Towing Camping Trailer

[gwholmes]

Have a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn, 5.7 Hemi, 3.21 rear, 7100lb GVW, Class IV Receiver Hitch, 8 speed trans. Looking at a Grand Design camping trailer 29'10" length, Hitch weight 581, UVW 5857, GVRW 7850. Is my truck capable of safely towing this throughout the US? Want to possible pull out to AK. Concerned about wear and tear on truck. Have weight distribution system. Do I need anything else?

 

[Riccochet]

Can it tow it? Yes. Will it be pleasant to do so? Probably not 60% of the time. It's not the weight, but the length. 30' is a lot of trailer behind a 1500.

Also factor in that hitch weight is before batteries, propane, cargo inside the trailer. Realistically, a loaded trailer like that it'll be closer to 950+ lbs of hitch weight. Roughly 200 lbs alone for dual 30 lb propane tanks and a G27 battery. So that's 781 lbs before you put a single thing inside that trailer in front of the axles. And if you plan to boondock with full water and waste tanks that's a LOT more weight.

Just figure 1000-1100 lbs of your truck's payload is gone to hitch weight and the weight of a WDH.

What sucks is you'll never know if it sucks to tow it until you drop the money on it and find out. Best bet is to to not skimp on a WDH. Get an Equalizer 4P with 1000 lb bars, minimum.

 

[SniperDroid]

My rig is comparable to your in size and weight. I pulled it with a Ford F150 the first season we had it and was white knuckling the entire time. The best TV I have ever had is the RAM 2500 I have now. You won't even feel it behind you if you trade up to one. The only draw back is the 9 miles to a gallon when towing...

 

[Bike_Pilot]

Weight wise it will be ok, not great. But stability with something that big will be lacking especially in high winds common out west. This is the perfect excuse to upgrade to a big diesel which will be far more relaxed and efficient when towing.

 

[Riccochet]

My rig is comparable to your in size and weight. I pulled it with a Ford F150 the first season we had it and was white knuckling the entire time. The best TV I have ever had is the RAM 2500 I have now. You won't even feel it behind you if you trade up to one. The only draw back is the 9 miles to a gallon when towing...

This. I went through two 1500's before saying f'this and getting a 2500 gasser to pull my 31' travel trailer. No more white knuckles.

 

[dhay13]

What model TT? My son has a 2018 2670MK that weighed 8100lbs loaded up. Advertised TW was 690lbs but he was at 1000lbs fully loaded. I towed it 200 miles and back with my 2013 1500 3.55s when it was brand new so 200 miles there was empty and 200 miles back was loaded. t towed ok but it would sway when being passed by a big truck. He has a Husky TS Centerline WDH. He then bought a 2018 2500 6.4 with 4.10s and towed it 9000 miles all over the country in 2 years. With my 2013 I got 8.3 MPG when I towed it empty and 7.3 MPG when it was loaded (some of that difference due to uphill, etc). With his 2500 I went with him from Pittsburgh to Baytown, TX and tracked mileage and he averaged around 8.5 MPG loaded so the 2500 got slightly better MPG towing.

All that said, you should be ok with your weights. The only one you would probably be over on is payload and to me that isn't as critical as GCWR and GRAWR. You will be very close on your GRAWR. Pretty sure your max is 3900lbs and I'm guessing you will be right there. But as said, the length is what will make it uncomfortable. High winds and passing semi's will not be fun. You should be fine on short trips but probably be mentally exhausted after long trips on the highway.

 

[dhay13]

Oh...and based on a comparison to my son's TT I'm guessing it's actually a 23-24' model with overall length of 29'10"? My son's 2670MK is like 32' tip to tip and his GVWR and tongue weights are slightly higher than the OP posted.

 

[dhay13]

BTW-this was my sons 2670MK loaded hooked to his 2018 2500 6.4. Remember he had 1000lbs TW so add that to the trailer axle to get full trailer weight. He was at 12.4% TW with this setup.

 

[Farmer Fran]

I will never understand some of these posts, I towed a Dutchmen Denali 289RK all over the place with my 1500s. Search, I have a few posts about it with pics and all.

I did have 3.91 gears though.

 

[Jane S]

Have a 2019 Ram 1500 Big Horn, 5.7 Hemi, 3.21 rear, 7100lb GVW, Class IV Receiver Hitch, 8 speed trans. Looking at a Grand Design camping trailer 29'10" length, Hitch weight 581, UVW 5857, GVRW 7850. Is my truck capable of safely towing this throughout the US? Want to possible pull out to AK. Concerned about wear and tear on truck. Have weight distribution system. Do I need anything else?

Don't listen to those who say you should get a 2500.

You will be fine.

Get a Equlizer hitch/sway - don't go cheap here.

Drive slow

Remember you are pulling a sail. Headwinds will be your enemy.

 

[Riccochet]

I never worried about head winds. That just slows you down. It's those 30+ mph cross wind gusts that screw you. In the 1500's it would push my entire setup. In my 2500 my truck doesn't budge and the trailer might move 6-12" and snap right back once the gust stops.

 

[crash68]

Will it be pleasant to do so? Probably not 60% of the time. It's not the weight, but the length. 30' is a lot of trailer behind a 1500.

Towing stability comes down to how the weight in the trailer is distributed within the trailer and the WDH set-up with the trailer. I pull a 32' overall trailer(it's heavier than the OP's too) behind my 1500, it stable and usually keep one hand on the wheel with the cruise set.

This is the perfect excuse to upgrade to a big diesel which will be far more relaxed and efficient when towing.

The OP doesn't need a 2500 to tow the trailer in question.

 

[ramffml]

Don't listen to those who say you should get a 2500.

You will be fine.

Get a Equlizer hitch/sway - don't go cheap here.

Drive slow

Remember you are pulling a sail. Headwinds will be your enemy.

So don't listen to those who've had experience with white-knuckling a 30 foot sail?

Headwinds aren't the enemy (unless you're strictly talking mpg). It's the side winds and sway caused by passing trucks that are the enemy. That plus low payload.

Equalizer is pretty much the definition of cheap. Mid grade would be Anderson no sway, and best in class is easily the propride.

 

[Farmer Fran]

So don't listen to those who've had experience with white-knuckling a 30 foot sail?

Headwinds aren't the enemy (unless you're strictly talking mpg). It's the side winds and sway caused by passing trucks that are the enemy. That plus low payload.

Equalizer is pretty much the definition of cheap. Mid grade would be Anderson no sway, and best in class is easily the propride.

Maybe they were not properly setup.

 

[ramffml]

Maybe they were not properly setup.

Maybe the guys who "had no issues" never ran into stiff winds or guys who cut them off.

 

[Jane S]

So don't listen to those who've had experience with white-knuckling a 30 foot sail?

Headwinds aren't the enemy (unless you're strictly talking mpg). It's the side winds and sway caused by passing trucks that are the enemy. That plus low payload.

Equalizer is pretty much the definition of cheap. Mid grade would be Anderson no sway, and best in class is easily the propride.

You have no idea what mistakes those people made:
- worng hitch
- improperly set up hitch
- improperly inflated tires
- driving too fast
- wrong truck tires
- improper driving for conditions
- improper driving for road

The OP will be fine.

THE ONLY REASON the op should get a 2500 is if he plans to go to a 5th wheel or larger TT in the future.

 

[Jane S]

Maybe the guys who "had no issues" never ran into stiff winds or guys who cut them off.

Winds:
Antisway bar
Slow down!

Cut off
Brakes properly adjusted on TT

What you really have to worry about are space aliens.

 

[ramffml]

Winds:
Antisway bar
Slow down!

Cut off
Brakes properly adjusted on TT

What you really have to worry about are space aliens.

You have no idea what mistakes those people made:
- worng hitch
- improperly set up hitch
- improperly inflated tires
- driving too fast
- wrong truck tires
- improper driving for conditions
- improper driving for road

The OP will be fine.

THE ONLY REASON the op should get a 2500 is if he plans to go to a 5th wheel or larger TT in the future.

You cannot make blanket statements like that. Every truck and trailer and cargo setup handles differently, never mind wind or road or traffic conditions. These ram half tons are like station wagons, best not to push them (especially the suspension is the weak spot).

Also keep in mind who's driving. No offense to the OP, he's obviously new to this and doing the right thing by asking questions. A smart forum member may keep that in mind while doling out their 2 cents, and not offer advice which may put newbies in harms way.

I've said my piece and it really isn't worth arguing about it. Cowboys will be cowboys, and at a certain point all you can do is just watch while they take shake and shimmy their butt down the road before taking out a guard rail.

And typing in bold doesn't make you right. It just makes you vehemently wrong.

 

[rmill]

Would consider moving up to 10 ply load range e tires. Yes it probable is over kill but it has helped stabilize the overall performance and handle. And when you are out in the middle of know where you wont regret it. Have similar truck and trailer.

 

[rmill]

10 ply E load range for truck and do not hesitate to get goodyear endurance tires for trailer