Need opinion on towing heavy Travel Trailer

[Bluegill1]

OK,
Been towing a 29' Bunk house with a 2015 Tundra, never had any issues.
Found our dream Camper, a 34' triple slide. Way to big and heavy for the Tundra. I'll be trading it in for a new 2500 or 3500.
The new Camper Travel Trailer has a total length (rear bumper to front hitch) is 37 1/2'(it's long), factory listed tongue weight is 1250(its heavy, the front bedroom slide adds a lot of weight up front), unloaded Vehicle weight is 8440, gross vehicle weight is 10,950.
Tongue weight increases with 2 full 30lb propane (90lbs), Hensley Hitch(180lbs), gear in forward compartment (est at 250lbs), bringing tongue weight up to 1500-1750 range.

We're in Ohio, towing about 12 times a year (6 there, 6 back), campground is about an hour from home (47 miles), no mountains, pretty flat. New truck will also be my daily driver, 20 total miles a day, 4 miles to each stop.
Looking at a New 2500 or a 3500 Crew Cab, 6.4 semi with the 4.10 gears.

As a daily driver I'd like the 2500 ride better, but will do the 3500 if that is the way it turns out.

I did call my insurance to see if I would need a commercial policy due to the 3500 1 ton classification, I was told because the new trailer will be on the policy then , no, Insurance
company said they recognize the 3500 will be for towing the trailer. So I got that outta the way. Haven't checked into registration for it yet.

PS...I've already decided I will not be going the diesel route.

I have use of a 2008 F250 Super Duty if I need to haul it before a new truck comes. I can use the Hensley Hitch on it for the time being. I will eventually get it to get actual weights on a scale but weather is too cold for that right now(-5).

Your thoughts on which (2500 or 3500) and why.

Thank you,
David

 

[VernDiesel]

I'd do the 2500 with factory rear air ride.

 

[barr0208]

yep 2500 with the auto leveling rear suspesion

 

[sandawilliams]

I'd do the 2500 with factory rear air ride.

Why the air ride?

 

[Bluegill1]

Factory air ride, what will that do as far as payload, towing?
The Hensley hitch is a $2,400 weight distubution hitch that also eliminates all sway (eliminates, not control).
Is the Air ride only to help level out if necessary?
Any other benefit for the $1,600 cost?

David

 

[Rampant]

This is what my '16 2500 6.4 without airbags looks like with around 900-1000 lbs on the tongue. I've had a nearly 14k lbs behind it with 1500+ on the tongue and it ust doesn't squat enough to warrant bags imo.

I've had 4 vehicles with air suspension and had problems in cold weather with all of them. They are great when they work.

I wouldn't hesitate one second to tow what you're describing anywhere with my setup. I even have the 3.73 gears and it does just fine. It's not a diesel and I don't expect it to tow like one.

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[GsRAM]

For the minimal increase in cost, I'd go 3500 with the asin trans and be done. Although my 2500/6.4/3.73 truck would handle that trailer your considering.

north of 10k loaded trailer weight for sure get the 4.10s. my tt is around 6k loaded so no need for the 4.10s or higher for what I'm using it for. at most my next rig will be 8k gross so I'll still be ok with the 3.73s. I don't
like load leveling suspension, had it on a 2000 ford expedition and hated it. just my personal opinion.

the 6.4 has a lot of juice, great engine. I'm impressse with it so far.

good luck with your search. I love my truck, I've had it a year now and have zero regrets, still love it as much as the day I took delivery. best move I could have made.

 

[Rampant]

First pic didn't load for some reason.

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[spoon059]

I've got a diesel 2500 and tow a 34 foot, 9500 lbs trailer and often have a couple hundred pounds of gear in the bed. Coil 2500 springs handle the weight just fine! I came from a 2010 Tundra and find that the Ram 2500 doesn't feel any more harsh than the Tundra leaf's felt. I'd be more concerned with getting the 4.10 gears than anything else. I'm sure the factory bags give an even better ride, but you may find that the stock coils are pretty darn good and don't cost any more!

With a gas engine, you have more payload than I have. You'll be fine with it!

 

[pcschwenke]

I was in the same situation and couldn’t find a 2500. Opted for a 1 ton crew cab Laramie with leafs, but 4:10 gears. Tows like a dream. If you have questions let me know. Sure , ride is stiff, but I can tow pretty much anything I need to.

 

[Bluegill1]

I too have heard factory air suspension issues in severe weather, It’s very cold along Lake Erie in the winter, (it’s +5 right now, dipping below zero tonight).

 

[Docpaulo]

Get the 2500.. buy firestone airbags for under 400$ and less headaches than factory air ride.. and you can fine tune it from inside the cab

I would look into the electronic sway control as well to supplement the hensley... although probably overkill

 

[mtofell]

2500 with coils will handle that load just fine. You could always add some bags later if you wanted to. I towed my 11,000# 5th wheel without bags for a while and it was okay. I just added the bags to stiffen up the bounce over rolling hills. Even with 3K in the truck (2000# pin of 5th + 1000# of people, cargo and hitch) the truck doesn't squat much at all. The springs are a far superior setup to leafs IMO. I'd take coils with supplemental bags 1000X over compared to bumpy, harsh leaf springs.

Something interesting in your description - so, if you had a 3500 and sold the TT or otherwise removed it from your policy would you then be subject to commercial insurance rates? If so, that would definitely steer me away from a 3500. The whole 2500 v 3500 things gets argued about slightly more than politics online but the fact remains they are the same truck aside from some rear suspension. My state has no difference with registration so I'd have no registration problem getting a 3500. If there were any possibility of a problem I'd gladly take a 2500. Hell, get a 2500 and buy some 3500 emblems to prevent do-gooder campers from scolding you

As a daily driver I love the coils on my 2500. It's still a bumpy HD truck but MUCH smoother than the harsh leaf springs. If I ever do replace my 2500 gasser and go diesel I'll go 3500 and get a Kelderman (or similar) full air rear suspension and abandon the leaf springs. That would be pretty ideal setup - stiff/supportive ride when you need it - Cadillac soft when you don't

 

[14hemiexpress]

I would personally go 2500 with 6.4l 4.10 axel. you will have close to 3000lb payload depending on your configuration and have the ride of coils over the 3500 with leafs. My .02

 

[Bluegill1]

“Hell, get a 2500 and buy some 3500 emblems to prevent do-gooder campers from scolding you”

I got a good chuckle out of that one.

 

[R.L.K.]

Yep that was my favorite post and and it's so true [emoji16][emoji16][emoji16]

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[pullin]

I have a 34.5 foot double-slide travel trailer with a Hensley hitch. On the CAT scales, it's 7980 lbs, with 600 on the tongue. I'm surprised by how heavy the OP's trailer is. I've been pulling mine with a 1500 QuadCab. Truck is 5800 lbs, so it and trailer are still well below the 15K GCWR.

I recently moved up to a 2500 due to the new boat (12,500 lbs). You've probably thought of this, but I was surprised at how much higher the new truck is. Even at the max extension of the tongue jack, the Hensley receiver was too low to meet the old drawbar stinger when on the new truck. I had to return my stinger/draw-bar to Hensley for one with an 8 inch drop.

I offer this as a precaution if you end up trying to move the trailer using the old Hensley drawbar from your Tundra. I had to go back home and get an extra jack to get the trailer high enough.

FWIW: I just weighed the new 2500 last weekend. 8160 lbs with full fuel and me. (It's a crew cab long bed diesel SLT).

 

[Rampant]

Just for comparison/info, my '16 2500 Laramie CC shorty w/6.4 ran across the CAT scales at 7110 with no occupants, empty cab & bed, and the low fuel light was on.

 

[Bluegill1]

pulling,
Thanks for the heads up on the Hensley bar, I haven't installed the Hensley yet, just got it. I'll call Hensley with height of coupler (it's an underslung one) on the Jayco trailer and also height of 2500 receiver and we'll see what they say. Thanks again for the heads up.

David

 

[DeepVee]

Our truck is a '16 3500 diesel with leaf springs.
We tow a 30' travel trailer that ends up about 10,000 after my wife fills it with stuff we'll never use. Add to that, another half ton of stuff in the bed and a shell.
Compared to our old '02 f-350, the Ram handles the trailer much better. For whatever reason, it's much more stable.
However, when not towing and empty, the ride is jarring with air in the tires. Dropping tire pressure to 50# for every day driving is very comfortable. But I have to say, airing up for every camping trip gets to be a bit of a drag without a large compressor.