Can I pull this travel trailer?
Hi, Im currently looking to purchase a travel trailer. I found the perfect one I want which is the Grand Designs Reflection 31BHTS. I have a 2018 Ram 1500 eco diesel that will pull 9600 pounds whi...
Forum Discussion
"I have the same tv and would say to be on the safe side you're probably looking at a 25-26' TT under 6500lb's"
And this would be at most. Your truck has plenty of engine, just not enough payload to pull something that large which is common among 1/2 tons of all makes. I just traded in a 25' TT that weighed 3740 according to the sticker (Old Trailer). Once I got it loaded for camping, it was close to 4500 lbs (Weighed at scales). Add another 450 in the truck (Wife, Dogs and myself) and another 500 lbs in the truck bed (Cornhole boards, Big Cooler, Table for the grill and outdoor stove, extra propane tank, pop up canopy, a couple 4'-2"x12" boards to level the TT, Bikes) and I was at my 1/2 ton trucks limits.
I was always mindful of keeping weight forward and putting heaviest stuff near the truck cab in the bed and in the front of the trailer to keep tongue weight up. With the W/D and sway control, I could manage 65 mph as long as it wasn't real windy and would get a gentle suck towards semi's when being passed. It was unnerving when I first started pulling it but I became used to it and as a previous poster said, watched for semi's in my mirror and expected and counteracted the suck in when I saw them. If they snuck up on me and I was caught off guard, it certainly wasn't any fun being 6"-8" inches from the side of a semi trailer.
If it was windy, I often would be relegated to 50-55 mph to feel safe and in the 6 years I owned this trailer, I had 3 occasions I felt it was unsafe to drive and pulled over for extended breakfasts/lunches until the weather settled down.
I'm an extremely confident, defensive driver. I have driven over 50,000 miles a year for 30 years due to often working in a different city than I lived and having a 60-100 commute one way. I've done this without an accident that was my fault. I estimate that 2,000-3,000 of those every year were pulling either a horse trailer or a camper.
Take the advice of almost everyone here and do not buy that size or weight trailer.
And this would be at most. Your truck has plenty of engine, just not enough payload to pull something that large which is common among 1/2 tons of all makes. I just traded in a 25' TT that weighed 3740 according to the sticker (Old Trailer). Once I got it loaded for camping, it was close to 4500 lbs (Weighed at scales). Add another 450 in the truck (Wife, Dogs and myself) and another 500 lbs in the truck bed (Cornhole boards, Big Cooler, Table for the grill and outdoor stove, extra propane tank, pop up canopy, a couple 4'-2"x12" boards to level the TT, Bikes) and I was at my 1/2 ton trucks limits.
I was always mindful of keeping weight forward and putting heaviest stuff near the truck cab in the bed and in the front of the trailer to keep tongue weight up. With the W/D and sway control, I could manage 65 mph as long as it wasn't real windy and would get a gentle suck towards semi's when being passed. It was unnerving when I first started pulling it but I became used to it and as a previous poster said, watched for semi's in my mirror and expected and counteracted the suck in when I saw them. If they snuck up on me and I was caught off guard, it certainly wasn't any fun being 6"-8" inches from the side of a semi trailer.
If it was windy, I often would be relegated to 50-55 mph to feel safe and in the 6 years I owned this trailer, I had 3 occasions I felt it was unsafe to drive and pulled over for extended breakfasts/lunches until the weather settled down.
I'm an extremely confident, defensive driver. I have driven over 50,000 miles a year for 30 years due to often working in a different city than I lived and having a 60-100 commute one way. I've done this without an accident that was my fault. I estimate that 2,000-3,000 of those every year were pulling either a horse trailer or a camper.
Take the advice of almost everyone here and do not buy that size or weight trailer.
