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.
From what I’ve read people routinely pull this weight with my truck. Just wanted to check and make sure I can safely pull this with my vehicle. I plan to get a WDH as well.
thanks for the help!
I wouldn't see an issue. you shoot for 10% hitch weight on a travel trailer so that would be 900lbs as for how well it will pull it I can't answer that, but Grit Dog did
10% is bare minimum. 12-15% is a better goal. Higher is even better but quickly becomes impractical.
I would beg to differ, the real only reason for the 10% is to stop instability issues that are usually sway. a light nose will sway but at less than 10% that is gone, that's why the recommended load is 10% for a travel trailer. do we usually end up with more, because we love to throw extra batteries on the front. probably for the last 41 years I have been shooting for 10% got there a few times but I am normally at 11 %. is there any harm in going for more, nope but its not needed, once your over 10% the stability issues are generally done, unless you have something else going on.
Short answer, yes, no problem. Although some will attempt to debate or overcomplicate the answer to this question.
95% of the time you are correct but then we get people posting that they are within the tow rating but it doesn't tow well because they didn't fully understand the limits.
Since the point of this site is to learn, providing some of the exceptional cases is valuable.
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…..
As noted, that should not be an issue.
Places it can become an issue, ie like myself at one time, a crewcab with 4 adult sized teens along with mom and dad. 1200-1300 lbs of payload gone with people. A couple of malamutes in crates in the bed, rack, cross bed tool box, maybe a canoe and bicycles in the bed, you might have room for a 6-7000 lbs trailers hitch wt of 750 lbs! Much less the 1200-1500 for the trailer you are looking at.
EVERYONES situation is a bit different. Some might manage that trailer with a heavier 15 series truck from GM or Ford. Most of the Dodge ones do not have the payload, much less a beefier suspension to handle that trailer. POWER wise just about every truck no matter the gvw has the HP etc compared to when I started pulling trailers in the late 70's. A 250/400 hp torque motor was a monster motor.....compare that to todays diesel with 500/1000 power specs, 10 gears in the trans vs 3....PAYLOAD is the key today with most rigs.
Marty
Agreed on power. My Dad had a late 1970's Dodge van with the upgraded 360 and I think is was 225hp. I had a 1992 f250 7.3l diesel that had 180hp and was a towing machine in it's day..
Now I don't think you can find a 6cyclinder with less than 300hp and the turbo 4 bangers are well north of 300hp. For 3/4 or 1 ton trucks, they mostly start around 350hp and going above 400hp is common without even getting into the diesels.
My first NEW truck was an 81 C2500 with a 120'ishHP 292 I6. Compared to my current 1500 with a 285/305, I've pulled a 4% grade at 50-53 mph with an 8500 lbs trailer behind me! That 292 would be in 2nd gear of a muncie 4sp barely doing 20-25mph. The gearing in it made it pull steeper grades at heavier gvw than the BB V8's with the 3 sp TH400 behind them. I stalled them puppies out more times than I care to admit!
Amazing what a little more HP and torque, add in 2-7 more gears, and you have the ability to do better! I can imagine my 96 6.5td with an NV5600 vs the 4500, having to drop from 50 at 1700 rpm on a hill, to 50 at 3200 redline, dropping to 35 at 2600 for a smoother quieter drive up a 4% freeway grade,. the 6 sp would have put me at 40-45 at 2600 rpm due to being a 1.3 vs a 1.6 gear below direct!
Marty
Most likely fine.
What is the payload sticker on the door jam say? The trailer will probably be around 9500-10000lb when loaded, so figure 1200-1500lb hitch weight. Add in passengers and other cargo in the truck, and you are likely around 2000-2500lb against payload (better yet, swing by a CAT scale with the truck loaded as if you are going on a trip if you are concerned and check the real truck weights).
And to your point, OP realize that even if your gvw sticker is derated to 9999lbs or whatever <10k designation, that is not the real payload. Hence why mfgs have been finally up rating class 2 trucks in recent years. The exact same trucks that roll off the line with 9999gvw which is for dot reg purposes.
Real world, anything 6klb or less rear axle weight is well within the limits of any class 2 pickup. And anything 8k or close is pushing it without the right wheels and suspension.
Subjectivly a new 6.4 8 speed 4.10 truck will pull better than any new or older gasser with the exception of the newer 6.8 and 7.3 Fords geared as deep as they offer.
