new to RV's need some assistance please

pacofortacos · Jul 12, 2022

Loudram said:
Payload numbers include all fluids topped off including gas. He has 650 lbs left. But either way that's not much.

That is true, however, I wasn't talking payload on the sticker.
I went by his actual measured weight and the GVWR (which is 6800 not 6900 on the Outdoorsman).
So his actual amount of payload left - as the truck sits with him and full fluids - is only 550 lbs.
Subtract 200 for his dog, an unspecified amount for his wife and any other stuff in the truck and he is realistically looking at a 200lb or so tongue weight before he goes over the quoted limits.

In the real world, if you aren't overly concerned with exceeding GVWR, the truck will haul and handle several hundred lbs. more with ease.

Panduh · Jul 12, 2022

As others have said, the bottom line is getting on scales with the TT loaded as you wish it including any water in the tanks, (it's customary to keep up to a third of your black tank full of clean water and antimicrobial additive, and many travel with a few gallons of fresh for convenience). With a good, properly set up WDH and properly loaded trailer, I think you should be fine with your rig. I have a 2016 1500 hemi with the 3:92 axle and tow a 29 ft. (including hitch) toy hauler with ease. Air bags degrade suspension compliance drastically and do NOT take weight off the rear axle despite raising it, so I'd hold off on those.

huntergreen · Jul 12, 2022

quickster2 said:
Thx all for your service. My Dad was a 3 war veteran started with the Marines in WWII and Air Force after as a pilot in Korea and Vietnam. I'm an Army guy both regular Army and Reserves (after Vietnam peace time soldier). Our Son is an Air Force veteran deployed 2X Crew Chief on the F-22 Raptor.

Since we are sharing "digs", I used to host the Navy Recruiters at my Plant. They shared their definition of a Marine. Did not go well with a couple of Supervisors that were ex-Marines. Here goes: Marine=Marine ***hole Riding in Navy Equipment. My brother-in-law, ex-Marine also not a fan. Forgot what he said about the Navy guys. My Sister-in-Law was an Army Nurse in Vietnam also. She and my Dad retired after 30 years of service. Again, thx everyone for keeping us safe.

“I like the navy just fine. Whenever there’s a war, they always give me a ride”. A Few Good Men

turkeybird56 · Jul 12, 2022

huntergreen said:
“I like the navy just fine. Whenever there’s a war, they always give me a ride”. A Few Good Men

Making digs at other services always fun, but when the rubber hits the road, I have always found inter service stuff did well. Maybe I am biased, having been in 2 services, but anybody who raises their Arm and Joins has my respect, regardless of service.

JerryETX · Jul 12, 2022

Biggest issues a lot of folks overlook when towing a TT with a 1/2 ton are tongue weight and length of trailer. Air bags, sway bars, shocks and a really good WD hitch can offset some of this but not all of it.

My advice- first get a 3/4 ton and buy a TT y'all be comfortable in. There's nothing like fighting wind in a TT in a half ton with a white knuckle grip on the wheel. You're tense the entire road trip and worn out mentally when you arrive. It sucks I've been there. Also get a Weigh Safe weight distribution hitch regardless whether what truck you pull it with. This will make like so much easier.

If you want to keep your current truck look in the 24', 5K lb range. Yes your truck will tow more but there will be times when you wish you had a bigger truck on long road trips in wind, climbing hills, rain, etc.

Loudram · Jul 12, 2022

huntergreen said:
“I like the navy just fine. Whenever there’s a war, they always give me a ride”. A Few Good Men

I've found the only useful marine is a submarine.

I see you guys are still looking for a few good men? Haven't found any yet?

CaptOchs · Jul 12, 2022

I have a 2013 Big Horn. Like your Outdoorsman it came with the 3.92 gears. I have the quad cab. My actual tow capacity is 10,050. I just looked up yours. Based off crew cab, the 2wd is 10,200 and the 4wd is 10,000. Obviously you don't want to be near that. I'm at 70% and that's pretty comfortable.

My new camper is a '22 Prowler 303bh. It's 35ft and 7,000 empty. It tows really well. Better than my Springdale 32' about the same weight. My WD is a Reese dual cam. The hitch weight is about 700 lbs. Pretty comparable to the old one. I did see a nearly identical trailer, but the hitch weight was 900 lbs even though they kept the weight about the same. My front cap is a lot more rounded than the old one too.

No white knuckle driving. Even with passing 18-wheelers. As far as driving, I keep it around 62-65 MPH. Leave tow/haul mode on, and sometimes cruise control. The truck does alright. I'm on vacation. No hurry to get there. If you want to go faster, might want to consider 3/4 ton to manage the weight better.

huntergreen · Jul 12, 2022

CaptOchs said:
I have a 2013 Big Horn. Like your Outdoorsman it came with the 3.92 gears. I have the quad cab. My actual tow capacity is 10,050. I just looked up yours. Based off crew cab, the 2wd is 10,200 and the 4wd is 10,000. Obviously you don't want to be near that. I'm at 70% and that's pretty comfortable.

My new camper is a '22 Prowler 303bh. It's 35ft and 7,000 empty. It tows really well. Better than my Springdale 32' about the same weight. My WD is a Reese dual cam. The hitch weight is about 700 lbs. Pretty comparable to the old one. I did see a nearly identical trailer, but the hitch weight was 900 lbs even though they kept the weight about the same. My front cap is a lot more rounded than the old one too.

No white knuckle driving. Even with passing 18-wheelers. As far as driving, I keep it around 62-65 MPH. Leave tow/haul mode on, and sometimes cruise control. The truck does alright. I'm on vacation. No hurry to get there. If you want to go faster, might want to consider 3/4 ton to manage the weight better.

What did you do for rear squat when hooked up ? Thanks

troykeithjones · Jul 13, 2022

we are still cussing and discussing, but thanks to everyone for the info, wife is starting to side with motorhome, while im kinda stuck at 3/4 ton and trailer. we just have lots of looking to do.

Loudram · Jul 13, 2022

Like you said, pros and cons to both. Depends on the type of RVing you plan on doing.

turkeybird56 · Jul 13, 2022

troykeithjones said:
we are still cussing and discussing, but thanks to everyone for the info, wife is starting to side with motorhome, while im kinda stuck at 3/4 ton and trailer. we just have lots of looking to do.

A Motorhome pulling a vehicle give you the best of both worlds, but the fuel bill gonna be kinda slick. Using truck pulling trailer prob be cheaper, but since I doubt you are looking for a small trailer, you will have to upgrade your towing vehicle to what in the end you want. Kinda depends upon how much $$$$$ you gonna want to depart from your bank account. Those Motorhomes not cheap ne way, but like I said, if U want the best of both worlds, getting a Motorhome and towing ultimate thing.

Black1500Ram · Jul 13, 2022

CaptOchs said:
I have a 2013 Big Horn. Like your Outdoorsman it came with the 3.92 gears. I have the quad cab. My actual tow capacity is 10,050. I just looked up yours. Based off crew cab, the 2wd is 10,200 and the 4wd is 10,000. Obviously you don't want to be near that. I'm at 70% and that's pretty comfortable.

My new camper is a '22 Prowler 303bh. It's 35ft and 7,000 empty. It tows really well. Better than my Springdale 32' about the same weight. My WD is a Reese dual cam. The hitch weight is about 700 lbs. Pretty comparable to the old one. I did see a nearly identical trailer, but the hitch weight was 900 lbs even though they kept the weight about the same. My front cap is a lot more rounded than the old one too.

No white knuckle driving. Even with passing 18-wheelers. As far as driving, I keep it around 62-65 MPH. Leave tow/haul mode on, and sometimes cruise control. The truck does alright. I'm on vacation. No hurry to get there. If you want to go faster, might want to consider 3/4 ton to manage the weight better.

How are your engine oil temps? my 1500 hates me towing anything through the mountains. There's one point on route 87 in AZ where I can't pull a 5500lb travel trailer more than 50mph up an incline or my oil temps will quickly get above 250 degrees. I even experienced 240+ degree temps towing a 1500lb atv trailer on the same road at 65...

troykeithjones · Jul 13, 2022

yeah i dont know man, primarily it would a 250 mile one way to east oklahoma to her family and woulndt need a toad, but would need a genset, but the thought of actually taking a cpl trips a year sounds good as well that would need a toad.

i went to Arlington National Cemetery once when i was in HS with 4h but i didnt appreciate it and i would really like to go back and pay proper respect. and id like to see the northern lights and the mountians in wyoming, and the great smokies. And id like to try to catchup with some of the guys i was in the service with years ago.

so i dont know, but at least thru this post and everyone's input i have a better idea what i could safely pull with my truck. I still like the idea of a 3/4 ton and TT, but for the price of a good low mileage truck and trailer i can find a fairly well maintained Motorhome.

troykeithjones · Jul 13, 2022

Black1500Ram said:
How are your engine oil temps? my 1500 hates me towing anything through the mountains. There's one point on route 87 in AZ where I can't pull a 5500lb travel trailer more than 50mph up an incline or my oil temps will quickly get above 250 degrees. I even experienced 240+ degree temps towing a 1500lb atv trailer on the same road at 65...

actually temps havent been bad, running around i never see over 203 coolant and oil, only time i did see it over was sitting in the walmart parking lot waiting on wife, idling, i saw the gauge climb so i checked and menu at she was at 218, so i shut her down. once i was moving again it went back to like 205. This was in west oklahoma and the outside temps were 106 that day

now the 5.7 has only seen mobile one since new, i do use the oem filters but have always ran mobile one. but then again the tranny has never been touched.

here are a cpl pics, i still love her even with 180k on it.

greg mayrhofer · Jul 13, 2022

according to the tow weight for the 2014 dodge ram 1500 4x4 5.7 engine as indicated in dodge rams information listed in the attachment as well as many others

CaptOchs · Jul 13, 2022

huntergreen said:
What did you do for rear squat when hooked up ? Thanks

I don't have any upgrades. The rear squat isn't really noticeable. I had more on my old camper because when the WD was installed on it, I had a different truck. The Ford Expedition sat higher, so when I got the RAM it looked like I had a lot of squat. When I got the new camper, they moved the kit to my RAM and aligned it for that. When I tow, I run a little higher PSI per their recommendations.

CaptOchs · Jul 13, 2022

Black1500Ram said:
How are your engine oil temps? my 1500 hates me towing anything through the mountains. There's one point on route 87 in AZ where I can't pull a 5500lb travel trailer more than 50mph up an incline or my oil temps will quickly get above 250 degrees. I even experienced 240+ degree temps towing a 1500lb atv trailer on the same road at 65...

The highest I have gotten the engine oil was around 242 degrees. It was 87 degrees and I was towing up a steep hill that was 4-5 miles long. I was running 4,000 RPM for most of it and only managing around 50-55mph in a 65. I have heard of engine oil cooler mods you can do, but they were pricey. I have learned to avoid that hill. I think the transmission was in the 170 range. I forgot what I got the coolant up to. My normal for towing is around 220-230 with transmission temps in the 150 range. I run the Pennzoil Ultra Premium Full Synthetic.

My dad completed a trip out west this spring. He has a 25fter and an F150/ecoboost. He was somewhere in Colorado and his temps were much higher. He was just about to pull over when he finally crested the hill. He says the hills out there were like nothing we see in the northeast.

06 Dodge · Jul 13, 2022

troykeithjones said:
we are still cussing and discussing, but thanks to everyone for the info, wife is starting to side with motorhome, while im kinda stuck at 3/4 ton and trailer. we just have lots of looking to do.

One thing to think about is you can't just park a big motorhome in the street and may other places like you can with a pickup truck less travel trailer...

huntergreen · Jul 13, 2022

CaptOchs said:
I don't have any upgrades. The rear squat isn't really noticeable. I had more on my old camper because when the WD was installed on it, I had a different truck. The Ford Expedition sat higher, so when I got the RAM it looked like I had a lot of squat. When I got the new camper, they moved the kit to my RAM and aligned it for that. When I tow, I run a little higher PSI per their recommendations.

Thanks for this.

CaptOchs · Jul 13, 2022

troykeithjones said:
we are still cussing and discussing, but thanks to everyone for the info, wife is starting to side with motorhome, while im kinda stuck at 3/4 ton and trailer. we just have lots of looking to do.

I was at my dealer picking up my camper for some minor repairs. In came a wrecker towing a disabled motorhome about the size of a bus. Must have cost s fortune getting it there. I'm fond of trailers. If your truck needs a tow, no big deal. I could rent a truck and get the trailer home. It's more flexible IMO.

new to RV's need some assistance please

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