Need HONEST/1st HAND Towing advice

[Rick Ram-jet]

Greetings All, we`re looking at getting a travel trailer in the spring and traveling the country!

What I need is 1st hand info/feedback on what our truck can "realistically tow?"
we have: 2016 Ram 6.4 2500 crew cab, long bed, currently 37in tires/3:73 and Thuren 3in/1in/2.5 King shocks..
I plan to run 4:88 or probably 5:13 gears and should have 5k air lift bags on by spring...

Tow rating for my vin is: 12,460 and 3,130 pay load, total GCWR is: 19,800

Now, here is where I need your help: the trailers I`m researching are bumper pull style 32-36ft at around 10-11,500k dry with around 62ish gal fresh and 80+ gal gray water...

I have no experience what additional weight a loaded trailer weighs, based on actual feedback I`m trying to decided if my truck can realistically tow this heavy of a trailer or would it be more realistic to trade up to a diesel! I have considered a 5th wheel but even the shortest ones I`ve looked at are already near max tow weight dry and have less push-outs, etc...

Thanks in advance and please be honest....Cheers, Rick

 

[Firebird]

I can’t answer all of your questions, but I would think a lifted tow vehicle on 37’s would be a handful!

 

[Travelin Ram]

If you’re retiring or something and plan to travel on an ongoing basis then get the diesel and thank me later.

Skip the 2500 entirely and get the 3500 SRW as a minimum.

Trailers will never weigh the dry weight and will frequently be near GVWR. Toy haulers empty or lightly loaded being somewhat the exception, but then they’ll have excessive tongue weight.

Can your truck do it? Yes. However there’s a big difference between what’s possible and what’s pleasurable. For a weekend or a week it’s no big deal. For extended travel it gets tiresome operating at 90% or more.

I’d choose the trailer first and get the right truck second. Less chance of regret later when you get a bigger than expected trailer. And most RV buyers move up in size in a year or two.

 

[lpennock]

Water will add almost 500lb to your dry weight. If you have bbq type propane tanks you are looking at 25lb per tank. Stuff like clothes, food, etc will add 1000-1500 to the dry weight. Easy rule of thumb is just assume 1 ton over the dry weight.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

[Sandevino]

What you’re planning to tow is within the limits of your truck in near stock form. As is, you’re going to have your hands full. Not to start a holy war, but IMO, a lifted truck, much less one on 37’s has ZERO business towing heavy loads whether you re-gear or not.

Since you’ve charted this course, let’s ride it out. The Thuren springs are softer than stock and will sag 3-4” with heavy loads or trailers. They recommend bags to compensate for anything 8,000# or heavier. You’ll have that covered.

Next items to address are spare 37” tires for those long desolate highways. Bring two. Adjust your axle and differential maintenance schedules to every 10-15,000 miles and check after each long haul.

On to the trailer. Those numbers are complete and total BS if you got them from the dealer’s site. Go to look at a few in person and check their weight tags. The trailer will likely weigh in around 13-14.5k once you add water (fresh and gray), fuel and supplies. The options you add to the trailer will also alter the weight.

Diesel... ahh yes, Diesel. In 2500 form, your payload is far less than your gasser. Side stepping another holy war, you can pull more but not legally. Both are rated at 10,000# GVWR. You need to step up to a 3500 dually if you want to load up and haul. But, 3500 duallies stink off-road.

My advice, look at a lighter trailer, lower the truck back to near stock height and keep the tires at 33’s or 35’s max.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Rick Ram-jet]

Thanks for the advice so far...I was figuring (rounded up) around 2k add weight for a fully loaded trailer, so 10k + 2k = 12k
just under the 12,460 tow limit! The lift is actually mild, 3in. or level in front and 1in. in the rear so not excessive, 37`s are a bit tall but I can always re-install my stock rims which have 35`s on them!

My truck is really clean, very well maintained and very low mi (aprox 14k) so I`m pretty sure I could get top dollar with all of the goodies!
What to do, what to do!

 

[392DevilDog]

3130 payload
12460 tow.

19800 GCWR
10000 GVWR.

The 12640 is not the trailer weight. But rather what can be added to base weight until hitting GCWR.

Watch.

10000 minus 3130 is 6870 base weight.

19800 minus 6870 is 12930. So you can see that the 12640 is only with an allowance of 290lbs for driver and hitch. I weigh 295 myself.

And the trailer has to weigh 12640 with the tongue weight included. Most campers are 12 to 15 %. You can see your tow weight is much lower. You can do the math.

And then the heavier 37s add to the base weight...lowering the trailer weight.

And the softer suspension you added takes away from stability.

Hope this makes sense.


Here is my truck loaded to camp and you can see my camper is only 5700lbs. I have 580lbs til I hit my 10k GVWR. And I have 4660 til I hit 19800 Gross combined. At a 13% tongue weight I could add 4461 more pounds of trailer to hit max GVWR and GCWR. So the biggest trailer I can haul is 5720 plus 4461 for 10181.

You need to be looking at 10 to 11k GVWR not dry.

And believe me...sometimes my 26 foot camper can be a burden. Although the 6.4l does not complain.

Good luck. You must have the snow chief package to get your payload that high. My Tradesman is 2998 with only tow mirrors and protection group as options. Or you do not have those options lol.

 

[Bldrinker]

Well it looks like I’m your Huckleberry.

2018 6.4 with 4:88 gears with 34” tires.

trailer is 10k empty.

safety wise truck handles it with no problem at all.
Sucks more gas than a $2 ****** on Friday night. 7mpg. It does ok
On hills 50-55mph up long 6% grades.


Looking back I would have bought a diesel. But we had planned on buying a trailer that was 9k empty. But **** happens.

37” will suck ass towing the weight you are looking at. No Matter what gears you put in it.

My tires are an inch over stock. And I have 4:88. Truck came with 4:10’s. It was not a huge difference in power.
I would not do the gears if I could go back in time. I would put it toward a diesel.

 

[Bldrinker]

Thanks for the advice so far...I was figuring (rounded up) around 2k add weight for a fully loaded trailer, so 10k + 2k = 12k
just under the 12,460 tow limit! The lift is actually mild, 3in. or level in front and 1in. in the rear so not excessive, 37`s are a bit tall but I can always re-install my stock rims which have 35`s on them!

My truck is really clean, very well maintained and very low mi (aprox 14k) so I`m pretty sure I could get top dollar with all of the goodies!
What to do, what to do!

Sell it. Or buy a trailer 2k/3k lighter.

 

[Jughed]

18 6.4 CC 8' bed with .410's
"max" tow is 15k+/-

Im towing a 30' box, 33' overall, bumper pull travel trailer that is close to 10k loaded.

Plus 5 people, camping gear, bunch of firewood..

15k+/- miles of towing along the flat east coast highways & some "mountains".

To me, that is about the comfortable limit of the truck.

Towing heavy miles with more weight, west coast mountains... diesel country in my opinion.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

Thanks for the advice so far...I was figuring (rounded up) around 2k add weight for a fully loaded trailer, so 10k + 2k = 12k
just under the 12,460 tow limit! The lift is actually mild, 3in. or level in front and 1in. in the rear so not excessive, 37`s are a bit tall but I can always re-install my stock rims which have 35`s on them!

My truck is really clean, very well maintained and very low mi (aprox 14k) so I`m pretty sure I could get top dollar with all of the goodies!
What to do, what to do!

You don't need a desiel BUT you have some issues.
Go back to stock size tires and e load.
Are your shocks as firm as stock.

 

[Ribtipram]

Water will add almost 500lb to your dry weight. If you have bbq type propane tanks you are looking at 25lb per tank. Stuff like clothes, food, etc will add 1000-1500 to the dry weight. Easy rule of thumb is just assume 1 ton over the dry weight.
Check the stickers on the campers my 2017 keystone includes a full fresh water tank in the dry weight.
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check the sticker on the campers some are different my 2017 keystone allows for a full fresh water tank in the dry weight

 

[kmrtnsn]

Water will add almost 500lb to your dry weight. If you have bbq type propane tanks you are looking at 25lb per tank. Stuff like clothes, food, etc will add 1000-1500 to the dry weight. Easy rule of thumb is just assume 1 ton over the dry weight.

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

Let’s not forget the added +/-300lbs of those 37’s and their wheels.

 

[Burla]

Tow ratings are suggestions, there is plenty an operator can do to mitigate towing heavy, such as baby the throttle. However, a couple points, there is a difference on what you can tow and what your transmission can handle, my brother went through 3 tranny's on his 3500 before he traded it on a manual. If you decide to venture into the 15k area, you should at a minimum upgrade the rfe valve body for pressure that includes a plate plus all the goodies. So usually the plate is a separate purchase, shift kits tend to come with gasket, but main thing is you want a plate that valve body will not cross leak. I do realize this is not first hand info, but nonetheless they are facts. The other issue is "if", as in if you decide to go over the suggested weight and their is an accident, you will have to account for that. Even though going up in gears will allow you to tow more, there is at least an argument the truck came with a certain tow rating and you exceeded it.

You can always ask for a test tow when you buy something, as in if you want my dollars I have to see how it tows. Just never tow heavy in the wind regardless. If you get wind and you are on the road, park it.

 

[Burla]

And watch engine temps as well, engine gets over 250f park it, lest you want to deal with warped heads. Probably the main threat to your gas truck that tows heavy.

 

[tron67j]

Lots of good information here and should help you. One thing to remember is that any changes to suspension, tires, or additions that add weight to the truck means your payload, GCWR and other numbers are not correct, you more than likely are saddled with lower numbers. That being said, others have also already written that no one tows a dry weight trailer; it matters what options were added post weighing (awnings are often not part of the weight decal value) and what and where you load items in trailer and truck. As a rule if thumb I subtract about 1,000 pounds from payload to account for people, gas, hitch and other additions to my truck when towing. The most important number in towing is payload, regardless of towing a bumper hitch or fifth-wheel hitch trailer. My experience in hundreds of thousands of miles of safe trailer towing of all types is that payload maximum number will be reached long before the theoretical trailer weight maximum. And my extended family has towed extensively over the past 50+ years and all have found that to be true.

One last safety point, once you get your truck and trailer, load it all like you would for traveling and got to CAT scales. Weigh together and then each unit separately. You will get the true weight to use in calculations, would also need a tongue weight scale and would be helpful to weigh individual axel weights. This will ensure you have weight correctly distributed. Having too much weight on hitch causes rear to sag a bit, which removes weight from over front wheels. You see it in pictures where there is a kind of "V" shape to truck/trailer rig. Bags won't help with weight distribution, they only level out the look. With too much weight on rear axle you lose steering and braking (front wheels do majority of stopping, even with electric brakes on trailer). Good luck and happy camping!

 

[Zoe Saldana]

Greetings All, we`re looking at getting a travel trailer in the spring and traveling the country!

What I need is 1st hand info/feedback on what our truck can "realistically tow?"
we have: 2016 Ram 6.4 2500 crew cab, long bed, currently 37in tires/3:73 and Thuren 3in/1in/2.5 King shocks..
I plan to run 4:88 or probably 5:13 gears and should have 5k air lift bags on by spring...

Tow rating for my vin is: 12,460 and 3,130 pay load, total GCWR is: 19,800

Now, here is where I need your help: the trailers I`m researching are bumper pull style 32-36ft at around 10-11,500k dry with around 62ish gal fresh and 80+ gal gray water...

I have no experience what additional weight a loaded trailer weighs, based on actual feedback I`m trying to decided if my truck can realistically tow this heavy of a trailer or would it be more realistic to trade up to a diesel! I have considered a 5th wheel but even the shortest ones I`ve looked at are already near max tow weight dry and have less push-outs, etc...

Thanks in advance and please be honest....Cheers, Rick

Greetings All, we`re looking at getting a travel trailer in the spring and traveling the country!

What I need is 1st hand info/feedback on what our truck can "realistically tow?"
we have: 2016 Ram 6.4 2500 crew cab, long bed, currently 37in tires/3:73 and Thuren 3in/1in/2.5 King shocks..
I plan to run 4:88 or probably 5:13 gears and should have 5k air lift bags on by spring...

Tow rating for my vin is: 12,460 and 3,130 pay load, total GCWR is: 19,800

Now, here is where I need your help: the trailers I`m researching are bumper pull style 32-36ft at around 10-11,500k dry with around 62ish gal fresh and 80+ gal gray water...

I have no experience what additional weight a loaded trailer weighs, based on actual feedback I`m trying to decided if my truck can realistically tow this heavy of a trailer or would it be more realistic to trade up to a diesel! I have considered a 5th wheel but even the shortest ones I`ve looked at are already near max tow weight dry and have less push-outs, etc...

Thanks in advance and please be honest....Cheers, Rick

Here is real world.
I have 6.4 with 4.10
Tow 30' tt
Dry 5848
Carry 1852
Gvw 7500
Hitch dry 588
Hitch Loaded 750
So you have to subtract from your payload everything and everyone you put in the truck.

When I go boondocking I have 70 gal of water in the tank and 13 gal for drinking.

Get your truck back to stock to get max capacity. Don't change gears.

If you are going full time you will be loading the bed with things like a generator, tools and supplies.
You will add things like solar.

If you get back to stock and you get a 13,000 gvw... Figure hitch weight 1,700 to 1,900

 

[Toddz]

Understand that while you can't change the GCWR sticker on the truck, if the effective rear end gearing was changed to 4.10, according to ram the GCWR of your truck would be 22,800 instead of 19,800.

That being said, changes in wheels and suspension can dramatically alter the towing/payload of a vehicle.

 

[SeppW]

The mrtruck.com Web site has a lot of towing-related information, albeit more geared toward horse and utility trailers and a bit hard to navigate around. Some of the forums that cater to the AirStream crowd has some good information, they are close knit sort.

 

[mtnrider]

10-11,500 dry weight, +++ You are in diesel territory in my book.

Even in stock form I would not be towing that on a regular basis with your truck, add the lift and 37's, and no way, no how. Now if it's just once in a blue moon tow 30 miles down the road sure you can get away with that.