2014 Ram 1500 towing 2019 Alpha Wolf 26DBH-L

[Scooter65]

Good morning all. I recently bough a new Alpha Wolf 26DBH-L and am new to the camping world so I am looking for some clarification if it is safe to pull this camper with my truck. I have pulled the camper form Michigan to Ohio and back and everything seemed ok but I want to make sure I am within the right towing capacity with this truck and that everybody is safe in doing so. Figuring this out seems to be a little tougher than I thought so I am turning to all you other campers for guidance. Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

26DBHL info:
Hitch weight - 600
Gross weight - 7,600
Dry weight - 5,795
Cargo weight - 1,805

Ram info:
See attached

Scooter65

[REL]

You need to get your trucks actual capacity from the yellow door sticker.

[Scooter65]

Attached is the door sticker. Thank you and hopefully this helps.

[Scooter65]

Yellow door sticker.

[AlaskaErik]

Your payload capacity is way too low. If your trailer is anywhere near its gross weight you're looking at close to 1000 lbs of tongue weight alone. That leaves you 123 lbs of remaining payload capacity for you, the wife, the kids, the dog, the generator and anything else you carry in the cab or bed of the truck. My 2016 Silverado has a payload capacity of 1572 lbs and I'm just about at that limit when pulling my little 13 ft trailer that weighs 2800 lbs. That's why I now have the 2019 Silverado. It has 1910 lbs of payload capacity and can handle my 19 ft trailer that weighs 5500 lbs when I hit the road. Bottom line...way too much trailer for a truck with only 1123 lbs of payload capacity.

[Chief T]

Someone is going truck shopping.

[rsdata]

I have a '14 RAM 1500 and my payload is 1309# ( my yellow sticker is below)... yours is only 1123#

With a tongue weight of nearly 1000# you are limited to safely put in one more passenger besides yourself and a full tank of gas.

Let me explain how the weight adds up...

your posted dry weight and hitch weight are fictitious numbers. Once you load your trailer, conservatively you will be at 6500# ( 5795 dry weight + 705 cargo in trailer) including battery(s) and propane, with a little water in the tank. Proper trailer loading should put between 10-15% of the total weight on the tongue, so let's say 13% goes on the tongue... 6500 X 13% is 845# of actual trailer tongue weight. The WDHitch weighs about 100# so now you are up to 945# of weight you are adding to the back end of the tow vehicle. see this short video for proper trailer loading tongue weight...
https://youtu.be/w9Dgxe584Ss

Can you tow with that setup? Yes... but know you are on the very high end and probably a little over the RAM capacity sticker. Only a weigh-in at a CAT scale will tell you how much over capacity you are really. There really is not anything you can do to your truck to increase capacity weight rating... just pack truck and trailer accordingly.

I would not be planning any trips to the mountains with that setup.

Hope you got your brakes looked over... and if you are under 100K miles you need a tranny fluid change.

At 92K miles my RAM needed a new set of bearings in the rear-end... fortunately I was still under warranty. I only pull a fully loaded 5,000# trailer.

[bzac1954]

Let me add this on top of the great advice everybody has said so far. Don't skimp on the hitch. I have pulled my 2016 Surveyor 247BHDS, with my Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi from coast to coast with a weight equalizer and anti sway hitch without any problems and with some winds at a constant of 30 MPH. I don't recommend the winds but I do talk allot about the "Equal-I-Zer" hitch. Love it!

[tomkatb]

t Hitch weight is the listed weight plus 10% of the cargo capacity.

Therefore about #800.

Because the trailer is so heavy you need a weight distribution hitch. Because the length is too long you need a stabilizer in the hitch. Thus, you trailer hitch weight goes up #100 for the hitch. Therefore you are at about #900. hitch weight.

As to payload. Generally you and the DW plus her bag of stuff in the car plus Phydeaugh will weigh likely #500 with fuel. This your payload is about #1400. Sticker says this is a grocery getter not a work truck.. #1123 Payload

You are overloaded. In rain, wind, snow, steep hills, it will be a little dangerous. You will be stressed out driving.

If you are careful and do not go up steep hills then sort of ok.

I would be looking for a truck. You need a payload of around #2000. I am a fan of 3/4 or 1 ton trucks.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Scooter65

Yellow door sticker.

YIKES! Another typical Ram 1500 lousy payload capacity. This is why I refused to buy one, even though I wanted a Ram. During my 2 years of shopping for a 1/2 ton CC truck, the Ram's had the the most with such low payload capacities.
You use 12%-15% of GVWR to figure what the loaded tongue weight will be. Using the lowest 12%, the loaded tongue will be 912lbs. That leaves 211lbs for driver and passengers, track add-ons, truck cargo and WDH.
Subtract the 100lbs for the WDH, and you only have 111lbs for the rest of that.
As was said, your Ram was spec'd for getting groceries, not for towing.
Unfortunately you bought before researching what's needing for towing. Nearly all tow vehicles will run out of payload capacity WAY before reaching the max towing capacity, especially 1/2 tons.
Your setup will not be safe and there's no way to increase the truck's payload.

[Sevans]

You can pull it but you'll be white knuckled the entire trip. You are over the payload. I have pulled a 8,900 pound camper with a 2014 Ram 5.7 Hemi, the tires on the Ram are not LT tires, change those. I had horrible sway even with an equalizer hitch with sway control. I added airbags to stiffen the suspension which helped.
Ultimately I traded in for a 2018 Ram 1 ton 6.4 Hemi. Pulls like a dream, fuel economy is the same when pulling as it was with the 1/2 ton. Not much sway now and my wife is comfortable driving and pulling the camper.

[Scooter65]

Originally Posted by Sevans

You can pull it but you'll be white knuckled the entire trip. You are over the payload. I have pulled a 8,900 pound camper with a 2014 Ram 5.7 Hemi, the tires on the Ram are not LT tires, change those. I had horrible sway even with an equalizer hitch with sway control. I added airbags to stiffen the suspension which helped.

Ultimately I traded in for a 2018 Ram 1 ton 6.4 Hemi. Pulls like a dream, fuel economy is the same when pulling as it was with the 1/2 ton. Not much sway now and my wife is comfortable driving and pulling the camper.

Thank you to everyone for your replies and comments. Do you believe an F250 would pull this ok with some wiggle room so I don’t have to worry about this issue anymore?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Scooter65

Thank you to everyone for your replies and comments. Do you believe an F250 would pull this ok with some wiggle room so I don’t have to worry about this issue anymore?

Yes, as long as you pay attention to payload capacity first, before towing capacity.
I would look for a F250 gasser with at least 2000lbs of payload.

[Dwjackson59]

All 1/2 tons are not equal. 1/2 ton Rams need air bags even when within ratings, and you are very near the edge unless you go alone with no gear, no water, low fuel. Air bags and a good equalizer with sway let you get weight to the front axle and reduce porpoising. Make sure you have E rated tires and give it a shot, beings you are asking it must be a bit uncomfortable. My 1/2 ton Silverado with a tow capacity of 10,100 tows my 6600lbs dry weight 29bhs Salem just fine, over the Cascades or in 45mph Gorge winds. If it dont feel safe...it ain't safe.

[dbledan]

A 250 diesel will pull it but could come close on payload as well so look at the sticker if you get a derated GVWR. A gasser 250 would be fine payload and pull wise no matter the rating.

You will need 1900lbs of payload minimum depending on what you want to carry. I have a TT that comes in at 7000lbs and was over payload. Make sure to look at a higher GVWR.

You can get an idea on the ford forums as people have posted their payload information and options packages.

If you want a diesel look at a 350. Depending on the year a leaf spring may be the difference but newer trucks are engineered a bit more so there are more differences. You can find the deltas on the ford forums.

As someone who was where you are best of luck. I went the 350 diesel route. Now I am ready for my next trailer upgrade.

[Scooter65]

Currently looking at buying an F250SD XLT to pull my 26DBHL camper but wanted to get some input from the camping world before pulling the trigger on a purchase. My current Dodge Ram 1500 has been deemed a grocery getter so hopefully this vehicle will do the job with relative ease. Please provide your comments on the capability of this F250SD towing this camper.


Ford F250SD XLT (7.3L V8 with 10 Speed Transmission)
Gross combined weight rating - 19,500 lbs
Gross vehicle weight rating - 10,000 lbs
Curb weight front - 3,810 lbs
Curb weight rear - 2,652 lbs
Gross Axle Wt rating front - 4,800 lbs
Gross Axle Wt rating rear - 6,340 lbs
Dead weight hitch max trailer weight - 12,500 lbs
Dead weight hitch max tongue weight - 1,250 lbs
Weight distributing hitch max trailer weight - 12,500 lbs
Weight distributing hitch max tongue weight - 1,250 lbs
Maximum trailering capacity - 12, 5000 lbs
Trailer Brake Control
Trailer Sway Control


I haven't got a visual yet on the actual sticker inside the door to get Payload but my estimates based off the above information it should be around 3,538 lbs. Your thoughts?


All of these and additional specs can be found at https://www.varsityford.com/new-Ann+...7W2BN0LED20167


Thanks for your comments.


Scooter65




26DBHL info:
Hitch weight - 600
Gross weight - 7,600
Dry weight - 5,795
Cargo weight - 1,805

[Riccochet]

Call Ram and ask them why your payload is low. I did and found out it wasn't the truck, but the wheels that came on it. Mine came with 22" wheels and my payload sticker says 707 lbs of cargo and passengers. Going by that I couldn't have 4 average men in my truck without being over loaded. lol If I swapped out for 20" OEM wheels and LT tires my payload is 1350 lbs. If I go down to the 18" wheels and LT tires my payload is 1680 lbs.

I found all this information quite interesting, to say the least. I'm still running my 22" wheels and tow my trailer all over the place. I did installed AirLift 1000 helper bags and a Helwig rear sway bar. I do get some sway, and those strong winds push everything around a bit. But I wouldn't call it unsafe.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Riccochet

Call Ram and ask them why your payload is low. I did and found out it wasn't the truck, but the wheels that came on it. Mine came with 22" wheels and my payload sticker says 707 lbs of cargo and passengers. Going by that I couldn't have 4 average men in my truck without being over loaded. lol If I swapped out for 20" OEM wheels and LT tires my payload is 1350 lbs. If I go down to the 18" wheels and LT tires my payload is 1680 lbs.

I found all this information quite interesting, to say the least. I'm still running my 22" wheels and tow my trailer all over the place. I did installed AirLift 1000 helper bags and a Helwig rear sway bar. I do get some sway, and those strong winds push everything around a bit. But I wouldn't call it unsafe.

There is no way that four 22 inch tires are 973 lbs heavier than four 18 inch tires. Someone is feeding you line. That's 243.5 lbs heavier per tire. Payload capacity is GVWR minus curb weight, so there are no other factors to consider.

[Riccochet]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

There is no way that four 22 inch tires are 973 lbs heavier than four 18 inch tires. Someone is feeding you line. That's 243.5 lbs heavier per tire. Payload capacity is GVWR minus curb weight, so there are no other factors to consider.

I think it's the wheels that can't handle the weight.

This is from my truck. 2017 Ram 1500 Sport 2WD CCSB w/ 3.92 gear.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Riccochet

I think it's the wheels that can't handle the weight.

This is from my truck. 2017 Ram 1500 Sport 2WD CCSB w/ 3.92 gear.

That makes no sense at all. Why would FCA put such weak rims on a truck? What is the GVWR of your truck? I have 20 inch rims on my 2016 Silverado and I have 1572 lbs of payload capacity. My GVWR is 7200 lbs...same as a truck with 18 inch wheels. And payload capacity is simply the difference between GVWR and curb weight. I've never seen rim size be part of the equation, other than the nominal difference between the two rims.