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kcstrom's avatar
kcstrom
Explorer
May 11, 2022

Purchasing first TT, need a bit of sanity checking advice

I'm looking to purchase my first travel trailer. SO and I have narrowed down the choices to the ***Link Removed***.

This has all the main features we're looking for and I think should be towable by our truck okay. I'd like some sanity checking on this by others more knowledgeable and experienced in this area than myself.

Edit: Re-evaluated. New trailer I'm looking at is in this post further down.

Freedom Express 238BH:
UVW: 5314lb
Hitch weight: 694lb
Length: 25'9"

Truck:
2013 RAM 1500 4x4 Crew Cab 5.7L
Towing capacity: 6500lb
Payload: 1650lb
GAWR (rear): 3900
GAWR (front): 3900
Measured weight (rear): 2580lb
Measured weight (front): 3480lb

This was only with me in the truck and 3/4 tank of gas. SO and kids will add ~350lb total.

I am planning to get a 2 or 4 point weight distribution hitch. Unloaded TT is 81.75% of the max towing capacity.

The hitch weight was a bit concerning to me at first, but it seems like a properly adjust WD hitch should alleviate that by placing ~20% back onto front axles and ~20% onto trailer axles.

I would need to keep additional weight loaded onto trailer and truck bed to less than 1K lbs to stay under max towing capacity.

I live in a flat area, but am planning to drive to hilly areas (like SD and Wyoming/Yellowstone), so it'll see some decent grades.

This trailer is heavier than I originally set out to look at, but seems like we can keep within all the max weights with a bit of planning.

Am I making a stupid decision if I buy this and pull with my truck?

37 Replies

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  • kcstrom's avatar
    kcstrom
    Explorer
    May 11, 2022
    Thanks for the responses and thoughts folks; sounds like I should probably look at a smaller trailer (don't really want to buy new trailer and new truck at the same time).

    I realized I left some info out of the OP:

    * GCWR is 12,100 from the 2013 Ram 1500 Towing chart (my links are removed from some reason, guess I'm too new)
    * 6'4" bed
    * Rear axle ration: 3.21

    I wasn't using the GVWR of the trailer since I would make sure not to put 2300lbs on it. If I have a smaller trailer with a lower CCC, I would be limited by how much I could put on there.

    GCW left from truck itself for trailer would be 12100 - 6060 = 6040. Add 350lb for family to truck = 5690. Hmm, I guess I didn't do this arithmetic before convincing myself I really wanted this trailer. Dang it. This math would work out a lot better if I didn't have 8-speed transmission with the lowest axle ratio. 6-speed transmission with its lowest axle ration would have increased GCWR and towing capacity by 2000lb.
  • valhalla360's avatar
    valhalla360
    Navigator
    May 11, 2022
    Several issues:

    Truck Payload:
    What is the GVWR on the truck? The highest I found with a quick search is 6800lb.

    If your measured weights are 6080lb and you are adding 350lbs with the family...that only leaves only 390lb for the hitch and anything else you put in the truck.

    Tow rating:
    A 7500lb GVWR trailer is well above the 6500lb tow rating. Keep in mind, battery, water, propane, are not included in the empty weight. It's surprisingly easy to add 1500-2000lb without realizing it.

    Hitch weight: Assuming 12-15%, you looking at 900-1125lb hitch weight.

    Will the engine blow up or will the rear axle break in half...probably not. But expect it to be a pig towing and get pushed around due to overloading...if you are lucky it will just be a white knuckle drive but it can also turn bad if you react poorly to the bad handling. If you use it a lot, expect more wear and tear related expenses.

    As someone else mentioned, best to go off GVWR of the trailer and assume 15% hitch weight...then you can be pleasantly surprised if it comes in with lower weights.

    Either look at smaller trailers or a bigger truck.
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator II
    May 11, 2022
    OP, basically, you'll get 10 to 1 responses saying everything from "not ideal" to "OMG, what are you thinking"
    Would I rather have a big ole diesel to chug along like nothing was behind me? I do (for personal use) and I like it. I also tow about anything a 1/2 ton will move down the road without bottoming out the rear suspension up n over mountains.
    I think nothing of hooking 10klbs to an average half ton. It's a truck, it does work and my company doesn't buy me a big ole diesel.
    Rock what you got. No point in trying to upgrade trucks right now. Wait a cpl years for that.
    The one thing not mentioned yet is the condition of the truck. I'd want it to be in great shape mechanically, not 150k miles and dunno when the trans was serviced last.....

    Alos, the biggest factor in how it tows is the size of the box, speed and wind resistance, not the weight (within reason). You could get a 26' "ultra light" trailer that is 5500lbs instead of 7klbs like the one you're considering and it will tow about the same.
  • Feddy's avatar
    Feddy
    Explorer
    May 11, 2022
    yeah towing capacity means it will tow it but it doesn't mean it will tow it well. I recently had a trailer that was about 5000lbs loaded and my max tow capacity is 9500 lbs. It did it but it was not fun and my gas mileage was about 5.5 MPG. terrible!
  • teejaywhy's avatar
    teejaywhy
    Explorer
    May 11, 2022
    kcstrom wrote:


    Freedom Express 238BH:
    UVW: 5314lb
    Hitch weight: 694lb


    Truck:
    2013 RAM 1500 4x4 Crew Cab 5.7L
    Towing capacity: 6500lb
    Payload: 1650lb


    IMO, it's not wise to use the unloaded weights for consideration. While you may not reach the GVWR of the trailer when loaded, you should look at that as being closer to the actual weight than the empty weight.

    The GVWR is 7600 lbs, which would put the tongue weight at about 912 lb.

    I think that trailer may be too big for your truck
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator II
    May 11, 2022
    Very few Hemi 1500s with that low of tow rating. If the tow rating is accurate, then it's a 3.21 gear truck and heavily loaded with options.
    That was also a crossover year, last year of the crappy 545rfe trans and first year 8HP. If you have the 8speed, even with the high gears, I wouldn't be concerned with a 6500-7klb trailer, although it will be right at the max of what I'd want to deal with.
    If the 5speed trans, I wouldn't want to flog that thing as hard as a trailer that size will do out west.

    Chassis wise, that trailer is fine, albeit, you'll need something for the weak coils in back. Rest of the truck is same chassi as the 9-10klb tow rating trucks.

    Don't get all balled up over the "payload" and tongue weight. Rookie move that is exasterbated on this forum continuously. Focus more on what I said up top. The truck itself IS big enough and capable of handling the load safely. Its the performance aspect that is slightly concerning depending on there rest of the info that I filled in the blanks for you.

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