Towing a travel trailer with a 1500

[Elijah]

I'm guessing that your 1500 has 3.21 gearing.

 

[Phillip Southern]

I'm guessing that your 1500 has 3.21 gearing.

Nope, I have 3.92 gearing. It’s the 2020 1500 Laramie Etorque edition.

 

[Joe Merchak]

It appears these 1500’s can’t tow much. By the time I get all our camping gear, kids toys and other stuff I, gonna be down to a darn popup trailer ‍

There is reason when you go to campgrounds and see TT with family's are towed by Ford 150, they have a package that gives them 3000+ LB payload. Wish Ram did the same.

I pull a premier 19FB but I only have 1 kid that goes with us. There are some 26' TT that are around the weight the ram can safely tow.

 

[AKAllen]

You should be able to pull the 7600lb TT with your 1500 just fine, but I don't think you'll like it on the highway in high winds. I have a 8000lb TT I tow with my 2500 and hate it when I hit cross winds. There's also the security of a heavier truck when towing in the mountains; especially going down hill.

 

[runamuck]

pulling that trailer no problem..the 709# hitch wt. might take up most of your payload cap. tho. it will most likely be more like 800#. I also have a laramie and mine only has 1324# cargo cap. so with me and wife and 33 gals fuel and gear plus 600# or so for trailer tongue wt. I am up near the max. so I pack light.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

https://www.happycampertrailers.com...aff-Micro-Lite-25BRDS-Flagstaff-Boise-9954359

So we found a trailer that has all we need and looks like it will fit for my pickup. Thank you everyone for all your help I appreciate it!!

I was looking at a camper on their site just today.

How were they on the price? Did you have to go through the usual pain in the ass negotiations?

 

[CaptOchs]

Nope, I have 3.92 gearing. It’s the 2020 1500 Laramie Etorque edition.

I have a 2013 1500 w/ 5.7, 6pd, and 3.92 gears. My camper is a 2018 Keystone Springdale 270le. It's 7000lbs dry. I have a 10,000lb Reese Dual Cam sway. It tows like a dream. Hardly any sway and more than enough power. No issues what-so-ever. My wife tends to pack like we're gone for a month too. I live in NY, been through the Adirondacks and North country (1000 islands.) If you have the 3.92 gears you're straight.

 

[JS4024]

But a 2500 problem solved. People either buy to little truck or too much trailer then want to know how to fix their issues. Consider this too, if you get into a wreck the DOT can impound your truck and trailer and weigh everything..... if you are over the max weight guess what, tickets and oh this is especially lovely...... YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY CAN REFUSE YOUR CLAIM!

 

[Phillip Southern]

I was looking at a camper on their site just today.

How were they on the price? Did you have to go through the usual pain in the ass negotiations?

Nah they were straight up about the price. It was on sale for the RV. Show they were promoting. I paid $32995. I found one in Washington for a couple grand less but I didn’t want to make the 18 hour round trip drive. Just started a new job and trying to save my hours. Gonna do weekend trips for a while

 

[Phillip Southern]

I have a 2013 1500 w/ 5.7, 6pd, and 3.92 gears. My camper is a 2018 Keystone Springdale 270le. It's 7000lbs dry. I have a 10,000lb Reese Dual Cam sway. It tows like a dream. Hardly any sway and more than enough power. No issues what-so-ever. My wife tends to pack like we're gone for a month too. I live in NY, been through the Adirondacks and North country (1000 islands.) If you have the 3.92 gears you're straight.

I thought I would be just fine, the truck is strong enough to pull a lot. I was just worried about insurance. I was afraid if we got in a wreck the insurance would find out I was overloaded and not payout.

 

[Phillip Southern]

But a 2500 problem solved. People either buy to little truck or too much trailer then want to know how to fix their issues. Consider this too, if you get into a wreck the DOT can impound your truck and trailer and weigh everything..... if you are over the max weight guess what, tickets and oh this is especially lovely...... YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY CAN REFUSE YOUR CLAIM!

Yep that was one of my main worries was getting in an accident. Insurance companies look for any reason not to pay, I get it......it’s business‍

we originally were gonna just get a pop-up so we chose the 1500 plus Mopar was running 0% APR. I can’t pass up free money!! Then the wife threw a wrench in the plans and wanted a full on TT. That whole “Happy wife happy life” crap has gotten me in a few snags over the years!!

 

[Moparfanatic21]

I'm not advocating this, but if you are only towing it less than 5 times a year see if you can register it at a higher weight. I currently do that to my old 2001 Ram 2500 (GVWR 8800) but have it registered as a 3500 (11000 GVWR).

I'm just saying this because not everyone can afford a new vehicle or maybe you don't want a 2500 to tie a few times a year.

Another option is rent a 2500 when you tow your trailer. My buddy does that when he goes camping.

 

[OC455]

If you don't load out heavy on the trailer you should be good to go. I never got anywhere near max on the trailer, but was pretty close to being max'd on the axle ratings of the truck. My WDH was set pretty darn perfect and never had an issue towing. (When I had my 1500 Bighorn)

 

[6.7CumminsDrvr]

I’ll get flamed for saying this but here goes...........

What really matters is your axle, tire, rim, and GCVWR. You stay under all those and you’ll be good to go. GVWR is a bit of arbitrary number for manufactures......case in point, my truck has a GVWR of 6800 lbs, an identically equipped ECO-Diesel is 6950 lbs. the ECO has less payload, less trailer capacity but a higher GVWR?! Reason is the engine and associated emissions stuff adds weight so in order to get the payload up (it’s still ridiculously low) they simply upped the GVWR. Truck has same frame, axles, brakes, trans, gear ratio, etc.

Anyway, take what I say with a grain of salt

 

[jeeplj8]

I try to stay away from the what can I tow conversations due to the general abundance of poor and blatantly incorrect information out there. Against my better judgement, here goes.

The basic problem with 1500 towing is how easy it is to exceed GVWR, the rear axle weight rating. I will use my trucks numbers. I have a roughly 1,200-pound payload, but an 11,200-pound tow rating. Let's say I hook up a 10,000-pound trailer (below the max rating and easy for round numbers), and the trailer has 10% tongue weight. That is 1,000 lbs going to the truck. The total of all passengers and cargo cannot exceed 200 pounds or I am over the trucks GVWR. Just an example of how easy it is to exceed one of the many specific ratings that carry wildly with your trim level and towing setup.

From a criminal standpoint, many people will point it is not illegal (and by their logic therefore legal) to tow in excess of manufacturer designated ratings. This is a common fallacy. So long as neither vehicle nor the trailer, are registered as commercial vehicles this partly true. It is NOT true if you own a business and the business owns either the tow vehicle or the trailer. it is also NOT legal if the driver has a commercial licence, depending on your state. However, towing in excess of any manufacturer rating is a rebuttable presumption of negligence, recklessness and carelessness. All of which are possible grounds for a charge of not just those specific criminal activities, but also homicide should you get into an accident where someone dies. BTW - you also need to make sure you comply with state laws as to weight ratings on your plates. Some state penalties for being overweight are $1/pound. That adds up really quick.

From a civil standpoint, it is again evidence of common negligence, and possibly recklessness. the first means you were at fault. The second means you acted in such a way punitive damages may be awarded. You really don't want to be in that situation.

The reality is that many people do drive way in excess of these ratings, and most have nothing happen. The few that do are paying for my daughters education.

 

[Gearjunkie]

my other question is I was looking at a 6” lift kit. It’s the BDS adjustable coil over lift kit and I’m adding airbags as well. I’ve read that lift kits effect towing and I’ve read that it doesn’t effect it. I’m looking at a 30/31’ (Hitch to bumper) travel trailer with a GVWR of 7600 lbs. I don’t plan on maxing it out as far as the GVWR but, has anyone pulled this type of trailer with a lifted half ton?

I'm a little late here but adding a lift kit would be a BIG mistake for towing. The lower the tow vehicle, the more stable it is.