Medium duty camper hauler

Tangent · Sep 12, 2017

I was looking into getting a camper to go boondocking and was trying to find one light enough for my V6 to pull. It's rated at about 7300 pounds, but most people say not to try to pull more than 5000 with it from what I've read.

The reason is more of stopping power and acceleration up grades and my truck is a regular cab 2wd that isn't heavy enough to withstand strong gusts of wind.

I looked into a 3.0 Ecodiesel and a 5.0 Titan as a possible trade, but I would really take a big loss on trade value. The Titan 5.0 Cummins was supposed to be a fantastic engine, but it's turned out to be a basket case.

Anyone pull a camper with a V6? How heavy?

csuder99 · Sep 13, 2017

I pull a Wolf Pup 16FB which is a single axle trailer, less than 3500 lbs with a QC 4x4 with 3.55 axle ratio. No problem going up and down in the Oregon Cascades. With the trailer being short it doesn't get pushed around a lot by wind or semi trucks.

I'd think up to 23ft and 6k is doable with my truck.

Farmer Fran · Sep 13, 2017

Look into a hybrid style camper.

Skrap · Sep 15, 2017

Forest River R-Pod trailer would be what I'd look at if I have your engine and truck. Well, I'd sell it and get a Hemi 1500 or every a 2500 but if you are stuck with it then something like the R-Pod.

HvyDuty · Sep 15, 2017

FWIW, I pull my 29' 7500 lbs travel trailer from my storage facility about 2 miles away to my house with my new 3.6L 1500 crew cab w/3.55 gears. I don't bother hooking up the WD hitch and drop the 1100 pound tongue on the tri-ball hitch receiver I have for it.

Believe it or not, that trailer is actually within the towing specs my 3.6L (7510 towing, 1680 lbs payload)

It squats really good, I say about 4" but no problems moving it. No weird light steering or handling, though I only get up to 40mph speed limit on the ride. I could probably tow it locally in a pinch, but it gets pulled by the 2500 due to the sail area of it.

I'd say you are good up to about a 22-24' tandem axle travel trailer. You have a higher payload than a hemi or ecodiesel.

GsRAM · Sep 15, 2017

HvyDuty said:
FWIW, I pull my 29' 7500 lbs travel trailer from my storage facility about 2 miles away to my house with my new 3.6L 1500 crew cab w/3.55 gears. I don't bother hooking up the WD hitch and drop the 1100 pound tongue on the tri-ball hitch receiver I have for it.

Believe it or not, that trailer is actually within the towing specs my 3.6L (7510 towing, 1680 lbs payload)

It squats really good, I say about 4" but no problems moving it. No weird light steering or handling, though I only get up to 40mph speed limit on the ride. I could probably tow it locally in a pinch, but it gets pulled by the 2500 due to the sail area of it.

I'd say you are good up to about a 22-24' tandem axle travel trailer. You have a higher payload than a hemi or ecodiesel.

you may want to do some research before you do that again. the hitch on your truck may only be rated for 500 lb tongue weight without WDH you may be grossly overloading the hitch putting that much weight on it without WDH engaged.

HvyDuty · Sep 15, 2017

GsRAM said:
you may want to do some research before you do that again. the hitch on your truck may only be rated for 500 lb tongue weight without WDH you may be grossly overloading the hitch putting that much weight on it without WDH engaged.

Our bumpers are rated for 500 lbs weight carrying HD or LD, that may be your confusion.

The 1500 Class IV hitch max tongue weight rating is 1100 lbs (per 2017 Ram 1500 towing guide), 2500 Class V 2.5" hitch is rated to 1800 lbs tongue weight. These ratings are stand alone as the guide only mentions a WD hitch should be used for trailers over 5000 lbs.

Ratket · Sep 17, 2017

GsRAM said:
you may want to do some research before you do that again. the hitch on your truck may only be rated for 500 lb tongue weight without WDH you may be grossly overloading the hitch putting that much weight on it without WDH engaged.

.... he he he

VernDiesel · Sep 17, 2017

Tangent 7,300 is assuming you have 3.92s & 8 speed. For boondocking I hope you at least have LSD. As long as you have or get factory optional trailer brake controller down hill decents won't be a problem at that weight.

Stability for wind gusts etc has mostly to do with proper axle weight distribution of steer, drive, & TT axles set up with an appropriately sized no sway WDH best set up & proven on a tripple scale such as a CAT scale.

HvyDuty, Not hating just sharing. You don't yet know what you don't yet know is all. Sure 2 miles low speed I get it. Outside that you would be a danger to anyone on the road with what you described.

That tongue weight, no weight distribution, no suspension aid, 4" rear squat, no weight on the steers is a recipe for disaster. First time someone pulls out in front of you and you swerve to avoid impact you will end up backwards upside down in a ditch with your TT debris littering the road. Or maybe even with the help of a strong wind gust or semi bow wave.

Those two truck and TT specs say that they are or rather can be compatible. It doesn't say you will be within specs when scaled without proper weight distribution. Ram says use a WDH above 5,000 pounds and certainly with 1,100 pound tongue weight it's from a trailer weighing more than 5,000 pounds. lol Well that or the guy loading the trailer is trying to kill you.

Job 1 with your WDH & weight distribution for your TV & wet TT is to replace your unloaded TVs FAW or front axle weight. The WDH will remove weight from your drive & transfer it to both your steer & TT axles.

After steer weight is restored you want drive axle weight at or below the 3,900 pound axle rating then work toward a 50/50 steer & drive bias. Perfect is not required for proper handling & stability. My experience If everything else was met and you have your steer weight at least 80 percent of your drive weight you will have a stable combination & tow.

Tangent · Sep 19, 2017

Thanks guys. I have 3.55 gears and an aftermarket Reese hitch. I'll probably look for a smaller lighter one.

HvyDuty · Sep 19, 2017

VernDiesel said:
Tangent 7,300 is assuming you have 3.92s & 8 speed. For boondocking I hope you at least have LSD. As long as you have or get factory optional trailer brake controller down hill decents won't be a problem at that weight.

Stability for wind gusts etc has mostly to do with proper axle weight distribution of steer, drive, & TT axles set up with an appropriately sized no sway WDH best set up & proven on a tripple scale such as a CAT scale.

HvyDuty, Not hating just sharing. You don't yet know what you don't yet know is all. Sure 2 miles low speed I get it. Outside that you would be a danger to anyone on the road with what you described.

That tongue weight, no weight distribution, no suspension aid, 4" rear squat, no weight on the steers is a recipe for disaster. First time someone pulls out in front of you and you swerve to avoid impact you will end up backwards upside down in a ditch with your TT debris littering the road. Or maybe even with the help of a strong wind gust or semi bow wave.

Those two truck and TT specs say that they are or rather can be compatible. It doesn't say you will be within specs when scaled without proper weight distribution. Ram says use a WDH above 5,000 pounds and certainly with 1,100 pound tongue weight it's from a trailer weighing more than 5,000 pounds. lol Well that or the guy loading the trailer is trying to kill you.

Job 1 with your WDH & weight distribution for your TV & wet TT is to replace your unloaded TVs FAW or front axle weight. The WDH will remove weight from your drive & transfer it to both your steer & TT axles.

After steer weight is restored you want drive axle weight at or below the 3,900 pound axle rating then work toward a 50/50 steer & drive bias. Perfect is not required for proper handling & stability. My experience If everything else was met and you have your steer weight at least 80 percent of your drive weight you will have a stable combination & tow.

Verndiesel, totally agree with your statements, though I'm not a TT newbie. Trailer specs for my Wildwood 26TBSS full height stick built travel trailer is GVWR is 7700 (though only loaded to a CAT scale verified 7450), dry tongue 890lbs (CAT just under 1100) and all storage is up front.

Its heavy tongue bias has proven to never sway on me even with 20+ mph crosswind. I used to tow it with a 2015 1500 5.7L 8spd 3.21 gears. The 5.7L 1500 was just not enough truck (frame wise) for my comfort level. With my 6.4L 2500, I would not hesitate to pull it anywhere, any distance.

It goes without saying that if I were to tow it locally to camp with my 3.6L 1500, I would have the e2 WD hitch engaged and fully dialed in lol.

The word of caution when talking towing with half tons is the numbers may all work but real life experience may prove different depending on your comfort level. Typically run out of payload before any else. :favorites13:

csuder99 · Oct 19, 2017

To add some more real world experience, I just did a trip from central Oregon to Antelope Island, Park City and Gooseberry Mesa in UT, pulling the aforementioned Wolfpup 16FB. Some pretty good climbs along the route, I-80 eastbound out of Salt Lake or 4 passes over 7000ft on US50 in Nevada, occasionally the engine would scream along at 5500 rpm but it never felt that the truck was struggling to hold 65 MPH (trailer tire limit). Overall MPG in the 12s (EVIC shows 13.0) with maybe 250-300 miles out of 2200 not pulling the trailer. This was mostly running on cruise control and not trying to modulate the throttle to save fuel.

Wahrsuul · Oct 19, 2017

Maybe I'm wrong as I only looked at the '13 3.6, but the 7000lbs towing was with 3.55 gears, not 3.92. In 13, 3.92 wasn't even an option. That may have changed in later years, but I think it would add more to the towing capacity?

Medium duty camper hauler

Tangent

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csuder99

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Farmer Fran

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Skrap

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HvyDuty

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GsRAM

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HvyDuty

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Ratket

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VernDiesel

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Tangent

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HvyDuty

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