Community Forums

Brenwol1 · 04-20-2019, 02:45 PM

We are 1-year-olds in the RV world having bought our first TT last year. We absolutely love it. The only "mistake" we've made was to go to an RV show last month.

We are considering getting a slightly larger trailer next year and are starting our research process now.

Current setup:
- Ram 1500 Standard Cab w/tow package and 6' bed
- Heartland Mallart M185 (21') Appx 4500 lbs loaded
- Hitch installed by CW at purchase with sway control

For our next TT, I'm looking at 25' - 26' max with dry weight of around 5,500. Loaded I'd be somewhere near 6,100. My max trailer weight for Ram is 9,120 so I think I'd be ok on weight but am concerned about length. If I make sure I have good sway control, should I be ok around these specs?

Thanks,
Brenwol1

450Donn · 04-20-2019, 02:57 PM

You failed to mention year of your truck, so I have to assume it is a newer coil spring suspension. Again please remember to ignore the proposed trailers around 5500 pound dry weight. That number will only get you in trouble. Instead, look at the trailers GVWR. Also what is the scaled ready to travel weight of your truck? While I agree that the trailer might be OK if your truck has the 5.7L Hemi and not the under powered V6 you need to redo your numbers before jumping in with both feet and getting burned.

Brenwol1 · 04-20-2019, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450Donn

You failed to mention year of your truck, so I have to assume it is a newer coil spring suspension. Again please remember to ignore the proposed trailers around 5500 pound dry weight. That number will only get you in trouble. Instead, look at the trailers GVWR. Also what is the scaled ready to travel weight of your truck? While I agree that the trailer might be OK if your truck has the 5.7L Hemi and not the under powered V6 you need to redo your numbers before jumping in with both feet and getting burned.

Sorry. 2016 Ram 1500

Brenwol1 · 04-20-2019, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brenwol1

Sorry. 2016 Ram 1500

Also, the ready to travel weight of my truck is around 5k

Brenwol1 · 04-20-2019, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brenwol1

Also, the ready to travel weight of my truck is around 5k

Wheel base on the truck 120.5"

450Donn · 04-20-2019, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brenwol1

Also, the ready to travel weight of my truck is around 5k

By "around" are you saying you have not weighed it ready to travel? Please get real accurate weights and make your assessments based on that.

SmokeyWren · 04-20-2019, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brenwol1

For our next TT, I'm looking at 25' - 26' max with dry weight of around 5,500. Loaded I'd be somewhere near 6,100.

"Normal" RVers add about 1,000 pounds to the dry weight of a travel trailer. So count on a minimum of 6,500 pounds wet and loaded trailer weight.

"Normal" tongue weight (TW) averages 13% of wet and loaded travel trailer weight. So count on 845 pounds TW, plus another 100 pounds for a good weight-distributing/sway-control hitch = 945 pounds hitch weight.

Quote:

My max trailer weight for Ram is 9,120 so I think I'd be ok on weight …

Ignore that 9,120 "tow rating. That's not your limiter as to max trailer weight. The tow rating tells you the max weight your truck can PULL without overheating anything in the drivetrain, but not the max weight you an tow without being overloaded.

The limiter is probably the payload capacity available for hitch weight = GVWR of the tow vehicle minus the wet and loaded weight of the tow vehicle ready to hook up and depart on an RV trip. Subtract 100 pounds from the payload capacity available for hitch weight to determine payload capacity available for tongue weight. Divide the payload capacity available for tongue weight by 13% to determine the max trailer weight you can tow without bein overloaded.

Quote:

...
but am concerned about length. If I make sure I have good sway control, should I be ok around these specs?

If that 26' max is overall length, tip to tail of the trailer, then you should be fine. However, if that 26" length is the box length or floor length inside the trailer, then you're flirting with disaster.

And that assumes you not only have a good WD hitch with good sway control, but that the WD hitch is properly set up and adjusted to handle your actual hitch weight.

1bigmess · 04-20-2019, 05:43 PM

Ignore SmokeyWren's knowledge and wisdom at your own peril.

Ignore dry weights. No one goes camping in a state like how it was delivered from the manufacturer, everyone puts stuff in it, puts batteries on it, fills the propane tanks, puts food in the fridge, clothes, etc., etc.

Brenwol1 · 04-20-2019, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450Donn

By "around" are you saying you have not weighed it ready to travel? Please get real accurate weights and make your assessments based on that.

Correct. I will be going to actual scales on my next trip out in two weeks. Then I will have real numbers to work with. At the same time I posted this, I posted a question about weighing. Please have a look a that. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

tuffr2 · 04-21-2019, 04:00 AM

120.5" wheelbase does not sound right to me. Is that truck a standard cab with a short bed?

The reason I ask is most crew cab trucks will have a wheelbase of 145" to 150". That makes a big difference in being able to control the trailer as it goes down the highway.

There was a handy chart floating around this forum that had wheelbase then length of trailer trailer safe to tow we with said wheelbase. Maybe someone will post it again.

But my knee jerk answer would be 'yes', you will still be ok with a 25' to 26' overall length trailer.

Brenwol1 · 04-21-2019, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

120.5" wheelbase does not sound right to me. Is that truck a standard cab with a short bed?

The reason I ask is most crew cab trucks will have a wheelbase of 145" to 150". That makes a big difference in being able to control the trailer as it goes down the highway.

There was a handy chart floating around this forum that had wheelbase then length of trailer trailer safe to tow we with said wheelbase. Maybe someone will post it again.

But my knee jerk answer would be 'yes', you will still be ok with a 25' to 26' overall length trailer.

Ram 1500 Standard Cab w/6'4" bed. The info I found was that that equals 120.5" wheel base. I'll recheck.

tuffr2 · 04-21-2019, 06:09 AM

If it is a standard cab then 120.5" is probably correct. I googled truck wheelbase vs trailer length and 120.5" should tow only short trailers. 26' is pushing it

Brenwol1 · 04-21-2019, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

If it is a standard cab then 120.5" is probably correct. I googled truck wheelbase vs trailer length and 120.5" should tow only short trailers. 26' is pushing it

Yep. Measures 120.5".

Permadirt · 04-21-2019, 06:45 AM

I was looking at a trailer with a dry weight of 8800lbs. Seemed pretty good but I needed to know for sure. I asked the dealership to take it to an actual scale and have it weighed. It came back at 9630lbs! The camper was empty with nothing else in it. Goes to show that "dry weight" actually means nothing