bummer. It’s that “ when properly equipped” gotcha they stick in the fine print that you have to hunt for. I think generally, lower equipped trucks get higher capacity/towing.