just bought my first 5th wheel camper because I am relocating to a town with essentially no rental houses available! the dealer said my truck would tow it with no problem but now I'm starting to worry...the camper: 2009 big country. it's 35' and a hair over 11,000 dry weight. 14,000 GVW. my truck: 1997 Dodge 2500 diesel (extended cab, 8' bed, 4x4, 5 speed manual). it just got a brand new rebuilt 12 valve motor and new clutch. I'll be putting new brakes on it and getting the exhaust brake fixed. it has a B&W 16R companion hitch and obviously a brake controller. the situation: I will be pulling it about 600 miles, avoiding mtn passes and parking it to live in for the foreseeable future. the most I'd ever move it would be to another nearby campground. I'm very excited about shifting to camper life! I have decades of experience pulling large horse trailers, but I never worried about the weight as long as I had a 3/4 or a 1 ton. what do you guys think? will I be ok pulling this setup?

It'll tow it the one time, but too much trailer for the truck, that trailer is dually territory for sure. Go slow, be careful, and plan on a getting a bigger truck if you decide you want to see the country with this trailer.

what is it about this amount of weight that makes a 3/4 ton too small? just brakes/springs, etc? also, I can't seem to find the actual towing capacity of my truck... sticker is gone and so is the manual. googling has only left me with more questions than answers...

Yeah, too much trailer for that truck. Pin weight is your main problem. You will be probably 2500 to 3k #'s of pin weight, which is too much for a 3/4 ton. You may be ok for the one trip if you tow dry and carry as little weight as possible, but you need a bigger truck. Sorry. Btw, welcome to the forum!

It's the payload. Figure if you're going to be living in that RV it will packed pretty close to 14,000 lbs, so using that as a starting point. In a 5er about 20-25% of that will be on the pin. So 20% is 2800 lbs, 25% is 3500 lbs. Split the difference and call it 3100 lbs, add another 200 lbs for the hitch and you've over the payload of most 3/4 trucks. Brakes and springs, the 5er has its own brakes and springs may sag in the back, you can add air bags for that. Pay attention to the axle ratings and the tire ratings. Best thing you can do is stop at a CAT scale and get the rig weighed enroute to your destination.I realize this is a general comment without knowing the ratings of your truck. One thing you can do NOW if you can call Dodge and find out what the GVWR is, then take the truck by itself to a scales and see what it weighs with you, full fuel, and the 5er hitch. Subtract the empty weight from the GVWR and that's how much you can put in the bed, ie is available for pin weight.FWIW, tow ratings are all but worthless in the RV world, the vehicles run out of payload capacity before they exceed their tow rating. My truck is rated to tow 12000 lbs but I am right at GVWR capacity even though the trailer is only 8500 lbs fully loaded.

what is pin weight? and thanks for the responses folks :) I'm just hoping to make it up to WY and get it parked! any recommendations on things I can do to my truck for the trip to help it out?

can my truck pull my RV?? newbie | Good Sam Community

CasperRVlivin
Explorer
Sep 10, 2013
after talking with my mechanic I got air bags for the truck, the tired are new and E rated, and I got the exhaust brake fixed. should be no problem now :D heading to Casper in about 2 weeks- will post how it goes! and thanks for everyone's input!
CasperRVlivin
Explorer
Sep 10, 2013
CliffordG wrote:
I live where you're headed. If you have problems when you get here look me up.

hey thanks! what park do you live in? we are still looking for a place to park this mammoth camper :)
CliffordG
Explorer
Sep 05, 2013
I live where you're headed. If you have problems when you get here look me up.
Jet_A-1
Explorer
Sep 05, 2013
BurbMan wrote:
....FWIW, tow ratings are all but worthless in the RV world, the vehicles run out of payload capacity before they exceed their tow rating....

These are some of the truest words you'll ever hear. I suspect that the vast majority of RV dealers out there grossly over estimate what brand x can tow based on the manufacturers ratings. And that they do it time after time just to move a unit (to shorten up those days to turn numbers). I recently witnessed a new top-o-the-line Harley Davidson edition F250 diesel pull off a lot with a big new 5'er and it was flattened. The dealer should have never set those folks up with the combo they had. I should have taken a quick picture. The old phrase "go big or go home" comes to mind when choosing TV.
pitch
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Since you have already spent the money on rebuilding the cummins, have a local spring shop put a new heavier spring pack under it. If you have not owned the truck since new and know its history, that age and # of miles it may be due for springs any way. Springs do not last forever. You are used to hauling horses so I assume you know your way around a wrench. Installing leaf spring packs is not technically difficult.
mowermech
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
Just my opinion, as a long time Dodge owner, including half tons, 3/4 tons, and a one ton diesel;
Put load range E tires on your truck, make sure you have a good brake controller, hook up your trailer, and get on down the road.
To give an experience with the numbers, my old 1994 Dodge CTD 3500 dually was rated for 18K GCWR. The one time I weighed it, the actual GCW was 21,180 lbs. That rig had crossed the Continental Divide, that Cascade Range, and the High Sierras several times at that point. Nothing bent, nothing broke, there were no accidents, incidents, or occurrences, and nobody was injured or died.
By the way, it was UNDER GVWR truck and trailer; UNDER all GAWRs truck and trailer; WAY under the licensed GVW of the truck.
IMO, you should do what you need to do. I think your truck can handle it, based on my own experience.
CasperRVlivin
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
rhagfo wrote:
Old-Biscuit wrote:
GVWR is 8800#

MAX towing rating is 12,800#

You will be over GVWR, RAWR, Rear tire MAX Load rating

And if you are going to be living in that trailer in Casper you will need skirting, heat lamps under rig, and a large propane tank set up (at least 100#)
Casper is no pic-nic in the winter. Lived there for 10 yrs. Good LUCK!!

Are you sure about that!

I tow a 12,000 GVW 5er with a Ram 2500 with the same 8,800 GVWR. I use no suspension additives other than a set of Bilstien 5100 shocks.

I am over the GVWR, not hard to do with a early Cummins, but have near 1,000# of reserve left on my 6,084# RAWR. That is only due to the tires, stock size 245/75-16E is 3,042# rating, the Camper Special added 265/75-16E at 3,415# so my real safety margin in the rear is more like 1,800#.

With minimal stuff in the 5er for the trip, it would work, if he has the 3.55 rear end it will be a bit slow getting going, or up a hill, but could be a good break- in for that rebuilt Cummins.
Question, to the OP, how many miles on the truck?

about 150k on the truck body. my mechanic seems to think it will tow it fine, even though I am technically over the tow ratings. I am considering new rear end suspension components anyways- suggestions?

and thanks to everyone for the advice! I'm still working hard on the issue. I'm going to be out of wifi contact for a week but I'll be back and reading posts after that so by all means don't stop the comments from coming!
joshuajim
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Here's the Dodge Bodybuilder information for your truck.

2007 Ram
rhagfo
Explorer III
Sep 03, 2013
bikendan wrote:
...... I agree, that trailer's pin weight will be over your truck's capacity.
you run the risk of breaking the axle if you choose to tow it with your truck.

take the VIN to a Dodge dealer and see what comes up.

Really!! this is not an F150, this truck with the 5speed likely has a Dana 80 axle rated at 10,000# by the manufacture. The Dana 80 and 70 are both full floating axles, the same as the 3500 DRW. The limiting item is the tires, 245/75-16E tires rate 3,042# each, two equal 6,084#. If it came with a camper package tires went to 265/75-16E rated at 3,414# each.

mdamerell wrote:
1994-2002 Dodge Ram VIN Decoding this might help.

Found a couple of websites that claim the 1997 Ram 2500 can handle 3,500# in the box but can find the actual Dodge specs. Would probably still want a set of air bags to level out the load.

Not telling you to do anything as I think your truck is overloaded unless you can find the numbers to support it. Personally at 14,000# gross I'd would want a dually, but that's just me.

The idea of having someone deliver it to your new location if you don't wish to upgrade your truck might be the best alternative.

Well these old Rams have some pretty good spring packs under them, my rig weighs in at 11,000# with 2,100 to 2,200 on the pin, I don't have a need for air bags as I am still close to an inch from engaging the overloads.
blt2ski
Moderator
Sep 03, 2013
hmknightnc wrote:
CasperRVlivin wrote:
so should I not even hook it up and try it? I can't afford a new truck- is there a company who can move it for me that isn't super expensive? feeling pretty screwed here

I think Marty underestimated your empty truck rear wieght a little but still a ~11k empty wieght that is going to around 2500# pin wieght guessing. You should be able to do that so you can safely move it empty in my opinion. To know for sure go get your truck wieghed like many of us said.

Granted I drive GM's not dodges, but 2400-2600 has been a typical RA empty wt with singles. My dually is barely over 3000 lbs. My C2500 is actually around 2200. With a crew cab equal, 2400-2600 should be on par. Now add a hitch etc, might be a bit more. But from the factory....I'm probably pretty close.

I also feel, once wieghed, the truck should be able to move the trailer safe and sanely! I've moved my 12K equipment trailer with my C2500 reg cab, and it has a 13K gcwr! No real issues other than power. And even at that, pulling a 2-3% grade at 45 mph in 2n gear at 4000 r's is what would expect with that setup.

Marty

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