Anybody tow a travel trailer with a Rebel?

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Jayc71

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We're looking at travel trailers and I'm doing the math on the 2019 Rebels specs, everything looks to be decent enough for a small-mid size RV but I'm curious to hear if any others are towing with it.

RAM's 2019 1500 spec sheet doesn't seem to apply directly to the Rebel, based on numbers on the vehicle itself and what RAM tells me when I search my VIN on the towing guide, so I'm having to take the specs I find and do some estimating.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/content/d..._Tow_Official_Report_OFFICIAL_A_2018-1-31.pdf

That tells me the payload is 1840, but the towing guide says 1500. Is the suspension of the Rebel trim ~300 more than the standard 1500 crew cab or does it just say that generically since it's a 1500 truck? The towing weights are only about 100lbs off, so I'll just use the lower number of 11340 Anyway, I'm looking at RVs which are in the ~6500-7500lbs max gvwr range and tongue weights from ~550 to ~750lbs. It's just two of us and we travel pretty light so I don't think we'll exceed the gvwr of the truck, am I setting myself up for failure there or should this be alright since I'm well within stated specs?

Any thoughts appreciated!
 

392DevilDog

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Your GVWR is 7100 your Gross Combined is 17000

Your payload is in the door jamb.

Take GVWR minus the payload and you got your base weight.

The charts and configurator are for a tradesman.

You need to go to the RAM TRUCKS TOWING PAGE AND USE YOUR VIN...at the bottom of the page in the tab look up my vehicle

No experience towing with a rebel though but a trailer in the 5500 to 6500 UVW range around 25 to 28 foot is best
 

dhay13

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Your payload will be listed on the yellow sticker of your drivers door jamb. I'm not real familiar with the Rebel but guessing you are probably around the 1400 mark?
 
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Jayc71

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Payload is 1500 per the door jamb, trailer tongue weight is definitely a factor.
 

392DevilDog

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Ok. 1500 payload on door jamb.

7100 minus 1500 is 5600.

Your base weight is 5600lbs and 1500 pound payload is above avg for a RAM 1500.

SO...THIS IS WHERE THE LIE IS.

MAX TOWING. What they do is take base weight from Gross Combined.

So 17000 minus 5600. Your max towing will say 11400. Do you see how that is not possible.

You have to atleast subtract your own weight and a weight distribution hitch.

So 11400 is everything you can combine to your truck.

Let's say you weigh 200lbs and a weight distribution hitch weighs 100lbs.

So you are at 11100. A camper will have about 12% tongue weight...sometimes 15%.

So...you can not tow a 11100 lb trailer.

You have to keep the tongue weight under 1200lbs with just a driver and a hitch.

See how it keeps going down...that will get you started. Let me know if you have any questions

I camp Every weekend. Some of these people towing have no idea how ridiculously overloaded they are. But who am I to judge...they say it tows fine. And you have to do what you feel is important.

A 5000lbs camper in the 25 foot range allows for a really enjoyable experience. Makes it easy to tow and makes finding a spot easy.

People are ridiculous right now with the urge to camp. Alot of people trying to shove big campers in the tiny spots. I seen a few dents and heard a few cuss words this past weekend.

Good luck and have fun.
 
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Jayc71

Jayc71

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Ok. 1500 payload on door jamb.

7100 minus 1500 is 5600.

Your base weight is 5600lbs and 1500 pound payload is above avg for a RAM 1500.

SO...THIS IS WHERE THE LIE IS.

MAX TOWING. What they do is take base weight from Gross Combined.

So 17000 minus 5600. Your max towing will say 11400. Do you see how that is not possible.

You have to atleast subtract your own weight and a weight distribution hitch.

So 11400 is everything you can combine to your truck.

Let's say you weigh 200lbs and a weight distribution hitch weighs 100lbs.

So you are at 11100. A camper will have about 12% tongue weight...sometimes 15%.

So...you can not tow a 11100 lb trailer.

You have to keep the tongue weight under 1200lbs with just a driver and a hitch.

See how it keeps going down...that will get you started. Let me know if you have any questions

I camp Every weekend. Some of these people towing have no idea how ridiculously overloaded they are. But who am I to judge...they say it tows fine. And you have to do what you feel is important.

A 5000lbs camper in the 25 foot range allows for a really enjoyable experience. Makes it easy to tow and makes finding a spot easy.

People are ridiculous right now with the urge to camp. Alot of people trying to shove big campers in the tiny spots. I seen a few dents and heard a few cuss words this past weekend.

Good luck and have fun.

After lots of research, I have come to understand the numbers pretty well, I think. But I am definitely still learning so advice is appreciated. And thanks for saying I weigh 200lbs... :cheers:

I know the max towing cap is unrealistic and I'd never try to come close to that. With a RAM 1500 I'm mostly worried about the payload since I'll hit that limit long before the others. We travel around the southwest a lot and love camping, so we've been planning to get an RV of some sort for a while now. Just bad timing with 2020 apparently.

What do you camp in and haul it with?
 
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Jayc71

Jayc71

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Alright we took the plunge. We just bought a 26ft (well 30 overall) Outback Ultra Light, picking it up next week. I'm a bit nervous since it's been quite a while since I've towed anything, but I am optimistic that it'll come back to me reasonably quickly. 5750lbs dry, 600lbs hitch weight advertised. I'm planning for that number to be 200-300lbs higher at least. I really don't want to have to upgrade the Rebel for at least another year, we'll see how it does towing this TT for now and adjust from there.
 

392DevilDog

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Sounds like a pretty good fit. Your towing skills will come right back. Anxious to see the setup out camping.
 

dhay13

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Should be fine
 
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Jayc71

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Picked it up yesterday, the Rebel towed it with no problems but I ended up having to back it into a spot, in the dark, without any practice, with a pretty confusing Camp Host offering his 'help'... that was a show. The Rebel definitely squats but I have airbags I'll get installed next week that should help there.

But, it all worked out well in the end and we're enjoying it!

qiN4tbm.jpg

lItt0wr.jpg
 
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Jayc71

Jayc71

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Installed airlift bags in the rear springs today, should keep the rear end level and keep the bouncing to a minimum.

airbags.jpeg
 

Mustangmike66

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Looks good. I did this on my 2014 Express I guess I’ll have to do the same for my Rebel.


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Jayc71

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Looks good. I did this on my 2014 Express I guess I’ll have to do the same for my Rebel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What are you towing with your Rebel?
 

Mustangmike66

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Nothing yet, but looking at a Airstream Flying Cloud 25FB or a Grand Design 22MLE or 17MKE.


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wesley2021

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Ok. 1500 payload on door jamb.

7100 minus 1500 is 5600.

Your base weight is 5600lbs and 1500 pound payload is above avg for a RAM 1500.

SO...THIS IS WHERE THE LIE IS.

MAX TOWING. What they do is take base weight from Gross Combined.

So 17000 minus 5600. Your max towing will say 11400. Do you see how that is not possible.

You have to atleast subtract your own weight and a weight distribution hitch.

So 11400 is everything you can combine to your truck.

Let's say you weigh 200lbs and a weight distribution hitch weighs 100lbs.

So you are at 11100. A camper will have about 12% tongue weight...sometimes 15%.

So...you can not tow a 11100 lb trailer.

You have to keep the tongue weight under 1200lbs with just a driver and a hitch.

See how it keeps going down...that will get you started. Let me know if you have any questions

I camp Every weekend. Some of these people towing have no idea how ridiculously overloaded they are. But who am I to judge...they say it tows fine. And you have to do what you feel is important.

A 5000lbs camper in the 25 foot range allows for a really enjoyable experience. Makes it easy to tow and makes finding a spot easy.

People are ridiculous right now with the urge to camp. Alot of people trying to shove big campers in the tiny spots. I seen a few dents and heard a few cuss words this past weekend.

Good luck and have fun.
 

wesley2021

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Yeah i have a prime avenger 38 ft camper. 11300. i installed 5000lbs air bags and have distribuion hitch..har har har. works nice
 
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Jayc71

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Towed the Outback with the Rebel again today, did some measuring. With about 35psi in the bags the Rebel only squatted 1/2 inch in the rear and the front raised about 1/4 inch. I did not measure without the bags, but it was definitely squatting more. The bouncing was reduced while riding down the road, it handled it pretty well. Payload is still the limiting factor but the Rebel towed the trailer just fine.
 
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