2020 Ram Limited Tow Max

[dhay13]

My dad pulled a 16’ goose neck livestock trailer behind a Chevy 1500 4x4. I pulled it a couple of times loaded. Would NEVER recommend it. Trade for a HD truck if you’re towing that much.

I agree with you in regards to getting a bigger truck, I'm just trying to explain to the OP how the manufacturer gets that 12,500lb max tow. I still would advice getting a bigger truck

 

[Docwagon1776]

Actually a 5th wheel will put more weight on the truck than a “bumper pull” or travel trailer. They typically transfer +20% of their gross weight to the truck. 5th wheel or goose neck trailers that can be towed by a 1/2 ton truck are rare birds.

It's distributed better with the gooseneck, though. We did hay trailers and larger horse trailers with a 1/2 ton using goosenecks. Of course, the 55 mph speed limit was still nationwide and I'm certainly not claiming it's optimal.

I had a goose neck hitch in my Super Duty and have always thought they were the best of both worlds for most uses, but the market disagrees and 5th wheel trailers seem much more prevalent.

 

[KeithP]

It's distributed better with the gooseneck, though. We did hay trailers and larger horse trailers with a 1/2 ton using goosenecks. Of course, the 55 mph speed limit was still nationwide and I'm certainly not claiming it's optimal.

I had a goose neck hitch in my Super Duty and have always thought they were the best of both worlds for most uses, but the market disagrees and 5th wheel trailers seem much more prevalent.

Gooseneck vs 5th wheel is primarily about stress on the trailer. A gooseneck has a very robust and heavy A frame while a 5th wheel’s forward framework where the pin box is attached is largely part of the trailer’s platform built from much lighter weight materials. This is why 5th wheel travel trailers warranties are usually voided if you use a gooseball conversion on them. Some manufacturers are beginning to approve certain gooseball conversions but only on newer units specifically engineered to handle the added stresses.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Gooseneck vs 5th wheel is primarily about stress on the trailer. A gooseneck has a very robust and heavy A frame while a 5th wheel’s forward framework where the pin box is attached is largely part of the trailer’s platform built from much lighter weight materials. This is why 5th wheel travel trailers warranties are usually voided if you use a gooseball conversion on them. Some manufacturers are beginning to approve certain gooseball conversions but only on newer units specifically engineered to handle the added stresses.

That makes sense. I liked the gooseneck because you can still use the truck as a truck. Just pull the handle, flip the ball, and you're back to a completely usable bed with a flat floor. If your truck is just for towing, not as big a deal. I figure a lot of folks will prefer the 5th wheel for being easier to hitch up as well if they don't need the flexibility.

 

[CaptOchs]

If you're not 100% sure on the tow capacity, check out the 2020 TrailerLife tow guide. It's really detailed. It shows even how something like your bed size could affect your tow capacity. I'll attach a link, but you can also find it by Googling it. https://mtboats.com/towing/2020towingguide.pdf

The rule of thumb I go with is no more than 70% of tow capacity for trailer size. My truck has a tow capacity of 10,050. We settled on a 35ft Prowler that's 7,000 lbs. It's the best towing rig I've had. We've been in mountains of Pennsylvania and NY and have had no issues. The truck handled the worst climbs; Bloss mountain/PA, Rt 12 Utica NY.

I have some points I stick to:
1) Tires: Must have good tires. Those brand-new China bombs came off. Despite hearing how you don't need balancing, I always have them balanced for the best possible ride.
2) Air pressure: I check trailer and truck before every trip. If they stray more than a few pounds, I'll top them off.
3) WDH: I have a quality WDH. It's dialed in perfect. My bars are sized for the trailer and the torsion is set properly.
4) Speed: I stick to around 63-65 MPH on the expressway. Tow-Haul is always on. I use cruise control a lot. I do occasionally flirt with 70mph, but mostly downhill.
5) Monitor conditions: Slow down for poor roads or weather. I have had to pull off and wait for a storm to blow though.