Hit the Scales with the 1500

[911ems]

Spent a couple hours at the scales yesterday.

My Ram is a ‘14 5.7 8sp w 3.21 gears. I’m using an equalizer 4pt hitch, towing a FR Cherokee 274dbh. I have the airlift 1k bags set to 20lbs, LT 10 ply tires at 70psi, Hellwig rear sway bar, oem brake controller and tow mirrors.

Weighed in 4 times total. Camper was 6900lbs total loaded accept for food, approx 10gallons of water in for bathroom breaks. I didn’t take the family with me so I threw 4x60lb sand bags on the back floor to make up for their weight. Payload for my truck is 1470, and obviously 6900lbs total max gross.

Happy and satisfied with the results.

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[clay282]

Nice! I think we have the same camper but yours looks newer! We just took ours on the first trip of the season last weekend and we HAVE to clean it out. I know we had to have swung past 6900lbs with all the junk we all bring. Looks good!

 

[69GWC]

Is the gross weight of the truck the same as the trailer axle weight ?

Looks like your steering axle weight is real close to the same.

 

[Hoosier]

I hope you have your Tow package adjusted correctly. The dealer who installed mine, had it wrong and the drive home scared me to death. I called Customer Service at Equalizer and the rep took the time to really explain proper installation and following the reinstall and adjustments it drives wonderful. We have covered all but four states in the continental US and have only made minor adjustment according to Equalizer's guidance. They were very helpful and patient!

Good luck.

 

[craigsez]

Holly crap....Didn't realize our rams were 6k lbs..Don't know why I had it in my head of around 4500 lbs..I have a 16 sport and it doesn't tow and its not a work trk...Other than me and gas not much is in it..Ill have to scoot out to the D.O.T scales and ask the boys to weight me..

 

[clay282]

craigsez... these are full size trucks... They're all hefty honey's! Don't take her to the scale, she'll get all self conscious and be insecure about the size of her bed and if your looking at other trucks. Then she won't start when you get in her 1st thing in the morning and it'll just snowball. Just wash her and tell her she's as purdy as the day you got her.

 

[911ems]

Holly crap....Didn't realize our rams were 6k lbs..Don't know why I had it in my head of around 4500 lbs..I have a 16 sport and it doesn't tow and its not a work trk...Other than me and gas not much is in it..Ill have to scoot out to the D.O.T scales and ask the boys to weight me..

That weight was with 500lbs in passenger weight included, so she’s a little lighter by herself.


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[911ems]

I hope you have your Tow package adjusted correctly. The dealer who installed mine, had it wrong and the drive home scared me to death. I called Customer Service at Equalizer and the rep took the time to really explain proper installation and following the reinstall and adjustments it drives wonderful. We have covered all but four states in the continental US and have only made minor adjustment according to Equalizer's guidance. They were very helpful and patient!

Good luck.

Hence the time spent at the scale to set it up properly. Equalizer is a great hitch with even better customer service.


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[911ems]

Is the gross weight of the truck the same as the trailer axle weight ?

Looks like your steering axle weight is real close to the same.

Haha yea i thought about grabbing some lotto tickets on the way born and playing those numbers, figured I’ll never get them to match again!


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[911ems]

Nice! I think we have the same camper but yours looks newer! We just took ours on the first trip of the season last weekend and we HAVE to clean it out. I know weView attachment 124010 had to have swung past 6900lbs with all the junk we all bring. Looks good!

It’s a 2018, absolutely love this camper. Very happy with the quality and craftsmanship. Only minor improvements to make the rig even better!


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[mohemipar]

Holly crap....Didn't realize our rams were 6k lbs..Don't know why I had it in my head of around 4500 lbs..I have a 16 sport and it doesn't tow and its not a work trk...Other than me and gas not much is in it..Ill have to scoot out to the D.O.T scales and ask the boys to weight me..

Your run of the mill well optioned 1500 CC will weigh about 5500-5800 pounds. So with a couple people and some gear, yes you're looking at around 6,000. The Charger and Challenger weigh in around 4500 empty lol.

 

[averageguy]

That's how you take the guess work out of it and you don't have to worry about what the arm chair experts "think" it will weigh. Good job.

 

[craigsez]

craigsez... these are full size trucks... They're all hefty honey's! Don't take her to the scale, she'll get all self conscious and be insecure about the size of her bed and if your looking at other trucks. Then she won't start when you get in her 1st thing in the morning and it'll just snowball. Just wash her and tell her she's as purdy as the day you got her.

Damn clay,dont be given all the others ideas about their size..We will all end up in 80's for rangers..lol

 

[Sweetee]

Your run of the mill well optioned 1500 CC will weigh about 5500-5800 pounds. So with a couple people and some gear, yes you're looking at around 6,000. The Charger and Challenger weigh in around 4500 empty lol.

I weighed my '17 Laramie 4x4 CC with Leer topper and with a full tank it was just over 5800 lbs. By the time I get in the "B" plate(6000 lb.)I had was exceeded. I ended up going to the DOT and upgraded to a "C" plate (8000 lb.). Better to be safe and legal rather than unsafe and illegal.

 

[Deki]

Holly crap....Didn't realize our rams were 6k lbs..Don't know why I had it in my head of around 4500 lbs..I have a 16 sport and it doesn't tow and its not a work trk...Other than me and gas not much is in it..Ill have to scoot out to the D.O.T scales and ask the boys to weight me..

A challenger is about 4500 pounds. Vehicles are deceptively heavy these days.

 

[billyw]

If the steer axle only increased by 20 lbs, I don't think the Equal-I-zer is set up correctly. JMHO

On edit, it looks like it actually decreased by 20 lbs. Definitely NOT set up right.

 

[Jimmy07]

If the steer axle only increased by 20 lbs, I don't think the Equal-I-zer is set up correctly. JMHO

On edit, it looks like it actually decreased by 20 lbs. Definitely NOT set up right.

It would be impossible for the front axle to weigh more after a trailer is hooked up, than before. Think about it. Just the truck sitting there by itself, the only way to get the front to weigh more (besides adding more weight over the front axle) would be to lift up on the rear end. Now, I don’t know of any weight distribution hitch that will get your trailer set up with a negative tongue weight.

 

[VernDiesel]

You don’t have to lift the back end of the truck & you don’t need a negative tongue weight. The dynamics can be more than you can see by looking at it though.

Here is an example. This guy added 220 pounds to his unloaded steer axle weight. 860 to his drive axle weight (ie 1080 seen TW) and put another 120 pounds back onto the trailer axles. Also their is more examples of this on Airstream forums.

http://www.ram1500diesel.com/forum/...g/46993-cat-scale-says-3000-3980-13380-a.html

 

[VernDiesel]

911ems, Excellent post, to the point with TV TT & scale slip pics. Being that you both own a FR & a Ram 1500 you should put the exact post on the Forrest River forum.

Still lots of misinformed folks over there that think instead of doing what you did they should just add up weight estimates toward a payload sticker number.

Plus lots who sell that crap & use it to down the Ram 1500 as useless for towing. Suggesting Ram 1500s shouldn’t tow more than a golf caddy or it will be over payload and headed for an accident & law suit.

Unfortunately many people buy that crap instead of focusing on what they should which is that if they take their TV & TT to the scale & set their WDH accordingly as you did getting their steer weight replaced, their drive within rating & their seen TW in the 10 to 15 percent range that their set up will concretely be safe & stable to tow and legal so to speak.

After which you can check your weight slip to also verify CVW, GVW etc.

I’ve read Hellwig bar greatly improves corner carving ability. Has it done anything noticeable for towing your TT? Or no noticeable change in that department.

 

[clay282]

I think a lot of folks don't realize how much weight can shift before you know it. You HAVE to stay on it like you stay on your kids for chores LOL!

Those scales don't just help you get the hitch set up, they tell you stuff you didn't know was happening. A friend has one... said it towed horrible. Loaded, set up the hitch, test drive = felt perfect when we test drove it! They'd head out, said it felt scary and loose. Turns out they'd fill the fresh water tank before leaving that was behind the trailer axle for some reason and then load the fold down trailer rack with bikes and a big cargo box full of toys and camping supplies like fire wood. Just under 600lbs shifted and was cantilevered behind the trailer axles. People don't realize, 40 gallons of water by itself is 300lbs...

Load it to test it, weigh it, set it up.

Load it to use it, weight it, set it up again for how your using it.