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Travel Trailer: Hours away from pulling the trigger.. Give me a sanity Check!

M

Mjkatona

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Hey all. Hours away from pulling the trigger. It looks to me like the numbers work for weight and I read all the threads on here about length etc. Just looking for some additional input before we put down the deposit on the camper. My only concern is that it's close to 33' total. I think Bubba Girl (my 1500 Laramie) can do this, but just need a little more thoughts from those that pull something like this or larger. I don't want to a white knuckle chuckle rolling 45 in a 75 if you know what I mean.

Here are the FACTS:
Will have a WDH and Sway installed

2019 Laramie (bought to tow a trailer)
5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT eTorque Engine
3.92 Rear Axle Ratio
Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle
Trailer Brake Control
Yellow Sticker: 1565 Payload
Build Sheet: https://www.jeep.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=1C6SRFJT7KN736716

Trailer:

Explore and learn more about Grand Design Transcend Xplor 265BH

Explore the top-rated Grand Design RV Transcend Xplor 265bh travel trailers. Exceptional design, value, and touring capabilities.
www.granddesignrv.com www.granddesignrv.com
Hitch Weight: 740 lbs
Dry: 6271 Lbs
Wet: 7495 lbs
Length: 32'9 (Total, 26'5 Box)
Height: 11'
 
Very nice camper! It’s tongue heavy so pack wisely. With it being a bunk house I assume you’re going to be carrying more than 2 people in the truck. Occupants, the hitch weight and the tongue weight (it only goes up from the advertised weight once you start loading) will likely put you at max payload but you probably know that. If you’re reasonable about what you’re carrying you should be ok.

Hope you’re not planning to be going 75mph. With that 33’ length I’d stay at 65, less in windy conditions. I’d get a very good WD hitch with integrated sway control, don’t go cheap.

Enjoy it! Having a camper has been a great experience for us.
 
Last edited:
Mjkatona said:
Thanks yall! Put the $$ down on the TT. Plan to haul 65mph max and try to figure out what gives the best MPG.
Click to expand...
For best results make CAT scale trip empty without TT and another one with TT. It will help you alot with weight limits and weight distribution.
 
I’n more concerned with the terrain and speeds. Flat like Florida or hilly? Can you take secondary highways that are closer to 55 than 70-80 interstates? Whats your experience level?
I think you are at the edge of the safe towing with a 1500 short bed.. Its the height (frontal sail) and length (its a big box that catches wind) that I am concerned with.

Youve probably already bought and all is not lost, just give serious consideration to a more expensive sway control WD hitch. I will look up those options but you can too, search under “sway control hitches”...
Hensley and/or Arrow maybe, I dont remember. They are not cheap but you dont want to get the fulcrum/lever thing going.
 
Depends on the type camping you're going to be doing. If you plan longer trips that get into the higher elevations the truck will struggle a bit with that weight. I did a 5K trip in 6 weeks with a Rockwood 2509 (5200 Dry). I hit high winds in west Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma and there were some white-knuckle moments on those days. The truck & Travel Trailer do fine on the open road it’s when you hit the hills that you start feeling it struggle and the eng/tran temps start to rise. Again it depends on the type camping you're going to be doing and sometimes you don’t know how you will use the TT till you start camping with it. My towing MPG average for the trip was 9 mpg.
 
Mjkatona said:
Hey all. Hours away from pulling the trigger. It looks to me like the numbers work for weight and I read all the threads on here about length etc. Just looking for some additional input before we put down the deposit on the camper. My only concern is that it's close to 33' total. I think Bubba Girl (my 1500 Laramie) can do this, but just need a little more thoughts from those that pull something like this or larger. I don't want to a white knuckle chuckle rolling 45 in a 75 if you know what I mean.

Here are the FACTS:
Will have a WDH and Sway installed

2019 Laramie (bought to tow a trailer)
5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT eTorque Engine
3.92 Rear Axle Ratio
Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle
Trailer Brake Control
Yellow Sticker: 1565 Payload
Build Sheet: https://www.jeep.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=1C6SRFJT7KN736716

Trailer:

Explore and learn more about Grand Design Transcend Xplor 265BH

Explore the top-rated Grand Design RV Transcend Xplor 265bh travel trailers. Exceptional design, value, and touring capabilities.
www.granddesignrv.com www.granddesignrv.com
Hitch Weight: 740 lbs
Dry: 6271 Lbs
Wet: 7495 lbs
Length: 32'9 (Total, 26'5 Box)
Height: 11'
Click to expand...
Maybe consider replacing rear factory hollow sway bar with a Hellwig rear (beefy) bar and set it at highest level link hole. It makes my Rebel with air suspension feel really planted and should make pulling big trailer a breeze.
 
Willworkfortruck said:
I’n more concerned with the terrain and speeds. Flat like Florida or hilly? Can you take secondary highways that are closer to 55 than 70-80 interstates? Whats your experience level?
I think you are at the edge of the safe towing with a 1500 short bed.. Its the height (frontal sail) and length (its a big box that catches wind) that I am concerned with.

Youve probably already bought and all is not lost, just give serious consideration to a more expensive sway control WD hitch. I will look up those options but you can too, search under “sway control hitches”...
Hensley and/or Arrow maybe, I dont remember. They are not cheap but you dont want to get the fulcrum/lever thing going.
Click to expand...
Thanks we have an equil-iz-er wdh and sway bar. We are in The front ranch in Colorado at 6700ft and really plan only family camps (koa, disney, jelly stone, etc.).
 
Jhill said:
Maybe consider replacing rear factory hollow sway bar with a Hellwig rear (beefy) bar and set it at highest level link hole. It makes my Rebel with air suspension feel really planted and should make pulling big trailer a breeze.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Do you have a link to a good dealer?
 
Han Ridge said:
Depends on the type camping you're going to be doing. If you plan longer trips that get into the higher elevations the truck will struggle a bit with that weight. I did a 5K trip in 6 weeks with a Rockwood 2509 (5200 Dry). I hit high winds in west Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma and there were some white-knuckle moments on those days. The truck & Travel Trailer do fine on the open road it’s when you hit the hills that you start feeling it struggle and the eng/tran temps start to rise. Again it depends on the type camping you're going to be doing and sometimes you don’t know how you will use the TT till you start camping with it. My towing MPG average for the trip was 9 mpg.
Click to expand...
I did a similar trip earlier this year. Have a camper similar size and weight to yours (see my signature for camper details). Towed it 6000 miles in 10 weeks mainly touring Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Highest elevations over 8000 ft and winds up to 38 mph, snow, hail we saw it all. BUT tow vehicle was a 2015 Ram with a Pentastar v6! It did the job. Going up mountains, slow down. High winds, slow down and stay safe.

A 2019 Hemi 3.92 should have the power to pull the weight we are talking about without issue. The trailer length is another story. Winds will push that longer trailer at higher speeds. Just slow down to a safe speed for the conditions. Many (not all) big rig truckers do this and I tend to follow their example. Best advice I have found is don’t be in a hurry when you’re towing big/heavy.
 
Zeronet said:
I did a similar trip earlier this year. Have a camper similar size and weight to yours (see my signature for camper details). Towed it 6000 miles in 10 weeks mainly touring Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. Highest elevations over 8000 ft and winds up to 38 mph, snow, hail we saw it all. BUT tow vehicle was a 2015 Ram with a Pentastar v6! It did the job. Going up mountains, slow down. High winds, slow down and stay safe.

A 2019 Hemi 3.92 should have the power to pull the weight we are talking about without issue. The trailer length is another story. Winds will push that longer trailer at higher speeds. Just slow down to a safe speed for the conditions. Many (not all) big rig truckers do this and I tend to follow their example. Best advice I have found is don’t be in a hurry when you’re towing big/heavy.
Click to expand...
I like just dont be in a hurry in general:)
 
As all stated above, the wind will be your white knuckle times. I pulled 7,800 Lbs up over Monarch Pass (11,312 Feet) with my old Ram 1500 and it was slow going up and the downhill braking was white knuckle. With the new 2019 it has been a breeze due to the braking ability increases, computer controlled downshifting, air suspension, sway dampening, and technology improvements.
 
Crap but thats big... better you than me! My trailer days are dine, no doubt the truck can do it just check everything twice and watch the winds...
 
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