Hi, everyone. My husband and I have some questions about towing. We are getting conflicting reports as to what we are able to tow and we are so confused. We once wound up in a situation where we purchased a trailer that we found out was too much for our vehicle to safely tow and we don't want to find ourselves in that situation again. Our truck is paid for and we'd like to hang on to it for a few more years.We have a Dodge Ram 2500 MegaCab.We currently tow this travel trailer with it with no problems:http://www.sierrarvsales.com/product/used-2012-dutchmen-rv-kodiak-300bhsl-404208-29We aren't happy with the quality of this trailer, though. We've done a lot of repairs on it and there are some design flaws that are frustrating. So we are in the market for a different camper. Hubby would like to switch to a fifth wheel. But we have been told by several dealers we can't tow a fifth wheel.This one in particular we were looking at. One dealer said we could tow it with no problem. One dealer said no we can't.https://www.rvtrader.com/dealers/Tom-Schaeffer%27s-RV-Super-Store-739862/listing/2011-Jayco-Eagle-Super-Lite-31.5FBHS-120825479(Ironically it's the dealer who is selling it who told us we can't tow it, so it's not like somebody's trying to snowball us into buying something we can't tow, which is more what you'd expect.)We have Google searched and read a bunch of information on weight ratings, tow ratings, payload capacity, but we are more confused than ever. Can someone explain to us in layman's terms if we can't tow a fifth-wheel, why we can't?

OP's Current TTFifth Wheel OP is Considering

Without knowing the weights there is no way to say for certain whether you could or could not tow it.The problem you have is the relatively short box that comes standard on MegaCab trucks. I believe it is shorter than even a standard 6 foot short bed. If you were to hitch up and if weights were within specs, the first time you tried to back at any angle you could take out the trucks rear window. Slider hitches can help, but are not a cureall on mega cabs.Couple that with the really soft suspension and high ready to travel weight it is highly unlikely you will not be comfortable putting so much pin weight on the truck.BTW as a comparison, a TT will place around 12% of its weight on the truck. Whereas a fifth wheel will drop approx 20% of its weight directly on top of the rear axle. To put it more bluntly, with fivers it is not towability, but trucks weight carrying capacity that is key.

He truck should be able to handle the load. Mega cabs have a low carrying capacity which carrying capacity is what a truck needs for a fifth wheelThat being said the problem I see with that trailer and the shorter bed is he trailer will hit the cabin turns you can put a Reese revolution pin box on and resolve that issue the easiest

first off you didn't give us any information on your truck or trailers numbers to give you a recommendation. We need the truck and trailer year model. the trucks and trailers GVWR. The trucks RAWR is the truck a manual transmission or auto You will not get a same consensus on this forum where it come down to a 3/4 ton truck towing a 5th wheel trailer......everyone has a opinion on weights so read between the lines. I can tell you now as long as your 2500 Mega Cab is OEM .......it can tow a 5th wheel trailer. Give us some help....thanks Jim

You did not indicate whether your Dodge was gas or diesel. If it is gas, then I agree with the dealer. If diesel, what size diesel? You must remember, the major requirement for towing is not horsepower, it is torque. Torgue determines the ability to tow a trailer, either TT or 5th Wheel, especially in the hills and mountains. Gas engines do not have the torque required to tow a heavier 5th Wheel. Check the torque of your Dodge. If it does not have at least 600 ft lbs of torque, forget it or purchase a new tow vehicle.

So confused about towing | Good Sam Community

2Macs
Explorer
Mar 11, 2017
You did not indicate whether your Dodge was gas or diesel. If it is gas, then I agree with the dealer. If diesel, what size diesel? You must remember, the major requirement for towing is not horsepower, it is torque. Torgue determines the ability to tow a trailer, either TT or 5th Wheel, especially in the hills and mountains. Gas engines do not have the torque required to tow a heavier 5th Wheel. Check the torque of your Dodge. If it does not have at least 600 ft lbs of torque, forget it or purchase a new tow vehicle.
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Mar 11, 2017
first off you didn't give us any information on your truck or trailers numbers to give you a recommendation.

We need the truck and trailer year model.
the trucks and trailers GVWR.
The trucks RAWR
is the truck a manual transmission or auto

You will not get a same consensus on this forum where it come down to a 3/4 ton truck towing a 5th wheel trailer......everyone has a opinion on weights so read between the lines.

I can tell you now as long as your 2500 Mega Cab is OEM .......it can tow a 5th wheel trailer.
Give us some help....thanks
Jim
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Mar 11, 2017
He truck should be able to handle the load. Mega cabs have a low carrying capacity which carrying capacity is what a truck needs for a fifth wheel

That being said the problem I see with that trailer and the shorter bed is he trailer will hit the cabin turns you can put a Reese revolution pin box on and resolve that issue the easiest
donn0128
Explorer II
Mar 11, 2017
Without knowing the weights there is no way to say for certain whether you could or could not tow it.
The problem you have is the relatively short box that comes standard on MegaCab trucks. I believe it is shorter than even a standard 6 foot short bed. If you were to hitch up and if weights were within specs, the first time you tried to back at any angle you could take out the trucks rear window. Slider hitches can help, but are not a cureall on mega cabs.
Couple that with the really soft suspension and high ready to travel weight it is highly unlikely you will not be comfortable putting so much pin weight on the truck.
BTW as a comparison, a TT will place around 12% of its weight on the truck. Whereas a fifth wheel will drop approx 20% of its weight directly on top of the rear axle. To put it more bluntly, with fivers it is not towability, but trucks weight carrying capacity that is key.
gbopp
Explorer
Mar 11, 2017
OP's Current TT

Fifth Wheel OP is Considering

Forum Discussion

So confused about towing

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