Towing my boat and its capacity...

[Slutzk]

Yes yes I know another towing weight limit post but I've searched the internet for a while now and cant just find a straight answer. It's always all over the place or contradicting. Anyways I know you experts here will help for sure and give me a straight answer.

Truck is a "2023 RAM 1500 Bighorn 5.7L V8 HEMI, e-Torque, 4x4, 3.21 gear, Crew Cab, 6'4 bed". I have my trucks leveled with Bilstein 6112 struts and springs in the front and 5100 shocks in the rear. Tires are Toyo OC AT3.
That said with my exact truck info.... i just bought a boat this weekend. It's a 26' Eliminator. Weights ~4,100ibs. Trailer weights ~1,700ibs. Which would put me at approx 5,800ibs. When I bought the boat... I towed it back home with no problem, definitely felt it back there when i hit hard bumps and especially starts/stop. But when moving id forget i was towing at time. Average mpg was 10mpg was at 9 or 11 at times. Ran in 6th gear 50% of the time, 7th gear 40% of the time then 5% was 5th other 5% was in 8th. The problem? It's the sag. So my questions are.....

1. According to my truck (please tell me if I'm wrong, given the info) I can tow ~8,100ibs. Am I even good with towing this thing? Should be id assume with the numbers that I can find/see for my truck. Or should I move to 2500?

And

2. Would you recommend lift assit air bags to level it or a WDH? If ether, what brands do you recommend?

Have posted a picture to show.

 

[n8zcc]

Nice boat.

I would find a CAT scale and get accurate weights; you have a three-axle trailer for a 4,100-pound boat, which suggests the boat weighs more than 4,100 pounds.

Check that the tongue weight is around 10 to 12 percent of the trailer's weight. You want to travel with the boat trailer as close to level as possible. As far as correcting the rear sag, (which doesn't look bad) I guess that would depend on how often and how far you will be towing the boat. My more significant concern, is the truck up to the task of getting the boat up the various launch ramps safely.

If you are going to be towing more than just locally or at highway speeds, I would use a WDH. I don't have a recommendation (I'm a gooseneck/fifth-wheel tower), but there are a ton of reviews on YT. I would start at eTrailer and start reading reviews. You got to be sure the WDH has room for the mounting points on the boat trailer, this is usually the biggest hurdle that isn't realized until you have bought the WDH.

 

[Slutzk]

Nice boat.

I would find a CAT scale and get accurate weights; you have a three-axle trailer for a 4,100-pound boat, which suggests the boat weighs more than 4,100 pounds.

Check that the tongue weight is around 10 to 12 percent of the trailer's weight. You want to travel with the boat trailer as close to level as possible. As far as correcting the rear sag, (which doesn't look bad) I guess that would depend on how often and how far you will be towing the boat. My more significant concern, is the truck up to the task of getting the boat up the various launch ramps safely.

If you are going to be towing more than just locally or at highway speeds, I would use a WDH. I don't have a recommendation (I'm a gooseneck/fifth-wheel tower), but there are a ton of reviews on YT. I would start at eTrailer and start reading reviews. You got to be sure the WDH has room for the mounting points on the boat trailer, this is usually the biggest hurdle that isn't realized until you have bought the WDH.

Thank you, i appreciate it.
So, dry weight for the boat is confirmed at 4,100ibs. The triple axle trailer is, well i wouldn't say overkill, but its for sure not necessary. There're tons of boats out there that are little more, little less or exactly like mine on tandem axles.

For towing the boat it would be maybe idk.... MAX 8-10 times a year, 2 hours away to the river, the drive is mostly flat then a couple up hill/down (more of a incline/decline) but nothing crazy. I have a second boat that's a small jet boat so i take that the other times out but you could pull that thing with a sedan so no issue there.

For launch ramps, there is only 3 i go to. All of which arnt very steep.

 

[firecadet613]

I used this WDH on my 2500 with a 8500lb boat. I was very happy with the setup and no issues with my surge brakes.

Equal-i-zer Sway Control Hitch

Superior Sway Control and Weight Distribution You Can Trust

www.equalizerhitch.com

 

[Cab2344]

I have a travel trailer with a wdh hitch along with the Airlift 1000HD. Super easy to install, $150 and makes the rear end a lot stiffer.

 

[Scram1500]

Skip to 1:41 for some questionable decisions with a 3 axle

 

[Blackdog.Tx]

Nice boat. You may be fine with 1500, 5.7, 4x4. I agree with above comment.... CAT scale to determine loaded wt and tongue wt. Also consider how many passengers you will take to the river? Camping gear? Trailer tongue wt takes away from any payload you want to carry.

RAM manual suggests WDH for anything over 5000 lbs (consider WDH for towing over 50% capacity).

Airbags will definately make 2 hr drive more comfortable and level trailer to reduce tire wear.

With 1500's,we are limited by payload capacity.

* What does your door sticker say for payload? 1750 lbs?

- boat 5800 lbs
- 90 gal fuel = 540 lbs
- 6340 x12% = 760 lbs
- 1750 - 760 = 990 lbs available payload (payload includes driver, passengers, all gear)

I get 9-10 mpg. I rarely need 4x4, but happy as hell I always engage 4x4 when wife pulling me out of slimy ramps.

My 2020 limited, 5.7 etorque, 4x4, 3.92 gears, air suspension, 33" Toyo OC AT3... payload on door 1254 lbs. I know I'm good with my boat, wife, dog, fishing gear, camping gear, beer. Unless she's bringing a couple 100 lb friends, anyone else can meet us.

 

[Ramroo]

I will just go ahead and say it. The towing, payload numbers are for a stock truck. Leveled trucks are not good for hauling and towing much of anything.

Airbags would control some sag. I would suggest raising the rear of your truck with different springs, or spacers to get your rake back along with WDH.

 

[Willwork4truck]

From RealTruck.com:
“Leveling Kits and Towing
Leveling kits are a suspension system engineered to increase your vehicle’s front ride height between 1.5–3.0 inches. Doing so levels your pickup’s front suspension with the rear, thus creating a balanced and uniform stance.

Unlike body lift kits, leveling kits can minimally affect towing performance, even though the rear suspension remains the same. Leveling out your vehicle’s suspension eliminates the factory rake (i.e. the rear sitting substantially taller than the front). Contrary to popular belief, your truck’s factory rake serves a purpose; in stock form when loaded with heavy cargo or hitched to a trailer, the rear suspension compresses, thus leveling out the stance of your pickup. With a leveling kit, your pickup is already level; any additional weight over the rear axle gives your truck a reverse rake, pointing the nose of your truck upwards, reducing visibility, and creating a loose, floaty sensation in the front end.

However, there are plenty of solutions to counteract these handling characteristics, including heavy-duty towing airbags, oversized bump stops, and weight-distributing (load-leveling) hitches.”

Yeah you know most of this but the last sentence of the article says, there’s 3 things you can look at.

 

[Ramroo]

From RealTruck.com:
“Leveling Kits and Towing
Leveling kits are a suspension system engineered to increase your vehicle’s front ride height between 1.5–3.0 inches. Doing so levels your pickup’s front suspension with the rear, thus creating a balanced and uniform stance.

Unlike body lift kits, leveling kits can minimally affect towing performance, even though the rear suspension remains the same. Leveling out your vehicle’s suspension eliminates the factory rake (i.e. the rear sitting substantially taller than the front). Contrary to popular belief, your truck’s factory rake serves a purpose; in stock form when loaded with heavy cargo or hitched to a trailer, the rear suspension compresses, thus leveling out the stance of your pickup. With a leveling kit, your pickup is already level; any additional weight over the rear axle gives your truck a reverse rake, pointing the nose of your truck upwards, reducing visibility, and creating a loose, floaty sensation in the front end.

However, there are plenty of solutions to counteract these handling characteristics, including heavy-duty towing airbags, oversized bump stops, and weight-distributing (load-leveling) hitches.”

Yeah you know most of this but the last sentence of the article says, there’s 3 things you can look at.

That article says “balanced and uniform stance” when leveled. You want THAT stance when loaded down obviously, not unloaded.
So the solutions they recommend (for leveled trucks) are with airbags, or oversized bump stops is to basically keep the rear from sagging much at all more is with rock hard airbags or riding on taller bump stops to keep the “balanced and uniform stance” creating a terrible ride with very little or no suspension travel. A WDH would put more weight on the front axle which is a good idea.

I think the article didn’t adequately cover the real problems of too much weight on rear axle and too little weight on the front with steering, controllability, and braking issues along with rear axle limitations. When the article states a leveling kit “can minimally affect towing performance” , I’m calling BS. Their solution to the problem does not address getting rid of the real problem.

The real solution is get your truck rake back. Then, even maybe use bags or WDH.
Realtruck.com sells leveling kits, SO they are a little biased.