novelmike
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2015
- Posts
- 788
- Reaction score
- 319
- Location
- Central California
- Ram Year
- 2012
- Engine
- 5.7
Finally took my new trailer out!
Its a 2017 Sandstorm 211SLC toyhauler. The overall length is about 28'. The dry weight, no liquids, just propane is about 6700lbs. The dry hitch weight is about 960lbs.
My Ram is a 1500 4x4 with the hemi, 3.92 gears, 285/75/17 E rated tires, Firestone work-rite airbags (inside the coils) and those extended bump stops.
I use a BlueOx weight distributing hitch with the 1,500lbs bars. With the trailer hooked up to my truck and some stuff in the front cargo storage of the trailer I get about 1" of sag in the rear, and about 1/4" sag on the front.
I'll address some concerns and opinions people have expressed with a trailer this heavy and this long pulling with a 1500. So far I've dragged the trailer around for about 600 miles. Up and down hills and in 100' heat.
Stopping: The truck and trailer stop without any problems.
Accelerating: I feel like hemi handles the 7500lbs with ease. The motor does not run hot, even while going up hill in 105' heat. Oil temp get higher than I like while going up hill. Has been up to 250' On flat ground it'll be around 235' while towing.
I have the 6 speed trans in it. On a 4,000' climb last night the trans did get up to 200' when I got to the peak of the mountain. And again, at 200' about sea-level to start the climb it was over 100 outside and at the top of the hill it was about 88'. So I'd expect all the temps to be a lot lower in the other 3 seasons.
Trailer Sway: Zero. I have not experienced any sway. I've only driven in winds of about 15-20mph and the truck and trailer seemed to move as one. Being passed my semi-trucks does not push the truck around like some have experienced. I believe this has to do with my setup. The tires, airbags, heavy rating on the WDH, and a heavy trailer hitch weight.
***In the pic posted, the WDH is not setup properly.
Its a 2017 Sandstorm 211SLC toyhauler. The overall length is about 28'. The dry weight, no liquids, just propane is about 6700lbs. The dry hitch weight is about 960lbs.
My Ram is a 1500 4x4 with the hemi, 3.92 gears, 285/75/17 E rated tires, Firestone work-rite airbags (inside the coils) and those extended bump stops.
I use a BlueOx weight distributing hitch with the 1,500lbs bars. With the trailer hooked up to my truck and some stuff in the front cargo storage of the trailer I get about 1" of sag in the rear, and about 1/4" sag on the front.
I'll address some concerns and opinions people have expressed with a trailer this heavy and this long pulling with a 1500. So far I've dragged the trailer around for about 600 miles. Up and down hills and in 100' heat.
Stopping: The truck and trailer stop without any problems.
Accelerating: I feel like hemi handles the 7500lbs with ease. The motor does not run hot, even while going up hill in 105' heat. Oil temp get higher than I like while going up hill. Has been up to 250' On flat ground it'll be around 235' while towing.
I have the 6 speed trans in it. On a 4,000' climb last night the trans did get up to 200' when I got to the peak of the mountain. And again, at 200' about sea-level to start the climb it was over 100 outside and at the top of the hill it was about 88'. So I'd expect all the temps to be a lot lower in the other 3 seasons.
Trailer Sway: Zero. I have not experienced any sway. I've only driven in winds of about 15-20mph and the truck and trailer seemed to move as one. Being passed my semi-trucks does not push the truck around like some have experienced. I believe this has to do with my setup. The tires, airbags, heavy rating on the WDH, and a heavy trailer hitch weight.
***In the pic posted, the WDH is not setup properly.
