Looking at our 1st TT

[regal81455]

Ok so we're looking into our first TT and we think we've narrowed it down to three. Looking for some feedback and suggestions. Before I list those here are some deets on the truck.

According to VIN # my trucks payload and tow cap are:

1298#
8198#

It's a 2016 1500 Laramie w/ 3.21 gear. Not the best for towing but capable.

We're a family of three ( My wife and I, and our 17yr son ).

We intend to actually travel with this, not just buy and park - I know this can make a difference.

I'll definitely invest in WDH/sway control regardless of TT purchased.

With all the above known here are three models we're considering...

Forest River Salem 179DBK - 502# tongue weight / 4865# GVWR

Grand Designs Imagine XLS 17MKE - 480# tw / 6395# GVWR

Cougar 22MLS - 645# tw / 7200# GVWR

Each has it's +s and -s for us. Any and all input is requested, good, bad, or otherwise.

Tx in advance-

 

[NewBlackDak]

Ok so we're looking into our first TT and we think we've narrowed it down to three. Looking for some feedback and suggestions. Before I list those here are some deets on the truck.

According to VIN # my trucks payload and tow cap are:

1298#
8198#

It's a 2016 1500 Laramie w/ 3.21 gear. Not the best for towing but capable.

We're a family of three ( My wife and I, and our 17yr son ).

We intend to actually travel with this, not just buy and park - I know this can make a difference.

I'll definitely invest in WDH/sway control regardless of TT purchased.

With all the above known here are three models we're considering...

Forest River Salem 179DBK - 502# tongue weight / 4865# GVWR

Grand Designs Imagine XLS 17MKE - 480# tw / 6395# GVWR

Cougar 22MLS - 645# tw / 7200# GVWR

Each has it's +s and -s for us. Any and all input is requested, good, bad, or otherwise.

Tx in advance-

First and foremost you need to pack the truck for travel including the family, fill the tank, and run across a scale. The truck GVWR minus what the scale reads is your available payload. Hint, you probably aren’t going to be able to carry anything in the bed of the truck.

Second, those published tongue weight numbers are useless. Once you get a battery(probably 2) and a couple full tanks of propane on the tongue it’s going to shoot up. Not to mention the stuff you will want in the front pass through storage. To be safe I would calculate the tongue weight as 15% of the gross trailer weight. That is worse case scenario for the truck, but you will know what you could possibly be dealing with. 10% tongue weight is the minimum safe for a travel trailer. I want them at at least 12-13%, and optimum is around 15%.


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[Bldrinker]

I used to pull with a 2013 1500 with 3:55 trailer was 6400 empty.

my buddy has a 2016 with 3:21 trailer empty is 5800 ish

parents have a 2017 with 3.92 trailer empty is 7200.

Power will not be a problem. Braking will not be a problem if you set the controller up properly. With good weight distribution and helper bags to stiffen the rear end up 20-30psi.
Wind will be your biggest issue. Truck is to light to fight the forces of a longer trailer in the wind.

if you do not want to go over cargo capacity you will be limited to a smaller trailer.

 

[dhay13]

You should be ok with those but like was said you can't go by those tongue weights. I'd say add at least 25% to get a more realistic number. Go weigh your truck at a CAT scale with it loaded up as it would be when you will be towing then add the GVWR of the TT and be sure it is under your trucks GCWR. Add the 'guesstimated' tongue weight to the truck and be sure you are under GVWR on your truck. If all that works you should be good. Power will not be a problem.

 

[2003F350]

As said above, I think you're on the right track looking at only smaller trailers. If you're just doing weekend camping, you should be absolutely fine with any of those. I wouldn't go any bigger though - as said, you don't have much payload to work with once you put people in your truck.

 

[Firebird]

1298 is not much payload, advice here is excellent, load it up and weigh it

 

[tron67j]

To help a bit more in numbers if you don't got to scales as suggested I generally calculate 200 for each passenger to include gaming, etc. So for 3 people that is 600 pounds. Then 100 for the for hitch, that is 700. You also subtract if, say, you have non factory running boards, bigger tires, etc. Subtract from payload and you are at about 600 for trailer. And again as stated above, go with 15% of gross to account for propane, battery, gear, etc. All of the trailers are over this estimated calculation. You can read through other threads to find that there is no way to increase capacity, and safe towing is following the manufacturer recommendation.

So I again second the motion to take your truck, with full tank and people plus gear you would have in truck and weigh it. You could be less than expected and be in range for smallest trailer. At trailer dealer, also recommend you have someone stand on tongue of trailer and weigh it at tongue, there are fairly cheap scales to do this and dealer should have one. This will give you tongue weight as battery plus two tanks propane is approximately 120lbs (subtract any excess of the person over 120). Then your only missing weight is gear and supplies.

Good luck

 

[dhay13]

Oh, and DO NOT let the TT salesman tell you 'yeah it's fine'. Firstly most of them have no idea and secondly they have a biased interest in selling you a bigger TT.

 

[Toddbigboytruck]

OK Tow police. Nothing like scary games the guy. I rear pretty much the same truck 2018. I tow a 6000 lbs travel trailer and have no issues yes it is a little hard on the mountain I have towed my trailer from Canada to Florida with no issues and yes tow police I have gone on at CAT scale and yes I was close to my max. Me ,wife ,two children lab in create in the back. I did add air bag to the springs and I do have a cap on board.

 

[Toddbigboytruck]

Oh, and DO NOT let the TT salesman tell you 'yeah it's fine'. Firstly most of them have no idea and secondly they have a biased interest in selling you a bigger TT.

I do not know where you buy from here in Ontario Canada it is the responsibility of the trailer dealers to insure that the vehicle is fit and able to tow and is with in the towing capacity of the vehicle

 

[dhay13]

I do not know where you buy from here in Ontario Canada it is the responsibility of the trailer dealers to insure that the vehicle is fit and able to tow and is with in the towing capacity of the vehicle

Might be different regulations or they are just ignored. My step-father bought a 5th wheel TT and had a 2015 1500 Big Horn with a payload of about maybe 1300lbs max and they installed the hitch for him. Truck was way overloaded. Heck the tires were only maybe 2" from touching the fender wells. Happens here all the time

 

[Randy Grant]

This will give you some idea on capabilities and setup.

 

[GsRAM]

With you truck and family i suggest you look at trailers 7500 gvwr max and under and 25-30' overall length and under.

Don't go by dry weights, use trailer gvwr so you have some margin built in. Your call ultimately.

In any event you will need a properly set up wdh and possibly air bags, then weigh the rig fully loaded and ready to camp to dial in the wdh and return most if not all of the unloaded weight figure back to the steer axle for a safe and stable tow.

Half tons can tow heavy, but as you push the upper limits, set up becomes increasingly critical.

Good luck. Camping is great! I've been going over 40 yrs, starting with my parents and hope to for many more to come.

 

[tron67j]

OK Tow police. Nothing like scary games the guy. I rear pretty much the same truck 2018. I tow a 6000 lbs travel trailer and have no issues yes it is a little hard on the mountain I have towed my trailer from Canada to Florida with no issues and yes tow police I have gone on at CAT scale and yes I was close to my max. Me ,wife ,two children lab in create in the back. I did add air bag to the springs and I do have a cap on board.

View attachment 239804

View attachment 239805

And thanks for the picture of an empty pickup sagging already sans people and gear, obviously lifting weight from the front wheels which diminishes steering and braking, to drive home the point of an overloaded truck. The OP asked for advice on towing. There are those that will provide guidance based on physics, and those that improperly use their truck past design limits. Labeling those of us that believe in physics is a small price to pay to help those that are safety conscious and want to know more. What is scary are people that don't think about the limits and just go buy a trailer and then load up the rig with people and gear and then sell the luck they have encountered so far as fact-based reason everyone can exceed the capacity of the truck.

 

[Travelin Ram]

Floorplan. First, second, and third priority. You said some traveling is in the plans, not just local. That implies some lengthy stays and long drives. Buying a place to live for a while in based on weight? Don’t do it.

You’re taking a teenager who’s not going to be happy sleeping on a dinette. Get a bunk.
Convertible sleeping that has to be broken down every day gets tiresome. The point of this is do you want to return home from your travels reminiscing about all the great memories or grouchy and desperate to get out of the confines of the trailer?

None of the above is intended to imply we all have the same needs, far from it. Some people take extended trips and live out of cars, Jeeps, and vans. Some need a 45’ bus. What I’m saying is get the trailer you need to suit your family, then do what you have to to tow it. You’re buying the trailer for your family, not for the truck. Trade the truck if it’s not up to it. That’s my .02.

 

[regal81455]

Everyone - Thanks for your input so far - fortunately I work for a company that has access to scales used to load out aggregates in semis all the time so I'll run my truck through that scale probably just by myself and then guesstimate the wife, kids, and any fuel missing. That math shouldn't overtly difficult and will give me a sense of where we're going.

I'm extremely concerned at this point about the payload capacity though - it seems I'm going to be already looking at the short stick. The 17DBK was about as light as we could find. I've got some experience pulling heavy things with this truck but only for 30m distances and flat lands. I'm not interested in a hair raising tow on vacation so we'll definitely be leaning into the side of caution foremost with luxury/amenities secondary.

I'll report back after I get on the scale - might be today, might be Saturday. Either way please keep the commentary coming it's all very much appreciated.

 

[ramffml]

You could look into the hensley stinger for a WDH, it is second to none and will completely eliminate sway (it moves the pivot point to right over your axle, just like a 5w). It's extremely pricey but given your planning to do this a while it would be worth it.

But you still need to be within payload of course, it won't do anything for you there.

 

[rule18]

I do not know where you buy from here in Ontario Canada it is the responsibility of the trailer dealers to insure that the vehicle is fit and able to tow and is with in the towing capacity of the vehicle

Hah, must be nice. Here in the States, it's the responsibility of the TT dealers to sell as many trailers as they can. The unscrupulous ones (so many) tell people that their trucks are rated for X and it'll be fine.

 

[Bldrinker]

You could look into the hensley stinger for a WDH, it is second to none and will completely eliminate sway (it moves the pivot point to right over your axle, just like a 5w). It's extremely pricey but given your planning to do this a while it would be worth it.

But you still need to be within payload of course, it won't do anything for you there.

If you set things up correctly you would never need a Hensley.

They are great if you have money to burn and like solving problems that don’t exist.

 

[Bldrinker]

And thanks for the picture of an empty pickup sagging already sans people and gear, obviously lifting weight from the front wheels which diminishes steering and braking, to drive home the point of an overloaded truck. The OP asked for advice on towing. There are those that will provide guidance based on physics, and those that improperly use their truck past design limits. Labeling those of us that believe in physics is a small price to pay to help those that are safety conscious and want to know more. What is scary are people that don't think about the limits and just go buy a trailer and then load up the rig with people and gear and then sell the luck they have encountered so far as fact-based reason everyone can exceed the capacity of the truck.

So if you only go off the numbers. Would you rather tow 12,000lbs with a new F150 or a 2006 Dodge 2500 mega cab diesel? The ratings are very similar.