So you want to tow a camper! Discussion thread.

[LoNeStAr]

We are looking at getting it with the theater seats . We only have one grandchild and she is only a year old. It’s the perfect couples coach with a little flexibility

 

[MWipp]

So what transmission temps do people see when towing say 7-9k?

My camper was 6800# loaded and I was running right around 195-200, sometimes would see 205-210 pulling hills. 3.21 Diff.

 

[Pyleketerson]

Let’s start with basics.

>5000lbs weight distributing hitch is required by law in many states and provinces.

Check your payload capacity.
Subtract weight of all passengers plus 50 lbs each for shoes, coats, water bottles, snacks and random stuff they carry with them.
Subtract weight of anything you plan to carry in the bed.
Remaining weight = max tongue weight.

Max tongue weight/ 12-15% (typical rv tongue weight) = max trailer weight.

Example:
Payload from door sticker 1480lbs
1480-4 passengers at 150lbs =880lbs
880lbs less cooler and firewood (200lb assumed) = 680lbs
680lbs/.12 = 5,666lb max Loaded trailer weight (not the advertised dry weight!)

You’ll find that a 1500 runs out of payload well before it ever nears the fallacy of advertised max trailer weight.

If you don’t carry anything in the bed and no extras in the cab you might stretch to 8000lbs, but unlikely. Happy trailering.


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My payload is 1,297 lbs. So if I load my family of three in (420 lbs) plus the two dogs (220 lbs) and cargo in the cab (100lbs) I’m left with 557 lbs of payload. 557/.12 = 4,641 lbs. I’m left with a tiny little trailer to pull. Is that correct? How do some of these guys get away with pulling these nice 30 foot travel trailers I’m seeing? Sorry I’m new. I was hoping to start looking in the 26ft or less range.

 

[Dragonmaster13]

My payload is 1,297 lbs. So if I load my family of three in (420 lbs) plus the two dogs (220 lbs) and cargo in the cab (100lbs) I’m left with 557 lbs of payload. 557/.12 = 4,641 lbs. I’m left with a tiny little trailer to pull. Is that correct? How do some of these guys get away with pulling these nice 30 foot travel trailers I’m seeing? Sorry I’m new.

Absolutely correct. Lose passengers and put nothing in the bed. Too many options on your truck. Your payload is lower than my 4th gen with a GVWR of 6900lbs.


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[LoNeStAr]

My payload is 1,297 lbs. So if I load my family of three in (420 lbs) plus the two dogs (220 lbs) and cargo in the cab (100lbs) I’m left with 557 lbs of payload. 557/.12 = 4,641 lbs. I’m left with a tiny little trailer to pull. Is that correct? How do some of these guys get away with pulling these nice 30 foot travel trailers I’m seeing? Sorry I’m new. I was hoping to start looking in the 26ft or less range.

You can have the family and dogs follow you in a separate vehicle, that would save you some payload

 

[Pyleketerson]

Absolutely correct. Lose passengers and put nothing in the bed. Too many options on your truck. Your payload is lower than my 4th gen with a GVWR of 6900lbs.


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Thank you. I’ve been trying to figure this out. I figured the pano sunroof and etorque I didn’t really want would come back to bite me! This is going to be a hard sell to leave the wife and dogs at home.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Some owners don’t care about stated limits. Depending on the terrain and length of the trip, some owners will go ahead and tow even when over the trucks gcvwr, whether payload, total combined weight or whatever.

It’s just a choice as they don’t want a 2500 and will accept the increased wear and tear on the truck and themselves. There are owners who believe that as long as the engine can pull it, they will.

We don’t have laws that enforce towing weights and payloads like commercial vehicles do. That’s a reason why you have seen and will continue to see 150/1500’s towing 30+ foot fivers or TT’s.

 

[devildodge]

My payload is 1,297 lbs. So if I load my family of three in (420 lbs) plus the two dogs (220 lbs) and cargo in the cab (100lbs) I’m left with 557 lbs of payload. 557/.12 = 4,641 lbs. I’m left with a tiny little trailer to pull. Is that correct? How do some of these guys get away with pulling these nice 30 foot travel trailers I’m seeing? Sorry I’m new. I was hoping to start looking in the 26ft or less range.

So yes. That is correct. Like I said the people who want to follow the capacities are limited. The people who do not want to follow, make a decision to tow the big 30 footers.

We use a smaller camper because we like to camp away from the crowds and further into the wilderness. These big campers can not even fit were we go.

Our camper can be easily towed by a 1500. But I have a 2500 because we have a family of 5 and take all our own wood and supplies so we do not have to rely on the destination. And we also do not like to mess with the tanks everytime. These larger campers are way to big to leave the tanks full while a 1500 is towing.

 

[devildodge]

You can have the family and dogs follow you in a separate vehicle, that would save you some payload

We did this most of our first years camping with a travel trailer. We actually took 2 trucks for a long time. A 200lb Saint Bernard helped with that decision. Me and him towed the camper and the wife and kids followed behind.

Sometimes being safe is better. Most people seem to just hook and go. 90% of the time they will make it. That 10% of the time is what concerns me.

You could crate the dogs in the camper. Put the stuff in the truck in the camper and gain some room. But people have to make their own decisions on that.

 

[rtslab]

We did this most of our first years camping with a travel trailer. We actually took 2 trucks for a long time. A 200lb Saint Bernard helped with that decision. Me and him towed the camper and the wife and kids followed behind.

Sometimes being safe is better. Most people seem to just hook and go. 90% of the time they will make it. That 10% of the time is what concerns me.

You could crate the dogs in the camper. Put the stuff in the truck in the camper and gain some room. But people have to make their own decisions on that.

For RAM 1500 eco diesel, the GVWR is 7200lb and combined front and rear axle weight is 8000lb(3900+4100). Do you know why GVWR is 800lb less than combined axle weight? I would assume they should be very close, correct?

 

[devildodge]

For RAM 1500 eco diesel, the GVWR is 7200lb and combined front and rear axle weight is 8000lb(3900+4100). Do you know why GVWR is 800lb less than combined axle weight? I would assume they should be very close, correct?

This is the argument we were trying to stay away from.

My opinion and how I look at it is this.

The axle rating is not the weak link.

The truck is designed to stop turn accelerate and maneuver at 7200lbs.

The extra axle capacity is because you can load into them. But you lower your stoping cornering and acceleration ability.

You never ever want to exceed axle capacity. Exceeding GVWR some is ok as long as you understand the truck is going to perform differently.

 

[rtslab]

This is the argument we were trying to stay away from.

My opinion and how I look at it is this.

The axle rating is not the weak link.

The truck is designed to stop turn accelerate and maneuver at 7200lbs.

The extra axle capacity is because you can load into them. But you lower your stoping cornering and acceleration ability.

You never ever want to exceed axle capacity. Exceeding GVWR some is ok as long as you understand the truck is going to perform differently.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts here!

 

[RedSox10NG]

Let’s start with basics.

>5000lbs weight distributing hitch is required by law in many states and provinces.

Check your payload capacity.
Subtract weight of all passengers plus 50 lbs each for shoes, coats, water bottles, snacks and random stuff they carry with them.
Subtract weight of anything you plan to carry in the bed.
Remaining weight = max tongue weight.

Max tongue weight/ 12-15% (typical rv tongue weight) = max trailer weight.

Example:
Payload from door sticker 1480lbs
1480-4 passengers at 150lbs =880lbs
880lbs less cooler and firewood (200lb assumed) = 680lbs
680lbs/.12 = 5,666lb max Loaded trailer weight (not the advertised dry weight!)

You’ll find that a 1500 runs out of payload well before it ever nears the fallacy of advertised max trailer weight.

If you don’t carry anything in the bed and no extras in the cab you might stretch to 8000lbs, but unlikely. Happy trailering.


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Using this formula:

1800 payload-400 lbs humans and gear
1400-200 (cooler/wood)
1200/.12=10,000...
Meaning I can load a trailer up to 10,000?

Where is the hitch weight in this formula?

Thanks!

 

[Pyleketerson]

Using this formula:

1800 payload-400 lbs humans and gear
1400-200 (cooler/wood)
1200/.12=10,000...
Meaning I can load a trailer up to 10,000?

Where is the hitch weight in this formula?

Thanks!

My 1,297 payload is jealous of your 1,800.
.12 is the max tongue weight (12%)

 

[LoNeStAr]

1800 payload? Is that off your door sticker or website? Since you have a 4x4 I will assume you got this number off the website.

 

[silver billet]

He might be pushing close to 1800, I have 1751 on a BigHorn 4x4. No sunroof, ramboxes, etorque, off road group though.

 

[silver billet]

Using this formula:

1800 payload-400 lbs humans and gear
1400-200 (cooler/wood)
1200/.12=10,000...
Meaning I can load a trailer up to 10,000?

Where is the hitch weight in this formula?

Thanks!

If by hitch weight you mean the weight of the Weight Distributing Hitch, say about 50 to 70 pounds, that comes directly off your payload. So 1800 - all your other stuff you mentioned - the WDH.

 

[RedSox10NG]

If by hitch weight you mean the weight of the Weight Distributing Hitch, say about 50 to 70 pounds, that comes directly off your payload. So 1800 - all your other stuff you mentioned - the WDH.

Sorry I wasn't more clear. The trailer listed hitch weight. Just ensuring my 795# hitch weight from the trailer is within range

 

[devildodge]

Sorry I wasn't more clear. The trailer listed hitch weight. Just ensuring my 795# hitch weight from the trailer is within range

The 1200 in the equation is hitch weight.

So you can have a maximum of 1200lbs hitch weight.

So your 795 is fine.

But if that is from the camper specs...it will be much more with batterries propane and gear in the camper.

 

[RedSox10NG]

The 1200 in the equation is hitch weight.

So you can have a maximum of 1200lbs hitch weight.

So your 795 is fine.

But if that is from the camper specs...it will be much more with batterries propane and gear in the camper.

Thank you, I now understand!

So I am at dry trailer 6,900# and trailer hitch weight at 795#. I am planning on a WDH hitch up to 1000# and to stay at about 8000# trailer total max, which is under the calculated 10,000# from my earlier post. Thank you all for your input!