Ram fifth wheel towing??

[dlovitt]

Chevrolet and Ford towing charts show higher weight capabilities for towing fifth wheels over towing travel trailers. As far as I can tell, Ram does not. They just show "maximum trailer weight" with no distinction between travel trailers and fifth wheels. Is there a fifth wheel Ram towing chart that I just have not found?

[TXiceman]

I have yet to understand how they can rate a tow vehicle to tow more 5er than a TT. It just does not work that way.

To the equation for towing any trailer, there are two parts to watch on the manufacturers rating....GVWR and GCWR.

GVWR is gross vehicle weight rating which is the most weight the vehicle is rated to have setting it two axles.

GCWR is gross combined weight rating which is the most the truck and trailer can weigh together.

Now keep in mind that when the manufacturers post a "tow rating" it is a maximum and based on a stripped base model truck and a 150# driver. They always have a footnote or small print noting that none of the trucks GVWR, GCWR OR GAWR (gross axle weight rating) are to be exceeded.

To truly determine what a truck can tow you need to first get the trucks total and individual weight ratings with it loaded with full fuel and normal travel cargo and passengers. This is you vehicles laden weight (VLW).

On the door jamb of the truck is a GVWR sticker. The owners manual will provide a GCWR for your particular cab, engine and rear axle.

GCWR - LVW = Maximum loaded trailer weight (not dry or brochure weight).

GVWR - LVW = Max loaded trailer pin or tongue weight.

A typical 5er will have a pinweight that is close to 20% of the trailers weight. You can use the trailer GVWR X 0.20 as an estimate of the pin weight you can expect.

On a travel trailer the tongue weight will run about 12% (10 to 15%) of the trailers loaded weight. So use GVWR x 0.12 to estimate the tongue weight.

As you can see the tongue weight of a TT is a bit more than 1/2 the pin weight of a 5er. So the truck will have to carry more weight...not just tow it.

Let's assume a trailer that weighs 15,000#.

For a 5er, the pin weight will be about 15,000 x 0.20 or 3000#
On the same travel trailer, the tongue weight will be about 1800#.

If you have a 3/4 ton truck that has a GVWR or 9500# and it weighs 7500# loaded, this will leave you with
9500 - 7500# = 2000# available for pin weight.

You are within limits for the TT but well over limits for the 5er.

It is amazing at the distorted math that the manufacturers use to exaggerate the tow ratings.

ken

[RustyJC]

Unless the cantilevered load involved with towing a TT-type trailer causes the manufacturer to limit ratings otherwise, the TT towing limit is generally associated with the weight-bearing and weight-distributed ratings of the receiver hitch being used. It's commonplace for HD Ram owners to replace the factory receivers with something like the Reese Titan Class V receiver hitch setup that starts with ratings of 12K weight-bearing and 15K weight-distributed and goes up from there.

Rusty

[TXiceman]

Rusty, it never occurred to me that Dodge would skimp on the receiver hitch on a truck...but I guess since Chevy does, why not join the club.

Ken

[RustyJC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman Rusty, it never occurred to me that Dodge would skimp on the receiver hitch on a truck...but I guess since Chevy does, why not join the club. Ken

Ken,

My 2002 came with a 500/5000 lb weight-bearing and 1000/10,000 lb weight-distributed rating on the factory receiver. I just went out and looked under the 2011 - no sticker!!

Rusty

[JIMNLIN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlovitt Chevrolet and Ford towing charts show higher weight capabilities for towing fifth wheels over towing travel trailers. As far as I can tell, Ram does not. They just show "maximum trailer weight" with no distinction between travel trailers and fifth wheels. Is there a fifth wheel Ram towing chart that I just have not found?

http://http://www.dodge.com/bodybuil...mlupseries.pdf
Try this link and configure your own truck/trailer weights. Look at note #4 which says this about TT weights;
"

4. The maximum trailer weight is 5,000 pounds for a weight-carrying hitch. A weight distributing system is recommended for trailers over 5,000 pounds. A fifth-wheel or

gooseneck hitch is required for trailers over 12,000 pounds."
.

[TXiceman]

I checked the receiver hitch on my 2002 F350 and it is rated for 1250# tongue and 12,500 trailer weight for a W/D hitch.

ken