Towing 9K pound loaded trailer with Ram 2500
Hi Everyone- I have a 2024 Ram 2500 CC tradesman 6.4 hemi with 4.10 gears and a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. I am looking at buying a TT that is 7800 lbs unloaded, loaded looking at around 9000 lbs or so. ...
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Fair enough, but in this case there are no limits, vehicle rating, real world, implied or contrived, that apply to that truck with that size camper.
To your point though, the OP admittedly appears to not know what to expect nor has any towing experience. So understanding what you’ve explained could be beneficial.
Just like the “plan to get a wdh” in his original post. Barring some outrageously heavier than normal tongue weight or outrageously lighter than normal tongue weight and poor axle placement by the mfg resulting in a combined tail wagging the dog, neither weight distribution should be necessary, nor sway control.
Yet here we are.
Reminds me though, time again to try to sell the wdh I got with a past camper that goes unused and haven’t been able to unload it for like 3 years now…..
Just like the “plan to get a wdh” in his original post.
Up here you would automatically get a WDH with that combo. it is generally needed any time the trailer weighs over 50% of the tow vehicle weight, or over 5000lbs for a light duty truck so up to a 1 ton pickup. the other guide line is when the hitch weight exceeds 10 to 15% of the trailer weight. but I don't look at a equalizer hitch as an anti sway, yes it may help, but for me it is to relevel the truck and make it not bounce front to rear when you hit a bump.
this is why I don't like recommending a 15% hitch weight because it automatically puts them into the equalizer range.
As I noted, over 15% often becomes impractical...not because it forces a WDH but because you exceed, the hitch rating and or payload on lighter duty trucks. A 1 ton dually with a 5000lb payload won't have any issues with 15% on an 8000lb trailer with just a ball.
been there done that, even at 10% I went and bought a WDH as it made the ride a lot more comfortable. the proposing you get from a 9000lbs trailer is crazy and the weird thing is you don't notice it until you do get a WDH and it all goes away.
um he doesn't have a ram 1 tone dually and it isn't needed for a 9000lb trailer, he has a ram 2500 and should be fine for up to 1000lbs of hitch weight.
Exactly:
- at 10% it's marginal, so a WDH makes a noticeable difference in sway and bouncing.
- he doesn't need a 1 ton dually, that was the point...beyond 15%, it becomes impractical unless you get a much bigger truck beyond what is needed. Hence the sweet spot of 12-15%.
We're near the indiana manufacturing center, so we see a lot of delivery drivers (almost always 1 ton dually diesel trucks). They never use WDH because they can't be scratching the A-frame up mounting it. I was talking to one as a truck stop one time and he said he keeps a few bags of play sand in the truck. If it's not riding well, he'll throw them in the front of the trailer on the floor and he says it smooths the ride out. Not real practical for the owner to bring 2-300lb of play sand but shifting where you store heavy items can have the same effect.
