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Old 05-13-2016, 02:49 AM   #1
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Truck question

Hello all!
I just joined these forums after being a visitor for some time, great information on here. My wife and I are looking into getting our first TT and we want it to be a Toy hauler. We are planning on purchasing one in the next couple weeks. It's down to the Wolf pup 17rp or the Grey Wolf 19rr.

Never having a TT before I am wondering if my truck will be OK with it. It's a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 2x4 with 45,000 miles on it. I've checked out the tow weights and it seems like it should be okay. Just nervous that I'm overlooking something. Any suggestions or info would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Scott
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Old 05-13-2016, 04:32 AM   #2
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Should be ok if it has a HEMI, But make sure it the trailer you buy can handle the wait of your toy(s) and your truck can haul it loaded.
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Old 05-13-2016, 04:56 AM   #3
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Equalizer sway control hitch would help too!
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Old 05-13-2016, 05:19 AM   #4
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Scott, you really need to;
A) estimate the total weight of the trailer loaded with propane, batteries, some water, items in the "toy hauler" section, some clothes, food, etc.
B) estimate how much weight you'll be carrying in the truck. Add the tongue weight of the trailer including the weight of the propane bottle(s), batteries, WDH, anything you'll carry in the truck bed, passengers, dog, etc.

1) Once you have these numbers (A), can your truck tow the total weight of the loaded trailer?
2) Does the total loaded weight (B) fall within the load capacity of your truck?

Typically half ton trucks run out of load capacity before they run out of towing capacity. If the weights work out, get a good Weight Distributing Hitch (WDH) , the Blue OX Sway Pro for example, is an excellent WDH unit and if you Google it, you'll get a lot of positive posts. Please let us know if you have additional questions and how you made out. Good luck, Ron
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Old 05-13-2016, 05:25 AM   #5
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your towing capacity is anywhere from 3300 to 9300. Lots more must be known about truck before any decision can be made
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Old 05-14-2016, 12:21 AM   #6
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As others have said, more about the truck must be known to give you an answer.
I looked at the 19 RR and 22RR also but went with the 26RR because I felt it was a better deal. (And still do)
Typical with the 26 RR was 6800 lbs trailer weight and 700 lbs tongue weight with 900 lb bike loaded. Used a 10,000 lb WDH with 800 lb round bars.
Towed with a 2000 Chevy 2500 6.0 over 6000 miles easily.
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Old 05-14-2016, 02:20 AM   #7
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In order to better help you, we need to know the truck gvwr, gcwr, payload, tow capacity, engine, and axle ratio. We can't give you an educated answer without this information. Also, what are you planning on putting in the TH garage as using it for an office or dogs to run around in will weigh much differently than using it for a quad or motorcycle etc.
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Old 05-16-2016, 12:38 AM   #8
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The truck does have the 5.7 Hemi magnum in it. 20" wheels with a 3.92 axel ratio. gvwr 6,350 lbs. gcwr 13,000 lbs. gtwr 8,150 lbs. I think I'll be okay, but knowing my luck I just thought it would be a good idea to ask all the questions that I'm worried about before actually buying one.
I will be putting my 2014 street glide in it. I was thinking putting most of the camping stuff in the bed of the truck with my fiberglass tonneau cover on it. It will be me and my wife and our two guard dogs (yorkies) one weighing in at 9lbs the other at 6lbs.
Did look at the 17rp this weekend and a 19rr in person and the wife wants to go with the 19rr.
Thanks again,
Scott
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Old 05-16-2016, 12:59 AM   #9
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Adding camping stuff to the bed of your truck will subtract from your payload. You are better off loading it in the trailer. Now on average people add 1000-1500 lbs of gear/camping stuff to a trailer. In a toy hauler case that would be in addition to the weight of your street glide. Now in a TH the street glide will help off set your tongue weight some but you still want to try to maintain a loaded tongue weight of around 12-15% of the loaded trailer weight.

Look inside your door jamb for a tire loading sticker. It will say "cargo and occupants should weigh less than X lbs." You need to keep the weight of all passengers, pets, camping gear in truck and tongue weight less than this number. The more accurate way to do this is to find a scale near you, check CAT Scale | Network of Certified Truck Scales. or go to a local dump or feed station. Weigh your truck with all pets, passengers and gear that you plan to have in it when towing. Now take the scaled truck weight and subtract it from the truck gcwr to get your adjusted towing capacity. The loaded trailer weight needs yo be less than this number. Take the truck scaled weight and subtract it from the truck gvwr to get your available payload. The loaded tongue weight needs to be less than this number.
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Old 05-16-2016, 03:01 AM   #10
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I am more confused now than ever. My door sticker sticker just has the tire ratio's and GVWR on it. I don't know if it's because it's a older truck or what. I bought the truck when it was a year old way back when and when you look at the door sticker it shows 17" tires not the upgraded 20" that are on it.
One of the reasons we were looking at the 17rp and 19rr is because they were smaller and lighter for my truck to handle.
After reading alot more post I do understand what you are saying about adding the gear to the TH instaead of the back of the truck.
I dont know maybe I need to rethink this whole thing. Last thing I want is to buy something and not be able to use it safely.
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Old 05-16-2016, 04:31 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slickskot View Post
I am more confused now than ever. My door sticker sticker just has the tire ratio's and GVWR on it. I don't know if it's because it's a older truck or what. I bought the truck when it was a year old way back when and when you look at the door sticker it shows 17" tires not the upgraded 20" that are on it.
One of the reasons we were looking at the 17rp and 19rr is because they were smaller and lighter for my truck to handle.
After reading alot more post I do understand what you are saying about adding the gear to the TH instaead of the back of the truck.
I dont know maybe I need to rethink this whole thing. Last thing I want is to buy something and not be able to use it safely.
Check out this guy...

Check Husky WDH
If a Tacoma can haul I think your good...
When in doubt pack light.
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Old 05-16-2016, 06:45 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by slickskot View Post
The truck does have the 5.7 Hemi magnum in it. 20" wheels with a 3.92 axel ratio. gvwr 6,350 lbs. gcwr 13,000 lbs. gtwr 8,150 lbs. I think I'll be okay, but knowing my luck I just thought it would be a good idea to ask all the questions that I'm worried about before actually buying one.
I will be putting my 2014 street glide in it. I was thinking putting most of the camping stuff in the bed of the truck with my fiberglass tonneau cover on it. It will be me and my wife and our two guard dogs (yorkies) one weighing in at 9lbs the other at 6lbs.
Did look at the 17rp this weekend and a 19rr in person and the wife wants to go with the 19rr.
Thanks again,
Scott
Scott, check out my signature and you'll see we're close as I haul a 2007 ultra classic. My truck has a 7700 lbs GVWR. I took my camper fully loaded to the scale and the tt weighed in at 6080 lbs. Grey and black tanks empty and 6 gal in the fresh tank. Handled great and I went through the green and white mountains to Maine. The only thing I would have changed is I would go with the blue ox WDH.
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Old 05-16-2016, 07:08 AM   #13
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You almost always run out of load capacity before you run out of tow capacity. You need to determine the max load capacity of the TV. Subtract 100 lbs ( hitch) and any cargo or passengers in TV. That is the max additional load you can put on TV ( pin or hitch). Note; air bags etc can improve ride, but do not increase the load capacity of the TV. These are determined by the TV frame, axles and tires. If the TV does not have a tow package, you may want to add an aux trans cooler.
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Old 05-16-2016, 07:32 AM   #14
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Scott.
Need to make sure you have a towing package. Transmission cooler and heavier suspension. I see 6370 as a weight. You most likely are a little light in weight or cargo carrying capacity.

What does the yellow sticker say? Also the 6370 may be based upon 17 inch wheels.
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Old 05-16-2016, 07:56 AM   #15
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We found out after purchase, toy haulers tend to be much heavier than a TT of the same size. At least on the tongue. Our empty 25' W&P has an advertised weight of 6,600 lbs with 1,100 tongue weight. This trailer using a Blue Ox Sway Pro with 2,000 lb bars squats our F250 pretty good.
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Old 05-16-2016, 11:46 AM   #16
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Older trucks may not have the load capacity on the stickers. Weighing your truck will give you all the answers you need. Do a vin search to see if you have the tow package.
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Old 05-17-2016, 02:00 AM   #17
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Yes my truck does have the tow/haul Pkg. The spec sheet and door numbers for this truck is different and kinda hard to understand. Or I'm just a idiot, which certainly could be the case.
It's a 2004 Rumble Bee. I've had it a long time and babied it all it's life, but now I want it to work a little and am worried it's not enough for what I'm wanting to tow. The wife is all in on the 19rr, has found the one and called the bank. But, I think she would flip if I told her we need a new truck to tow it.
We went to look at it again today and the owner said he would throw in the WDH as he could tell I was worried about the weight. He's getting a 5th wheel and was going to put it on craigslist.
I will take it and get it weighed if we get it there is a CAT scale the next town over.
Here is a pic of the truck and bike. I hope it all works out.
Thanks for the patience and info
Scott
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Old 05-17-2016, 02:49 AM   #18
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Go weigh the truck before you get the trailer. This will help you know if the 19rr will be ok or not. A WDH does not change how much you can tow, it just shifts some of the weight onto the front axle of the tV and a little back to the trailer. By the time you add in the weight of the wdh shank and bars/chains then you have come close to break even on what was likely transferred back to the trailer on a smaller trailer like that.
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Old 05-17-2016, 03:29 AM   #19
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Go weigh the truck before you get the trailer. This will help you know if the 19rr will be ok or not. A WDH does not change how much you can tow, it just shifts some of the weight onto the front axle of the tV and a little back to the trailer. By the time you add in the weight of the wdh shank and bars/chains then you have come close to break even on what was likely transferred back to the trailer on a smaller trailer like that.
Okay I will go in the morning when I get off work.
Here is where I'm getting confused though.

With 3.92 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio [i] You Can Tow 8150 lbs Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) [i] = 6350 lbs
Payload [i] = 1629 lbs
Curb Weight [i] = 4721 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 2652 lbs/2652 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear [i] = 3650 lbs/3900 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) [i] = 13000 lbs
My GCWR is 13,000lbs
It says my truck is 6,350lbs
The 19rr is 4,100 lbs
HD is 900 lbs
Im 200 lbs
Her 105 lbs
Two dogs 15 lbs
Camping "stuff" 1,000 lbs
WDH 100 lbs
All equals 12,770....more weight than I thought. Right at my max GCWR.
But why does it say on the Dodge spec sheet say I can tow 8,100lbs?
19rr and all my "stuff" = 6420lbs well under the 8,100lbs, but right at the GCWR....

Again thanks for your help
Scott
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Old 05-17-2016, 05:46 AM   #20
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Good math Scott.

Being careful, flat lands, no mountains. Doable. Your choice entirely and you have done your homework.

You are legal but heavy. Remember a 12 yr old truck can not take as much abuse. I would make sure Cooling system is maintained and tranny/differential as well.
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