Can I tow this?

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RWG1

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Just my opinion but you are on the towing cusp of the 1500 towing that trailer. Sure you can do it but make sure you have a nice weight and sway control hitch like a Blue Ox. I tow a larger trailer with the Blue Ox and it is great. Make sure your brakes and controller are up to *****. Good luck!
 

Jendsley06

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Don't forget, when installing the factory trailer brake module you will need the dealer to flash the computer for it to work.
Or if you are into DIY, you can program it yourself with alfaOBD. Well worth the investment imo
 

GsRAM

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New member here and I need some advice. I have a line on a Shasta Oasis 26db Travel trailer. This trailer is 29'11" over all, 5253lbs dry/7589lbs wet. 589lbs hitch weight(I'm assuming that's on an empty trailer). I have a 17 1500 Crewcab 4x4 with 3.92 gear. Is this to long for my 1500? Unless my math is wrong, my truck in withing it's limits to tow this, I just worry about the length. My payload is 1487 according to the yellow sticker in the door jam.

Mickster you've gotten some good advice in this thread, but as noted at least by one other poster, understand your pushing upper limits of half ton towing. The wet weight is the number you should be concerned with for real world preparation. Your loaded tongue weight will likely be closer to 800 lbs. That leaves you with 700 lbs or so for weight of all occupants, all your camping gear in the truck and the weight of the wdh itself. It goes quickly especially if your loaded heavy for a week's camping trip.

When loaded your trailer likely will weigh as much or more than your truck and there are weights and mass that come into play that regardless of the beefing up you do to your trucks suspension will be there.

Can you tow that 30 footer safely with your truck? Yes with a property set up wdh and good loading you absolutely can. I've towed heavy with several half tons in the past.

I'd suggest you take the truck and trailer, fully loaded to a cat scale and verify your weights. You want to ensure your under your GRAWR most importantly. You'll be surprised how quickly stuff adds up. You say you'll load the truck light, where are you going to put your firewood, grille, etc? I won't be suprised if your over your payload rating till all is said and done. But again in my opinion the number you absolutely want to stay under is GRAWR.

Take your time, leave plenty of following distance and you'll be fine.
 
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Gero

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I can vouch for the centerline ts. Great system that is wallet friendly. Integrated brake controller is a must! I'd keep it simple and get Timbrens. They take 10min to install and they allow you to maintain a stock ride when unloaded.

No dealing with inflating and deflating air bags.
 

RVGuy

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I can vouch for the centerline ts. Great system that is wallet friendly. Integrated brake controller is a must! I'd keep it simple and get Timbrens. They take 10min to install and they allow you to maintain a stock ride when unloaded.

No dealing with inflating and deflating air bags.
I don't know if maybe it's how bad the roads are here (especially rail road crossings) but my truck rode AWFUL with Timbrens. I think I left them on for about a week then took them back off and sold them.
 

Gero

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I don't know if maybe it's how bad the roads are here (especially rail road crossings) but my truck rode AWFUL with Timbrens. I think I left them on for about a week then took them back off and sold them.

Its possible. The roads here are pretty good and I generally dont feel then unless going over a bump or I have some weight at the back. I just like the simplicity and how it never requires any maintenance but the trade off is the jolt you may feel going over bumps. I really like the factory ride of the steel coils.
 

crash68

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I don't know if maybe it's how bad the roads are here (especially rail road crossings) but my truck rode AWFUL with Timbrens.
It's a common complaint with Timbrens. If there is not enough weight on on the back of the truck to keep the Timbrens firmly engaged they'll be rough. They work for some people but having adjustable airbags will accommodate a wider range of loads.
 

gofishn

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I don't know if maybe it's how bad the roads are here (especially rail road crossings) but my truck rode AWFUL with Timbrens. I think I left them on for about a week then took them back off and sold them.


Well, of course, it did.

Think about ti , for just a second. for the timbrens to actually provide any help, you are essentially removing your suspensions from the Equation and riding directly on your axle. so any and every little thing is transfer from the axle, directly to your cab. The greater the weight, the greater the weight being applied directly to your axle, the greater the road is going to affect your ride and your vehicle.

Timbrens should be a last, ermergency resort, when something else fails...not a first step.
 

gofishn

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Some of this quote shows the need to run through and clean up Voice recognition word salad. I also use and try to proofread before posting but sometimes I forget. Just saying...


Never bother proofreading. I got two fingers that know how to type (one of which is usually up my nose digging for Trewasure) adn my brian far outpaces my fingers.
Oddly enough, no matter how horribly I mangle the English language, the meaning gets across.
 

RVGuy

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Well, of course, it did.

Think about ti , for just a second. for the timbrens to actually provide any help, you are essentially removing your suspensions from the Equation and riding directly on your axle. so any and every little thing is transfer from the axle, directly to your cab. The greater the weight, the greater the weight being applied directly to your axle, the greater the road is going to affect your ride and your vehicle.

Timbrens should be a last, ermergency resort, when something else fails...not a first step.
I was just adding my tidbit because Timbren themselves advertises that the unloaded ride doesn't change when installed.
You're not completely removing your suspension movement with them, just limiting it. The rear axle is still allowed a limited amount of movement between it and the frame before it engages the Timbrens without a load so if the roads where you are are smooth and well maintained they're probably right and you won't notice them except where you're going over bumps.
I live across a set of unmaintained railroad crossings in a town where the roads go paved -> gravel -> paved over and over again from being repeatedly dug up in spring or destroyed by the winter frost. Honestly the Timbrens were perfectly acceptable on the highway but as soon as you were in town or any gravel road it was like you were being beaten up by Mike Tyson in the cab of the truck. I think a tank might have rode better than my 1500, it also made the ride of my work 3500 with 80psi in the tires feel like a caddy whenever I switched trucks over the same roads.
 

GsRAM

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, it also made the ride of my work 3500 with 80psi in the tires feel like a caddy whenever I switched trucks over the same roads.

Now that is saying something because my 2500 with 80 psi in the rears is pretty harsh. Still not bad for a 2500 series truck, but harsh.

If timbrens on a 1500 ride worse than a 3500 leaf sprung truck with 80 psi in the rear tires, I wouldn't like that either.

Best move I made for my 2500 was getting alpha obd and lowering my tpms thresholds. Now I run between 55 and 60 psi all the way around and it made a huge difference.
 

gofishn

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I was just adding my tidbit because Timbren themselves advertises that the unloaded ride doesn't change when installed.
You're not completely removing your suspension movement with them, just limiting it. The rear axle is still allowed a limited amount of movement between it and the frame before it engages the Timbrens without a load so if the roads where you are are smooth and well maintained they're probably right and you won't notice them except where you're going over bumps.
I live across a set of unmaintained railroad crossings in a town where the roads go paved -> gravel -> paved over and over again from being repeatedly dug up in spring or destroyed by the winter frost. Honestly the Timbrens were perfectly acceptable on the highway but as soon as you were in town or any gravel road it was like you were being beaten up by Mike Tyson in the cab of the truck. I think a tank might have rode better than my 1500, it also made the ride of my work 3500 with 80psi in the tires feel like a caddy whenever I switched trucks over the same roads.


That is what I was talking about. TImbren's remove a lot of the trucks normal suspension travel , where is absobs and lessen road way hazards, even unloaded. Once loaded, essentially all the suspension is gone, as the truck is no riding directly on the axle, with the full benefit of the springs and the harshness of hitting the STOPS.

EDIT:
Take this oen step further.

GUsy add timbrens air bags, etc all because their springs are not up to the job. WHy nto repalce those same springs?It is usually easier and cheaper, not to mention its entirely possible to retain the OEM ride.

Every other option is to stiffen with AIR or SOlid Hard RUbber axle stops. Makes no sense to me.
 
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