Towing Lance 2185 with a 1500 Laramie

[Hocha]

I'm trying to figure out if this trailer would be a good fit for the truck I'm configuring. The truck would have a 1610 lbs payload, 7100 GVWR, and 11,150 towing capacity (and long bed). The trailer I'm considering is the Lance 2185 https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/2185/specs/ It's overall length is 26'1", has a hitch dry weight of 915 lbs (this is pretty heavy for its GVWR), GVWR of 8,400 lbs, and dry weight of 5,830 lbs. Our family of 4 plus a dog weight 490 lbs. We usually pack a lot of stuff so we'd probably pack the trailer to GVWR. I'm not sure what's a good % of GVWR to use to estimate the real hitch weight. If I use 15% I wouldn't have enough payload. If it's 13%, it looks like I would have 133 lbs for cargo (1610 - 7900*.13 - 490) on the truck bed. Either way it's tight. This would be my first time driving a truck and towing a travel trailer. Do I need to look into smaller trailers, or is this doable?

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

I'm trying to figure out if this trailer would be a good fit for the truck I'm configuring. The truck would have a 1610 lbs payload, 7100 GVWR, and 11,150 towing capacity (and long bed). The trailer I'm considering is the Lance 2185 https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/2185/specs/ It's overall length is 26'1", has a hitch dry weight of 915 lbs (this is pretty heavy for its GVWR), GVWR of 8,400 lbs, and dry weight of 5,830 lbs. Our family of 4 plus a dog weight 490 lbs. We usually pack a lot of stuff so we'd probably pack the trailer to GVWR. I'm not sure what's a good % of GVWR to use to estimate the real hitch weight. If I use 15% I wouldn't have enough payload. If it's 13%, it looks like I would have 133 lbs for cargo (1610 - 7900*.13 - 490) on the truck bed. Either way it's tight. This would be my first time driving a truck and towing a travel trailer. Do I need to look into smaller trailers, or is this doable?

I'm getting 93 lbs of payload left based on those numbers. Add a WDH, and you're at or over payload. And that's with nothing in the truck but your family and a full tank.

You're probably going to want to look at something less heavy on the hitch, or a 2500.

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

What do you plan on keeping longer? The truck or the rv? Btw some 2500s have the same payload as some 1500s so before you jump into one if you wana play by the rules of the door tag double check it

 

[Lpsouth1978]

That seems like a heavy tongue weight for it's size. Our camper is 28' in total length and has a dry tongue weight of 629lbs. When fully loaded our tongue weight was ~780lbs, still considerably lower than the trailer you are looking at. I would look around some more! There are plenty of great trailers with a lot less weight. I know Jayco makes some good ones that are considerably lighter without going smaller.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

What do you plan on keeping longer? The truck or the rv? Btw some 2500s have the same payload as some 1500s so before you jump into one if you wana play by the rules of the door tag double check it

Good point, but if he stays with a similarly optioned truck, he's looking at a minimum of 2k payload for a diesel and pushing 3k for a gasser.

 

[badpewterz]

im thinking that 915llbs is a typo by lance. looking across there line the next 2 bigger trailers are lighter on the tongue than that model. im thinking it should be 615 maybe? i would contact lance directly and confirm first. 915lbs is already over the 15% for tongue weight max and thats BEFORE battery and propane.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

im thinking that 915llbs is a typo by lance. looking across there line the next 2 bigger trailers are lighter on the tongue than that model. im thinking it should be 615 maybe? i would contact lance directly and confirm first. 915lbs is already over the 15% for tongue weight max and thats BEFORE battery and propane.

The 2185 is a notoriously tongue heavy trailer. We looked at a 2021 and dry hitch weight was 770 lbs with dry trailer weight of 4580. Still could be a mistake on the site, but those numbers don't shock me.

 

[Andymax]

I'm trying to figure out if this trailer would be a good fit for the truck I'm configuring. The truck would have a 1610 lbs payload, 7100 GVWR, and 11,150 towing capacity (and long bed). The trailer I'm considering is the Lance 2185 https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/2185/specs/ It's overall length is 26'1", has a hitch dry weight of 915 lbs (this is pretty heavy for its GVWR), GVWR of 8,400 lbs, and dry weight of 5,830 lbs. Our family of 4 plus a dog weight 490 lbs. We usually pack a lot of stuff so we'd probably pack the trailer to GVWR. I'm not sure what's a good % of GVWR to use to estimate the real hitch weight. If I use 15% I wouldn't have enough payload. If it's 13%, it looks like I would have 133 lbs for cargo (1610 - 7900*.13 - 490) on the truck bed. Either way it's tight. This would be my first time driving a truck and towing a travel trailer. Do I need to look into smaller trailers, or is this doable?

You state 490 lbs for a family of 4 plus a dog. Those kids are gonna grow. Am I splittin hairs? Maybe, but you are calculating closely. Having been where you are I have to strongly encourage you to look further down the road a bit. So many times people go up in camper size once the family grows, and suddenly they want to bring a friend, etc...I'm just saying things change, and if you are already on the margin, it may be wise to get into a 2500.

 

[Mustangmike66]

Get a 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi. It’s not that different to drive than the 1500 and you’ll be so much happier towing a TT. I went from a Rebel to a 2500 Larime and more than doubled my payload to 3188lbs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

If thats the camper you really want and plan on upgrading you're truck later, there are things you can do in the meantime to make the best of you're current truck situation. Yeah you wil " be over the door sticker" But ive towed over 8k miles on my current setup which is a fair ammount heavier than that lance. Was it cheap to set my truck up, no. But im stuck with it for 16 more months and had to make due

 

[IvoryHemi]

You state 490 lbs for a family of 4 plus a dog. Those kids are gonna grow. Am I splittin hairs? Maybe, but you are calculating closely. Having been where you are I have to strongly encourage you to look further down the road a bit. So many times people go up in camper size once the family grows, and suddenly they want to bring a friend, etc...I'm just saying things change, and if you are already on the margin, it may be wise to get into a 2500.

1500 is doable with small kids.

Yes they grow, but by then the hope is 2500 finally gets its 5th Gen cab

 

[Rpounds]

If thats the camper you really want and plan on upgrading you're truck later, there are things you can do in the meantime to make the best of you're current truck situation. Yeah you wil " be over the door sticker" But ive towed over 8k miles on my current setup which is a fair ammount heavier than that lance. Was it cheap to set my truck up, no. But im stuck with it for 16 more months and had to make due

I'm interested in knowing what your setup is. I'm not terribly dissatisfied with my Bighorn 1500, but it could use a little bit of upgrade.

 

[Nsleone]

I'm trying to figure out if this trailer would be a good fit for the truck I'm configuring. The truck would have a 1610 lbs payload, 7100 GVWR, and 11,150 towing capacity (and long bed). The trailer I'm considering is the Lance 2185 https://www.lancecamper.com/travel-trailers/2185/specs/ It's overall length is 26'1", has a hitch dry weight of 915 lbs (this is pretty heavy for its GVWR), GVWR of 8,400 lbs, and dry weight of 5,830 lbs. Our family of 4 plus a dog weight 490 lbs. We usually pack a lot of stuff so we'd probably pack the trailer to GVWR. I'm not sure what's a good % of GVWR to use to estimate the real hitch weight. If I use 15% I wouldn't have enough payload. If it's 13%, it looks like I would have 133 lbs for cargo (1610 - 7900*.13 - 490) on the truck bed. Either way it's tight. This would be my first time driving a truck and towing a travel trailer. Do I need to look into smaller trailers, or is this doable?

Sounds like that tongue weight might be a typo, the largest camper they make has a 930 tongue weight and that one is way bigger. If that dry hitch weight is correct then that trailer has a 15.7% hitch weight. At that percent you’re at 1,240 pounds of tongue, a good weight distribution hitch is anywhere between 100-200 pounds, plus the 490 of cargo you’re at. That puts you somewhere in the 1800-1900 pound range. Now weight distribution hitches do send some of the weight back to the trailer axles but how much varies for every setup and probably wouldn’t help much here.

So basically, if the tongue weight is true I’d advise a three-quarter ton truck if you want to stay within limits. If it’s actually 615 like someone suggested earlier then you’ll be okay with 1610 pound payload.

 

[20BigMark]

I'm trying to figure out if this trailer would be a good fit for the truck I'm configuring. The truck would have a 1610 lbs payload, 7100 GVWR, and 11,150 towing capacity (and long bed). The trailer I'm considering is the Lance 2185 Specifications - Lance 2185 Travel Trailer - Bringing the family along? Just looking for extra storage? Get a 2185. It's overall length is 26'1", has a hitch dry weight of 915 lbs (this is pretty heavy for its GVWR), GVWR of 8,400 lbs, and dry weight of 5,830 lbs. Our family of 4 plus a dog weight 490 lbs. We usually pack a lot of stuff so we'd probably pack the trailer to GVWR. I'm not sure what's a good % of GVWR to use to estimate the real hitch weight. If I use 15% I wouldn't have enough payload. If it's 13%, it looks like I would have 133 lbs for cargo (1610 - 7900*.13 - 490) on the truck bed. Either way it's tight. This would be my first time driving a truck and towing a travel trailer. Do I need to look into smaller trailers, or is this doable?

We have a 2020 Lance and our TV is a 2020 Ram bighorn. We were very careful to locate a certain mix of Ram options to maximize our cargo capacity at 1680. That said - with a loaded tongue weight (weight measured frequently) of about 1000 lbs, we’re near the limits. We load sparingly with only 50% full water. We have lithium batteries that help. The driver is included in the cargo capacity filigreed from Ram and so is full gas. Our passengers weigh 220 lbs plus 2 small dogs. We come in under the 1680 but are very careful. If you want a more care-free tow experience with better safety margins I’d consider the 2500. Don’t fall for the misguided notion of shifting weight to the back of the 2185. This will make the tow load MUCH less stable.

 

[Casull]

The driver is included in the cargo capacity filigreed from Ram

I don't believe that is correct.

 

[silver billet]

We have a 2020 Lance and our TV is a 2020 Ram bighorn. We were very careful to locate a certain mix of Ram options to maximize our cargo capacity at 1680. That said - with a loaded tongue weight (weight measured frequently) of about 1000 lbs, we’re near the limits. We load sparingly with only 50% full water. We have lithium batteries that help. The driver is included in the cargo capacity filigreed from Ram and so is full gas. Our passengers weigh 220 lbs plus 2 small dogs. We come in under the 1680 but are very careful. If you want a more care-free tow experience with better safety margins I’d consider the 2500. Don’t fall for the misguided notion of shifting weight to the back of the 2185. This will make the tow load MUCH less stable.

Payload does not include any weight for driver. Whatever your truck weighed from the factory, including options like skid plates, running boards, full tank of gas and all other fluids, that weight is your "curb weight". GVWR - curb weight = payload.

All occupants and cargo and weight of other mods to your truck is then subtracted from payload.

 

[Ram92131]

We have a Lance 2445. Overall it's heavier than the 2185 and our Ram tows it well. Getting the WDH dialed in correctly was key. This is because the 2445 is almost balanced fore/aft. It even looks a bit like a teeter-totter. So it's right on the edge of the minimum 10% tongue weight. Small differences in weight distribution, like putting a bike rack on the back, made the setup somewhat unstable. Conversely, the 2185's axles are located pretty far toward the rear. That leads to the higher tongue weight. However, that will make for a much more naturally stable towing setup. Your 2185's tongue weight is an advantage in that respect.

This video has been posted here before, but it's worth viewing. If I were you, I'd concern myself with axle weights more than payload or excessive tongue weight. Make sure you shift enough weight to the truck's front axle and you should have a nicely stable setup. I routinely see 2185 and similar, older models being towed with 1/2 ton trucks and SUVs.

 

[stancedeuros]

im thinking that 915llbs is a typo by lance. looking across there line the next 2 bigger trailers are lighter on the tongue than that model. im thinking it should be 615 maybe? i would contact lance directly and confirm first. 915lbs is already over the 15% for tongue weight max and thats BEFORE battery and propane.

I agree. My 26ft NOBO 19.3BHS has a dry hitch weight of 550. I looked at the floor plan of the lance and can't figure out why it would be so heavy. Most of the 26-30 ft Toyhaulers have hitch weights like that, not standard TT.