We just bought the Coachmen Freedom Express Liberty Edition 320BHDS in October. Base Weight is 7,374 and the sticker on the camper says GVWR is 7,900. I have a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD 5.7l Hemi Quad Cab that is paid off. I would like to not have to buy a different truck if I don't have to. I only use the truck for camping or hauling other things. Can this truck do the job? The backend does sag some. Should I put air bags on to help the suspension? I hauled it to and from the dealer and I thought it pulled fine all things considered. It is heavier than our last travel trailer. I am concerned about breaking something. I did a lookup on towing on dodge trucks and came up with 7,500 for the truck. I am getting mixed reviews from various people about this. The rv dealer sold us the camper without really verifying that it is doable. We did do a test pull without using the sway bars and it pulled fine. I thought the backend would have sagged more. The backend still sags some with the sway bars on. Some people tell me to refer to the owners manual. Some people tell me to beef up the suspension. What should I be concerned about? The axle? If i put airbags on will that take the concern off the axle? Is there something else I should be concerned about? We have a 800 mile trip planned for June and I would like to have all my ducks in a row and feel confident about being safe on this trip. Thanks for your feedback on this matter.

I think you answered your own question. If your truck is rated to safely tow 7500 lbs, you are going to exceed that once you start putting gear in your camper.

Do you know which rear end ratio you have? According to Dodge towing guide website, if you have the 3.92 rear end your towing capacity increases to 8,500 pounds. If you have the 3.55 your correct about the 7,500 pounds. If you don't know which rear end ratio you have, call your local dodge dealer and provide them your vin number, and they can give you a print out on all your specs including your ratio.

tscholz1 wrote:Base Weight is 7,374 and the sticker on the camper says GVWR is 7,900. If these numbers are right you only have 526 lbs of carrying capacity in the trailer...the Coachmen site says the GVWR is "TBA" (to be announced).That trailer will be a handful for the truck, but if tows fine thats a good start. I would pack the trailer like you are ready to go camping and then get the truck and trailer weighed. That will give you an idea of whether you are overweight and if so by how much, and then you can make the decision about upgrading the truck based on facts.

Air bags are not going to increase your payload. Your new camper (according to your numbers) only has a 526 lb cargo capacity which really seems low to me...??? You are really going to have to load light. Since it's a bunk house, I assume you have kids to bring along...usually means more gear/stuff and thus more weight.Rear end, as previously posted, is a factor. What tires are on the truck? LT's or P's?I'd give it a couple of test camping trips...loaded the way you are going to do on you long upcoming trip. See how it goes.You are really going to be close..Congrats on the new trailer and good luck with it all.

You have the truck, you have the trailer. Use it for a season and then decide.

Tow Vehicle Feedback Appreciated | Good Sam Community

zogg
Explorer
Feb 01, 2014
I was in exactly the same boat as you are. I bought a2013 flagstaff trailer weighing 7300 pounds. With all the stuff we haul inside, I am sure I am over 8000 pounds.
I pulled it twice with our half ton truck. While it pulled fine, the rest of the towing experience was not comfortable. Not enough brakes and was awful in cross winds. Had enough power but that was it.

Looked at diesels, but I don't tow often enough to justify the cost and hassle. Went with a 2500 ram crew cash and I'm very happy. The hemi pulls fine with a3.73 rear end, though I wish it was a 4.10...

My nephew is a ford diesel mechanic and when I was looking at a 6.0 diesel he told me to run away. ?. Don't walk!

I borrowed my son's 6.0 gas gmc last summer. ?.. ducked gas like it was free, and rode like a battle Wagon. Dodge is much better in terms of a comfortable ride.... good luck
jbres
Explorer
Feb 01, 2014
I wouldn't give up on your current truck just yet. Do some more test tows to find out if YOUR COMFORTABLE with it.
ib516
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2014
I think you'll find the trailer is too heavy for that truck. I would also strongly advise AGAINST buying a Ford equipped with the 6.0L PSD. Do some research on that engine. Plenty of horror stories on this very forum.
skipnchar
Explorer
Jan 31, 2014
Your truck should be up to the task but ANY truck will need a weight distributing hitch for that much tongue weight (15% of 8,000 lb.). The reason for this actually isn't JUST to prevent sag but to prevent being over weight on the hitch itself. Your receiver hitch should have a maximum weight stamped on it somewhere and will show two weights. The lower of the two will be the weight WITHOUT using a WD system and the larger is WITH one. Air bags really have no logical use for towing a travel trailer as they do NOTHING to replace the weight LOST from the front axle by putting a lot of weight behind the rear wheels. That is the main purpose of a WD system and when correctly sized and correctly adjusted your truck should sit with the same attitude when hitched as when unhitched.
Good luck / Skip
catfishmontana
Explorer
Jan 31, 2014
That trailer has similar loaded weight to ours. Diesel would be the most pleasurable tow vehicle.
lanerd
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2014
Be careful of the Ford 6.0 diesel... they experienced some problems that were extreme. Ford eventually gave up and went with a newer design... I would stay away from any Ford 6.0 TD.

Ron
tscholz1
Explorer
Jan 31, 2014
It appears I may have had my weights incorrect. Looking this trailer up on other dealer websites they show the GVWR at 10700. Who knows how much we will put in but obviously a better truck is needed. Looked briefly for used trucks. Saw a Ford F250 XLT 6.0l Diesel. Also a Chevy 2500HD 6.0l Gas.
lanerd
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2014
tscholz1 wrote:
We just bought the Coachmen Freedom Express Liberty Edition 320BHDS in October. Base Weight is 7,374 and the sticker on the camper says GVWR is 7,900. Wow.. 526 lbs of cargo carrying capacity sure isn't very much. You can put that much in without even trying. Plus, most mfg ratings for dry weight are notoriously under the actual weight due to additions/accessories.

I have a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD 5.7l Hemi Quad Cab that is paid off. I would like to not have to buy a different truck if I don't have to. I only use the truck for camping or hauling other things. Can this truck do the job? Engine wise, shouldn't be a problem. Weight wise, I think you need to find out what your payload rating and rear axle ratings are. An 8000 lbs trailer (which you will easily be once loaded) will have a tongue weight of approximately 12 to 15 percent of the total trailer weight. So you can figure on close to 950 lbs for just the tongue weight.

The backend does sag some. You will need to invest in a good set of weight distribution bars with at least 1000 lb bars.

Should I put air bags on to help the suspension? Air bags will only help in leveling out the truck once it is loaded....but weight distribution bars will do it too. No need to invest in both.

I hauled it to and from the dealer and I thought it pulled fine all things considered. It is heavier than our last travel trailer. I am concerned about breaking something. I did a lookup on towing on dodge trucks and came up with 7,500 for the truck. You need to weigh your truck and subtract that weight from the GVWR. That will be the total weight you can add to the truck (includes ANYTHING you put in/on the truck).

I am getting mixed reviews from various people about this. The rv dealer sold us the camper without really verifying that it is doable. It's not the dealer's responsibility to insure you have a sufficient towing vehicle....it's yours.

We did do a test pull without using the sway bars and it pulled fine. I thought the backend would have sagged more. The backend still sags some with the sway bars on. I think you're confused. Sway bars do absolutely nothing for weight distribution...they only help in controlling sway. However, if you really mean weight distribution bars (WD) then that will help immensely.

Some people tell me to refer to the owners manual. Good advice, but the owner's manual doesn't always provide all the answers.

Some people tell me to beef up the suspension. You can do that, but you will still be limited by the rear axle rating (unless you change out the entire rear end) and the tires.

What should I be concerned about? The axle? You should be concerned with the payload rating, rear axle rating, tire rating.

If i put airbags on will that take the concern off the axle? No!

Is there something else I should be concerned about? We have a 800 mile trip planned for June and I would like to have all my ducks in a row and feel confident about being safe on this trip. Thanks for your feedback on this matter.
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jan 31, 2014
tscholz1 wrote:
We just bought the Coachmen Freedom Express Liberty Edition 320BHDS in October. Base Weight is 7,374 and the sticker on the camper says GVWR is 7,900.

Are you sure that second number isn't the "as-built" base weight, including options from the factory?

I ask because the specs for that trailer at this link agree with your "base weight" number and give no GVWR, as noted above. Thing is, they DO indicate a payload capacity, which is over 3600 pounds- more in keeping with what I'd expect for a trailer that size.

Cargo capacity combined with base weight is the best "ballpark" number you have, in my opinion...seems to me you're looking at well over 10,000 pounds. A bit more than the 7900 you're thinking of at the moment.
Desert_Captain
Explorer III
Jan 31, 2014
I think you need more truck for that trailer, the lack of payload is your number one but not the only, problem. It will probably only take one or two trips to confirm my theory but it would take a lot of trips to convince me that you are OK.

The Hemi is a beast but the notoriously low payload found in many Doge half tons seriously restricts your real world towing capability. The best advice here is to load it for trip and take that trip to the local CAT scale.... and prepare to be unpleasantly surprised. Good luck! :C