Ram pulling a Salem/wildwood 27dbk

[Boggs]

Hey guys picking up my TT Friday 6500 lbs dry, tongue weight 700 lbs. pulling with a 1500 Ram hemi. Looks like my limit is 10,000 lbs and payload is 1500lbs. Will my family's be safe with these limits? My lease is up in 3 months. I can get something different if needed. But had my eye on another ram 1500

[Flybob]

Dry weight is a marketing game. You will be closer to 8000lbs. You will need a good WH and pack light.

[rockfordroo]

What Flybob said.

Figure your loaded tongue weight is about 13% of the trailer weight, plus adding a weight distribution hitch (yeah, you need one) of 75-100 lbs, and you're looking at about 1000 lb tongue weight. Subtract that from your 1500 lb payload and you've got 500 lbs left for you, the wife, the kids, the dog, and any other "stuff" you put in the truck.

Tow vehicles typically go out on payload before "towing capacity," which why manufacturers are always touting towing capacity and rarely discuss payload, except in vague terms.

All that being said, the "anti-weight police" will tell you you're just fine; they do it all the time (and they're quite proud of it). But it's your wife and kids so it's up to you to decide.

[rracer5]

I see from your profile that you are in Michigan. Unless you plan on getting the new TT and hitting the road for an extended trip over the next three months, you should be OK. Since winter is setting in, it probably won't see much use. Wait out the 3 months and when your lease is up, upgrade to a 2500 and be done with it. And you'll be ready for your next TT upgrade if you feel the need.

[m2kamp]

Power won't be a limiting factor, especially if your truck has the 8 speed transmission.

Visit a CAT scale at a truck stop full of gas, ready to camp and get your trucks front and rear axle weights. This will tell you where you stand with remaining payload.

IMO, it depends on your usage. Weekend warrior, no problem provided you use an Equalizer 4pt type hitch as a minimum. Also suggest stiffening up the rear end with some Airlift 1000 airbags. Ram 1500s are designed with comfort (to which they excel) ahead of hauling ability. LT tires also, if its time to replace.

Full timing or cross country hauls, I recommend a bigger truck.

IMO, the numbers you should NEVER exceed are your GAWRs and Tire Ratings. Typically, you'll exceed GAWR before Tires.

Payload also based on the Tire PSI spec'd by the MFG (in your case probably 39 PSI), hence "Tire and Loading Information Sticker"

[Boggs]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Dry weight is a marketing game. You will be closer to 8000lbs. You will need a good WH and pack light.

So it does not weigh 6500? Good grief. I was kind of basing everything around that. Am I better off getting an F150 or Silverado? Really wanted to stay with a 1500.

[m2kamp]

Closer to 8000 lbs loaded and ready to camp, not dry.

Don't bother with another half ton. Go 2500 or bigger. My Ram 2500 can tow any size TT and a good number of 5ers. If you end up enjoying the lifestyle, you'll want to upgrade in the future.

[aceinspp]

Definitely up grade to the 2500 you will be glade you did. Not much different driving and mileage about the same as the 1/2 ton. Called planning ahead if you decide to up grade your camper. Later RJD

[2Evil4U]

My hemi 1500 4x4 3.92 pulled my 9400# 832IKBS with zero drama once I got the WDH set up properly, changed to Bilstein 5100 shocks for added damping and added a large Derale oil cooler with its own thermostatically operated fan.

As you will be able to change vehicles soon, I would suggest a 2500 with the 6.4 gas motor. You still won't have huge payload as the 2500s use coils in the rear, but your towing experience will be much improved over the leased 1500 which I assume you can't modify.

[m2kamp]

The rear coils on the Ram 2500 are not lacking in payload compared to conventional leaf sprung 3/4 ton trucks (My sticker payload is close to 3200lbs).

The 5 link rear coil design gives much improved towing/handling stability over a conventional rear leaf design.

I believe the very soft Ram 1500 coils play into the general assumption that coils carry less. The 1500 has linear coils, 2500 much beefier progressive coils.

[Boggs]

Originally Posted by 2Evil4U

My hemi 1500 4x4 3.92 pulled my 9400# 832IKBS with zero drama once I got the WDH set up properly, changed to Bilstein 5100 shocks for added damping and added a large Derale oil cooler with its own thermostatically operated fan.

As you will be able to change vehicles soon, I would suggest a 2500 with the 6.4 gas motor. You still won't have huge payload as the 2500s use coils in the rear, but your towing experience will be much improved over the leased 1500 which I assume you can't modify.

Would the Bilstein be a good option if i went with the 1500 Ram? We only pull 4 times a year 500 Mile round trips.

[m2kamp]

Bilsteins are excellent shocks.

But before purchasing those, definitely get Airlift 1000 airbags for less than $100 and install them it only takes minutes and is removable without damaging your leased truck.

Also, learn how to dial in a Weight Distributing hitch correctly. Do not rely on the RV dealer to set it up, guarantee it will be wrong.

Run your rear tires at max cold sidewall pressure (44PSI)

Again, Equalizer 4pt WD recommended, don't cheap out there.

[Restcure]

FWIW, we tow a trailer that typically weighs close to its 6570 lb GVWR. We have a payload of 1566 lbs and with the three of us, the camping kitty and the stuff we carry in the truck we're using almost all of that payload.

YMMV.

[Dastagg]

I have a Ram 1500 and pulling my Windjammer that has a 7800 lb weight without anything in it from factory. It pulls great with the Hemi in my truck which is gasoline. Gas mileage is between 8 to 9 mpg which is not great, but my old motorhome before I went 5o trailer got between 6 to 7 mpg in it with a Ford V-10. I did put some air lifts on my rear axle to help lift back end but without inflating the drop in the back end was acceptable without lifts. I put the lift in before hauling my trailer to insure it was fine and would have been ok without. The air bag brings it to close if not even to a 2500 since the biggest difference between the two are suspension leaf springs vs coiled. The air bags help with the difference. If I change trucks, I will skip to the 3500 Ram with deisel, but no plans to change anytime in the near future as my truck does great as it is.

[Boggs]

Originally Posted by Dastagg

I have a Ram 1500 and pulling my Windjammer that has a 7800 lb weight without anything in it from factory. It pulls great with the Hemi in my truck which is gasoline. Gas mileage is between 8 to 9 mpg which is not great, but my old motorhome before I went 5o trailer got between 6 to 7 mpg in it with a Ford V-10. I did put some air lifts on my rear acle to help lift back end but without inflating the drop in the back end was acceptable without lifts. I put the lift in before hauling my trailer to insure it was fine and would have been ok without.

This makes me feel better, Im over here getting nervous about to get my deposit back!

[m2kamp]

Good luck, don't forget to look up the advice I posted here, just thinking about safety for your family as you requested.

[Boggs]

Originally Posted by m2kamp

Good luck, don't forget to look up the advice I posted here, just thinking about safety for your family as you requested.

Absolutely, Thank you very much. I hope i am making the right choice in TT. Still a little apprehensive.

[Dastagg]

Originally Posted by Boggs

This makes me feel better, Im over here getting nervous about to get my deposit back!

Believe me, I was nervous when I first bought my 2017 Windjammer 3029w last year and having to drive through Houston to my home that is 100 miles away with high traffic in Houston. That was why
I put the air bags on and happy I did but still would have been fine without. I was nervous until I took it out of the dealership and driving home. Went great and has been since. They told me it would haul, but wasn’t really sure. My 2009 Dodge Ram was rated for just under 10,000 pounds but wasn’t sure how well it would pull that. I take things slow and drive 60-65 mostly and put it in Tow while driving and still have power to pass if needed, but don’t really do that anyway. The 3/4 tons have same engine so engine is fine. Biggest difference is suspension and reason I went with the bags because I was nervous. I like the bags, but could have saved $1,500 by waiting to insure I needed then which helps but could have done without and yours weighs less than mine. The airbag systen I went with have a compressor with tank installed to adjust as nedded and have air hose to fill up tires and such, so they were much more expensive than other air bag systems.

[Dastagg]

Originally Posted by m2kamp

Bilsteins are excellent shocks.

But before purchasing those, definitely get Airlift 1000 airbags for less than $100 and install them it only takes minutes and is removable without damaging your leased truck.

Also, learn how to dial in a Weight Distributing hitch correctly. Do not rely on the RV dealer to set it up, guarantee it will be wrong.

Run your rear tires at max cold sidewall pressure (44PSI)

Again, Equalizer 4pt WD recommended, don't cheap out there.

Great recomendations here also!

[2Evil4U]

With the >1250# tongue weight of my trailer, the 5100s, being stiffer valved than my OEM shocks made a huge difference in reducing the porpoising the rig would do over big bumps. If you have porpoising and the wdh is set up properly to level the truck out, the 5100s can help reduce it.