Towing my 32' travel trailer

[Big Dave TX]

I tow a 30' Cougar Half Ton (6700# with WDH) with my 19 Laramie 4x4 5.7 3.21 and Timbrens in the rear. I have pulled it a few trips, a couple over 500 mi. each way over the mighty Arbuckle mountains. A couple down to the beach 100 mi. each way. My first trip was one of the 500 mi. trips. I had some sag and some work to keep everything moving in a straight line. At the halfway point (during our stay) I had the Timbrens installed and the trip back was night and day to the trip up. Level ride, much better control, much better trip all around. I run in tow/haul mode and set the cruise at 65 and that's what it does. Runs in 5th, 6th and 7th most of the time. Over the Arbuckles I got down to 3rd but everything worked smoothly. MPG was overall 9.4. I monitored the temps the entire trip and they stayed normal. Outside temps were all over 90, over 100 through Ft. Worth. Is it ideal? I don't know. But for what I have and what I need everything is working very well.

 

[Kidder]

Something was terribly wrong with all 3 diesels you owned prior.

Towing with a Jetta, Passat, or Mercedes sedan really aren't recommended. Lol

 

[Trina4maya97]

if you have the 3.92 it ups the total weight to 17,000 and trailer weight to I believe 13,000 but the payload stays the same. In all 1500s depending on how many upgrades you have that ups the weight of your truck that takes away from your payload

Hi Mike,

I am new to the site and shopping around for a travel trailer. What year is your 1500? I have a 2019 1500 quad 4x4 3:2 and is looking at the Coleman Lantern dry weight 4782lbs 28’. Do you think I would be able to pull this? I don’t want to mess up my truck going back and forth to Alabama from VA twice a year.

 

[VernDiesel]

Trina read through the thread you would want to set it up well. If you only have the 3.6 motor and the 3.21 the 5,800 ish pound wet weight would be slow accelerating but would do the job. One of the other motors or gear choices would be a better match for that job.

 

[NDanecker]

Towing with a Jetta, Passat, or Mercedes sedan really aren't recommended. Lol

HAHA. True.

I burned through a few Jetta Diesels for commuting when I had a long commute, and all were tuned with exhaust. Awesome cars. In my young and dumb years I towed a 89 Chevy S10 blazer to NJ from George on a tow dolly with the Jetta Diesel Wagon. I thought I could tow anything with that car.......then matured (slightly) and purchased my first 2004 Ram 3500 DRW Cummins. Changed my whole perspective of diesels. LOL

 

[SpeedyV]

HAHA. True.

I burned through a few Jetta Diesels for commuting when I had a long commute, and all were tuned with exhaust. Awesome cars. In my young and dumb years I towed a 89 Chevy S10 blazer to NJ from George on a tow dolly with the Jetta Diesel Wagon. I thought I could tow anything with that car.......then matured (slightly) and purchased my first 2004 Ram 3500 DRW Cummins. Changed my whole perspective of diesels. LOL

That's a ...BIG... jump in capability.

 

[Trina4maya97]

Trina read through the thread you would want to set it up well. If you only have the 3.6 motor and the 3.21 the 5,800 ish pound wet weight would be slow accelerating but would do the job. One of the other motors or gear choices would be a better match for that job.

Oh ok I have the Hemi 5.7 quad my first truck and hopefully first trailer went looking today

 

[Mike W]

Oh ok I have the Hemi 5.7 quad my first truck and hopefully first trailer went looking today

Have fun shopping pay attention to the dry weight and the trailer tongue weight.

 

[Big Dave TX]

Oh ok I have the Hemi 5.7 quad my first truck and hopefully first trailer went looking today

True that from Mike. Mine is about 700, I think the max is about 750 or so. With our coil springs I have to strongly recommend something like the Timbrens I got for the rear. If you get a weight distribution hitch (also strongly recommend), get the spring helpers before they set up the WDH. Like I said above, all loaded I'm at about 7500 or so and everything is going well so far. And expect about 9 mpg.

 

[Mike W]

True that from Mike. Mine is about 700, I think the max is about 750 or so. With our coil springs I have to strongly recommend something like the Timbrens I got for the rear. If you get a weight distribution hitch (also strongly recommend), get the spring helpers before they set up the WDH. Like I said above, all loaded I'm at about 7500 or so and everything is going well so far. And expect about 9 mpg.

My tongue is about 620. I drove 1500 miles back home after picking up new camper. i was going to get air ride put in when I got back. I have very little to no sag with out. At tis point Im not getting. I was more worried about the 31'9" length and the sway. There is little to no sway. I made it home with only 5 hr nap. It was a very stress free drive just a lot of stops an Loves Gas. I have the Good Sams membership that gives me 5 cents off per gal. That alone is worth the membership.

 

[Big Dave TX]

True that too. I just got the Good Sams too. Unfortunately I've only got the 26 gallon tank but I want to stop often enough that I hope that won't be a problem. May get a couple of jerry cans for backup. The mpg has drastically changed my trip planning from 25 in 8th!

 

[Mike W]

My last camper was a Jayco X19h and the dry weight was about 3500 and I still only got about 9 mpg. I think its more about the wind resistance than the weight.

 

[Willwork4truck]

My last camper was a Jayco X19h and the dry weight was about 3500 and I still only got about 9 mpg. I think its more about the wind resistance than the weight.

Thats correct. You can tow a 4k uhaul low profile tandem axle trailer or you can tow a 4k high profile tandem axle travel trailer. Same weight.
Guess which one requires more fuel to pull due to wind resistance?

 

[LoNeStAr]

Thats correct. You can tow a 4k uhaul low profile tandem axle trailer or you can tow a 4k high profile tandem axle travel trailer. Same weight.
Guess which one requires more fuel to pull due to wind resistance?

Is this a test? I didn’t prepare

 

[Trina4maya97]

My last camper was a Jayco X19h and the dry weight was about 3500 and I still only got about 9 mpg. I think its more about the wind resistance than the weight.

Never thought about that

 

[Trina4maya97]

I want to thank everyone as a newbie I was well prepared today when shopping. They tried to stick me in a travel trailer dry weight 6389 and asked them to show me something lower just so that I can accommodate cargo and maybe a generator.

 

[Mike W]

I want to thank everyone as a newbie I was well prepared today when shopping. They tried to stick me in a travel trailer dry weight 6389 and asked them to show me something lower just so that I can accommodate cargo and maybe a generator.

Thats not a bad dry weight. My dry wight for my Open Range Ultra Lite UT2802BH is with battery and propane is 6300. I put all my stuff in it and that only adds about 350-400 lbs including generator.

 

[LoNeStAr]

Thats not a bad dry weight. My dry wight for my Open Range Ultra Lite UT2802BH is with battery and propane is 6300. I put all my stuff in it and that only adds about 350-400 lbs including generator.

What is your overall weight when towing?

 

[Mike W]

What is your overall weight when towing?

My truck weighs 5150 lbs, trailer + gear without water is about 6700. I have a 51 gal water tank so with water its 7125 lbs. So truck+trailer with water is 12,275 and my max total weight for truck is 13900lbs. That leaves me with 1625 lbs for peeps and gear in truck. I will tow with water in 2 weeks and see how that does. I can go dry and put water in by using 6 gal water jugs. I have a water source where Im going but can't hook up a hose to it. Its a pain to add water this way but have done it before.

 

[devildodge]

That leaves me with 1625 lbs for peeps and gear in truck.
[/QUOTE
You are reading that wrong. It is unlikely you ever had 1625 lbs for peeps and gear in the truck.

The left over GCWR would be for more trailer or gear in the trailer.

You already lost a substantial amount of payload in the truck with the tongue weight of your 6700 lb trailer. Probably around 725 in tongue weight.

RAM 1500s can tow alot. But it is usually an equipment trailer with a low tongue weight that gets you the max towing.

Hope this is understandable.

That said... A 6700 trailer is a good match for a 1500. But the length and the wind resistance can really change the towing experience