tron67j
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2019
- Posts
- 2,918
- Reaction score
- 3,005
- Location
- Maryland
- Ram Year
- 2018
- Engine
- 6.4 Hemi
Honestly, if the main consideration is the payload capacity, then a 1500 should not be an option being considered. There is no such thing as a 1500 is okay if you overload it only a couple times a year. If you can only afford one truck and not knowing the PC is make or break, then a gas 2500 non-PW or a 3500 is a must.
Here is why: I figure a 1500 having right around 1800 pounds of payload capacity on average. For traveling with 3 people and a dog I have 500 pounds (cooler, gaming gear, iPad, other travel stuff). So now I am at 1300 pounds payload capacity. Now subtract 150 lbs for bed cover. 75 pounds running board, 75 pounds hitch with bars, and now the PC is 1000. With nothing in bed that translates to a trailer that (properly loaded and balanced) is (trailer tongue weight = 1000 / .15) a maximum of 6700 pounds. That is at the edge of everything, and not ideal so plan on a trailer that is 5300 pounds to give you a 20% variance to cover the extra stuff you never expect to add up so fast. And remember, trailer weight plates are always underreporting the actual trailer weight as they don't always include batteries, propane tanks, dealer accessories like awnings so if one is buying a 1500 it might be better to be at 5000. The beer, food, clothing, camp chairs, bikes, tents, outdoor rugs, grill, extension cords, hoses, leveling blocks, screen room, think you get the idea, all just push people into a 2500. And they are fine for daily drivers, not spongy like a 1500 but one is made for work and one is made to cruise. No offense to 1500 owners, but when payload capacity keeps coming up as the top issue when buying, probably not a good option.
Here is why: I figure a 1500 having right around 1800 pounds of payload capacity on average. For traveling with 3 people and a dog I have 500 pounds (cooler, gaming gear, iPad, other travel stuff). So now I am at 1300 pounds payload capacity. Now subtract 150 lbs for bed cover. 75 pounds running board, 75 pounds hitch with bars, and now the PC is 1000. With nothing in bed that translates to a trailer that (properly loaded and balanced) is (trailer tongue weight = 1000 / .15) a maximum of 6700 pounds. That is at the edge of everything, and not ideal so plan on a trailer that is 5300 pounds to give you a 20% variance to cover the extra stuff you never expect to add up so fast. And remember, trailer weight plates are always underreporting the actual trailer weight as they don't always include batteries, propane tanks, dealer accessories like awnings so if one is buying a 1500 it might be better to be at 5000. The beer, food, clothing, camp chairs, bikes, tents, outdoor rugs, grill, extension cords, hoses, leveling blocks, screen room, think you get the idea, all just push people into a 2500. And they are fine for daily drivers, not spongy like a 1500 but one is made for work and one is made to cruise. No offense to 1500 owners, but when payload capacity keeps coming up as the top issue when buying, probably not a good option.