Exceeding tow limit

[McBroom]

That is the tounge weight with the second horse. I’m torn between just running the way it is or adding 50 pounds to the front of the trailer (short of strapping a couple weights to the tongue not sure what I could do to make that happen). Hate to add more useless weight to a trailer that already exceeds the tow limit. There is no way to shift the horses or tack more forward.

Put 2 regular size square bales on the tongue with extra straps to make sure they don’t move. Or a 30 gallon thank of water. Either one should be about 200#.


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 Off Road. 6.4L. USMC (ret)

 

[redvetram]

Put 2 regular size square bales on the tongue with extra straps to make sure they don’t move. Or a 30 gallon thank of water. Either one should be about 200#.

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately the tongue is only a 24” x 20” x 20” triangle. No room for a bale of hay or water tank. Besides, in 16 years of riding in the mountains I’ve never had the need to bring hay or water - plenty of grass, lakes and streams where we ride. But I guess a 5 gallon jug of water would fit and give me an extra 40 pounds which is about all I need. Hmmmm....might work If I could figure out how to secure it.

 

[GsRAM]

The way I see it trucks of yesteryear frequently had less then 200Hp and much weaker frames and suspensions and transmissions.

I think I the 305hp V6 and technology beind the design of the ram will hold up to the task.

Exactly. If I rememer corretly the 350 v8 in my old 1989 Chevy k1500 was right around 200 go and I towed a large tt with it a 1987 wilderness Yukon basement model. It was 6700 gross and felt every bit of it. The Chevy worked hard on the long steep grades but it towed it fine. Yes it was maxed out but it worked for me at the time. Good memories of my early days of camping on my own. Lots of goo ones from my youth camping with my mom and dad. I learned a lot about hooking and setting up and camping in general from that man, that's for sure.

 

[redvetram]

More interesting stats....
I had the displeasure of having to run to Jackson, WY yesterday which involves going over a 10% grade mountain pass. Roughly 6 miles up and 6 miles down. I shift into 2nd for the downhill part to save my brakes. RPMs run mostly 4000 at this time. I watched my tranny temp climb all the way to 215 And stay there till I got to the bottom and I could upshift. So apparently my tranny would be getting a whole lot more strain if I was one of the hundreds of poor schleps that had to commute to Jackson every day. 1-2 days/week towing an overweight trailer is much better.

 

[geekything]

More interesting stats....
I had the displeasure of having to run to Jackson, WY yesterday which involves going over a 10% grade mountain pass. Roughly 6 miles up and 6 miles down. I shift into 2nd for the downhill part to save my brakes. RPMs run mostly 4000 at this time. I watched my tranny temp climb all the way to 215 And stay there till I got to the bottom and I could upshift. So apparently my tranny would be getting a whole lot more strain if I was one of the hundreds of poor schleps that had to commute to Jackson every day. 1-2 days/week towing an overweight trailer is much better.

This is with both horaes? How was going up 10%?

 

[redvetram]

This is with both horaes? How was going up 10%?

No! This was with an empty truck no trailer. Just thought it was interesting how little effect the overweight trailer has on the truck compared to going over this pass that a lot of people have to do twice/day.