Toy Haauler towing question

[Glenn141]

I have a 2020 Ram 1500 CC shortbed sport Laramie 4x4 3:21... want to tow a toy hauler 28' and 7000 lb loaded...other than a good weight distribution hitch will I need anything else?

 

[jws1982]

Need more info please.

What’s the payload capability from the sticker on the driver door jamb? Do you have a trailer brake controller?

How many people and how much gear will you be hauling in the truck along with the trailer? Do you have a tonneau cover or other accessories added to the truck?


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[Glenn141]

no brake contro yet but I have one I can install, up to four full size adults, no real gear in truck, hard tonneau.....only thing on door jamb sticker is GVRW 7100

 

[devildodge]

I know my experience does not include 5th Gen 1500...but a toy hauler is a huge trailer for a 1500.

Your payload is on the tire and loading sticker in the door jamb. You looked at the gray/silver sticker. Look at the one with yellow and white on it

The issue is tongue weight. Toy haulers are tongue heavy to compensate for the toy. They are usually closer to 15 to 17 %.

Note that any tow capacity number you look at...it will be for a 10% tongue weight. But that number does not even include a hitch or driver.

And you say you got 4 full size adults. My full size adult butt weighs 300lbs...

You will definitely need the brake controller and a really good weight distribution hitch properly set up with a CAT scale.

Like I mentioned...my experience is with HeftyDuty RAM trucks and mist recently a 6.4 liter BGE.

So...i always think a 1500 is too small. But if you lack towing experience you are jumping rigjt into the fire

 

[Dragonmaster13]

Let’s just say that if you are asking the question it means it’s not capable. As mentioned toy haulers are very heavy tongue weight, typically 2500 or 3500 territory. Is it towable, yes, BUT you will not be happy towing it. Assuming 250lbs per adult, or 1000lbs, 100lbs for tonneau, 100lbs for WDH, and 100lbs for ancillary stuff(under seat, in glove box, console or floor bins and any drinks or water bottles) and a totally empty bed, you have 1300lbs of your likely 1400-1500lb payload used. 15% of 7000 is 1,050lb payload, or total combined weight on the truck of 2,350lbs, well over the max payload and GVWR of your truck, and not legal anyway you set it up.

 

[IvoryHemi]

other than a good weight distribution hitch will I need anything else?

Yes, a bigger truck.

 

[Rlaf75]

Yikes! I dont tow much but I think the truck might be overloaded with that trailer. Those toy haulers can be pretty heavy

 

[Nsleone]

I have a 2020 Ram 1500 CC shortbed sport Laramie 4x4 3:21... want to tow a toy hauler 28' and 7000 lb loaded...other than a good weight distribution hitch will I need anything else?

Unfortunately the numbers will tell you that this combo is not possible. As stated earlier toyhauler have much higher tongue weights, Especially if you do not put any toys in the back. You will 100% go over GVWR, my guess is your payload is somewhere in the 1400-1600 range, four adults and a high tongue weight will do that to you.

Some people ignore gvwr and chose to focus on axle ratings, personally I don’t recommend this unless you perform upgrades to things like the rear suspension and brakes all around. The truck is designed to handle safely at 7100 pounds so don’t go over that stock.

Could you tow it? Yeah, the truck probably would if you load it right, should you with a stock truck? I wouldn’t.

 

[Glenn141]

Here are some more accurate details.... the trailer is 25' minus tongue (28.5' total) 5000 lbs dry, hitch weight of 850. I will use a blue ox 1000 pro WDH. As far as weight in the truck goes 330 to 700 lbs of occupants, 50 lb tonneau and maybe 100lbs misc. cargo. Trailer load will vary but I'd tow with mostly empty tanks and 1000 lbs of cycles max. other cargo in trailer could add up to a max of 500lbs total. My max payload is 1575, Base is 5525 , Max tow is 8200, GCWR is 13900. I think with these new numbers Im around the maximum but not over and within the legal limit?

 

[Dragonmaster13]

850 hitch dry will be 1,000 wet (batteries, propane, contents get added). With the occupant load and the extras you’re over, wouldn’t risk this one. If we were talking non-toy-hauler travel trailer the tongue weight would start 200lbs lighter and be 850 loaded, with much less cargo capacity and chance to overload the truck.

 

[IvoryHemi]

Here are some more accurate details.... the trailer is 25' minus tongue (28.5' total) 5000 lbs dry, hitch weight of 850. I will use a blue ox 1000 pro WDH. As far as weight in the truck goes 330 to 700 lbs of occupants, 50 lb tonneau and maybe 100lbs misc. cargo. Trailer load will vary but I'd tow with mostly empty tanks and 1000 lbs of cycles max. other cargo in trailer could add up to a max of 500lbs total. My max payload is 1575, Base is 5525 , Max tow is 8200, GCWR is 13900. I think with these new numbers Im around the maximum but not over and within the legal limit?

You’re still over with these numbers

1,575 lbs payload
- 1,000 lbs TW
- 700 lbs passengers
- 100 lbs WDH
- 50 lbs bed cover
- 100 lbs misc

= -375 lbs

 

[Rototerrier]

I am towing a grand design with similar weights. Fortunately, there’s only 3 of us and the other 2 are light females. I had a major issue with the tail wagging the dog starting at 55mph. I was using a recurve r3 hitch 1000lb and upgraded to and 1200lb equalizer and all issues resolved. Pulls great at any speed.

I’d seriously question your choice of hitch. I think 1000lb bars are too small for 800lb + tongue weights. Equalizer even states their 1200lb bars are for 800-1200 lbs.

My point is really just to say if you tow it and it doesn’t feel good, try another hitch or heavier bars. I also have a hellwig swaybar and E rated tires. It might be fine, but don’t be discouraged if not. It can work with the right. But i do agree with others. 4 full size adults probably uses most of your payload before even hitching up.

Put everyone in a diet

Though I’ve corrected my immediate issue with a better hitch, I’ve already placed my order for a 1 ton truck. I’ll probably get a bigger rv, so I’m getting prepared.

 

[Glenn141]

850 hitch dry will be 1,000 wet (batteries, propane, contents get added). With the occupant load and the extras you’re over, wouldn’t risk this one. If we were talking non-toy-hauler travel trailer the tongue weight would start 200lbs lighter and be 850 loaded, with much less cargo capacity and chance to overload the truck.

If I drop the occupants to myself and the wife its only 320 lbs and when the toy hauler get a load wont some of the tongue weight shift rearward as well as the hitch taking some away?

 

[Glenn141]

You’re still over with these numbers

1,575 lbs payload
- 1,000 lbs TW
- 700 lbs passengers
- 100 lbs WDH
- 50 lbs bed cover
- 100 lbs misc

= -375 lbs

so if I reduce the occupant weight to 320, hitch is really 80#, one battery and one propane tank on trailer and bump up to a 12000# hitch the numbers should work.....I have the helwig sway bar already and need new rubber so I can go with e-rated tires.

 

[Rototerrier]

The hitch will shift a little weight back to the trailer, but not much.

You typically "need" 10-12% of your trailer weight on the tongue. No matter how you slice it, if your trailer weighs 8000lbs, you need at least 800 on the tongue or else you will get sway or the tail wagging the dog. The idea / theory that you can shift all the weight backwards and remove all tongue weight, while sounds good, doesn't work in reality. There's a balance that must be struck. I believe there is a big towing thread here somewhere that goes into very deep details about all this.

In general, it's safe to say that your 8000lb trailer should be putting 800+ lbs on the tongue no matter what. And if it doesn't, you need to shift things around so it does.

Some folks go so far as to add water to their fresh tanks just to get more weight up front due to their imbalance once loaded. To get it truly nailed down, you'll need a tongue scale or take everything to a CAT scale to really know for certain. I spent hours at a CAT scale to get mine dialed in. Big pain, but worth the effort.

 

[IvoryHemi]

so if I reduce the occupant weight to 320, hitch is really 80#, one battery and one propane tank on trailer and bump up to a 12000# hitch the numbers should work.....I have the helwig sway bar already and need new rubber so I can go with e-rated tires.

etrailer lists it at 95 lbs, but now you’re splitting hairs trying to stay under

Toy haulers are tough on a 1/2 ton

 

[Glenn141]

etrailer lists it at 95 lbs, but now you’re splitting hairs trying to stay under

Toy haulers are tough on a 1/2 ton

I guess I better start looking at 2500's.

 

[devildodge]

So. You changed a bunch of numbers already.

Lets look at what does not change first.

GVWR is 7100
Front Axle GVWR is 3900
Rear Axle GVWR is 4100
GCWR is 13900
These numbers do not change. They are capacities set by manufacture.


Payload is 1575

Base weight is 5525.
These are the truck numbers. They are going to change as you add/remove things.

The farce of max towing.

13900 minus 5525 is 8375...note: at this point you have no driver or hitch.

So, 8375 lbs. That is what you can work with.

And this is were your numbers start to change.

So now the camper is 5000lbs dry with hitch weight of 850lb. The hitch weighs 95lbs.

So starting at 945lbs. So with the empty trailer hitched to you truck you got 945 lbs gone. Best case scenario...it is about to go up as you add batteries and propane and supplies.

Best case you have 640lbs left for people and stuff.

You would be surprised what you already have in your truck that is eating into that 640lbs.

Good luck. It can probably be done. Do you have experience towing? How is the terrain? Steep hills, lots of turns? Flat, relatively straight?

My camper weighs about 6300lbs~

When headed camping my truck has 2400lbs of payload. This is family of 4 our stuff, some wood and bikes. My toolbox and stuff under the rear seat. My camper could easily be towed by a 1500...if we took nothing else, to include the family...now we got to take 2 vehicles.

I still got capacity. But a 1500...i would be grossly overloaded.

 

[Glenn141]

So. You changed a bunch of numbers already.

Lets look at what does not change first.

GVWR is 7100
Front Axle GVWR is 3900
Rear Axle GVWR is 4100
GCWR is 13900
These numbers do not change. They are capacities set by manufacture.


Payload is 1575

Base weight is 5525.
These are the truck numbers. They are going to change as you add/remove things.

The farce of max towing.

13900 minus 5525 is 8375...note: at this point you have no driver or hitch.

So, 8375 lbs. That is what you can work with.

And this is were your numbers start to change.

So now the camper is 5000lbs dry with hitch weight of 850lb. The hitch weighs 95lbs.

So starting at 945lbs. So with the empty trailer hitched to you truck you got 945 lbs gone. Best case scenario...it is about to go up as you add batteries and propane and supplies.

Best case you have 640lbs left for people and stuff.

You would be surprised what you already have in your truck that is eating into that 640lbs.

Good luck. It can probably be done. Do you have experience towing? How is the terrain? Steep hills, lots of turns? Flat, relatively straight?

My camper weighs about 6300lbs~

When headed camping my truck has 2400lbs of payload. This is family of 4 our stuff, some wood and bikes. My toolbox and stuff under the rear seat. My camper could easily be towed by a 1500...if we took nothing else, to include the family...now we got to take 2 vehicles.

I still got capacity. But a 1500...i would be grossly overloaded.

View attachment 111594

I agree that while it can be done , I would be limiting what and who I take with me. I looked today at a 2500 and it have over 3000# payload....almost double my 1500.

 

[Seadoorxpguy]

Just double check when you start looking at 2500s. Ive checked a bunch of them and they have barley had any higher payload than my 1500