Weigh in, for a long haul. What do you think?

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Irishthreeper

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Awesome! We are in Sioux Falls tonight, Rapid City tomorrow after badlands, Rushmore and Wall Drug… then Yellowstone west gate for 5 nights, then Jackson 4 nights boondocking… then head home to Missouri. Considered Glacier with flooding events, but with the exodus from vacationers and last minute changes couldn’t find anything available in Glacier. Hopefully Yellowstone west opens on 19th, but we’ll be there 5 nights so surely if lower loop is deemed okay we can get in to see old faithful and sights. It’s my family’s first time, and mine! Such a hard call to chance it, but didn’t want to sit at home for two weeks!!! Thanks for the help guys!
You’re doing just about the same route we took last year. Sioux Falls has a cool old downtown, go see that if you can. We rode bikes from the falls to town. Wall Drug is 100% tourist but ya gotta do it :) Also, we used the East entrance to Yellowstone and there was no line. We exited via the west entrance when departing and it was backed up. Have fun, it’s all beautiful!
 

gfh77665

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Lookout - gonna be hotter'n hell out there.
Its ridiculous here in SE TX. Been 100-102 with 90% humidity the past few days, and not even officially summer yet. I would much rather be up in the mountains where its at least drier and cools off at night. It stays above 80 here around the clock, our poor AC never shuts off. It will run 24/7 for the next 4 months or so.
 
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breal201999

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You always have Colorado just to the south if Yellowstone doesn't open.
Currently, I think Jackson is pretty crowded.

How are you going to West Yellowstone, the northern route or from the south?
We stayed a week in Estes Park last year. We came in from the north from Bozeman through 191 South. No problems! Yellowstone is supposed to open on the 22nd with limited entry by license plate. Our luck, it’s the day we leave, but we will travel through Yellowstone out to Jackson Hole. So we’ll have one day in Yellowstone, but better than nothing. We’ve never been and have been looking forward to it.
 

pacofortacos

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We stayed a week in Estes Park last year. We came in from the north from Bozeman through 191 South. No problems! Yellowstone is supposed to open on the 22nd with limited entry by license plate. Our luck, it’s the day we leave, but we will travel through Yellowstone out to Jackson Hole. So we’ll have one day in Yellowstone, but better than nothing. We’ve never been and have been looking forward to it.
I was going to suggest Estes Park, it's a blast in the fall and winter - fall for the elk, winter for snowmobiles (they give you a snowmobile, mountain and a map (sometimes) ).

If you get a chance to go to Yellowstone again, I highly suggest the North East entrance near Red Lodge. Only catch is, it is a big mountain climb and only open during the summer - absolutely gorgeous way to come in.
I don't know if you would want to tow a TT in that way but people do.
East entrance is a climb also, but not as hairy at the NE entrance.

On the plus side, you have to go past Old Faithful and the other geysers going that route - or at least you should have to.
 

airrecon

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As mentioned above, you’re probably a little heavy in your rear axle but I don’t know if I’d lose sleep over it. We are currently in Billings, MT enroute Glacier Natl Park. The Yellowstone River here has subsided and should be close to normal soon. I read that the southern loop of Yellowstone will be open very soon but the northern part might be closed for a long time. The southern loop is very nice and allows access to Old Faithful. If you have time try to see the Custer/Rushmore area, even more beautiful than Yellowstone, IMO. Be safe and enjoy our stunning country!
Everyone should see Yellowstone and Glacier. Safe travelling
 

Jim M

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Not sure, what adjustments would I make here? I see bolts at the hitch and the bolts where the transfer bars mount. Would you move the bolts at the transfer bar?
I had a E2 when I bought my Minnie Plus 26RBSS. It was fine on my '05 Ram 3500 dually but swayed far too much on my 2019 Ram 1500 Limited with air bags. I figured the steel-on-steel didn't offer enough resistance. I spent a lot of time following the manual to adjust the truck and trailer heights and the angle of the ball and weighing everything. I replaced the hitch on the way to Vancouver from Michigan with the only one I could get on a holiday, an Eaz-Lift Recurve R3. It's worked pretty well.

The manual for the E2 Roudbar is too large to include here, but the PDF is easy to find on the web. It describes the adjustment very well.
 

jh90731

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Attached is the trailing towing chart from Ram for your model year. Scroll down to the last couple of pages and find your exact crew cab model configuration and then look at the weights. Not to be a "rain on your parade" type of guy while you're on an epic trip, but anything outside of the manufacture weights and you could be liable both financially and punitively if anything happens. I hope you have a fun and safe trip.
 

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gwilburn

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Attached is the trailing towing chart from Ram for your model year. Scroll down to the last couple of pages and find your exact crew cab model configuration and then look at the weights. Not to be a "rain on your parade" type of guy while you're on an epic trip, but anything outside of the manufacture weights and you could be liable both financially and punitively if anything happens. I hope you have a fun and safe trip.
I was just curious... I don't understand how he's exceeding. The chart says he can tow 7,780 with GCWR of 13,800.
His rear axle is a couple hundred over.
I've towed trailers with my 1500's for 20+ years. Never once stopped or weighed.
Not arguing... I just want to understand.
 

jh90731

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I was just curious... I don't understand how he's exceeding. The chart says he can tow 7,780 with GCWR of 13,800.
His rear axle is a couple hundred over.
I've towed trailers with my 1500's for 20+ years. Never once stopped or weighed.
Not arguing... I just want to understand.
I'm not saying he's over. I'm just providing the chart so he can determine himself where he's at and capable of. My comment about being liable if he's overweight was just as an FYI. Last year a guy was coming down a local pass, severely overloaded, and lost his brakes resulting in two fatalities. The driver has since been booked on charges including felony reckless driving resulting in death and misdemeanor counts of operating an unsafe vehicle. I just want everyone to be aware of what their individual vehicle is capable of and most importantly stay safe.
 

pacofortacos

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Attached is the trailing towing chart from Ram for your model year. Scroll down to the last couple of pages and find your exact crew cab model configuration and then look at the weights. Not to be a "rain on your parade" type of guy while you're on an epic trip, but anything outside of the manufacture weights and you could be liable both financially and punitively if anything happens. I hope you have a fun and safe trip.
That chart is not something you should ever go by for payload OR base weight numbers - unless you have a base truck with no options, ie. stripped no options Tradesman.

At the bottom of that chart in the footnotes is good information to know also.

The payload and base weight are way off from most trucks that people own - any and all options and addons will decrease payload and increase base weight.
Add higher model over Tradesman, running boards, bed cover, subwoofer, etc - will reduce the charts payload number and increase the base weight.

The door sticker will account for all option upgrade weights for your truck as it came from the factory and list your trucks payload and weight number as it shipped.

Same applies if you add anything after purchase, hard cover, skid plates, etc - that weight must be subtracted from the payload and will increase the new base weight.
All of this additional weight will limit trailer weight and also so you don't exceed GCWR, GAWR, GVWR, and payload.

Best thing to do is to run the truck across the scales in as traveling form fully loaded - this will be your new base weight for that trip.

IMO
 

jh90731

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That chart is not something you should ever go by for payload OR base weight numbers - unless you have a base truck with no options, ie. stripped no options Tradesman.

At the bottom of that chart in the footnotes is good information to know also.

The payload and base weight are way off from most trucks that people own - any and all options and addons will decrease payload and increase base weight.
Add higher model over Tradesman, running boards, bed cover, subwoofer, etc - will reduce the charts payload number and increase the base weight.

The door sticker will account for all option upgrade weights for your truck as it came from the factory and list your trucks payload and weight number as it shipped.

Same applies if you add anything after purchase, hard cover, skid plates, etc - that weight must be subtracted from the payload and will increase the new base weight.
All of this additional weight will limit trailer weight and also so you don't exceed GCWR, GAWR, GVWR, and payload.

Best thing to do is to run the truck across the scales in as traveling form fully loaded - this will be your new base weight for that trip.

IMO
I agree. Not for base weights or payloads for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The important weights are the gross weights for the respective vehicle configuration - e.g. crew cab - 5'7" box, 4x2 with 3.21 ratio, 5.7hemi and A6 65RFE transmission has a GCWR of 12,350 lbs versus that same truck with the A8 8HP70 transmission has a GCWR of 13,800. That's a 1450 lbs difference just because of a different transmission. Now, would that difference be enough for an insurance company to deny a claim or a government agency to prosecute for negligence? Also, you can be within limits on both your front and rear gross axle weights but be over on your gross vehicle weights. As you mentioned, the best thing is to run across the scales in your "travel configuration" so you don't exceed the GCWR, GAWR or GVWR. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe travel season.
 

pacofortacos

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I agree. Not for base weights or payloads for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The important weights are the gross weights for the respective vehicle configuration - e.g. crew cab - 5'7" box, 4x2 with 3.21 ratio, 5.7hemi and A6 65RFE transmission has a GCWR of 12,350 lbs versus that same truck with the A8 8HP70 transmission has a GCWR of 13,800. That's a 1450 lbs difference just because of a different transmission. Now, would that difference be enough for an insurance company to deny a claim or a government agency to prosecute for negligence? Also, you can be within limits on both your front and rear gross axle weights but be over on your gross vehicle weights. As you mentioned, the best thing is to run across the scales in your "travel configuration" so you don't exceed the GCWR, GAWR or GVWR. I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe travel season.
I absolutely agree, with the way lawsuits are today who knows what could happen. Worse case is that an accident could be someone else's fault and you would still lose everything.
 

TomB 1269

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He is over the GVWR for the truck plan and simple..........
He is under the CGRVW for the combination........
He is most likely under the ratings for each axle, as well as the tires.........

But he is still overweight on the truck period, no question...His truck axle weights total 7660.

It sounds as if that model year had a sub 7000 GVWR for the truck.

I know mine would tow the hell out of it, but I'd still be 460lb over the trucks GVWR with those axle weighs as I believe my GVWR is only 7200 for the truck, but I'd have to check the door sticker again.
 

tron67j

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Another consideration is the physics involved in towing a trailer with a 1500 versus a 2500 or 3500. A lighter towing vehicle will wiggle faster, and more, than a heavier vehicle as the relative weight of the truck to trailer is incorrectly favoring the trailer side. Also, this characteristic can be exhibited if there is too much weight behind the trailer axle and can affect larger tow vehicles as well.

Overburdening the tow vehicle means the chances of getting into an unexpected situation increase and the chances of always successfully getting out of it decrease.
 
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breal201999

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Made it back fine. Can the 1500 do it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Hell no! Hitting headwinds coming across Kansas, I was doing all I could to stay at 60 on the interstate, feathering the gas pedal between 5th and 6th gear. 3571 miles later, my right foot is sore! Forget about using the cruise control. And would have been fine going through Teton Pass if it weren’t for another driver riding his brakes the whole hill. I was off/on the brakes like I should with vented/slotted rotors. Had to pull over to let the brakes cool. Otherwise, handled the terrain just fine. But would have been so much better in a 2500. I think going to stick to local camping for now!
 

jh90731

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Made it back fine. Can the 1500 do it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Hell no! Hitting headwinds coming across Kansas, I was doing all I could to stay at 60 on the interstate, feathering the gas pedal between 5th and 6th gear. 3571 miles later, my right foot is sore! Forget about using the cruise control. And would have been fine going through Teton Pass if it weren’t for another driver riding his brakes the whole hill. I was off/on the brakes like I should with vented/slotted rotors. Had to pull over to let the brakes cool. Otherwise, handled the terrain just fine. But would have been so much better in a 2500. I think going to stick to local camping for now!
Glad to hear you made it back safe!
 
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