Towing an RV Trailer

[Black W900]

You won the ******* contest. Now, please tell me in what ways a 1500 tows ANYTHING better than a 2500. You did say "...larger trucks are better in some ways for towing...". Please name the ways they are not better, because I can't think of any. When you say "some", I take it as somewhere around 15-50%. If you meant any more than that, and you probably would use the word "most" or similar.

You are taking this way too seriously....in some ways

Also, my 3/4 ton is a gasser. It has rear coils and may not be as plush riding as it's little sister, but it's a far cry from the old school 3/4 tons. Being a gasser, maintaining it does not cost any more than the little ones.

I agree....In some ways.

Please don't say gas mileage. They all suck in that department and it's trivial to argue over a couple mpg.

MPG means nothing to me...In my opinion, If you can't afford to feed it, You can't afford to own it.

 

[Rampant]

It’s almost like you guys are thinking I’m arguing that a bigger truck isn’t better. Well no kidding bigger is always better.

I’m
Simply saying it is not needed in my case and many others. We all know 1/2ton trucks are rated to tow at 10,000lbs or more. That’s definitely sketchy at best. But 6,000/8,000 is realistic.

Actually, that's not true at all. Most 1/2 ton trucks are NOT rated for 10k or even close to it. Especially if you have a 4x4 with a crew cab and standard bed. As a matter of fact, the ONLY way you can have a 10K capacity with a CC 4x4 standard bed is if you have 3.92 gears and a 6 speed. You don't come across a lot of 1500s with 3.92 gears or a 6 speed in a 4th gen. Thank the gov for that. Here's the towing guide if you'd like to compare.

 

[Rampant]

You are taking this way too seriously....in some ways



I agree....In some ways.



MPG means nothing to me...In my opinion, If you can't afford to feed it, You can't afford to own it.

I agree. In some ways. LOL

 

[Sweetee]

Not sure I understand this concept. Basically a plate changes your trucks capability?

No, it doesn't change the capability. But there is another thread dealing with the fact that half-tons are marginal at best at payload capacity. If you have a tonneau cover or topper and put 10-15% tongue weight of a 7000 lb. trailer on your truck you are probably over your GVWR. In WI you are definitely over the registration weight limit of a "B" plate. By going with a "C" plate your are at least legal with our DOT. If you have an accident and you are over your registered weight you are definitely in trouble. Overloading your truck may have warranty implications. Being over your registered weight can be a legal nightmare. Just ask any commercial driver.

 

[MasonD21]

In WI you are definitely over the registration weight limit of a "B" plate. By going with a "C" plate your are at least legal with our DOT.

Some states have rules above and beyond just the capabilities of your rig. Sweetee was just outlining how some states require you to be licensed for different classes of plates, like in Texas you need to have a "Class C license" over 26,000lbs. Class C doesn't mean Commercial Driving License. It's simply a classification that PROVES you are certified to drive and control that weight. But you are still bound by the actual weight limitations of your equipment. Whether that's 1/2-ton, 1-ton, 4500, 6500, etc.

 

[Bldrinker]

No, it doesn't change the capability. But there is another thread dealing with the fact that half-tons are marginal at best at payload capacity. If you have a tonneau cover or topper and put 10-15% tongue weight of a 7000 lb. trailer on your truck you are probably over your GVWR. In WI you are definitely over the registration weight limit of a "B" plate. By going with a "C" plate your are at least legal with our DOT. If you have an accident and you are over your registered weight you are definitely in trouble. Overloading your truck may have warranty implications. Being over your registered weight can be a legal nightmare. Just ask any commercial driver.

So the basic B plate given to you by the state is below your vehicles capability? And you have to pay ext for a plate that does cover your capability?

Or do you purchase a plate above your capability making state liable?

 

[Sweetee]

So the basic B plate given to you by the state is below your vehicles capability? And you have to pay ext for a plate that does cover your capability?

Or do you purchase a plate above your capability making state liable?

In WI pickup trucks can have an A, B or C plate. The general assumption is that compact trucks qualify for an A plate that licenses you for up to 4500 lbs. This was probably put in place when Rangers, S-10 and Dakotas were around. The B plate qualifies the truck for up to 6000 lb. Many people think that a 1/2 ton pickup will qualify for a B plate. The problem is that with the advent of quad and crew cab trucks, 6000 barely covers the "dry" weight of many of these trucks. As I stated before, with my Leer topper, my CC 1500 4x4 with a Pentastar V6 weighs 5800+ lbs. without driver, passenger or payload. Put a couple people and a couple suit cases in and its well over 6000 lbs. Most people who have 3/4 and 1 ton pickups opt for a C plate that gives you 8000 lbs. Not wanting to be under-registered, I opted to license my 1/2 ton with a C plate. This gives me a potential total of almost 2200 lbs. to play with. I know my GVWR is 6800 lbs., but at least now I am "legal" in the eyes of our DOT. The difference in price between a B plate and a C plate is $22 a year. Not a bad price to pay to be within the "letter of the law." I know states vary with how vehicles are licensed and registered. In WI a yearly registration for a B plate pickup is $84. A C plate goes for $104. It surely beats what many of you pay for yearly registration. Of course, you may actually have roads that are not falling apart. Between potholes, frost heaves, substandard bridges, etc., WI is not a vehicle friendly state.

 

[Bldrinker]

Actually, that's not true at all. Most 1/2 ton trucks are NOT rated for 10k or even close to it. Especially if you have a 4x4 with a crew cab and standard bed. As a matter of fact, the ONLY way you can have a 10K capacity with a CC 4x4 standard bed is if you have 3.92 gears and a 6 speed. You don't come across a lot of 1500s with 3.92 gears or a 6 speed in a 4th gen. Thank the gov for that. Here's the towing guide if you'd like to compare.

So you think gears make it safer to tow a trailer?

 

[Bldrinker]

We are saying the same thing, except I lean a little more to the right. Yes, you can do that with a 1500, but there are much better options. That was the gist of what I was saying in my previous reply. If you're happy with your setup, great.

Ofcourse there are better options. But when what you have does it effortlessly why spend more money on a bigger truck?
I will admit anything bigger than my trailer I would get a 3/4ton. Not for power or stopping ability but to combat wind.

 

[Rampant]

So you think gears make it safer to tow a trailer?

Well, it's hard to quantify "safer". In contrast, it's not hard to quantify the mechanical advantage lower gearing provides the engine. You usually can't get the max towing package without the lower gearing either, which includes a bigger radiator, sometimes alt., lowest gearing available, mirrors, beefier hitch, etc., etc.

 

[Rampant]

Ofcourse there are better options. But when what you have does it effortlessly why spend more money on a bigger truck?
I will admit anything bigger than my trailer I would get a 3/4ton. Not for power or stopping ability but to combat wind.

Oh there's no doubt the 5.7 has the power to do it. It's everything else around it that's closer to passenger car grade. My truck weighs 7110 lbs cleaned out with the gas light on. A comparably equipped 1500 weighs almost 2000 lbs less. That's what keeps you planted in the windy stuff.

 

[tbaker65]

Yeah. I bought a 2017 1500 just before Christmas. I've had a couple of debates in other threads with 2500 owners who called my 1500 a "grocery getter", "that can tow some things". Some of them claim the 1500 isn't built to tow... etc., etc., you need a 2500... same as this thread.

I say, yeah, sure, that's why Ram installed the hitch on my truck, put the tow/haul switch in there for me and wired it with a 7/4 pin connection - so I wouldn't tow anything - and then published it in writing that I could tow over 10,000 lbs with it...? I mean, WTF?

I had one dude (a 2500 guy) tell me, literally, publicly state that I was risking killing him and his entire family because my truck wasn't meant for towing, I was going to be overloaded, etc... AND, just now I was reading a thread from a couple months back where the SAME guy stated he was trying to beef up his 1500 because he said, in his own words, HE was overloading his own 1500 (before he got a 2500 I take it)... WTF is that?

I said it before, I'll say it again. Yes, your 2500 is better than my 1500. You can tow 15,000 pounds and have a payload of 3,000 pounds or whatever the numbers are - that's great. But, my 1500 is a f**kin beast for what I need it for and I'm gunna tow the sh*t out of my camper with it.

And when we're at the coffee shop and I start bragging about how impressive my 1500 is and you cut in and embarrass me with your 2500 numbers, I'll go home with my head hanging in shame... until then, I'm going to enjoy my 1500 and it's capabilities... I love my 1500!

Cheers to your Rams!

 

[tbaker65]

Yeah, here's the guy who was chastising me about my 1500. In a thread I was browsing this morning, I found this:
----------------------------

The rear springs on my 1500 seem a bit weak. Admittedly I do overload the poor thing on occasion.[...]

[...]Handling is so sketchy when I do. And mostly only overload a few times a year so don't want to deal with a 2500/3500 rough ride for that.[...]

---------------------------

Then after he buys a 2500 he remarkably has more of a safety conscience about it, going so far as accusing me of threatening the lives of him and his family...? Does this seem odd to anyone else besides me?
-------------------------

[...] the bricks alone probably puts you over the load limit for a 1500.[...]

outcomes could be any of the following: [...] premature death to me and my family.

------------------------

Anyhow, I love my 1500 and its capabilities are well-within what I need it for. This talk about you can't tow with it or need a 2500 are, well, nonsense...

Cheers!

 

[pcschwenke]

This is quite a debate and I was once on the side of the 1500. In my case we never had issues other than bouncing up and down at different times. We knew we were well above the payload. I had airbags & D rated tires. In the end, it boiled down to a lightweight truck was overloaded. Look at you door sticker and it will show actual loads. Don’t go by advertised. Any steps, bed liner, cover, or accesory detracts from payload. This includes passengers, firewood, and all the camping supplies. We towed a Jayco 28BHBE for 2 years before upgrading and glad we did. Just because you can cruise around and see other overloaded trucks in a campground doesn’t mean it’s safe.

 

[tbaker65]

Just because you can cruise around and see other overloaded trucks in a campground doesn’t mean it’s safe.

See, there it is again... You 2500 guys always imply we are going to "cruise around overloaded"...? and therefore, we need a 2500? Where do you get all that from?

Let me ask you this: Do the 3500 guys bust your balls too telling you your 2500 is incapable of doing what it was designed to do and therefore you need a 3500? Or does this oddity only apply to the 2500 vs. 1500 group?

 

[monteholic]

not to mention that these tow ratings are quite conservative to begin with

 

[Gordinho80]

I've enjoyed this thread. I first started watching because I just picked up my 1500 2 months ago to act as my tow vehicle for a recently acquired 28 ft travel trailer. I didn't go 2500 because I won't be taking the trailer out more than 2-3 times a year if I'm lucky, at least for the foreseeable future. And even when that happens, we're talking 3-4 hours away, maybe one of those trips would be double. The rest of the time, the truck would be a "grocery getter". I'm OK with that. I'm OK with adding some Timber Grove air bags to the rear that I can dial up when I hook up the trailer using the Weight Distribution Hitch it came with. Most of the year the truck is going to sit in my driveway unloaded.

But I do see the benefits of a 2500 as a tow vehicle... I looked at some 2500s before I bought my 1500. I chose the 1500 because I prefer a smoother ride the majority of the time I'm driving it. When I do tow, I'm cautious and I take my time. I'll fight the occasional wind I may face every now and then. When I retire and we consider travelling more often, I'll get a 2500, until then, my 1500 should serve my needs just fine.

 

[GsRAM]

Nothing wrong with a 1500 for towing, nothing at all. I towed with them for years and had no issues.

If you don't need or want the capabilities of a 2500 get the 1500. It's very capable if used within its ratings. If your going to a knife fight, you don't necessarily need a gun. Sure it's a benefit to have one, but you don't need it. Lol!

My concern is when I see 1500s towing 30 plus foot trailers with the back end of the truck down on the bump stops, headlights pointed up at the sky and the owner will brag about how well it tows and there's no issues.

There was a recent post on here like that with photos and it was all I could do not to comment.

To each there own. ....

 

[Skrap]

Ofcourse there are better options. But when what you have does it effortlessly why spend more money on a bigger truck?
I will admit anything bigger than my trailer I would get a 3/4ton. Not for power or stopping ability but to combat wind.

Good Lord!

 

[MasonD21]

Let me ask you this: Do the 3500 guys bust your balls too telling you your 2500 is incapable of doing what it was designed to do and therefore you need a 3500?

Nope. Because 3500 guys know that a 2500 and 3500 are pretty much identical in terms of the overall platform.

Purchase, utilize, and enjoy the truck that is satisfactory for the job you are asking it to do. Period.

If you drive a 1500, and you are within your weights provided by the manufacturer, that's fantastic! The opinions of others are based on experience. I posted the reason I decided to move to an HD truck, even though I'm not towing that much weight. I consider myself experienced at towing trailers of moderate weight, but definitely I felt (I won't use the word "safer" to deviate from the idea that it is "unsafe to tow without an HD truck") like I was not "white knuckling" driving the truck in inclement weather or in possible emergency situations. Placebo effect? Maybe. Comfort while towing? Absolutely.

At the end of the day, I like the whole RAM lineup.