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Old 02-22-2018, 08:38 AM   #1
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1/2ton Truck tow 261BHXL?

I am still shopping for a truck. We have picked out the 261BHXL as the camper we want to get, but now need to find a suitable TV for the job. Does anyone have this camper and use a half ton truck? I am currently looking at 2011+ Dodge 1500 with the 5.7 Hemi and 4wd, which looks like has a 10k+ tow rating. Would this be sufficient to tow with safely? I know more is always better, but looking to keep the cost down if possible.

I am also curious if a non 4wd or non hemi, with just the standard 4.7 V8 would tow this camper ok.
Thanks
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Old 02-22-2018, 08:55 AM   #2
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I have a 2017 Wildwood 261bhxl. Tow it with a 2015 Ram 1500 4×4 5.7 Hemi, 3.55 rear end 6 speed trans. Max tow rating 8650. Does an excellent job of towing it with a WDH. Only problem is payload. Ram site said 1440 payload. But after installing options, payload is (yellow door jam sticker) 1179.
I have to be careful on loading up.
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Old 02-22-2018, 08:56 AM   #3
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I have this exact TT

Tow it with a 2010 Ford F-150 Lariat with blue ox sway pro system.

Tows like a dream... no issues at all
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Old 02-22-2018, 08:57 AM   #4
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Typically with the 1/2 tons, you run out of payload well before you run out of towing capacity. Looking at the floorplan, since it's got bunks I'm going to guess you're bringing kids along? Try to figure out about how much you everyone and everything in the vehicle will weight, subtract that from the payload, and that's what you have left for the hitch & tongue weight of the trailer you're looking at.

My 2010 Ram 1/2 ton only has a payload of 1140. When I hook up, and also load up the kids, DW and the dogs, I'm overloaded, and it's not ideal. I make do because it's what I've got to deal with, but I really wish I knew more about these things before I went shopping for a trailer. You're in the perfect position to match the truck to the trailer you want (versus already having the truck like I did).

Here's two sites you'll want to take a look at to make sure you're getting the right numbers to size your truck right:

Towing Planner - towing capability calculators
Travel Trailer Weight Calculator

Using these, you should be able to estimate how much payload and how much towing capacity you want in your new truck.
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Old 02-22-2018, 09:00 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OneZero View Post
I am still shopping for a truck. We have picked out the 261BHXL as the camper we want to get, but now need to find a suitable TV for the job. Does anyone have this camper and use a half ton truck? I am currently looking at 2011+ Dodge 1500 with the 5.7 Hemi and 4wd, which looks like has a 10k+ tow rating. Would this be sufficient to tow with safely? I know more is always better, but looking to keep the cost down if possible.

I am also curious if a non 4wd or non hemi, with just the standard 4.7 V8 would tow this camper ok.
Thanks
Don't be swayed by your truck's advertised tow rating. As the previous post suggests, look at the payload capacity on the yellow sticker inside the driver's door. Let us know that number.

Then tell us about the trailer. Experts here will need to know the published dry weight and tongue weight so they can ignore those fairly useless numbers.

BTW, 4WD normally reduces payload capacity because of the weight of that extra drive equipment.
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Old 02-22-2018, 09:47 AM   #6
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Yes, I have one kid, he's almost 6 so he doesn't have much as far as gear. Just the three of us, so we don't have a huge load we haul.

I have a question regarding what is classified as payload, is that everything that is loaded into the camper only? Truck cab / bed? Both?

Very good point on the 4wd, I was under the impression that the 4wd would increase the tow-ability not hinder it, but I see what your saying about the extra weight of the drivetrain. Would it be a good idea to look for a 2wd truck instead of 4 for this purpose?

I would love to be able to buy a larger truck then a 1500, but unless just luck into something not sure if it is in the budget. Now I might could do a 2500 2wd with a standard 4.7 V8 if that would be better then the 1500 with 5.7 Hemi?
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Old 02-22-2018, 09:58 AM   #7
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Yes, I have one kid, he's almost 6 so he doesn't have much as far as gear. Just the three of us, so we don't have a huge load we haul.

I have a question regarding what is classified as payload, is that everything that is loaded into the camper only? Truck cab / bed? Both?

Very good point on the 4wd, I was under the impression that the 4wd would increase the tow-ability not hinder it, but I see what your saying about the extra weight of the drivetrain. Would it be a good idea to look for a 2wd truck instead of 4 for this purpose?

I would love to be able to buy a larger truck then a 1500, but unless just luck into something not sure if it is in the budget. Now I might could do a 2500 2wd with a standard 4.7 V8 if that would be better then the 1500 with 5.7 Hemi?
Anything that wasn't in the truck when it rolled off the assembly line with the possible exeception of the driver and a tank of fuel is counted against your payload.
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:00 AM   #8
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OK, so IN the truck. Where does the camper and its contents count? Does the camper tongue weight count as payload? Or just tow capacity?
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:06 AM   #9
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The camper's tongue weight does indeed count. Do not worry about your truck's towing capacity. You will reach your payload long before reaching your towing.

The total sum of the weight of all your truck's passengers, stuff in the truck and your camper's tongue weight should be at or below your truck's payload capacity. If you are concerned, load up your truck and camper exactly if you are going camping and head to the nearest CAT scales. That's the only way to know for sure.
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:10 AM   #10
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Payload is everything in or on the truck. So, you, family, your kid's booster seat, pets if you got them, snacks, drinks, whatever you have in the bed, like firewood, bikes, coolers, a full tank of fuel, etc....

Typically, you add all that up, and then subtract that from the truck's "combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed" number. What's left is how much extra weight the truck can take from a hitch and the tongue weight of a trailer.

So, let's through a ballpark round number out there of say, 500 lbs. With my truck at 1140, you take:

1140-500=640 lbs

Assume about a 100 lbs for a hitch:

640-100=540 lbs

So, 540 lbs of tongue weight. A good target for tongue weight is around 15% so:

540/15% = 3600 lbs.

As you can see, even the dry weight of that trailer you're looking at is already over that. I think I saw it was in the 4500 range. Loaded with gear, you're going to add between 1000-2000 lbs to that, and in my experience, the first time out you tend to over do it with things you think you might need and go closer to that 2000 mark.

The beauty with your situation is that you can do this stuff in reverse. So, let's again take that assumed 2000 lbs of stuff and that 4500 dry:

2000+4500=6500 @ 15% = 975 lbs tongue weight.

Tongue + hitch + people/cargo:

975+100+500 = 1575 payload.

Now you have a target, with these completely fictitious, made up numbers, you'd be looking for a truck with a 1575 payload and 6500 lbs towing capacity. Of course, these numbers are real, you need to input the real numbers you have on hand, that's where those two sites can help you. Once you do that, and get a feel for the targets, you can use a tool like:

https://www.ramtrucks.com/ram-commer...ers-guide.html

to look up the specs for the vehicles you're looking at, down to the closest possible for specific builds without being able to actually look at the door sticker. Or, if you're going around the dealer lots, when you're checking out the trucks, look at the door sticker first to find the payload ("combined weight of passengers and cargo") number and compare it to your targets.

Hope that helps explain it a bit better.
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:12 AM   #11
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Ok, so for example I am looking at truck with 1670lbs payload rating. The 261BHXL according to FR website says hitchweight is 434lbs. SO that would leave about 1200lbs for wife and kid, and actual cargo in the truck?

Weight in the tongue of the camper would appear on the hitch of the truck, so that would count against as well? But any weight in the rear of the camper would counter the weight in the front. Which is where having weigh done at truck stop comes into play am I right in my thinking here?

So, given a 1500-1600 payload rating, and we don't go crazy, I could tow this camper just fine more then likely, given I add a WDH (which I'm sure adds against payload).
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:16 AM   #12
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Here's how my own numbers work.



3 full size passengers plus all the other stuff in my truck = 1000lbs.
GVWR of trailer = 9900lbs. 15% = 1485lbs
Total payload in vehicle with camper = 2485lbs

My truck rated payload is 2500lbs (3/4 ton). I've got 15lbs to spare.
Needless to say, my upgrade from a 1/2 ton with only 1700lbs of payload was a wise move.

I'm NOT saying you need a 3/4 ton. I'm just showing how MY numbers work out.
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:16 AM   #13
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Ok, so for example I am looking at truck with 1670lbs payload rating. The 261BHXL according to FR website says hitchweight is 434lbs. SO that would leave about 1200lbs for wife and kid, and actual cargo in the truck?

Weight in the tongue of the camper would appear on the hitch of the truck, so that would count against as well? But any weight in the rear of the camper would counter the weight in the front. Which is where having weigh done at truck stop comes into play am I right in my thinking here?

So, given a 1500-1600 payload rating, and we don't go crazy, I could tow this camper just fine more then likely, given I add a WDH (which I'm sure adds against payload).
Pretty much, Just be aware that the published hitch weight is with absolutely nothing on the trailer, no water, no propane tanks, no battery, and definitely none of your stuff. TT's like that tend to be tongue heavy compared to the dry number, as most of the weight ends up up front either directly on the tongue (propane tanks, battery) or in the front pass through storage under the master bed.
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:19 AM   #14
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Ok, so for example I am looking at truck with 1670lbs payload rating. The 261BHXL according to FR website says hitchweight is 434lbs. SO that would leave about 1200lbs for wife and kid, and actual cargo in the truck?

Weight in the tongue of the camper would appear on the hitch of the truck, so that would count against as well? But any weight in the rear of the camper would counter the weight in the front. Which is where having weigh done at truck stop comes into play am I right in my thinking here?

So, given a 1500-1600 payload rating, and we don't go crazy, I could tow this camper just fine more then likely, given I add a WDH (which I'm sure adds against payload).
That advertised hitch weight is probably dry. Meaning the weight BEFORE you load it with stuff such as water, propane, batteries, groceries, clothes and anything else you pack in there. Look at the GVWR of the trailer which is the MAX weight the trailer is rated for.
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:22 AM   #15
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All very good information, i really appreciate the help. It does look like I need to take a hard look at if I can make a 2500 work into the budget or not. Also sit down and figure up how much stuff shall be packing into this sucker.

All the numbers were really daunting trying to figure out where to start, but I think I have a better understanding now, just need to crunch the numbers.

Thanks again to everyone who chimed in
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:24 AM   #16
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Not a problem, let us know which way it goes and happy truck hunting!
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Old 02-22-2018, 10:32 AM   #17
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I have a similar issue because we tow with a Durango. That's what we have so I make it work. Max tongue on the Durango is 720# (has the tow package), so I am making a tongue weight scale (4x4 and bathroom scale) to check mine under various load conditions. Bottom line for me is everything goes in the trailer except my collapsible ladder. I can give you more specific weight info after I hit the CAT scales in the spring, but my TT is hibernating under a foot of snow right now.
Good luck.
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Old 02-22-2018, 11:03 AM   #18
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Calculation of the Hitch weight as 15% of GVWR and comparing with payload is a good start.
That being said, today's 1/2 tons have several different configurations and some can have MORE payload than some 3/4 tons.
You need to know your numbers (tongue weight and trailer GVWR) and compare to the door sticker number and manufacturer towing capacity of the truck you are looking at.
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:26 PM   #19
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I tow a 2015 261bhxl with a Ford Expedition 4.6 short wheelbase. I did not know about anything except rated tow capacity and dry trailer weight when purchased. Joined this forum and wow, look at all those numbers! I actually run out on CGVW at 11500 lbs. I have to weigh everything with a scale before loading. Carry less than 500 lbs. I load everything in the front hatch as it tows better with a heavy tongue weight. 725 is my usual tongue weight. Engine pulls fine in rolling hills. Never been to the mountains. I ran across an F150, 5.4 with a longer wheelbase. Extra 1k payload and 3k CGVW. I haven't towed with it yet. I want to take the rig to a CAT scale to see what my real numbers are. The tongue is the only thing I have actually weighed.
I
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Old 02-22-2018, 01:34 PM   #20
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Numerous examples of Ram 1/2 tons with extremely poor payload capacities. Overall probably the worse vs other brands.
That's why Dodge is finally addressing it in the 2019 Ram line.
Beefing up payload numbers because their 1/2 tons are lacking compared to the other brands.

DON'T use fantasy dry weights.
YES the tongue weight, occupants and truck cargo ALL count toward payload.
That 434 number will swell when you add batteries, trailer cargo and water. Depending on what you load, it could easily be over 600lbs.
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