Ram 1500 can it tow Keystone 280BH??

mdsonofthesouth wrote:

Lantley wrote:
A 33' long 9600# GVW TT will put an average 1/2 ton at its limits.
On a good day you may be on OK.
On a bad weather day you will be taking your chances.
Stay on the flats you maybe OK, go into the mountains and you are testing your limits.
I live in MD and I can travel North, south or east of Baltimore with ease however if you head west the equation/landscape changes quickly.
I always want my combo to be set up to travel with out limitations.
The combo you are considering will NOT be without limitations!

Yep sadly have lived here all my life. Doubt Ill pass much further west than Frederick to Brunswick area. Most of my driving would be to the Outer Banks, eastern shore, Central MD to NC maybe. I know until I get the 2500 Ill have limitations and will avoid Appalachia for sure! Heck I wouldn't want to go to the mountains without an exhaust brake no matter the size of my camper.

bikendan wrote:


You didn't post what the driver's door sticker says is the truck's payload capacity. 2016 Ram 1500s were notorious for poor payload capacities.
Figuring that having 1000lbs of axtra trai,er weight, when loaded for camping, 12% would mean a ballpark tongue weight of 984lbs. That goes against the payload number, then subtract the weights of everyone in the truck, any truck cargo/add-ons weight and 100lbs for the WDH. If there's any payload capacity left,you should be OK.

The 280BH is 7100-7200 dry, add ~1000lbs (probably will be much less) in "stuff" and then 13% tongue weight will be around 1100lbs. The kids, wife, dog, stuff and myself are ~540lbs. If I put the bikes and such on the back of the camper I should be around my payload capacity.

No matter how I slice it Im extremely close to my limits and the more I think about it the more I get uneasy with the proposition. Sad thing is my current RV looks like it will be in its last year before I have to do serious frame repairs or sell it if I can. If I get a camper I'm 5 years from a new truck and if I get a new truck Im 5 years away from getting a camper...unless I win the lottery.

Well, if you’re not comfortable you’re not comfortable.
But stop with the can’t afford a new truck thing. You sound like the rest of the people who pretend for comparisons sake that they need a new $80k diesel and then complain aboot the price.
I’m pretty sure an equal condition 3/4 ton gasser from the mid 2010s is worth about the same as your truck. Presto, bingo. You can turn your, marginal for the load, truck into a comparable one with much higher capacities for not much money out of pocket.