Exceeding your vehicle's towing capacity in an emergency.

[SacRV]

I have a 2019 RAM 1500 with a tow package and a max towing capacity of 11,475 lbs.

My folks have an empty trailer with a UVW of around 13,000 lbs. It's on heavily forested land in Northern CA in fire county. About 5 miles away is the local fire station and airport.

Since I'm he closest one to the property I would be the one to go move the trailer out of harms way if there was a fire in the area. Even though my truck isn't close to the trailer rating could it tow the trailer slowly a few miles?

[eye95]

Maybe.

Maybe something breaks.

I wouldn’t risk it, but that’s me.

Can you rent a TV for the job?

[flyflotrtim]

This is a tow behind, not a 5th wheel? If a tow behind you are looking at around 1700 pounds on your hitch. Add in your personal weight and 100 lbs for the WDH you are probably looking at 2000 pounds payload. Yikes! This probably vastly exceeds the payload of your truck If the trailer is not empty, add another 150 pounds on the truck payload (12-14% of the trailer weight on your hitch). I certainly would not want to do this under any emergency conditions. With air bags and slow speed during low use travel conditions, it would not be safe but I might try a 5 mile tow. If it is a windy twisty road I would not even consider it.

I live in the No CA foothills and might be familiar with your route if you want to PM me.

[moose074]

Ok so full disclosure, I was over payload with every 1/2 I owned. If true emergency for less than 5 miles. I wouldn’t care about payload that you would be over. I assume with that kind of towing capacity you have at least the 5.7 probably mated to the 8 speed transmission It’s the same gas motor they offered in the Ram 2500 for several years with a better transmission. Power shouldn’t be a problem I might be wrong but at that weight sounds like a 5th wheel, do you have a hitch. How long is your bed. If it’s not then your talking anywhere from 1400 to 2100 pounds of hitch weight for a TT. Personally I would leave it forget the dangers of towing. A sudden change of wind and trailer will be least if your concerns.

However if you think you must then least I would do would be go hook up and see if your bumper drags ground. Then see conditions of the road will your truck pulling the trailer clear all bumps, dips ect. I know the coil springs on my tradesman are soft.

[babock]

Not a chance.

[Qwkynuf]

Ask me when I was 20 years old!

Back then I once towed a flatbed equipment trailer with a '47 ford pickup on it, 20 miles behind my 1985 Pontiac Grand Am! Probably 6,000 pounds on a hitch that had 2 bolts through the bumper and 2 through the body in the spare tire well. Air shocks and carefully placing the truck kept the tongue off of the ground. No trailer brake controller, so no trailer brakes.

First leg of the trip was 350 feet of elevation loss in 3 miles to a "T" intersection. Not sure how I got it stopped, but it involved a great deal of smoke and a pulsing brake pedal for the rest of the trip.

Today? I Don't think I would take a swing at pulling something that is a *ton* over my maximum tow rating. It seems very likely that if you are 2,000 pounds heavy on the one weight rating that you never get to - because you max out all of the others first - you are going to also be *way* over GCWR, axle ratings, probably hitch rating, and payload.

So here's my recommendation - if you do try it, please get video!

[SacRV]

I guess I should have noted it's a destination trailer, hence the weight for tongue towed. The max payload of my truck is 1,820 lbs. but I don't recall the pin weight.

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by SacRV

I guess I should have noted it's a destination trailer, hence the weight for tongue towed. The max payload of my truck is 1,820 lbs. but I don't recall the pin weight.

So, it's a bumper pull? At 14k pounds? The tongue weight is going to be somewhere between 1,400 and 2,100 pounds! Do you have a class IV hitch on your truck, or a class V?

Wow, good luck with that! (and really - get video!)

I have visions of something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQRPbahX3XU

[Cypressloser]

It's not so much the weight of the trailer but the actual weight on the ball and how flat the terrain is, you do not want to spin out or bottom out and get her stuck in an emergency situation. IMO, find a bigger truck or a tractor.

[moose074]

Originally Posted by Qwkynuf

So, it's a bumper pull? At 14k pounds? The tongue weight is going to be somewhere between 1,400 and 2,100 pounds! Do you have a class IV hitch on your truck, or a class V?



Wow, good luck with that! (and really - get video!)



I have visions of something like this:

As if the trailer wasn’t enough of a challenge in the second video the trailer was missing a tire (watch going around the tree) but it’s ok the rim was still round.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Qwkynuf

So, it's a bumper pull? At 14k pounds? The tongue weight is going to be somewhere between 1,400 and 2,100 pounds! Do you have a class IV hitch on your truck, or a class V?

Wow, good luck with that! (and really - get video!)

I have visions of something like this:

Being a destination model, you can’t use the rule-of-thumb 10-15% tongue weight that you would use for a standard travel trailer. The tongue weights on destination models are all over the place. They’re not designed to be towed by standard pickup trucks.

Bruce

[itat]

IMO, max. tow ratings on 1/2 tons are nothing more than wishful thinking. I wouldn’t tow a 13000# trailer with any half ton, Ford’s HDPP included. You have 2 options: hire someone with a proper truck, or maintain good fire insurance.

[mwdilday]

Not me. Go rent a truck or have someone tow it for you.

[Jeffjeeptj]

I won’t offer an opinion, since:
1. I was raised on a farm
2. Work had to get done
3. Properly sized equipment was not always available
4. Things broke.
5. Good judgement comes from experience
6. Experience comes from bad judgement
7. I was 23 and working in an safety oriented industrial construction environment before I learned every new hand held side grinder (4-1/2” raised hub) came WITH a guard
8. The family small F350 DRW dump with a 10K GVW, loaded to 17,200 gross, moved some sand, but flaked some surface scale off the frame, and, it took much longer to stop, even from 30MPH. But, nothing broke. The helper springs just started to touch at that weight.
9. When I went full time with a new 36’ Teton (heavy), I did trade my SRW F350, for a F550 with Fontaine Classic Traveler body And complete air suspension. Much less finger biting.

[eye95]

Good judgment also comes from learning from the experiences of others.

There are three ways to learn:

1. Listen to others relate their painful experiences.

2. Observe others as they experience pain.

3. Urinate on the electric fence yourself.

They are listed in increasing order of pain that you will feel.

Several people, including myself, have recommended that the OP borrow or rent appropriately-sized equipment. However, there are people in the world who just insist on doing #3.

[Mike134]

Sounds like your tow speeds will be low, as someone said see how low the back gets when you hookup, make sure the brakes work if you have much downhill.


Not something I'd do for 200 miles but 5 miles at low speeds sure would if the above items apply.

[tomkatb]

Make sure the insurance is paid on the trailer!

Do nothing.

Let her burn.

[Flybob]

Maybe it will work and you can save the trailer. Maybe it will not work and you will lose the trailer and the TV and risk personal injury.

[eye95]

One other thing to consider: Knowingly doing something that a reasonable person would believe could damage your trailer and/or your truck, especially if you or the people advising you say, “Don’t worry. Insurance will cover any damage,” could result in your insurance NOT covering any damage.

I am not a lawyer. But before you do anything so risky, read your policies carefully. You might want a lawyer to read it.

I still advise: Rent or borrow a TV rated for the job.

[TitanMike]

In an emergency, and I believe fire is a bona fide emergency, just about anything can be done.

Low gears, slow speed, and crossed fingers have always worked for me. Remember, a lot of weight ratings take into consideration speed and shock loading on the suspension.

Moving this load 5 miles is not exactly like taking off on a cross country trip at highway speeds.

Just make sure the hitch is not just a "ball on the bumper".