First post, This may seem like a dumb question but here goes....I recently had Dodge buy my 2011 Ram 2500 back as a lemon. To keep a truck at the house I traded my wife's 2011 charger for a 2012 Laramie Longhorn 1500 and just pocketed the cash since I work overseas and don't need a vehicle anyway. The truck has the built in trailer brake, tranny cooler, tow rating of 9,600(oddly my 2500 only had 11,500), 7 pin and class IV hitch.Trailer is a 2012 Crossroads Longhorn Texas Edition 27RL. Dry weight is 6520, gross is like 7600-7700, hitch weight is just shy of 700. I don't tow it with fluids in it (freshwater is in back so this may mess with the balance). Doesn't really have much in it other than a couple sets of clothes for me and the girls. Cooking utensils, and a small light flatscreen tv. Towing will be recreational, maybe once or twice a year to Corpus, Galveston, or to our farm up in OK. All are about 5-7 hours away. I towed it before with a regular hitch with no issues with sway on the 2500 but no chance to with the 1500. I have the dealer getting the correct tow mirrors for this truck but not sure what else I need to get. I am pretty sure a WD hitch is a given.

You are going to be over your payload. Get air bags. I have air lift 1000s and an wireless one compressor on my 2011 ram 1500.

boosTT wrote:You are going to be over your payload. Get air bags. I have air lift 1000s and an wireless one compressor on my 2011 ram 1500.How do you mean I will be over the payload? Im not exactly sure what your referencing.

hes refering to your leafsprings. get hooked up and see if she squats. airbags are a good addition to keep her level. onboard air and wireless controllers are cool if you have the dough, but not needed. cigarette lighter bike pumps work just fine.

You payload rating is around 1300 lbs and your trailer is going to use about 900 lbs of it. That leaves you with 400 lbs for your passengers, truck accessories, hitch, gear, etc.

Sorry, just saw you said the hitch weight is 700 lbs. It will be close, but you should be ok.

What do I need to add to my truck to tow my RV?

leftybj
Explorer
May 11, 2013
goducks10 wrote:
wkrp wrote:
The air bags take some of the weight that is in the truck bed and what is on the hitch before it starts to flatten out the leaf springs.

Still won't increase your payload ability, just helps level things up. Trucks only allowed so much CCC.

If your truck squats in the rear you should use a WDH to transfer some of the weight to the front axle. Once that is done and it still squats you shoule consider replacing weak springs. There is no substitute for putting the proper amount of weight on each axle, and never exceeding the trucks axle ratings. Just one opinion.
Bob_Landry
Explorer
May 11, 2013
leftybj wrote:
Could someone convince me that air bags somehow increase your trucks payload?

No, because they do not increase any of the capacities of the truck. They may provide a little softer ride and make the truck level, but that's it. They do not transfer any weight back to the front axle. As much as has been posted here by some really knowledgeable guys, I'm amazed that anyone still even thinks that. Airbags do affect your WD and you have to go back and readjust, but it's because raising the rear of the truck changes the angle of the hitch tilt, thus changing the tension on the WD bars.
6dot6
Explorer
May 11, 2013
wkrp wrote:
The air bags take some of the weight that is in the truck bed and what is on the hitch before it starts to flatten out the leaf springs.

If you haven't seen them, they are attached from the truck frame to the axle. Not to the leaf springs.

you are right about not increasing limits however they do have some applications that will push down on the leaf springs. also have inserts for coil springs and airshock options. my bags push on my leafsprings.
kells81
Explorer
May 12, 2013
goducks10 wrote:
If your hitch weight is 700 on a 76-7700lb TT then your too low. Needs to be at a min 10%, which is 760-770. Should be closer to 12% for optimum balance. 12% of 7600 is 912lbs. Average Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn payload is in the 1200-1230lb range. 1200lbs - 900lb for TW and you only have 300lbs left. Even if you went with the 760-770lb 10% min TW you would only have 430lbs for passengers and cargo in the truck. Those are the reasons why everyone is saying you'll be over payload capacity. Just curious, have you ever weighed you TT?

It was weighed when I took it to get it setup for storage before leaving. It was right at 6725 with no fluids and little personal items in it.
blackhound1
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Your Dodge Ram does not have leaf springs. It has coil springs and shocks. I have a 2011 Ram 1500. I installed Airlift 1000's in the coil springs and use an Equalizer weight distribution hitch to tow my travel trailer which has a dry weight of 6350 and a tongue weight of 690. The airbags keep the truck sitting level really well.
APT
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Check your driver's door for this sticker. That's how much payload you have. I bet it is under 1200 pounds for a loaded Laramie Long Horn.

700 pounds of dry TW will be over 900 pounds when loaded. 7500-8000 pounds weight 900-1000 pounds of tongue weight. Your truck's suspension will not handle that well. IMHO, air bags should not be used with weight distribution. Then complicate WDH adjustment and mask overloading conditions.

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