Anyone Towing a 5er with a Half Ton TV?

We just got off the road - SC and FL. The newer (especially F150) half tons are getting to be a common siting in camp grounds.

A good buddy of mine has a 2014 Ram 1500, Hemi, crew cab, 4x4, 8 speed, & 3.92 axle.

He pulls a 27', 9000# wet/loaded 5er with it.

He has added:
- LT tires
- Tuf Truck 25% stiffer rear coil springs
- a set of Air Lift 1000 air bags that fit inside those rear coils.

He has been very happy with how it performs.

boocoodinkydow wrote:
Please share your experience be it good or bad. I'd be interested in knowing what you're towing, pin weight, dry and/or loaded weight, what your tow vehicle is & any additional info you'd like to share. Thanx.

NOTE TO WEIGHT POLICE: This isn't an open invitation to discuss pros & cons, shoulda, woulda, coulda. We've all heard it presented a thousand different ways. Thank you for understanding.

We used to tow a fairly light 5'er with a 2006 RAM 1500 4x2 5.7L.
It was OK. Installed airbags on the rear axle to level the load even though it didn't really squat too bad. Just found the half-ton springs too car-like. I even kept them inflated empty. The engine had lots of power and torque, just needed to rev. The old 5-speed transmission left a lot to be desired performance wise but it was reliable and never gave me any hassle. The only time I worried a bit was in very high cross winds. The truck's relatively short wheel-base, tires and suspension were a lot more sensitive to wind gusts than my current 3500. Overall, I think it towed the 5'er much better than a similar weighted travel trailer.

boocoodinkydow wrote:
Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. I have a 2014 ram with airsuspension & am considering a new jayco ht. With the technological advances boosting the capabilities of these newer vehicles & the rv manufacturers focusing on lighter, more aerodynamic units, I was encouraged that I could find a right fit for my needs. Just needed some real world experiences from you good folks to bolster my confidence. Thanx to everyone & I hope to see even more positive reports.

And a very special thanx to you, BarneyS!

I'm looking at a Jayco 29.5bhds HT model myself. Been going between that and a Keystone 28rbd Cougar. I'm noticing the Cougars seem to weigh a little bit less.. Best of luck!

Kevin

Well...my 1/2 ton pulling a 5th wheel trailer experience isn't current but was many years ago.
truck was a '84 1500 chevy 305 v8 3.73 ratio 7004R towing a 24' 5800-6200 lb (depending on length of trip) 5th wheel trailer. The 305 engine was without a doubt the weakest V8 GM ever put in a modern pickup. I think it was around 150-160 hp. Boy was it a dog.....'course national speed limit was 55 mph so it fit right in.
The '04 model 700R4 tranny had several upgrades from GM so it gave me no problems in the 265k miles I had it. Did I say the 305 was a dog !!

We had the combo all over the southern Rockies/plains in high wind areas with no issues.

Like the vast majority of 1/2 ton truck owners you won't have any issues as long as your load on the truck is under RAWR and stay with the trucks tow capacity.

I have had no problems. Found by running with a full fresh water tank it eliminated chucking, so I added weight. But you really need to study your specs.

Been running this setup for over 3 years. Runs good with over 11,000 miles towing and 64,000 on the truck.

Discovery, I believe the rear axle is either a 3.73 or 4.10. I think that was what was available in '01 with the 4x4's.

Thomas, As far as I know, the GM 5.3/6spd combo had at most a 3.42 rear, not a 3.73 (unless you changed it!). Only the Max Tow trucks had the 3.73. May have been a better experience with the 3.73! But still a great post!

Boocoodinkydow, Good luck in your quest!

We had a 24' Sportsmen 235RKS, 6005 lb dry, 7200 GVWR, 950# pin weight. Towed with a 2000 F150, 5.4L, 3.73. No ill effects, but never tried to cross the Rockies either.

Thanx, Thomas for a good objective report. Appreciate you taking the time to give an in depth account of your experience.

Note: Moderator edit to remove long quote of previous poster.