Towing a cargo trailer with camper on bed.

[NorthwestGuy]

Eventually I'm going to be moving across country and pulling a 20 ft cargo trailer rated for 10,000 lbs. but probably will be loaded no more than 5-6000 lb. I'd like to buy a truck camper thats not huge, just comfortable for 1-2 people. I won't do it if I can't take it with me though. I know that its possible to tow/carry both but is it practical or feasible with a non-dually 3/4 ton diesel? Anybody here do this?

 

[MADDOG]

Yeah, it's feasible. Just figure out your weights (towed unit weight, truck weight, payload, camper) and compare them with the rated capacities of the truck.

 

[NewBlackDak]

10,000 lb trailer means 1000-1200 lb tongue weight for a safe tow(fully loaded). It will vary wildly depending on how you load it. I don’t know what model you have, but if it’s a diesel 2500 you’re looking at 1900-2500lb payload capacity . 700~1500lbs left. 2 people in the cab 350-1150 lbs left. The lightest truck camper I’ve ever seen was 1400lbs dry, and it had no bathroom, sinks, or water at all. Most of the smaller units are in the 1700-2000lb range.


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[NorthwestGuy]

It sounds like I would be really pushing all limits. I would also have to get a hitch extender which would add more weight, and I would have to settle for less than the camper I would want. I don't think this idea is going anywhere. Thanks.

 

[BossHogg]

It sounds like I would be really pushing all limits. I would also have to get a hitch extender which would add more weight, and I would have to settle for less than the camper I would want. I don't think this idea is going anywhere. Thanks.

There is one option, a truck/camper manufacture, Livin Lite made a series of TC's named Camplite. They are no longer made due to the cost versus sales. What is unique about them is they will fit in the HD's short bed without overhang eliminating the need for a hitch extender. They are also lite therefore leaving you with some available payload.

I've been looking for one for some time, I do come across them but before I can get to the seller they are sold. Something you may wish to look into.

 

[NorthwestGuy]

There is one option, a truck/camper manufacture, Livin Lite made a series of TC's named Camplite. They are no longer made due to the cost versus sales. What is unique about them is they will fit in the HD's short bed without overhang eliminating the need for a hitch extender. They are also lite therefore leaving you with some available payload.

I've been looking for one for some time, I do come across them but before I can get to the seller they are sold. Something you may wish to look into.

Looks like they started making them again but even with one of those loaded it doesn't leave me enough room for the tongue weight of the trailer. I have a diesel 2500 which has a reduced payload.

 

[GsRAM]

It sounds like I would be really pushing all limits. I would also have to get a hitch extender which would add more weight, and I would have to settle for less than the camper I would want. I don't think this idea is going anywhere. Thanks.

I don't advocate exceeding payload limits. However, keep in mind on 14 and up trucks, the only difference between 2500 and 3500 srw, is thst 3500 has leaf springs, 2500 has coils. Frame, axles all the same. I see diesel 2500 series trucks pulling huge 5th wheels all the time and I know they are way over the low 2,000s payload limit most of them have.

They add air bags to handle the additional weight and down the road they go. For a safe tow you'll want minimum 12% tongue weight which is 1200 lb on a 10k trailer. You should check rams website and confirm, but I believe that the 3500 diesel has at least a 3500 lb payload. Again what you choose to do is up to you.

In my opinion the most important limits not to exceed are front and rear axle and tire weight ratings. You'd need to run it on a cat scale to know for sure. Good luck with your decision.

 

[NorthwestGuy]

I don't advocate exceeding payload limits. However, keep in mind on 14 and up trucks, the only difference between 2500 and 3500 srw, is thst 3500 has leaf springs, 2500 has coils. Frame, axles all the same. I see diesel 2500 series trucks pulling huge 5th wheels all the time and I know they are way over the low 2,000s payload limit most of them have.

They add air bags to handle the additional weight and down the road they go. For a safe tow you'll want minimum 12% tongue weight which is 1200 lb on a 10k trailer. You should check rams website and confirm, but I believe that the 3500 diesel has at least a 3500 lb payload. Again what you choose to do is up to you.

In my opinion the most important limits not to exceed are front and rear axle and tire weight ratings. You'd need to run it on a cat scale to know for sure. Good luck with your decision.

Thanks, I probably indeed could make it work and even do so safely. However the one thing I would be still be sticking my neck out on is the issue of legality, liability, and insurance coverage if I should be involved in some kind of an accident or be scrutinized by an overly enthusiastic law enforcement official.

 

[GsRAM]

True and that's a valid concern, however typically only commercial rigs are weighed. Also if you registered the truck heavy enough with your state dot you should be fine when it comes to state law.

As to LEOs, im a former one and unless your dragging the rear bumper on the ground and are clearly unsafe overloaded...the majority of them would not give it a second thought.

Again up to you....this is just food for thought

 

[Rader]

Eventually I'm going to be moving across country and pulling a 20 ft cargo trailer rated for 10,000 lbs. but probably will be loaded no more than 5-6000 lb. I'd like to buy a truck camper thats not huge, just comfortable for 1-2 people. I won't do it if I can't take it with me though. I know that its possible to tow/carry both but is it practical or feasible with a non-dually 3/4 ton diesel? Anybody here do this?

I drove all over the west with my 2001 8' bed diesel 2500 with a fully stocked, generator equipped, 10'6" Bigfoot camper in the bed. Many time with the camper loaded I towed a flat bed with my Jeep or Toyota flatbed offroad truck on it. The 01 was the HD version 2500, I did install air bags. I was concerned that my LT 285 16" rear tires didn't look to happy. So I purchased a rear set of 8 hole 19.5" wheels from Rickson so I could use 245/70R19.5 truck tires on the rear, they worked great. https://ricksontruckwheels.com/wheels-dodge-srw.php