Forum Discussion

95jersey's avatar
95jersey
Explorer
Sep 26, 2014

How long a camper can I (should I) tow?

I have a new 2014 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi (8 speed) with approximately 9000lbs tow capacity. Looking to buy a travel trailer and trying to understand what is a safe camper length for this vehicle. I would like something larger than a 26', but not larger than 33'. Weight average for these trailers seems to be in the 5000#-6500# rating which is within my vehicles capacity and tongue weight. I have towed many trailer, but nothing longer than 20ft.

With all this said, something that isn't available on a chart is the experience of pulling a 33' travel trailer with a 1500. I know fifth wheel is better, but I need to be able to put a dirt bike in the bed of the truck while towing the trailer. So weight wise I am OK, but what is a safe length for this truck? Optimally I would like a 28-31', but all the trailers I like are in the 33' range. Am I just getting myself into trouble?
  • APT's avatar
    APT
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    Find any length TT that keeps you under all your truck's ratings (GVWR/GAWR). Power is not a problem for your truck with a strong engine and lots of transmission gears to play with.

    Be realistic. 1000 pounds of payload after the bike in bed. Subtract the weight of you, wife, child. Even a modest 300 pounds leaves 700 for trailer tongue weight. That's about 5500 pounds loaded or 4500 pounds dry. 4500 pound dry TT can be 20' to 32' depending on construction materials.
  • Bob_Olallawa's avatar
    Bob_Olallawa
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    Heavy winds and long travel trailers are not fun even with a 3/4 or one ton. If you think the tongue weight might be a problem, put the bike in the back, have the hitch in the receiver drive across the scales and you will know how much weight you have to play with. Looks like you should be ok but I am looking from a long way away.
  • lanerd's avatar
    lanerd
    Explorer II
    Sep 26, 2014
    95jersey wrote:
    No teenagers, just my wife and 10 year old son. Dirt bike is for me only. Payload on the Ram is a bit low because of the coil springs (1280lbs). Dirt bike only weights 215lbs, so that gives me 1000lbs of remaining payload and a class IV hitch. I am sure I am within my limits, and I can put the luggage in the trailer. No steep mountain grades like out west, just rolling hills of the NE & SE.

    So I think I am fine on the weight, but I have heard stories of pulling 30'+ trailers that it can be a handful with wind and lighter trucks. Just don't want to spend $10-20k and find it to be a very un-pleasurable experience.


    No, you are not fine with weights. Remember a 6000 lb trailer will have anywhere from 600 to 900 lbs of tongue weight. There goes your 1000 lbs without you, wife, and son ever get into the truck.

    You are not taking into consideration the actual weights that a trailer can have. Dry weight advertisements can be notoriously under what the actual weight will be once the trailer is loaded.

    You need to rethink this and think about "actual" weights before actual purchase.

    As far as lengths go, yes longer trailers can be more to handle especially during windy conditions as they become a huge sail. I, for one, would not consider pulling anything longer than 25' with a half ton....but that's just me. I pulled our 25' trailer for six years and even that was taxing on me and my truck....of which I had to replace the rear gears (differential) when I sold the trailer.

    good luck

    Ron
  • coolbreeze01's avatar
    coolbreeze01
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    Too heavy won't be any fun, wind or not. The longer and higher the trailer, the more wind affect you will feel. You will have to go slower or pull off the road in high winds.
  • badercubed's avatar
    badercubed
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    Of that remaining 1,000 lbs, you need to account for everything in the truck including wife, bed liner, tool box, fire wood and coolers. Then, you also have 100lbs+ for the WD hitch. With that low low payload number, you will be over that before you even touch the power limits on the truck.

    My half-ton has 1,800+ in payload, my trailer comes in at 9,200lbs wet and I am over my payload.

    your truck will be fine, but you need to understand that you will be over-weight.
  • 95jersey's avatar
    95jersey
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    No teenagers, just my wife and 10 year old son. Dirt bike is for me only. Payload on the Ram is a bit low because of the coil springs (1280lbs). Dirt bike only weights 215lbs, so that gives me 1000lbs of remaining payload and a class IV hitch. I am sure I am within my limits, and I can put the luggage in the trailer. No steep mountain grades like out west, just rolling hills of the NE & SE.

    So I think I am fine on the weight, but I have heard stories of pulling 30'+ trailers that it can be a handful with wind and lighter trucks. Just don't want to spend $10-20k and find it to be a very un-pleasurable experience.
  • downtheroad's avatar
    downtheroad
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    Don't worry about the Feet (length)
    Work with the Weight (most important is Payload numbers)
    Loaded tongue weight and truck Payload.
  • loulou57's avatar
    loulou57
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    As far as pulling length, I don't know if this helps any. We have an Avalanche V8 5.3 4x4. Our trailer is 30'. Pulling it is no issue at all. We have occasionally pulled our boat behind the TT, that makes us 73' in total length. Hubby said, he can't feel any note worthy difference with boat on.

    Just wondering and I am sure you have checked this all out. With the dirt bikes in the truck, how are you for payload? For some reason I had imagined a few teenagers and their gear in the truck with you. As I said, you likely have it figured.
  • tomkaren13's avatar
    tomkaren13
    Explorer
    Sep 26, 2014
    Our opinion is weight is more important then lenght. The lenghts you are considering for a half ton truck will be fine. We believe that the weight should be 6000# or less. Again it is our opinion is to stay away from a fifth wheel that is longer then 25'

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