What to Buy and Towing Help

[ZombieClownZ]

Hello RAM Truck Peoples,

I’m new and looking for a little guidance in deciding what kind of truck and the options I need. Any help you all can offer will be greatly appreciated.

First let’s start with my purpose. I want a truck that I can put a truck camper shell, like a Lance 1172 on and a tow trailer with vehicle, totaling 12000lbs behind the truck (it’s more likely to be 9-10,000lbs but let’s be safe with 12). The camper I’m hoping to get is a big one, sitting around 4174lbs dry (factory numbers). I would also be using a WDH for the trailer.

My plan is to get a RAM 3500 Tradesman Crew Cab 4x4 8ft bed Tradesmen DRW. With the following:

• Cummings 6.7 Turbo HO Diesel
• AISIN 6 Speed Transmission
• Max Tow Package
• Rear stabilizing air bags
• GVWR 14,000lbs
• DRW
• 5th Wheel towing setup (which is not really needed for my purpose).

What I’m wondering is if this will be enough for what I’m looking to do? Mainly I can’t find any info that says going from 11,0000 GVWR to 14,000 GVWR will help my payload at all, which is my big concern in all of this. I have no doubt that this specific truck could tow 12,000lbs with ease.

Any tips, suggestions or what not would be appreciated. Like skip the manufacturer tow package and put on aftermarket stuff (recommendations on that front would be awesome), or dump the 4x4 to get that extra bit. I chose 4x4 because we do end up off the grid when we go camping.

Thank you

Edit: change weight of Camper Shell and clarified it was a camper, not just a plastic shell.

 

[RedneckHippy]

Delete

 

[OC455]

You will have enough payload with the DRW/14k setup.

 

[HDGoose]

Just remember, the higher the trim the less payload. My 2020 RAM 3500 Tradesman HO Aisin CC LB 4x4 has a payload of 5475. You said camper shell, so depending on the load in the bed, you have plenty of payload for the trailer tonque weith of up to 1200-1400 pounds.

 

[star_deceiver]

Start looking at bigger trucks. 45/5500 chassis cabs.

On the 3500, the 5000lb dry camper alone will max out your payload once you load her up unless you go regular cab low end model. Add tongue weight and you’ll get the true Cali-lean!

 

[Firetruck41]

With 5500lb (conservative) camper loaded weight already in the bed, you are adding about 1400lbs of tongue weight for a 12k lb trailer. You are at a payload of about 7k lbs at that point, before even counting you or a passengers weight.

Looking at the chart for 2020 there is a range of 5400-7680lbs of payload for 3500 DRW. So, you would be somewhere between very close to max or way over max payload. To get the highest payload, I think you need the 6.4 Hemi, regular cab, 4x2, etc...



EDIT: A Regular Cab Tradesman 3500 4x4 DRW Cummins with the Aisin, has payload capacity of 6130 lbs

EDIT #2: I read your original post as: you want to be able to have a 5k lb truck bed camper (in the bed) and tow a 12k lb (loaded weight) trailer, simultaneously. Basically, this is not possible with the 3500 you specified, if you wish to stay within it's published capabilities.

 

[392DevilDog]

Payload and towing are mutually exclusive.

You can have 6k payload or tow a 20k trailer. You cannot do both.

Having said that. The 35k is only a gooseneck rating.

Are you looking at 2019 to 21 or an older truck.

When you say truck camper shell...do you mean a fiberglass cap or an actual truck camper.

Your post is a bit confusing as to what you actually mean.

And the reason their is such a span on the 3500 towing...it is because the rating you showed is both single and dual rear wheel.

 

[392DevilDog]

I re read your post and think I got what you are planning.

A 12k trailer will have over 1200lbs tongue weight.

So just the camper and the trailer at minimum will have over 6200lbs payload.

The Cummins loses about 1100lbs payload over the Hemi off the bat.

You got alot going on for one truck to do.

I also just saw the 5500lb dry...you are looking at that camper weighing over 6000lbs before you actually hit the road.

 

[ZombieClownZ]

@Firetruck41 and @392DevilDog you have the gist of it. The truck camper shell is a Lance 1172, and I would be towing my Jeep Wrangler on a trailer behind it.

I was wrong on the camper weight, it's 4174 LBS dry, but I think I would still like to plan for 10K - 12K LBS between trailer and Jeep for towing. Jeep currently weighs 5700 LBS and with upcoming mods it could easily get to 6500. I will be shooting for an aluminum trailer to lighten the tow load, but I'm planning a little heavier for right now.

On Firetruck's link, I didn't see an option for a DRW. Would DRW and increasing the GVWR of the vehicle to 14K would make a difference? My plan is to order a new truck with the specs I need, which is what I'm trying to figure out.

It may be that I need to drop down on the camper size to a slightly smaller one, but I thought I would aim big and adjust from there.

I was also told that I should go diesel instead of the Hemi, because the Hemi would struggle towing this much around, especially up hill.

 

[El Huapo]

Just don't try this----don't know if this real or BS, but damn!

 

[ZombieClownZ]

Just don't try this----don't know if this real or BS, but damn!

Literally trying to avoid that by asking questions. but yea, wtf is going on there?

 

[Travelin Ram]

I have the same opinion as @star_deceiver . Size up. Operation at or near 100% of ratings is not pleasant. Buy yourself some margin.

PS love the zombie clown handle. Is this your apocalypse vehicle?

 

[El Huapo]

It was on the news as being somewhere in Canada. The Patrol pulled him over, impounded his truck, fined him $3800 Canadian, etc. So the story goes, never know with today's internet. You are doing the right thing to research and ask for experienced people's opinions, yes.

 

[392DevilDog]

There ya go. With diesel you are looking at 5500 lb payload or less. Remeber that is cargo and passengers.

You got a bit of axle capacity in reserve...but not much.

You need something much bigger to do what you plan.

Will it work...sure...right up until it doesn't

 

[dhay13]

@Firetruck41 and @392DevilDog you have the gist of it. The truck camper shell is a Lance 1172, and I would be towing my Jeep Wrangler on a trailer behind it.

I was wrong on the camper weight, it's 4174 LBS dry, but I think I would still like to plan for 10K - 12K LBS between trailer and Jeep for towing. Jeep currently weighs 5700 LBS and with upcoming mods it could easily get to 6500. I will be shooting for an aluminum trailer to lighten the tow load, but I'm planning a little heavier for right now.

On Firetruck's link, I didn't see an option for a DRW. Would DRW and increasing the GVWR of the vehicle to 14K would make a difference? My plan is to order a new truck with the specs I need, which is what I'm trying to figure out.

It may be that I need to drop down on the camper size to a slightly smaller one, but I thought I would aim big and adjust from there.

I was also told that I should go diesel instead of the Hemi, because the Hemi would struggle towing this much around, especially up hill.

In my opinion that is too much for the Hemi. You will be at the upper end of the towing scale already and now throw in a 5000lb camper and that Hemi, although great, is not enough for that much load.

I agree you need something even bigger than a 3500 DRW diesel. I'm sure it would probably do it but may not be legal. You really need closer weights on the camper and trailer. Something else to consider is when hauling a camper that sticks out maybe 2' your trailer will now be very close to the camper and you may have interference when turning. And if you add a hitch extender that reduces your tow capacity.

 

[Firetruck41]

@Firetruck41 and @392DevilDog you have the gist of it. The truck camper shell is a Lance 1172, and I would be towing my Jeep Wrangler on a trailer behind it.

I was wrong on the camper weight, it's 4174 LBS dry, but I think I would still like to plan for 10K - 12K LBS between trailer and Jeep for towing. Jeep currently weighs 5700 LBS and with upcoming mods it could easily get to 6500. I will be shooting for an aluminum trailer to lighten the tow load, but I'm planning a little heavier for right now.

On Firetruck's link, I didn't see an option for a DRW. Would DRW and increasing the GVWR of the vehicle to 14K would make a difference? My plan is to order a new truck with the specs I need, which is what I'm trying to figure out.

It may be that I need to drop down on the camper size to a slightly smaller one, but I thought I would aim big and adjust from there.

I was also told that I should go diesel instead of the Hemi, because the Hemi would struggle towing this much around, especially up hill.

The numbers in my previous post, were for DRW. If you go to the link in my previous post and click on 3500, it has SRW and DRW listed in the PDF document.

EDIT: I removed the link, as it didn't take you were I intended, I added the PDF to my original post and will add it here, as well.

 

[ZombieClownZ]

Just want to say thank you to everyone for the solid info. I thought I was good with my setup, but it seems I need to tone down the camper or get a bigger truck. I may be back with revised numbers.

 

[392DevilDog]

Thanks for asking and accepting the thoughts we gave.

A smaller truck camper...or no trailer.

Or a 5th wheel toy hauler or car trailer with living quarters depending on what the trailer is for.

Edit: I see you said Jeep...my reading comprehension is off tonight

I guess if it is a big boat...maybe a smaller boat. Or if your travel area allows a 5th wheel camper and a trailer behind it.

But you are looking at having a truck with no room for driver...let alone passengers and stuff.

With the HO you will have about 5400 payload...if your tradesman has no options.

So you have to figure what will be in the truck when you head out. Lets say you a passenger and cargo at say 700 pounds. So your truck now has 4700lbs available. Say a 900 pound trailer with 1100lb tongue...so you have 3600 left for that slide in camper.

And you will be buying alot of fuel to shuttle that down the road.

The HO is powerful...but it drinks heavily. The SO will actually get better mileage...and give about 300 more pounds of payload.

 

[ZombieClownZ]

And I'm back, just because I'm really trying to sort this out.
So according to the above .pdf (thank you @Firetruck41)


if I drop my Truck Camper Shell to a lighter weight one, that comes in at just over 3600 LBS dry, and then adding 900 LB's for water and camping gear (wet weight is 4073 LBS factory numbers). With a trailer GVWR of 10,000 LBS. and a tongue weight of 10%. It looks like I'm coming in ok?

 

[392DevilDog]

Yes. With the 4x2 those numbers are correct for the SO Cummins.

And your numbers do work out much better.

You will be under capacity with some room to spare...which is a much better place to be.