new to RV's need some assistance please

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Wife and i have made it to retirement, are looking at seeing some of the country options and a TT is in the mix. Class IV hitch

Current Tow truck. 2012 Ram 1500 Crewcab, 4x4, outdoorsman, 5.7 bed, 3.92 gears.

weight going across scales with full tank and me in drivers seat is 6250 pounds.

here are a pics of the stickers on the pillar, and a tow chart from the net.

im trying to determine how much trailer i can pull safely and not stress the truck to much.

Will be going from sw oklahoma to ne oklahoma 6-7 times a year, approx 250 miles to her family for a long weekend, all interstate. and maybe a long two week trip once or twice a year for longer trips again all interstate, not boondocking.

i will be using a WD hitch with anti-sway and looking at firestone bags in the rear.

i also realize that i will be hauling some cargo and that comes into play. not sure if the cargo would be better in the truck bed or on the camper

depending on what she likes if we go with a longer heavier trailer ill look at 3/4 tons, but i really like my truck, she does have 180k miles "truck not wife :)" but new dealer installed hemi at 150k miles, all service is done at dealer one time. we are currently thinking 20-25 foot.

i may be reading the stickers way wrong so thats why im asking here.

thanks gang for any input.

Troy
 

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MADDOG

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Find the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR) on the Ram Max Towing guide.

Subtract your truck's GVW (loaded truck with fuel, passengers, cargo, etc) from the GCVWR. That will give you a good start on sizing trailers you can tow with your 1500.

Remember, when looking at trailer weights it's a good idea to look at the trailer's GVW rating, i.e., fully loaded.
 
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i attempted to check on ram max, my vin comes back with no data availble, verifyed the vin 3 times, and choose by vehicle is showing 2021 and 2022, not seeing where i can change to 2012. i thought the GCVWR would be on one of the stickers but im not seeing it, that why i thought id ask here

thanks
troy
 

MADDOG

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There are too many variations in standard equipment to create all the labels needed to match with the build for each VIN.

That's why they put out the towing guide info with all engine, trans, body & gear options in that table format.
 

Loudram

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Your payload is going to kill you long before your trailer weight. The gross weight of your truck is 6900 lbs. Subtract your scale weight of 6250 lbs and that only leaves 650 lbs of payload. The 1197 lbs on the sticker is what you started with before cargo, passengers, and mods. You'll need to find a trailer with no more than a 500 lb tongue weight. A trailer with that tongue weight will be an easy tow for your truck. In the 20' to 25' range you may be able to find one. Any cargo will most certainly need to go into the trailer.

Some will say you can go heavier on your payload as long as you don't exceed the rear axle limits. Personally I wouldn't want to do it but that's a call only you can make.

You mentioned that getting a 2500 is a possibility. In your case because of your low payload and depending on your trailer that may be the way to go.

To give you an example of real world weights, my trailer has a brochure tongue weight of 656 lbs and a loaded tongue weight of 950 lbs. You have to factor in the weight of full propane tanks, battery, weight distribution hitch, and cargo in the front pass through. It adds up quick.
 
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just got off the phone with the service manager where i have my work done and we also talked to the parts manager, they found a phone number for a Ram CS.
the GCVR is not on any of the sticker on the door jamb, or on the New truck window sticker, i still have that, and we could not pull up data from ram max or ram builder.

i called and per RAM CS after looking some they found GCVR for a 2012 ram 4x4 5.7 outdoorsman as 15,000. so if i take 15000 minus the scale weight of 6250 that leaves 8750, if i then subtract 2000 for wife, dog, camping stuff, im at 6750 pounds.

so if i figure a tt at a max of 5000 total loaded weight im thinking that should work. i have not figured hitch weight, its a class 4, total of 10000, with tongue of 1000.

does this sound correct to you all ??

i dont know if i can find a TT she likes with 5k weight or not, unless we look at airstreams.

Troy
 

Loudram

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Looks like you got those numbers pretty close. 2000 lbs might be a bit high but it never hurts to have some wiggle room. I have about 1200 lbs of stuff in my trailer.
 
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Looks like you got those numbers pretty close. 2000 lbs might be a bit high but it never hurts to have some wiggle room. I have about 1200 lbs of stuff in my trailer.
gotta figure the 200 pounds of english mastiff/lab pup :) and i would give you a bit of heck for being navy, but only becuase i was air force, 85-92, but my youngest did 7 years in the army

thanks again
Troy
 

14hemiexpress

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I use to have a 3/4 6.4 that I pulled a 35 ft 8500lb camper with. Long story short I now have a 1500 and no camper I will be in the market in the next year and I will be looking for similar size to what you’re looking at. 5000-5500 loaded and no more than 25ft bumper to ball I don’t want to worry about pulling anywhere I want to go. Sure guys are pulling 30ft 7000lb trailer with there 1500 but with 2 kids I don’t want to push my luck.
 

Loudram

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just curious, how many of you all towing with a 1500 wished you had went to a 2500 at the start ??

Troy
My truck is very well matched to my trailer. It tows it without a problem but I bought my truck with towing in mind. I made sure I had the 3.92 rear and a decent payload rating. As it is I'm still on the edge of my payload limit.
 
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Loudram

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gotta figure the 200 pounds of english mastiff/lab pup :) and i would give you a bit of heck for being navy, but only becuase i was air force, 85-92, but my youngest did 7 years in the army

thanks again
Troy
LOL That's a big puppy. My dog is only 14 lbs. I don't have to worry about her weight.

Chair force!
 
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ROFLMAO thanks man i havent been called chair force in a cpl months, maybe me chuckle :) had a boss a cpl years ago that was a navy submariner in his youth and we would go at it all the time in good fun of course

and the 3/4 ton 6.4 option is getting less resistance from the wife, then she mentioned motorhomes, my 12 is showing her age she has been a great truck but maybe its time to change .
 

turkeybird56

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ROFLMAO thanks man i havent been called chair force in a cpl months, maybe me chuckle :) had a boss a cpl years ago that was a navy submariner in his youth and we would go at it all the time in good fun of course

and the 3/4 ton 6.4 option is getting less resistance from the wife, then she mentioned motorhomes, my 12 is showing her age she has been a great truck but maybe its time to change .
WELL, if U go Motorhomes, U can keep yer 2012 and tow it behind, LOL. If U are talking tow with truck, U R getting close to Max. I am glad my GSD is only 93 lbs. IMHO, U talking more than an occasional trip. U R gonna need to think to go up to a 2500, (Either diesel or 6.4L) (and if U go up to 2500, does not mean U go out and buy a 30 ft 10,000 lb trailer either), but if Motorhome, U definitely towing truck be ok. Save yer pennies for the fuel pump tho, LOL. Definitely do your research and be comfortable with yer choice, and not let the tail wag the dog. All IMHO.....
 

turkeybird56

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ROFLMAO thanks man i havent been called chair force in a cpl months, maybe me chuckle :) had a boss a cpl years ago that was a navy submariner in his youth and we would go at it all the time in good fun of course

and the 3/4 ton 6.4 option is getting less resistance from the wife, then she mentioned motorhomes, my 12 is showing her age she has been a great truck but maybe its time to change .
I was USAF and Army, and totaled 20 yrs, hee hee, my USAF time kinda hurt me for promotion, but again, I would not trade that 20 years for ne thing, was proud to serve. Wish my back would agree though, LOL.
 
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I was USAF and Army, and totaled 20 yrs, hee hee, my USAF time kinda hurt me for promotion, but again, I would not trade that 20 years for ne thing, was proud to serve. Wish my back would agree though, LOL.
yeah i was a e4 when i got out after 7, had a line number but got out instead, family has seen it all, my great grandfather was a medic in WW1, dad was army air corp in ww2, 2 uncles in the Korea one marine one navy, 2 cousins in Vietnam both marines, i was in during the 1st round in the desert "but in non combat, spent all my time 100 foot underground on minuteman ICBM's, then boy did 2 tours with the army in N Afghanistan during the 2nd round,
 

dhay13

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Also consider could you possibly be going bigger in a year or two? If so then just upgrade trucks now and get it over with.
That said, here are my personal experiences...my son bought a brand new 2018 grand Design Imagine 2670MK that is advertised at 6600lbs dry with about 690 tongue weight. He was pretty much living in it by himself on job sites so it was fairly full. We weighed it in at 8100lbs with 1000lbs tongue weight. I initially towed it 200 miles to his location with my 2013 1500 5.7 3.55s but camper was completely empty as it was off the lot. Truck did well but I averaged about 6.5 MPG. He then towed it all over the country with his 2018 2500 6.4 with 4.10's and averaged 9 MPG with it loaded up.
 

dhay13

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I work with veterans every day so much respect for them. But there was an Army guy in my office that had a sign above his desk that read...'Army...cause Marines need hero's too'...lol
 

turkeybird56

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I work with veterans every day so much respect for them. But there was an Army guy in my office that had a sign above his desk that read...'Army...cause Marines need hero's too'...lol
We had a meeting of the minds with some Marines at GITMO. Only thing kept it civil was my pay grade and when Gunny walked in and I explained the issue, things got REAL CALM, lol. BOIRD not care what branch U in, if U serving U R the man and respected, period, tho it is fun to make fun of some guys just fer entertainment, BUT neva serious.
 
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