Tow Capability Check

[DatacomGuy]

Looking at a Wildwood 27BHBS travel trailer.

Still somewhat unclear as to what my target weight range is (dry). The one i've spotted and like is 6600lbs dry.

Is my 1500 (5.7L, 3.55) going to be able to handle a 6600lb'er?

 

[cableguy_hd]

mine does. once I get rolling no problems. NOW I do tow on flatland. To the beach and back no mountains but I don't think it would be a problem either. I even had a golf cart in the bed with the camper hooked up. No heating issues at all either. I do have 3.92 and coolers for motor and tranny with trailer brake. Airlift 1000 I highly recommend due to ass sag

 

[DatacomGuy]

I definitely have hilly/mountainous land. Thats what concerns me..

 

[smiley]

With 3.55 getting the load going and hills will be your enemy. You can keep it locked down a couple gears and it will be okay. I have only a 5 speed so when I had 3.55 gears I just locked to no higher than 4. If you have the 8 speed probably lock it to 6? That will keep rpm high enough for the hills and grades.

 

[DatacomGuy]

But is it going to be miserable? Am i better just walking and finding something lighter?

 

[Bigdaddy]

Oh it will do it okay but you want be able to win no race, then again you not trying to either you will probably want to think about getting some airlift air bags for your coil spring.

 

[Boulevardvette]

Weight distribution hitch and airlift 1000 and you should be fine.

 

[bwhay]

I think you would be fine with it. I second the airbag suggestion though. Check out my post here

http://www.ramforum.com/f119/whats_...wed_your_1500_a-13155/index32.html#post736843

You will burn a lot of gas but shouldn't have any trouble with it.

 

[Rotzilla]

I HAD a 11 1500, 3:55 4x4, and purchased a 30ft toyhauler the weighed 6200lbs. dry, with a anti-sway/weight disrtro hitch. It towed okay on flat land, however she was screaming going over a average mountain pass. My guess is with an extra 2k lbs of toys and gear aboard it would not have been fun, I doubt very much that I could have maintained a 65mph speed limit.
Now, driving on the interstate in heavy traffic was terrifying, the setup was very difficult to stop in a hurry.
As you can see I now have a 2500, life is much better.

 

[bwhay]

Now that I think about it maybe that was some bad advice I posted rotzilla. Where others are white knuckled I am completely relaxed and in full control on a Sunday drive. I have spent thousands of hours doing this Brian Hay - YouTube

Where most would be white knuckled I am totally relaxed on a Sunday drive and in complete control. Those machines, the biggest in the videos are about 65 feet long, 14 feet wide and over 1/4 million pounds when loaded. They top out about 30/35 mph (60kms)...a lot faster when you can grab Mexican overdrive (kick it in neutral on the hills lol). Doesn't sound fast but when you're that big and heavy passing eachother building roads for cars (inches between you), you're moving.

Holding the speed limit though, I had no problem and there are some serious mountain passes between B.C and Alberta. Stopping was not at all an issue ether. If the brakes are set up properly the trailer should have enough stopping power to stop itself, it should never be pushing the truck.

 

[NewBlackDak]

I bought my 2500 last month, because if the upgraded travel trailer. I had a '10 Titan with big tow. We bought a 287BHBE(6400 lbs dry, 8000GVW) in August, and we made 6 trips with that setup. The Titan had more than enough power, and did fine on flat land and even up hill. The WDH hitch was setup properly, and we had zero sway issues. That includes 2 climbs up Spanish Fork canyon with 35-40 mph head/cross winds.

The problems came while descending that canyon. The trailer pushed the Titan around, and I spent 20 miles and a 5000 ft descent trying to control the speed without killing my transmission or burning the brakes. THAT was white knuckle.

It may not be a big deal to some, but I have to climb over a pass to leave out in any direction.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[audio1der]

Weight distribution hitch and airlift 1000 and you should be fine.

No offense to this poster personally, but its this type of input which gave me the confidence to buy a 32' ultra light for my 1500, and it's over its head.
That trailer sounds like a 27/28', and with 3.55 you're near topping out for max towing weight, nevermind payload. I would suggest more truck or less trailer.

 

[Boulevardvette]

No offense to this poster personally, but its this type of input which gave me the confidence to buy a 32' ultra light for my 1500, and it's over its head.
That trailer sounds like a 27/28', and with 3.55 you're near topping out for max towing weight, nevermind payload. I would suggest more truck or less trailer.

No offense but I'm just going off of personal experience with my own toy hauler with similar specs. My truck does just fine.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk

 

[loveracing1988]

Looking at a Wildwood 27BHBS travel trailer.

Still somewhat unclear as to what my target weight range is (dry). The one i've spotted and like is 6600lbs dry.

Is my 1500 (5.7L, 3.55) going to be able to handle a 6600lb'er?

What transmission do you have? The 8 speed will tow a lot better than the 6 speed especially for getting up and down mountains. It won't make up for not having 3.92's but it will certainly help. I know just towing 4000 pounds on flat land the engine braking in tow haul was amazing, I never expected that. The factory brake controller worked far better than I expected as well, set it and forget it. I will be going to get 2 pallets of water softener salt when it warms up (if it warms up...) that will be 6500 lbs plus the trailer so that should be a good test. I know it won't have the length of a travel trailer so sway won't be as big of a issue but with no weight distributing hitch and no air bags I don't know what to expect.

 

[DatacomGuy]

I have the 6spd.

I'm going to forego this one and stick to something under 5500, at least. The one i'm looking at now is 4700lbs, ultra light by Coachman. Leaves me enough room for a golf cart or atv or something.

I don't want to be constantly stressed. i want to enjoy my vacation, not stress getting there. Just got this truck last summer, so i can't afford to dump it and get a 2500 right now.

BUT, 2500 will be my next buy.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

I have the 6spd.

I'm going to forego this one and stick to something under 5500, at least. The one i'm looking at now is 4700lbs, ultra light by Coachman. Leaves me enough room for a golf cart or atv or something.

I don't want to be constantly stressed. i want to enjoy my vacation, not stress getting there. Just got this truck last summer, so i can't afford to dump it and get a 2500 right now.

BUT, 2500 will be my next buy.

I think you will be much happier with this decision.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[bwhay]

Is it possible to rent one comparable for a weekend before you buy? Then you know for sure how your truck will handle it and if you enjoy towing it. Or even the one you are interested in buying. Take it for a ride before you buy. I have owned several holiday trailers and took each one of them for a short tow before buying.

 

[audio1der]

That's not a bad idea. Get it on the open highway at speed, and get passed by a semi, as well as try a hill. Who knows- it may be fine? Or, you could end up with a wife who wants to trade down, looking at a huge loss in $$ as well as features, or a $3k hitch to compensate.
Feeling like you could pull more will allow you to enjoy your vacation time more than stressing about towing. We just want to see you happy and around here for a long time.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

Or, you could end up with a wife who wants to trade down, looking at a huge loss in $$ as well as features, or a $3k hitch to compensate.

She's going to win too. I have been with my lovely little lady for 18 years, and I can't think of the last time she didn't get her way. I like bwhay's idea too.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

[audio1der]

She's going to win too. I have been with my lovely little lady for 18 years, and I can't think of the last time she didn't get her way. I like bwhay's idea too.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

I hear ya, but F&*k that. I'm NOT losing my outdoor kitchen with beer fridge and all the storage it has. If the propride hitch costs less thaan we'd lose on a shorter but similar weight trailer, would we gain any mpg? Doubtful. We'd just have an easier to park, less featured trailer which the Reese DCSC may or my not tame. I will stand my ground. (besides, I'm the only one in the family who will drive wile towing, and am the principal bread winner)