A few towing questions...

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

OP
OP
tbaker65

tbaker65

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Posts
83
Reaction score
53
Location
Upstate NY
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
you're right, but that sticker didn't show either :p

Exactly...

Someone mentioned before in another post I was reading to look at the "yellow" door sticker to check your weights... which is why I posted that one initially. The "white" one shows GVWR, the "yellow" one shows cargo capacity... go figure. It would be too easy to list everything in one spot, after the fact. I was trying to locate another sticker showing axle ratio - didn't see one... it's listed on the buy sticker, otherwise, not sure how you'd know.

I registered as a new owner on mopar, with my vin - that gives NOTHING extra as well... including the specs mentioned above... go figure...
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
tbaker65

tbaker65

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Posts
83
Reaction score
53
Location
Upstate NY
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Click on look up my vehicle and punch in your vin.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/towing-guide.html

Sent from my SM-J727T using Tapatalk
Yeah, I've tried that before. I tried with Chrome, IE, and manually entering the VIN. All I get is a red error code: "Please enter 17 alphanumeric characters", after I have entered and double-checked, double-counted the VIN characters... no luck.

Typical that a multi-billion dollar corporation has a glitch somewhere in what would be a too-easy, useful tool... I've looked it up on the chart and it appears I "could" tow somewhere in the 10,150 lb range - all things ideal, but I'll never attempt anywhere near that, so I know I'm good with what I have... Thanks though.
 
OP
OP
tbaker65

tbaker65

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Posts
83
Reaction score
53
Location
Upstate NY
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Dealer will have to add the sales code for the TBC to function.

Really... Wow. It would be nice if maybe etrailer mentioned that one in their guide as I would consider that a very relevant piece of information. Thanks.

On Edit: Fb, I just called etrailer about the specific TBC I'm purchasing, and the agent said they'd never heard of you having to take it to the dealer afterward for it to function... and it mentions this nowhere in their literature either. So I'm going to assume it will work fine without the dealer adding any codes... thanks.
 
Last edited:

KSH

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2015
Posts
328
Reaction score
230
Ram Year
2015 1500
Engine
EcoDiesel
Yeah, I've tried that before. I tried with Chrome, IE, and manually entering the VIN. All I get is a red error code: "Please enter 17 alphanumeric characters", after I have entered and double-checked, double-counted the VIN characters... no luck.

Typical that a multi-billion dollar corporation has a glitch somewhere in what would be a too-easy, useful tool... I've looked it up on the chart and it appears I "could" tow somewhere in the 10,150 lb range - all things ideal, but I'll never attempt anywhere near that, so I know I'm good with what I have... Thanks though.
Odd, I've never had a problem with it.

Sent from my SM-J727T using Tapatalk
 

IRSmart

I drink and I know things
TOTM Winner
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Posts
1,786
Reaction score
2,233
Location
Westminster, MD
Ram Year
2018 Power Wagon
Engine
6.4L Hemi
you can go to rambodybuilder.com and click on base weights and tow capacities. build your truck and it will take you to a chart which will show you everything you need to know about what your truck can and can't do.
 

Express SN95

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Posts
303
Reaction score
108
Location
Maryland
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Really... Wow. It would be nice if maybe etrailer mentioned that one in their guide as I would consider that a very relevant piece of information. Thanks.

On Edit: Fb, I just called etrailer about the specific TBC I'm purchasing, and the agent said they'd never heard of you having to take it to the dealer afterward for it to function... and it mentions this nowhere in their literature either. So I'm going to assume it will work fine without the dealer adding any codes... thanks.
You only need the sales code added for the factory trailer brake controller. If youre going aftermarket, which is what it sounds like, then you just install and plug the brake controller in.

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk
 

GsRAM

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Posts
2,929
Reaction score
2,743
Ram Year
2017 Dodge Ram 2500
Engine
Hemi, 6.4L
Good info Gs, thanks.

My GVWR is somewhere between 3885 (mfr product site) and 4001 lbs (sticker).
View attachment 117999

I'll likely use the WDH (why not?) and grab a sway control bar for it (relatively cheap add-on). About the TBC... I read somewhere that for the Mopar or OEM one, I need to get it "flashed" from a dealer... I watched the installation video for the prodigy P2; installation looks pretty simple but the video did not mention having to take it to dealer for "flashing" afterward. Would I need to do this? Thanks again...


good deal. if your using the p2 or p3,, no need to have it flashed and prodigy probably already has a harness to connect the prodigy to your trucks wire harness.

If your over 4k that, I'd suggest trailer brakes and wdh for sure
 
OP
OP
tbaker65

tbaker65

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Posts
83
Reaction score
53
Location
Upstate NY
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
good deal. if your using the p2 or p3,, no need to have it flashed and prodigy probably already has a harness to connect the prodigy to your trucks wire harness.

If your over 4k that, I'd suggest trailer brakes and wdh for sure

Thanks. Yep, I've got the TBC, wire harness adapter, and sway control bar for my WDH in my cart now for $127 shipped. Should be the final piece of the puzzle and I'm all set... for now anyway.

I won't be pulling the trailer til April or May probably, unless it gets decent in March and I get itchy to give it a test run... I'm kind of excited to test out the new system - should be a big difference and a feeling of freedom compared to pulling it with my old 05 TBZ, which had a couple of issues but still did the job, for short runs anyway. Thanks everyone for the help.
 

TRCM

USN, Retired
Military
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Posts
3,238
Reaction score
5,359
Location
Newport News, VA
Ram Year
2012 1500 Laramie CC 4x4
Engine
5.7 Hemi
No door sticker has trailer tow capacity on it, that has bad information. You’re probably seeing GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating, which is not the same thing.


You are right, the sticker doesn't show towing capacity directly, but it does show cargo capacity, which limits towing capacity in a lot of cases, so I'll spell out exactly what I meant below.....(I know GVWR & GCWR are not the same)

The owners manual for my truck says I have a 1610 payload capacity, but the door sticker says it is 1161.....guess, what, the door sticker is the one that is right cuz the chart, even the one in the owners manual, is generic.

When loading a truck & trailer, the tongue weight comes off the payload capacity....so, if you have a tongue weight of, lets say, 200 lbs, that means the trailer should weigh between 1300 & 2000 lbs to meet the 10% - 15% tongue weight requirements, and it eats up 200 lbs of your cargo capacity.

So, using my truck, if I put my fat butt in it, and another fat person like me, a 100 lb dog, and connect the tiny trailer @ 200 lbs of tongue weight, that only leave 311 lbs for cargo. (350 + 200 + 100 + 200 = 850)

The point I am making is to NOT use the charts to see what you can tow because they do not take into account passenger & cargo weight, but instead use the door sticker to see what room you have for tongue weight AFTER the truck is loaded....and if you do the math, THAT will tell you how much you can tow.


So, if your truck has a cargo weight of 1500 lbs based on the door sticker, and you put 800 lbs in the bed, have a 150 lb passenger plus yourself @ 150, and a 100 lb dog in the truck.....what does that leave you for cargo capacity ?? 800 + 150 + 150 + 100 = 1200.......so you can have a tongue weight of 300 if you push the numbers....which means a trailer weight of 2000-3000 lbs, depending on if you have 10% or 15% tongue weight.

If you do the same thing, but remove the 800 lbs of cargo from the truck, you can now have a tongue weight of up to 1100 lbs, which means a trailer of 7400-11000 lbs (but 11000 would be over you towing capacity & GCWR).

Cargo capacity will flat eat up your towing capacity if you load the truck heavy.



If you use the charts, they will say you can tow 10,000 lbs, which would give you a 1000 to 1500 lb tongue weight, which in the above example would put you way over cargo capacity.

Even using a weight distributing hitch so you can tow heavier, you still have to meet cargo capacity.....which is why I said use the door stickers as they let you know how much room you have left of your cargo capacity to use for tongue weight AFTER all your cargo is in....that way, if need be, you can move cargo from the truck to the trailer to stay within the limits.



I guess I could have worded it in my previous post better, but that's what ya get when you assume mentioning cargo capacity & towing capacity in the same sentence would let people know what ya meant.

Sorry guys..
 

TRCM

USN, Retired
Military
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Posts
3,238
Reaction score
5,359
Location
Newport News, VA
Ram Year
2012 1500 Laramie CC 4x4
Engine
5.7 Hemi
good deal. if your using the p2 or p3,, no need to have it flashed and prodigy probably already has a harness to connect the prodigy to your trucks wire harness.

If your over 4k that, I'd suggest trailer brakes and wdh for sure

Check your state, some states require trailer brakes over 3000 lb gvwr of the trailer. Here, it is 3500 lb GVWR.

But your trailer already has them so the WDH is next.....
 
OP
OP
tbaker65

tbaker65

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Posts
83
Reaction score
53
Location
Upstate NY
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I guess I could have worded it in my previous post better, but that's what ya get when you assume mentioning cargo capacity & towing capacity in the same sentence would let people know what ya meant.

Sorry guys..
Your post(s) were actually very helpful and I figured what you said about figuring tow capacity from the sticker was just some confusion on my part because of semantics anyway, just as I learned about the 7 pin connection needing a TBC to actually work the brakes on the trailer - someone had already said it, but just in a different manner so that I missed the meaning...

All is well that ends well anyway. Thanks for the tips/information... by the way, did you find out anymore about the TSC thing?
 

TRCM

USN, Retired
Military
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Posts
3,238
Reaction score
5,359
Location
Newport News, VA
Ram Year
2012 1500 Laramie CC 4x4
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Your post(s) were actually very helpful and I figured what you said about figuring tow capacity from the sticker was just some confusion on my part because of semantics anyway, just as I learned about the 7 pin connection needing a TBC to actually work the brakes on the trailer - someone had already said it, but just in a different manner so that I missed the meaning...

All is well that ends well anyway. Thanks for the tips/information... by the way, did you find out anymore about the TSC thing?

Nothing new yet.......not sure you will unless it activates due to a swaying trailer from what I've read so far.
 

GsRAM

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Posts
2,929
Reaction score
2,743
Ram Year
2017 Dodge Ram 2500
Engine
Hemi, 6.4L
Good deal tbaker. Glad you have the tbc and away control and harness coming. You'll be glad you did especially in the unfortunate possibility you have to make an emergency manevur. It's good to have that equipment and the extra safety margin they provide.

Camping season will be here before we know it now that we're past the holidays. I usually try to get out sometime in mid May. We'll see! Good luck.
 
Top