So you want to tow a camper! Discussion thread.

[dannw1431]

What is the best tires on my truck for towing my travel trailer

My ‘21 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.7L eTorque 3.92, 33gal tank, payload 1353lbs, came with these tires;

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza
Treadwear 600
Traction A
Temperature A
275/55R20 113T
4 ply

I plan on buying a travel trailer ~5500 to -6000lb range

My Firestone dealer says this is a 4 ply tire

Should I be concerned about these tires for towing?


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[IvoryHemi]

What is the best tires on my truck for towing my travel trailer

My ‘21 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.7L eTorque 3.92, 33gal tank, payload 1353lbs, came with these tires;

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza
Treadwear 600
Traction A
Temperature A
275/55R20 113T
4 ply

I plan on buying a travel trailer ~5500 to -6000lb range

My Firestone dealer says this is a 4 ply tire

Should I be concerned about these tires for towing?


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The factory H/L Alenza have a “standard load” sidewall rating.

You will want something with a minimum of “ XL load” sidewall rating for towing a TT

 

[Trooper4]

What is the best tires on my truck for towing my travel trailer

My ‘21 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.7L eTorque 3.92, 33gal tank, payload 1353lbs, came with these tires;

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza
Treadwear 600
Traction A
Temperature A
275/55R20 113T
4 ply

I plan on buying a travel trailer ~5500 to -6000lb range

My Firestone dealer says this is a 4 ply tire

Should I be concerned about these tires for towing?


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I towed with them for the first year, and they worked, but I changed to a heavier sidewall tire and a Hellwig before towing south in November, and it made all the difference in the world. Definitely move up to a better tire. The "P" tires are too soft in the sidewall.

 

[dannw1431]

I towed with them for the first year, and they worked, but I changed to a heavier sidewall tire and a Hellwig before towing south in November, and it made all the difference in the world. Definitely move up to a better tire. The "P" tires are too soft in the sidewall.

Thanks for your feedback. I'll look to buy new tires with a better sidewall rating. Also my Lamarie came with 4-Corner air suspension. Do you think this would work in place of the Helwig?

 

[Rickyrocket]

What about a 5th wheel this light? I've got a 2020 Bighorn 5.7 no etorq,4x4,level 2,I posted the loading sticker but can't find the post,pretty sure it is 1784 payload, is this possible?

 

[dannw1431]

My ‘21 Laramie’s payload is 1358lbs so your 5th wheel trailer is too much for me


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[Trooper4]

Thanks for your feedback. I'll look to buy new tires with a better sidewall rating. Also my Lamarie came with 4-Corner air suspension. Do you think this would work in place of the Helwig?

I have the 4 corner WITH the Hellwig and wouldn't be without it. I tow a fiver and between the two I am solid in the wind and simis.

 

[eodenc]

I'm looking for experience on balancing the trailer tongue weight. We have 2019 1500 with 1608/11300 capacity and an imagine 2670mk 8495 gvw. I finally weighed two weeks and was surprised how much tongue weight I had (12.5%) that put me slightly over gvw while I was at 8100 on the trailer. I added about 150# of an invertor, wire, and framing over the holidays which is in the pass through. I also had the heavy stuff in the rear of the truck bed using my bed divider to keep it in place, which takes more weight off the front axle and puts it directly on the rear. On our trip tomorrow I plan to load what was in the truck bed into the back of the trailer (and weigh it before hand to know what I add) and re-weigh on the same cat scale. This should take about (I did not weigh the stuff first time) 200# out of the bed and into the rear which should double dip by taking weight out of the truck capacity but also off the tongue since the weight is in the back. I also removed a little bit of weight from the truck and the trailer.

I'm pretty sure I can get things ok for these trips but we also boon dock which requires the generator and water in the rig. My questions are:
- if i move my load to the front of the truck bed I'm assuming the load will transfer to the front and rear based on a simple force balance equation. Make sense? Rear still takes most of the load but the front gets some.
- when i add water (375#) the center of gravity will be about 1/3 of the way from the tongue and 2/3 of the way to between the rear wheels so a force balance means about another 235 on the tongue and 135 on the rear wheels. I just combined the rear wheels into one load point in the center of them. Sound about right based on experiences?

So if I can add as much stuff to the rear of the rig as I can and stay just under my gvw on the trailer that is my best case scenario for tongue weight and dictates my potential capacity in the truck bed. But I need/want to keep the tongue at least 10% of trailer and keep under the rear axle limit.

Am I missing anything else?

 

[devildodge]

That will wag around like a dogs tail if you load thr stuff in the back

 

[silver billet]

I'm looking for experience on balancing the trailer tongue weight. We have 2019 1500 with 1608/11300 capacity and an imagine 2670mk 8495 gvw. I finally weighed two weeks and was surprised how much tongue weight I had (12.5%) that put me slightly over gvw while I was at 8100 on the trailer. I added about 150# of an invertor, wire, and framing over the holidays which is in the pass through. I also had the heavy stuff in the rear of the truck bed using my bed divider to keep it in place, which takes more weight off the front axle and puts it directly on the rear. On our trip tomorrow I plan to load what was in the truck bed into the back of the trailer (and weigh it before hand to know what I add) and re-weigh on the same cat scale. This should take about (I did not weigh the stuff first time) 200# out of the bed and into the rear which should double dip by taking weight out of the truck capacity but also off the tongue since the weight is in the back. I also removed a little bit of weight from the truck and the trailer.

I'm pretty sure I can get things ok for these trips but we also boon dock which requires the generator and water in the rig. My questions are:
- if i move my load to the front of the truck bed I'm assuming the load will transfer to the front and rear based on a simple force balance equation. Make sense? Rear still takes most of the load but the front gets some.
- when i add water (375#) the center of gravity will be about 1/3 of the way from the tongue and 2/3 of the way to between the rear wheels so a force balance means about another 235 on the tongue and 135 on the rear wheels. I just combined the rear wheels into one load point in the center of them. Sound about right based on experiences?

So if I can add as much stuff to the rear of the rig as I can and stay just under my gvw on the trailer that is my best case scenario for tongue weight and dictates my potential capacity in the truck bed. But I need/want to keep the tongue at least 10% of trailer and keep under the rear axle limit.

Am I missing anything else?

Whatever you move around, after you're done that, tongue weight should still be at 13%. That is ideal. More than that and you add unecessary weight to the truck, less than that and the towing becomes squirrelly (like devil dodge mentioned, the trailer starts to push the truck around).

So if you can keep 13% tongue weight while still being under your payload, then you can tow it. Otherwise, you will need a bigger truck or less weight.

 

[IvoryHemi]

But I need/want to keep the tongue at least 10% of trailer and keep under the rear axle limit.

Am I missing anything else?

You do not want 10% tongue weight on a travel trailer. Keep it at 12-13% or it won’t be a pleasant tow

 

[Willwork4truck]

“Otherwise, you will need a bigger truck...”. Cut to image of devildodge with a smile on his face.

 

[devildodge]

“Otherwise, you will need a bigger truck...”. Cut to image of devildodge with a smile on his face.

I just pray if he decides this is his best route...that I am not on the road.

 

[bman77]

Holy crap.. I just want to chime in with my little adventure over the weekend.

This is my first time towing with my new truck and all I can say is I didn't know how spoiled I was by my 2007 F350 dually crew cab, 8' bed and wished I didn't trade it in. I should of kept it as a tow vehicle.

We own a Jayco Octane 222 (26' Toy Hauler Travel Trailer) of which we purchased more so for the ramp because our one daughter is wheelchair bound and because where we like to camp requires the camper be less than 35'. My last trip to the scales on 8/14/2020, the TT weighed 7,267lbs and tongue weight of 889lbs. This trip it was loaded the exact same or extremely close, full propane, SxS and power wheelchair in it, full fridge, full gas tank and our supplies. No water, empty grey and black tanks.

With the F350, you honestly only knew you were towing when you looked in the mirrors or when you would feel a light push from heavy crosswinds. I mean seriously, you knew you were hauling because the ride was nice and cadillac 'ish. Simply put, it was a super easy sunday type driving, the 6.0 never broke a sweat and the trans ran cool and white knuckle driving didn't exist.

The Ram is a completely different experience, you knew the entire time that you where hauling a trailer. Every bump the trailer felt, you felt, every gust of wind no matter how small you felt. While I am very confident in the Rebel and its' ability to tow, I was not nearly as comfortable and did not enjoy the drive nearly as much.

Don't get me wrong, I was getting my Rebel not matter what, I just wished I would of kept the F350 for towing. I hated driving the F350 empty, concrete freeways give you what I call the "milkshake effect", great when your wife is in the truck . Jigglies gonna jiggle.. I hated parking the F350, turning radius is abysmal, not terrible for getting into a spot but hard to get out. I hated not being able to wash it at a car wash and hated narrow roads. A daily driver a dually is not and a daily driver the Rebel excels at.

Enough rant. Thought I would share.. I truly feel now for all of those wanting to tow north of 9,000lbs with their 1500, you are a brave soul..

 

[RedSox10NG]

We're comparing a DRW 1 ton to an off-road specialized 1/2 ton here?

 

[Willwork4truck]

We're comparing a DRW 1 ton to an off-road specialized 1/2 ton here?

Nah he's just saying that his Rebel towing 8K isn't comfortable or enjoyable.
He mainly compares the two trucks from the tow vehicle standpoint, then states very clearly that as a daily driver the Rebel is much better.

The point is the Rebel is maxed out towing that sized trailer and (probably) should not be the vehicle of choice. It's the same ol' thing - owners want a truck that does it all and they don't exist. You either sacrifice ride quality and street manners to tow or you sacrifice towing ability for ride and handling.

Now maybe a gas 2500 might be "in the middle"? Kinda' like Goldilocks and the three pickups...

 

[dannw1431]

I bought a ‘21 1500 Ram Laramie that has 1357lbs payload, 11257lbs max towing. My wife and I together weigh 360lbs. The travel trailer we just bought ‘21 Shadow Cruiser 248RKS has dry weight 5606lbs, GVWR 7516lbs, hitch weight 516lbs. I haven’t towed this yet, as I’m picking it up at the end of April. Also purchased a WDH too. I believe my truck should be OK for towing, what do you all think?


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[IvoryHemi]

I bought a ‘21 1500 Ram Laramie that has 1357lbs payload, 11257lbs max towing. My wife and I together weigh 360lbs. The travel trailer we just bought ‘21 Shadow Cruiser 248RKS has dry weight 5606lbs, GVWR 7516lbs, hitch weight 516lbs. I haven’t towed this yet, as I’m picking it up at the end of April. Also purchased a WDH too. I believe my truck should be OK for towing, what do you all think?


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Hitch weight seems awfully unrealistic at only 9%

 

[dannw1431]

Cruiser RV | Shadow Cruiser Ultra Light Travel Trailer

Explore with Shadow Cruiser: Affordable, lightweight travel trailer, versatile floor plans, heated comfort. Perfect for budget-friendly adventures. Ideal for budget-conscious explorers, it offers an unmatched blend of lightweight design, ease of towing, and luxurious features. Its heated...

www.cruiserrv.com

These are the specs, I have to go with


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[Trooper4]

Cruiser RV | Shadow Cruiser Ultra Light Travel Trailer

Explore with Shadow Cruiser: Affordable, lightweight travel trailer, versatile floor plans, heated comfort. Perfect for budget-friendly adventures. Ideal for budget-conscious explorers, it offers an unmatched blend of lightweight design, ease of towing, and luxurious features. Its heated...

www.cruiserrv.com

These are the specs, I have to go with


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When you get it home, scale it for real numbers so you know where you really are at.