How much better is a 2500 for towing?

[nlambert182]

I've been in that 'new camper' situation. Was forced into it, really. It's why we ended up with the 'ultralight' we have, though we could have gone with something a bit heavier looking back.

We were 'getting out of camping' per the wife, so I sold my dually and our 42' toy hauler. Then she wanted to go up north, to a place where there (at the time) weren't any decent hotels for a decent price. So we reserved a 'camping cabin' at a KOA. As the time got closer, we started looking at what all had to be brought (bedding, entertainment, pots & pans, etc etc.) and how we would basically have the back of the truck full...and she decided we needed a camper because it's a load-it-once-and-done (aside from food and clothes), and we like to travel several weekends a year and sometimes a week.

I'd bought a Power Wagon though, so there was only so much I could handle.

Similar situation.

Had a 2500 and a 4 seat RZR XP1000. Wife wanted a toy hauler fifth wheel so we jumped in head first and bought a 43' triple axle. White knuckled all the way home and returned the camper and bought a smaller fifth wheel with no toy hauler. It was fine but was right on the edge of maxing payload and the kids had grown too large for the bunks. So we sold that truck and camper and I bought a 3500 and a 43' fifth wheel mid-bunk. Then the kids got old enough to stop wanting to go. Then it was too big. COVID came along and someone offered me too much money for both so I sold them and pocketed the profit. I bought a 1500. Then, the wife decided she missed camping, and we started looking at TT's. Figured out my 1500 was going to be over on payload for any decently comfortable rig for us. Sold the 1500 and now I'm back in a 2500 and waiting to pull the trigger on the TT.

It's an expensive endeavor to swap trucks often.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Similar situation.

Had a 2500 and a 4 seat RZR XP1000. Wife wanted a toy hauler fifth wheel so we jumped in head first and bought a 43' triple axle. White knuckled all the way home and returned the camper and bought a smaller fifth wheel with no toy hauler. It was fine but was right on the edge of maxing payload and the kids had grown too large for the bunks. So we sold that truck and camper and I bought a 3500 and a 43' fifth wheel mid-bunk. Then the kids got old enough to stop wanting to go. Then it was too big. COVID came along and someone offered me too much money for both so I sold them and pocketed the profit. I bought a 1500. Then, the wife decided she missed camping, and we started looking at TT's. Figured out my 1500 was going to be over on payload for any decently comfortable rig for us. Sold the 1500 and now I'm back in a 2500 and waiting to pull the trigger on the TT.

It's an expensive endeavor to swap trucks often.

Very true. This is why I have never driven one for less than a dozen years before selling it and buying a new one.

 

[2003F350]

Similar situation.

Had a 2500 and a 4 seat RZR XP1000. Wife wanted a toy hauler fifth wheel so we jumped in head first and bought a 43' triple axle. White knuckled all the way home and returned the camper and bought a smaller fifth wheel with no toy hauler. It was fine but was right on the edge of maxing payload and the kids had grown too large for the bunks. So we sold that truck and camper and I bought a 3500 and a 43' fifth wheel mid-bunk. Then the kids got old enough to stop wanting to go. Then it was too big. COVID came along and someone offered me too much money for both so I sold them and pocketed the profit. I bought a 1500. Then, the wife decided she missed camping, and we started looking at TT's. Figured out my 1500 was going to be over on payload for any decently comfortable rig for us. Sold the 1500 and now I'm back in a 2500 and waiting to pull the trigger on the TT.

It's an expensive endeavor to swap trucks often.

Yeah that's why I haven't owned anything smaller than a 2500 for myself. Wife has had 1500s for getting groceries and pulling quads/snowmobiles, but it's bigger trucks all the way for me.

 

[joesstripclub]

It's not your towing capacity that matters with a 1500 - it's your cargo cap. Toy haulers are a little different because what you have in the garage varies, but the pin weight on your standard 5th-wheel should be somewhere in the 20%-25% range - which in your case would be between 1450 # and 1800# for a 7300# trailer. I think an 1100# pin weight for a 7300# 5th-wheel is way too light, but with not much more than that for your cargo cap why would you buy such a heavy trailer? You're still going to be way overweight with the power wagon. To tow that much weight, with a pin weight that high, you're going need a 2500 or something is going to break.

Not a fifth wheel, its a bumper pull. See rig in my profile picture. The 1100# pin weight is empty. With my SxS loaded, the hitch actually raises up an inch or so due to moving the balance of weight backwards. I'm at the top of the rating of the PW, but nowhere close to what a 2500 is rated for. I've only taken it on one camping trip (from Denver up to Taylor Reservoir) and moved it from Denver to KC this fall when I moved. I need to get some air bags to level it out but it pulls great.

 

[ramffml]

Not a fifth wheel, its a bumper pull. See rig in my profile picture. The 1100# pin weight is empty. With my SxS loaded, the hitch actually raises up an inch or so due to moving the balance of weight backwards. I'm at the top of the rating of the PW, but nowhere close to what a 2500 is rated for. I've only taken it on one camping trip (from Denver up to Taylor Reservoir) and moved it from Denver to KC this fall when I moved. I need to get some air bags to level it out but it pulls great.

Do you use a WDH? That would be my preference over airbags and/or other helpers. Doesn't matter if there is a little sag even with the WDH, that's just a visual/pride thing. My truck has a tiny bit of sag but handles far better with my Anderson than it did with sumo springs and air bags (not both at the same time).

 

[nlambert182]

The rating for the specific truck is what matters. A PW and a standard 2500 are 2 different animals. If you're over on tongue weight and that exceeds the payload, you're still over.

A WDH is definitely suggested. It might move 12-20% of tongue weight off the truck. Maybe that's enough to get it back under spec.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Not a fifth wheel, its a bumper pull. See rig in my profile picture. The 1100# pin weight is empty. With my SxS loaded, the hitch actually raises up an inch or so due to moving the balance of weight backwards. I'm at the top of the rating of the PW, but nowhere close to what a 2500 is rated for. I've only taken it on one camping trip (from Denver up to Taylor Reservoir) and moved it from Denver to KC this fall when I moved. I need to get some air bags to level it out but it pulls great.

Sorry, missed the 'travel trailer' part. I've known a few people with toy haulers and they were all the 5th-wheel type. I forgot they come in other flavors.

 

[Bighorn18]

In my opinion anyone getting a truck for pulling heavier loads (travel trailers/fifth wheels or heavy equipment should just go with the 3500 (1 tons) for the small increase in price. I always hear people say afterwards, “I don’t know why I didn’t just go with getting a 1 ton instead”, my dad included. I always see 2500 truck owner’s eventually adding air bags, where they don’t with a 1 ton suspension. I hall a 16,000 lb 35’ fully loaded Cougar 5th wheel and it’s the smoothest and level ride without added airbags. As they say go one bigger than you think you’ll need!

 

[Tulecreeper]

In my opinion anyone getting a truck for pulling heavier loads (travel trailers/fifth wheels or heavy equipment should just go with the 3500 (1 tons) for the small increase in price. I always hear people say afterwards, “I don’t know why I didn’t just go with getting a 1 ton instead”, my dad included. I always see 2500 truck owner’s eventually adding air bags, where they don’t with a 1 ton suspension. I hall a 16,000 lb 35’ fully loaded Cougar 5th wheel and it’s the smoothest and level ride without added airbags. As they say go one bigger than you think you’ll need!

Very true, if you regularly tow trailers in the 15,000#+ category. Do you also use that 3500 as your daily driver? There is the added advantage of going a step above what you will need - like getting a 2500 instead of a 1500 - but there is no need to go completely out of the box. I bought my 2500 as, #1) a daily driver, and, #2) to comfortably haul trailers up to ~12,000#. There was absolutely no need to go with a 3500 to tow trailers way above anything I will ever have behind me, and also have to deal with driving that beast on a regular basis. I have a bass boat. It is 19-feet long because that is the length I needed. I could have bought a 22-foot one, but I didn't have a need for the extra 2-feet.

And since adding airbags will never increase the towing or payload capacity, I don't know why anyone would do that.

 

[chaosh1]

Very true, if you regularly tow trailers in the 15,000#+ category. Do you also use that 3500 as your daily driver? There is the added advantage of going a step above what you will need - like getting a 2500 instead of a 1500 - but there is no need to go completely out of the box. I bought my 2500 as, #1) a daily driver, and, #2) to comfortably haul trailers up to ~12,000#. There was absolutely no need to go with a 3500 to tow trailers way above anything I will ever have behind me, and also have to deal with driving that beast on a regular basis. I have a bass boat. It is 19-feet long because that is the length I needed. I could have bought a 22-foot one, but I didn't have a need for the extra 2-feet.

And since adding airbags will never increase the towing or payload capacity, I don't know why anyone would do that.

I agree with you. I have my 2500 daily driving and dont plan on towing anything above 10k lbs. For me the 2500 was the right spot. But for airbags. I have a 3.5" lift with progressive rear springs, I get more sag then i would want due to to that, It towed fine without it but tows better with.

 

[Bighorn18]

Very true, if you regularly tow trailers in the 15,000#+ category. Do you also use that 3500 as your daily driver? There is the added advantage of going a step above what you will need - like getting a 2500 instead of a 1500 - but there is no need to go completely out of the box. I bought my 2500 as, #1) a daily driver, and, #2) to comfortably haul trailers up to ~12,000#. There was absolutely no need to go with a 3500 to tow trailers way above anything I will ever have behind me, and also have to deal with driving that beast on a regular basis. I have a bass boat. It is 19-feet long because that is the length I needed. I could have bought a 22-foot one, but I didn't have a need for the extra 2-feet.

And since adding airbags will never increase the towing or payload capacity, I don't know why anyone would do that.

All true! Just depends on your needs. Mine primarily for pulling the 5th wheel and secondary the long bed ability for better distribution and of course greater room for hauling stuff in the bed, especially 8’ boards etc… It’s always nice knowing that when ever needed I have the pulling and loading capabilities. Being retired I’m not commuting daily to work. Any other transportation is with my wife’s car which is a Palisade equipped with tow package capable of towing our 17.5’ foot Tracker fishing boat. So when we go RV camping at the lake she follows pulling the boat.

 

[Tulecreeper]

All true! Just depends on your needs. Mine primarily for pulling the 5th wheel and secondary the long bed ability for better distribution and of course greater room for hauling stuff in the bed, especially 8’ boards etc… Being retired I’m not commuting daily to work. Any other transportation is with my wife’s car which is a Palisade equipped with tow package capable of towing our 17.5’ foot Tracker fishing boat. So when we go RV camping at the lake she follows pulling the boat.

Again, very true. But I have the 8-foot bed so I also can toss in 8-foot boards. But that was just an added benefit because I really got the 8-foot bed to increase my towing capacity. When I bought this truck, the #1 primary consideration was towing and cargo cap; everything else was literally secondary. That's why I didn't even get any options as they would have only lowered my cargo cap.

 

[Tulecreeper]

I agree with you. I have my 2500 daily driving and dont plan on towing anything above 10k lbs. For me the 2500 was the right spot. But for airbags. I have a 3.5" lift with progressive rear springs, I get more sag then i would want due to to that, It towed fine without it but tows better with.

Because it's more comfortable to drive when you level the body.

 

[Bighorn18]

Again, very true. But I have the 8-foot bed so I also can toss in 8-foot boards. But that was just an added benefit because I really got the 8-foot bed to increase my towing capacity. When I bought this truck, the #1 primary consideration was towing and cargo cap; everything else was literally secondary. That's why I didn't even get any options as they would have only lowered my cargo cap.

I hear that! I never understood why anyone gets a truck with it’s ass cut short…lol. When I bought my truck I already knew what I needed it for and past experience of times with prior trucks wishing it could do more. So lesson learned for me is having a truck to meet your needs as well as future unknowns. When I first got my truck I have now I was previously pulling a 28’ pull behind camping trailer. So when we upgraded to a 5th wheel we already had the truck for it! We then moved to the country and it’s great to be able to load the bed full of rock and pull my 16’ flatbed trailer with the 4,800 lb tractor loaded or livestock trailer, etc… You can always get by with less demands but not with more that can’t meet demands. It only cost me $2500 more to go from the 2500 to the 3500, so it was a no brainer for me and it has proven worthy!

 

[nlambert182]

All true statements. When I bought this 2500 I actually went to look at a 2015 3500 SRW HO. The only reason I didn't get it was because it was in fairly rough condition. I needed the truck ASAP (sold my other) and this 2500 was on the same lot and was perfect. Knowing for sure that we'll never go back to a fifth wheel it wasn't a big deal for me. But definitely future proof where you can.

 

[miketx]

Just noticed my discussion thread got moved to 4th gen Towing and hauling. That's fine, but I originally posted it in the 5th gen group on purpose, as I was looking for 5th gen opinions. Anyway, got the answers I was looking for.

 

[ppine]

A lot better. A 2500 diesel is all you need for everything. I love my truck.

 

[brny67]

All this info is awesome. Wondering if someone can chime in for me?

I have a 2020 Bighorn 1500 geared with 3.92 I checked the Ram site and shows that I can tow 11,200 with a hitch weight of about 1100lbs… we are looking at TT’s dry weight between 5500lbs and 6900 lbs with hitch weights from 500-750lbs, will we be fine with a nice WD setup? Thanks for any advice.

V/r,

Bill

 

[miketx]

All this info is awesome. Wondering if someone can chime in for me?

I have a 2020 Bighorn 1500 geared with 3.92 I checked the Ram site and shows that I can tow 11,200 with a hitch weight of about 1100lbs… we are looking at TT’s dry weight between 5500lbs and 6900 lbs with hitch weights from 500-750lbs, will we be fine with a nice WD setup? Thanks for any advice.

V/r,

Bill

Bill, check your payload rating (yellow/white sticker in the drivers door frame area)....it varies depending on the options on your truck. That will change what your hitch weight can be...plus whatever you load into the truck (you have to include people, tools, etc etc.....every piece of weight lowers your payload). Tow capacity is pretty much a non-factor, as payload gets exceeded way before tow capacity, in my experience. And camper hitch weights are listed "dry" (ie nothing in the camper). My camper's dry hitch weight is 680, but with my gear in the camper, I'm pretty sure I'm closer to 900.

The camper you are looking at sounds similar to ours, weight-wise. We're at the edge, as I hinted in the original post. I can feel the weight. I use an Andersen WDH.

You might be ok.....Rebel's tend to have a lower payload rating. But even with a WDH, you'll feel the trailer. I'm ok towing ours, but when the side winds kick in, it's a little spooky....thus my discussion about a 2500.

 

[Motoman501]

My brother had a 2019 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 and 3.92 gears. He thought it towed his travel trailer ok, which probably weighed around 6000 lbs dry and was about 26 feet long He upgraded the trailer to an Outdoors RV which is around 7500 lbs dry and 28 feet long. I told him to get a 2500 for a better towing experience and I don't really think he believed it would make much of a difference. He ended up buying a 2022 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi and on the first tow with the new trailer he called me. He stated he couldn't believe how much more comfortable the towing experience was and he was glad he upgraded his truck. He was also pretty happy with his new payload capacity of nearly 3000 lbs.