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Ram 1500 5.7 towing recommendation

rvator97
Explorer
Explorer
Have a 2014 Ram 1500, 5.7 Hemi. Looking for first trailer. Manual says max towing is 10,400lbs. Looking at Cougar 28ft trailer @ dry weight of 6400 and a Cougar 5th wheel, 28ft at 7000 dry. It looks like the "numbers" work, but is it realistic ?
Truck GVWR is 6900
GCWR is 15,650

Thanks,
Walt
16 REPLIES 16

Hemi_Power
Explorer
Explorer
Don`t get caught up in ``what it can pull vs what it can carry``
I had an 03 1500 Quad Cab Hemi with the tow pkg, 3:91 gears and the 20in tires.
Rear axle weight is 3900lbs on the 1500, very easy to exceed that weight when loaded. Years ago I upgraded to a 1500 MegaCab (really a 2500) with the same Hemi, 3:73 gears and a full float 6100lbs rear axle weight rating. Night and Day difference in towing and now have a truck that is not way over on my rear axle weight.
2006 Puma 249 Fifth Wheel
2008 Dodge 1500 HEMI Mega Cab
Reese 16K Signature Series Slider Hitch

falconbrother
Explorer II
Explorer II
We bought a 27 ft trailer with a slide that is 5700 dry. I figure about 6500 ready to camp. 6400 dry seems heavy for 28 feet. Nevertheless, that truck will pull it.

VernDiesel
Explorer
Explorer
Yeah make sure the TT GVWR is less than your max tow then consider how much you additionally need to load on the truck. The rest is just proper weight distribution. Fwiw most commonly people load about 1,000 pounds over their dry weight regardless of TT GVWR. Lol Toy Haullers are entirely different.

People who covet the payload sticker & start estimating everything & don't consider the weight the WDH returns to the TT and don't use scales are throwing darts in the dark with their recommendations.
Transportr TT & boats RAM EconoDiesel Factory TBC, Tow mirrors, Hitch camera, Axle to frame air bags, Tune w turbo brake, Max tow 9,200 CGAR 7,800 CVWR 15,950 axle weights 3,340 steer 2,260 drive Truck pushed head gasket at 371k has original trans at 500k

rvator97
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks! The fifth wheel is obviously a no go. Looking at smaller trailers.....under 6500 loaded and loaded hitch weight under 800 lbs.

Turns out that my 4X4 truck, with the 3.21 axle ratio has even lower towing limits than the owners manual states:?. Max trailer weight actually is 8000lbs,( not 10500), max payload is 1550 lbs, and GCWR is 13,500, (not 15500).

Ron3rd
Explorer
Explorer
rvator97 wrote:
Got it....thank you!


Good luck Walt, and always assume your trailer with weigh the gross weight. It will never be close to the dry weight.
2016 6.7 CTD 2500 BIG HORN MEGA CAB
2013 Forest River 3001W Windjammer
Equilizer Hitch
Honda EU2000

"I have this plan to live forever; so far my plan is working"

rvator97
Explorer
Explorer
Got it....thank you!

VernDiesel
Explorer
Explorer
Walt either trailer should work fine. Both trailers wet will be at the upper limits of what the suspension will comfortably handle. You would benefit from air bags such as https://timbergroveenterprises.com/old-home/

If you get the Bumper pull you will also need a good WDH such as https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=Husky+Weight+Distribution+Hitch

In either case The key to assure a safe comfortable tow that would survive an emergency accident avoidance swerve around will be to take the load to a Truck stop CAT scale that weights your steer drive & trailer axles separately at the same time. CAT has a free smart phone app with info locations & gps directions. It's usually like $12 first weigh $2 per additional.

My 14 Ram ED unloaded steer is 3,340. Weight your truck for your unloaded steer weight. My first goal in setting up a wet trailer on the scale is to try to at least replace the unloaded steer weight. My Second goal is get the drive axle down to as close to 3,900 as reasonably possible. IE max axle rating. Personally I'm not comfortable for long drives with a drive axle weight that's more than 10 percent over ie 4,300 here. Third goal is to get drive & steer as close to 50/50 bias as is reasonably possible. Take a tape measure to make sure your TT measures as close as reasonably possible to being level ie same distance to the ground front & rear.

You will need a trailer brake controller & can add the factory unit if your truck doesn't have it. 3.92s would be preferable but if trucks a 4WD it is what it is. IMO At tire replacement time an ideal tire would be an E load such as Michelin Defender or General Grabber offered in a 265/60/20 if you have 20" wheels.
Transportr TT & boats RAM EconoDiesel Factory TBC, Tow mirrors, Hitch camera, Axle to frame air bags, Tune w turbo brake, Max tow 9,200 CGAR 7,800 CVWR 15,950 axle weights 3,340 steer 2,260 drive Truck pushed head gasket at 371k has original trans at 500k

camp-n-family
Explorer
Explorer
rvator97 wrote:
So, the max "towing" weight of 10500lbs, per Dodge really doesn't mean anything....

My max payload for the truck is 1400lbs. Estimate that weight of driver, passenger, gas, dog, etc would be 500 lbs.
Therefore I have to keep the "dry tongue weight", ( is this also referred to as "hitch weight'?) below 900lbs...right?


No, you have to keep your LOADED tongue weight below 900lbs. Dry weight is the empty trailer, no options, gear etc in it yet.
'17 Ram 2500 Crewcab Laramie CTD
'13 Keystone Bullet Premier 310BHPR
Hitched by Hensley

Ron3rd
Explorer
Explorer
MFL wrote:
rvator97 wrote:
Also have to wonder why Cougar calls these "1/2 ton Trailers".....since the hitch weight of 1400 lbs is right about the same as the max payload weight! (If my math is correct!)


Many FW manufacturers advertise 1/2 ton towables, but they don't say all 1/2 Ts. Some of the newer 1/2s have a 2000+ lb payload, and will be just adequate for these trailers.

Jerry


That's true, and you end up with a little 5th wheel, less bang for the buck. Much more value in a travel trailer for 1/2 tons.
2016 6.7 CTD 2500 BIG HORN MEGA CAB
2013 Forest River 3001W Windjammer
Equilizer Hitch
Honda EU2000

"I have this plan to live forever; so far my plan is working"

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
rvator97 wrote:
Also have to wonder why Cougar calls these "1/2 ton Trailers".....since the hitch weight of 1400 lbs is right about the same as the max payload weight! (If my math is correct!)


Many FW manufacturers advertise 1/2 ton towables, but they don't say all 1/2 Ts. Some of the newer 1/2s have a 2000+ lb payload, and will be just adequate for these trailers.

Jerry

Ron3rd
Explorer
Explorer
Forget the fifth wheel and go with the trailer. You'll be fine
I towed heavier that with my tundra
2016 6.7 CTD 2500 BIG HORN MEGA CAB
2013 Forest River 3001W Windjammer
Equilizer Hitch
Honda EU2000

"I have this plan to live forever; so far my plan is working"

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
Yeah, "tow ratings" do not necessarily equate to travel trailers... Boats can weigh a lot, but have pretty low tongue weights. So, there you go right there..

Travel trailers/5th wheels have a lot more tongue weight than boats, so that's where the "rub" is here...

At the end of the day, you'll get down the road no matter how much weight you put on your truck... You just gotta decide what ratings and what other factors you choose to abide by..

I tow what I tow with a truck that far exceeds any of the weight limits of my RV.. Why? Because that's what I prefer to do after towing all sorts of things over the last 35+ years I've been driving and towing stuff for work and for pleasure..

The max GVWR TT I'd go for with my current truck would be #7500... Is that leaving a lot on the table? Sure... But I don't need that much in terms of TT and I want to enjoy the driving time as much as I want to enjoy the camping time... 🙂

No one but YOU is going to be behind the wheel of your rig, so in the end, it all boils down to what you are comfortable with.. Not what us "interweb goofs" are comfortable with.. 🙂

Good luck!

Mitch
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

rvator97
Explorer
Explorer
Also have to wonder why Cougar calls these "1/2 ton Trailers".....since the hitch weight of 1400 lbs is right about the same as the max payload weight! (If my math is correct!)

rvator97
Explorer
Explorer
So, the max "towing" weight of 10500lbs, per Dodge really doesn't mean anything....

My max payload for the truck is 1400lbs. Estimate that weight of driver, passenger, gas, dog, etc would be 500 lbs.
Therefore I have to keep the "dry tongue weight", ( is this also referred to as "hitch weight'?) below 900lbs...right?