dodge ram 1500 ?

[eandsphotography]

"A 4WD Ram with the 4.7-liter and automatic transmission is rated to pull a 7,450-pound trailer with the 3.92 rear axle ratio. " (automotive.com Dodge Ram 1500 Review and Road Test)

I got this off of Automotive.com on a review of the truck that i own. It is the exact set-up i have with the 3.92 axle and towing package. I've put an order in for an 831krss,but i still keep second guessing myself on if i should get it. The problem is I just got the truck a few months back so i'm stuck with it for at least 2-3 years. If i keep the travel trailer i currently have (puma 26rlss) in 2-3 years when i can get a bigger truck i'll get nowhere near what i'm getting for a trade in on it now. i know i'd be happier if my truck had the hemi 5.7 liter,but i'm not doing any cross countryy trips anytime soon so i'm thinking(wishfully!!) that for a couple of years i can stick it out.
What's everyone think?

Just a side note... The puma 26rlss i have has a sticker weight in it of 6170 pounds and i pull that fine. I plan on weighing it this weekend while i still have it loaded to find out what it's weighing in at while it's loaded. My estimate is that if the sticker weight is off by about 300 and I have maybe 500 in it, then I should be right at about 7000lbs. Which should be comparable to the Flagstaff 831krss.

[08flagvlite]

I have a 2006 ram 1500 quad cab 2 whl.dr.hemi 5.7 w/a 3:54 rear and a auto trans.(46RH) with O.D, and I pull my 08 Flagstaff V-lite with it- 5700 lbs. dry as shipped- I figure loaded it's about 6500 lbs. Just pulled it 400 miles in Florida- From Jax. to the other side of Orlando, and it is definitely different!
Went 190 miles on a tank of plus at 65-70 mph. Normally, I can get 400 miles on a tank of regular highway driving. I used the tow/haul switch on the shifter, and it ran around 2700-3000 rpm's at that speed. I found at 60-65, it was around 2200-2500 rpm. If I tried to use overdrive, it would gradually slow down,until I shifted back to tow/haul mode. I just installed flowmaster "true duals" on my truck, and ordered a K&N series 77 cold air intake. My hemi is 345 h.p. stock, and I figure the mods should give me around 40 more horses.
I also found that a helper spring is pretty well needed on my 2 w.d. as it kinda floats in the rear. I ordered a Hellwig helper spring for that. Hope the info. helps you! Randy

[lorencherylp]

I looked up the 831krss in the new FR brochure and it says the GVWR is 7730.
If your truck is rated for 7450, then I personally would not want to tow that heavy of a trailer.

[eandsphotography]

The gvrw is what the axles are rated for though correct? and if that is so and the dry weight is 6000 ,there is no way i'm loading 1730 pounds of stuff in it anyway.

[rockwood06]

Don't forget to add the weight that is added to the TV besides the TT, additonal passongers and cargo that is placed in the back of the TV reduces the max tow cap of your truck.

[lorencherylp]

http://www.rvtowingtips.com/what-can-i-tow.htm

[Ray]

eandsphotography wrote:

My estimate is that if the sticker weight is off by about 300 and I have maybe 500 in it, then I should be right at about 7000lbs. Which should be comparable to the Flagstaff 831krss.

At your own estimation that leaves you with a 450 pound margin which is way to close to max. I believe you will find that your estimates of the weight that you will have to add are too low.

My Ram is rated to tow 8,900 pounds and I wouldn't want to pull the trailer you are talking about for any significant distance. I pull for a Gulfstream dealer on occasion and have pulled Gulfstreams that weigh as much as 7200 pounds, to and from RV shows within a 100 mile radius of the dealership, and I can tell you, I wouldn't want to pull a trailer that heavy, loaded, on camping trips.

The rule of thumb that I have always been governed by, is not to pull a weight over 80% of your tow capacity. The link that was provided above is a very good link for determining whether or not you can safely (notice that word, safely) tow a certain weight. It is good to read that and use the information to make your decision about this matter.

[Trisk]

I know what you mean, the more I read the more confused I get and the more I second guess things. I have the same truck as loren up there (2007 Dodge Ram Laramie 1500 4X4 Quad Cab Hemi 3:92) and the FW I got is the cherokee lite 255s (well I'll have in a few days). Brochure says:

Hitch weight: 1190lbs
Axel Weight: 5130lbs
Ship weight: 6320lbs
GVWR w/Brakes: 8190lbs

My calculations say that 2007 Dodge Ram Laramie 1500 4X4 Quad Cab Hemi 3:92 (rated at 8900lbs), should have no problem pulling that even if I do load it to 8190lbs. Both truck dealer, and RV dealer said the same thing (and I took their word for it). Hopefully someone in here has some real life towing experience/tips to share with a newbie.

[Ray]

Trisk said:

Hopefully someone in here has some real life towing experience/tips to share with a newbie.

The vehicle that I have is rated for the same towing capacity as your vehicle and I have towed quite a few different campers with it. I tow, occasionally for a Gulfstream dealer and the heaviest one that I have towed was a Conquest that had a dry weight of 7200 lbs. While my vehicle towed the trailer okay, it was not a "comfortable" tow for me. Bear in mind that, what is comfortable for one person, may not be so for another. I do not like to pull anything for any appreciable distance that "works" the truck unduly. The 7200 lb Conquest was a little more load than I want to carry on a continuous basis, and it was empty, I shudder to think what it would have been if it was loaded for camping.

Both truck dealer, and RV dealer said the same thing

One thing I discovered long ago, most RV dealers are out to sell their campers, so they don't mind fudging a little when they tell you what you can tow. After all, it's not them that will be towing whatever they sell you, down the road with the engine in your vehicle turning 3500 to 4000 RPM's about half the time. They also don't have to keep your truck maintained when it breaks down due to being overloaded. Unless a truck dealer is a camper and actually tows often, I wouldn't trust their judgment any more than the RV dealer.

Thing is, the load you can safely and comfortably carry can be determined by careful calculation, and the website in the above post in this thread, can lead you in the right direction and confirm for you if your vehicle can, (and more importantly) should be towing a certain weight trailer. Most of us that have been towing for quite sometime can usually consider the vehicle and the camper to be towed, and come up with a educated opinion as to whether or not a particular combination will work. But, too many people have different ideas, so I recommend that you study the information provided in the link above and make your determination from that.

I have the same truck as loren up there (2007 Dodge Ram Laramie 1500 4X4 Quad Cab Hemi 3:92)

Look at the difference in the specifications in his camper and the one you are proposing.

4284 DRY WEIGHT

7703 GVWR

703 HITCH WEIGHT

There is a drastic difference in what he is towing and what you will be towing. Here is the specs on what I am towing.

4513 DRY WEIGHT

6524 GVWR

479 HITCH WEIGHT

You can readily see that neither of us are towing anything close to the specs of the 255s that you plan to tow. Again, I would check this out carefully on rv towing tips.com (link on lorencherylp post) and give your situation careful study.

[eandsphotography]

I understand what you are saying about being confortable. But I also have to say this. I weighed my unit that i currently have which is a Puma 26rlss and i weighed it yesterday loaded as if going camping minus food and it scaled out at 6940 pounds. The listed dry weight is 6107 so i'll agree with everyone that the listed weights in brochures are usually off cause there is no way i have 800 pounds of stuff in the trailer. Now, my truck is a dodge 1500 4.7 liter and it pulls 7000 pounds just fine. even on an uphill pull it only tops out on the rpms at around 3000-3200.
honestly , i do appreciate everyones input on towing recommendations but i also get the feeling from some people on here that unless you have an f-350 then heaven forbid your towing more then 8000 pounds.
If i were to follow the "recommended" allowance of 80% of tow capacity then that would have put me at 5600 pounds and unless you go down to a 20ft trailer your not getting that. And to be honest, if i had to go that small I wouldnt have even gotten one in the first place.

[twakefi]

So I would be hesitant to pull that much weight with that small of a motor. I am pulling a Grand Surveyor 273RL fifth wheel and I have a 1500 with the good old 5.9 L gasser.

It seems to have the power but it just does not seem to be enough truck for the weight GVWR for the trailer around 8200lbs. I am in the same boat wanting a bigger truck but camper purchase slows that down. I will be adding some air bags to my truck to level the weight out some but the motor/trans will be your issue more than the truck suspension part.

But we all have opinions!!!

[MRimmer]

The weight police will kill me for this but we all have to start somewhere.


Our first TT was a 1994 Timber Creek 2350 GT 4350 Dry pulled with a 2002 S10.


Was right on the limit and we had prodigy, equil i zer and drove safe 300 mile trips on the flats and had many safe FUN trips.


It can be done and do like we did have fun and set a goal. We pulled this way for two years and then upgraded truck and then more trailer again.

We used many back roads and slower spped when possible.

Then camper and truck Timber creek and S10

Now camper and truck Flagstaff and Dodge


I am no expert and please travel safe.

Mike

[aintgotnun]

Originally Posted by MRimmer

The weight police will kill me for this but we all have to start somewhere.

Ya know the weight police aren't welcome here mike