Community Forums

SmokeyWren · 12-06-2017, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoPwr

I'll have to start doing some towing calculations and looking at toy haulers to see if getting the bike's weight in the trailer allows for a better setup for the Ram 1500.

Hi, GoPwr, and

and to our campfire.

I don't enjoy being the bucket of cold water or the wet blanket tossed over your hopes and dreams, but I hate to see someone try to tow too much trailer with not enough truck. So I'll tell you what I think.

You have been misled as to the payload capacity of your Hemi. Instead of trying to justify towing that heavy trailer, concentrate on the weight you could tow without being overloaded.

The tow rating of over 10,000 pounds is severely overstated. Your powerful Hemi can PULL that much weight over hill and dale, but you'll be overloaded over the payload capacity of your tow vehicle (TV). And in your calculations, ignore the hitch weight per the trailer specs and calculate the realistic hitch weight as 12% to 14% of the weight of the wet and loaded trailer. Average hitch weight is 13% of gross weight of the trailer plus 100 pounds for a good WD hitch. If you use the GVWR {or unloaded weight plus cargo carrying capacity (CCC)} of the trailer as the gross weight to calculate real-world tongue weight, then you won't be overloaded with the wet and loaded trailer. If you try to guess the wet and loaded weight of the trailer, you'll probably be overloaded after DW loads the trailer for the third trip.

Your limiter as to how much trailer your Hemi can tow without being overloaded is the payload capacity available for hitch weight. So you must determine payload capacity available for hitch weight. That's the GVWR of your TV minus the wet and loaded weight of your TV before you tie onto any trailer.

Since you already have the new truck but not the trailer, here's the drill to determine how much trailer you can tow without being overloaded:

1] Load the TV with everybody and everything that will be in it when towing. People, pets, tools and jacks, toys such as your bike, fuel for the bike, campfire wood, generator and fuel for the generator, everything.

2] Drive to a truck stop that has a certified truck scale and fill up with gas.

3] Weigh the wet and loaded TV with everybody in it. If Suzi had to run to the restroom, wait until she gets back before you weigh the truck.

4] Subtract the weight of the wet and loaded TV from the GVWR of the TV. The answer is payload capacity available for tongue weight.

5] Subtract 100 pounds from that weight and the answer is the payload capacity available for hitch weight.

5] Divide the payload capacity for hitch weight by 0.13, and the answer is the max GVWR of any tandem-axle travel trailer you can tow without being overloaded.

And guess what, the answer in 5] above won't be anywhere near the 9,635 pounds you calculated using the trailer specs. Hopefully it will be between 6,000 and 7,000 pounds, but it might be even less.

For comparison, my half-ton pickup with a more powerful drivetrain than your Hemi, and with 7,100 GVWR, is slightly overloaded with my Nomad 196S that has a 20' box, 5,600 GVWR, 650 pounds hitch weight and grosses less than 5,000 pounds when wet and loaded on the road. That's a 10' shorter TT and about half the wet and loaded weight of the Puma 30 RLIS you're considering.

Wallaby Dan · 12-06-2017, 02:35 PM

Have you thought about a small 5th wheel? There are some light-weight 30 footers that may work for you out there. Like was said try to keep the weight under 7000 pds.

Freqz · 12-06-2017, 03:15 PM

A 7000 pound FW is still going to have a pin weight of 1500 pounds or so including the hitch.

A Scamp or Escape FW would work, perhaps, but those are 19' and 21'...

GoPwr · 12-06-2017, 04:09 PM

correction 'the motorcycle is NOW part of the trailer weight'

Dropthejacks · 12-06-2017, 06:31 PM

I think you are on the right path with a lightweight toyhauler. Since you are going to be racing, the extra room of the toyhauler will allow you to put tools and other gear in the RV, further lightening the load in the bed of the truck and allowing more payload room for the weight of the hitch. A yes, the motorcycle weight becomes trailer weight, which will increase the hitch weight, but only slightly, unlike sitting the bike in the bed.

RPr · 12-11-2017, 10:21 PM

My F-150 has a max cargo of 1411 lbs. My TT has a dry weight of 5000 lbs and a dry tongue weight of 402 lbs.

Across the CAT scales and loaded for the road, the TT is 6200 lbs. with 750 on the hitch. Two adults, a dog and camp gear and we are at our max cargo an approaching our axle ratings.

I think your combo would really over load your half ton. My rule of thumb is about 5,000 lbs. TT dry weight for a half ton.

Good luck but the cargo capacity adds up quickly.

runamuck · 12-13-2017, 08:01 AM

sounds like you guys may not be giving the ram hemi 1/2 ton much credit. my son uses a '16 ram 1500 4x4 CCSB with the 5.7 to pull his 5000# 25' TT and he can literally hold 70+ with the cruise on unless the route has some decent hills. I have a '17 gmc 1500 4x4 CCSB and pull my 5000# 26' TT and cant keep up with him unless I want to really work my truck harder than I like. early on after I bought my trailer, the wife and I would caravan with him and the grandkids, but my 5.3 with 3:42 gears is just a strain to keep up so we slowly fall behind and eventually end up in the same place. we both pack light and have the same wd hitches etc. I am considering trading in my gmc for either a 2500 or a ram hemi after the first of the year so trailering will be less stressful next season.

bfisher003 · 12-13-2017, 10:00 AM

I can pretty much assure you (since I tow a 6,500 lb TT with one) that a F150 3.5 Ecoboost with Max Tow and 3.73 rear will have no trouble keeping up with him or passing him for that matter. LOL

weredoingit · 12-13-2017, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoPwr

Hello All,

I purchased a 2018 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4 short (5'7") bed 5.7 Hemi 8 speed to tow a travel trailer and haul a sportbike in the back to take to the racetrack.

Currently we are shopping for a hitch/bumper travel trailer. Well, we found one we really like but it may be too heavy considering payload in the bed of the truck.

Here are the specs that I believe will help some of you offer up some advice.

Will this be a safe combination?

Truck info =
Laramie 1500 4x4 Crew Cab short bed
5.7 hemi gas, 392 axle, 8speed
GVWR = 6950
Payload = 1510
GAWR F=3900, Rear = 3900
GCWR = 15,950
Max Trailer = 10,140

Considering purchase of Travel Trailer: Puma 30 RLIS - (30' box, 34.5' overall).
UVW = 7775 lbs dry (I don't plan to travel with water tanks full, can fill near track).
Hitch weight is 835 lbs.
Cargo Capacity is 1860 lb for a GVWR of 9635 lbs.
Dual Axle = 6890

Motorcycle in bed of truck a bit under 400 lbs. Gear in bed (fuel, bike stands, tools = aprx 200 lbs - so say 600 lbs in bed of truck.

Me and the wife and 3 small pups (400 lbs). Plus misc items and a full tank of gas (about 200 lbs) = 600 lbs on board.

Most of our trips will be 2 nighters (leave Fri, home Sun night), so not a ton of clothing, supplies, camping gear. Doing track days in the SE USA, based in Atlanta area - flat compared to the west.

I plan to use a weight distributing sway bar (10k, 12k, or 15k - which size recommended ?).

We love the interior space of this trailer, but not sure if it is just too much for the Ram w/ the bike in the bed.

Thank you for any helpful advice.

I hate to say it but my son had your truck, and a 2011 28' TT, by the time he and family were on the HWY. it was not safe. He just upgraded to a 2015 GMC duramax 3500

NFlcamper · 12-13-2017, 04:58 PM

Most camper style toy haulers have axles set farther back than regular campers, and really add to the tongue weight. Cargo trailer type toy haulers are lower (less wind resistance for the 1500) and are better balanced for less tongue weight. Less amenities, but better suited for a 1500.

NFlcamper · 12-13-2017, 05:01 PM

Just an FYI, I have a 27' toy hauler and I upgraded to a 2500 CTD from a 1500 that 'would' pull it, but in reality shouldn't have. Big difference in towing it, and feeling good about being able to safely.

aether_one · 12-13-2017, 05:07 PM

Too much trailer for what you want to do. Keep looking but limit your choices to a 24' to 29' TT with a 7700 lb GVWR; plenty of them out there.

weredoingit · 12-13-2017, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NFlcamper

Just an FYI, I have a 27' toy hauler and I upgraded to a 2500 CTD from a 1500 that 'would' pull it, but in reality shouldn't have. Big difference in towing it, and feeling good about being able to safely.

Well said

raineman · 12-13-2017, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runamuck

sounds like you guys may not be giving the ram hemi 1/2 ton much credit. my son uses a '16 ram 1500 4x4 CCSB with the 5.7 to pull his 5000# 25' TT and he can literally hold 70+ with the cruise on unless the route has some decent hills. I have a '17 gmc 1500 4x4 CCSB and pull my 5000# 26' TT and cant keep up with him unless I want to really work my truck harder than I like. early on after I bought my trailer, the wife and I would caravan with him and the grandkids, but my 5.3 with 3:42 gears is just a strain to keep up so we slowly fall behind and eventually end up in the same place. we both pack light and have the same wd hitches etc. I am considering trading in my gmc for either a 2500 or a ram hemi after the first of the year so trailering will be less stressful next season.

May want to tell your son to slow down. Towing that much weight at 70+ mph with that truck and having your grandkids aboard is not the best idea in the world. Does he at least have a tire pressure monitoring system to see how his speeds are affecting his tires?