Snowbird Wannabe

[Charli]

1st some history.
I retired 4 yrs ago and my DW is retiring in2014. We used to have a pop up and after a 20 yr hiatus we purchased a 2009 Ram 1500 and Springdale TT. Found the suspension a little soft so moved to a 2008 Ram 2500, CTD. Then a hailstorm wrote off our trailer and went to a Cougar XLite 26SAB 5er.
Have enjoyed the camping experience the past 4 years and in 2015 plan on spending a few winter months in the southern US. If we like it I'm thinking the 5er may be a little tight so starting to look at an upgrade.
I like the new triple slides with the full size shower. No more banging my elbows on the walls. One of my limitations, other than $'s, is the payload on my truck. It's rated at 1950# but I figure with some airbags or super springs the tow rating of 12900# and GAWR should allow for a 5er with a GVWR of 12-13,000#.
I have been looking at the Cougar 333MKS but what has brought me to this forum is the new Wildat 327CK. Any comments on this model or wildcats in general or my thoughts on size of 5er I'm looking at would be appreciated? The layout looks great, just wish the awning was bigger. The sabre has a similar layout with a 16' awning although its heavier and probably more $'s.
I appreciate any comment/suggestion. Now I'll start surfing this site

[Dave_Monica]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm surprised that you say your Ram 2500 payload rating is only 1950 lb...seems quite low unless it's a MegaCab. You could scale the truck loaded, ready to camp and get the payload by subtracting it from the truck's GVWR and also compare the loaded rear axle weight compared to the RAWR. With the weight of the campers you're looking at you'll probably be over the truck's GVWR but under it's RAWR...your decision whether that's OK. You can use a pin weight of 20% of camper weight on the campers that you're considering.

Dave

[TheFordes]

Welcome to the FRF forums

Happy Camping from VA

[Charli]

Figuring out all these weights will be the death of me. The truck is a quad cab, 4x4 and according to the plate on the door pillar the payload is actually 1970#. The GVWR is 9000# - the actual curb wt (as measured on the scales)of 7320# = actual payload of 1680#. However the the GCWR is 20,000# less truck curb wt of, say 8000# including DW, hitch, dog & sundry = 12000# available for trailer. Then of course there are the axle ratings which seem to provide plenty of room for the 5ers I have mentioned. I'll have to take my existing fully loaded truck/5er over the scales to get more accurate info. Perhaps I can extrapolate this to larger units. So very confusing yet from perusing this and other forums there seem to be many people pulling similar sized outfits.

[ependydad]

When you weighed and got a payload of 1860, was that just you in the truck? Or the wife, dog, kids, etc? Was your hitch in the truck at the time? I find it surprising that you're only 100-pounds different from the doorjamb sticker.

[Charli]

You reversed the numbers. The payload was 1680 with just me in the truck, full tank of fuel and hitch. DW, Dog and stuff would probably be another 200# so that would make the available payload 1480#. That is just within the payload for my current 1/2 ton rated 5er.
Doesn't make sense that the payload is so low when the GCVW, GAWR and Tow Rating allow for much higher weights. I know one fella on another forum says to ignore the payload ratings, just pay attention to GCVW, GAWR and Tow rating and take the sag out with Air Bags.
From looking at signatures of others on these forums many are towing 5ers with GVWR of 12-13,000# and seem to be fine with their towing experience.
Probably the best way to tell is to test drive the 5er im looking at however thats not always practical, expecially if buying off of the internet.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Charli

You reversed the numbers. The payload was 1680 with just me in the truck, full tank of fuel and hitch. DW, Dog and stuff would probably be another 200# so that would make the available payload 1480#. That is just within the payload for my current 1/2 ton rated 5er.

Sorry, my mistake - it's the evils of me reading on my phone. I tend to get number dyslexic on the small screen (ask me sometime about wandering around Camden Yards at an Orioles game mad as heck at my wife for not being where she said she was only to figure out I'd transposed 2 numbers).

Originally Posted by Charli

Doesn't make sense that the payload is so low when the GCVW, GAWR and Tow Rating allow for much higher weights. I know one fella on another forum says to ignore the payload ratings, just pay attention to GCVW, GAWR and Tow rating and take the sag out with Air Bags.
From looking at signatures of others on these forums many are towing 5ers with GVWR of 12-13,000# and seem to be fine with their towing experience.
Probably the best way to tell is to test drive the 5er im looking at however thats not always practical, expecially if buying off of the internet.

We all make our choices and decide what is important. I'm not one of the believers that you get to pick and choose which ratings that you're going to adhere to; no matter what my neighbor may choose. I did my selection and planning all based on math and adhering to all ratings.