I am buying my 1st RV, and have done lots of looking and thinking but have a basic decision I need help with.My wife and I plan to spend 2-4 months on the road each summer once she retires next year. I have been planning to buy a 26' TT with an unloaded weight of 4500-5100 lbs. Of course we would add appr. 1500 lbs or so to that in cargo, our own weight, fluids, etc. I have a 2012 Ram 1500 5.7L gas engine with a tow limit of 8700 lbs.I am buying used, and am finding mostly larger units available. I'm considering a couple now that are 32 ft and about 6300 lbs dry.Of course the bigger units will be much more comfortable considering we will be full-timing for up to four months.My question: will 6 feet in length and 1500-2000 lbs be a big difference in towing issues and gas costs? Obviously, if I were jumping from a 20' to a 32' the answer would be yes. I only want to make this purchase once, and avoid the moving up or down in size that so many people seem to do. Also, I can't afford to get a bigger truck.Please let me hear from someone with experience! Thanks!

Your gaser can pull your tt but can you stop that tt with your non heavy duty brakes and going up hills and down hills takes a toll on your gaser engine as it dose not have engine braking built in to it so those may be somethings to look at maybe buy a 2500 for your basic needs not a 3500 its to much truck for that little tt you have.

Most likely your limit will be your Tow Vehicle (TV) cargo capacity or pay load.For example,• My 5000 lb. dry weight Travel Trailer (TT)weights 6200 lbs. loaded for a trip. Tongue weight is about 700 lbs.• My F-150 is rated to pull 9500 lbs. but it has a cargo capacity of 1411 lbs. That is what it was designed to carry. That leaves me with 711 lbs. of cargo. • My DW and I plus our dog and the truck cap with our gear weight about 700 lbs.• According to the CAT scales we are at or slightly over our TV weight limit when we tow. As for gas mileage expect 9 to 10 mpg and you will not be too far off. I assume your TV has the towing package. Also the only weight numbers that count are the ones you get from the scales.Unless you are in a real hurry, rent a TT similar to what you think you want. It is a tad expensive but it answers a lot of questions very quickly; without the big cash outlay.

you need a heavier truck. ,you,ll get better braking and much better preformence.

What is the "payload" rating of your truck? The sticker in the door of your truck will tell you the GVWR of your truck and it will have something to the effect of "the weight of cargo and passengers shall not exceed xxx lbs.". That is your payload rating and the place you need to start.

Just forget about MPG. Luckily, gas is at a real low price point, currently.Buy a TT that is under all the ratings of your truck. Allow some wiggle room. Otherwise, you will be miserable on every trip and your tow vehicle will start paying the price.If I was planning on cruising for 2-4 mos. every summer, a bigger truck would be in the budget. The larger trucks tow so much better. If you have to keep the Ram, focus your towing limits around the payload capacity of the truck, not the maximum towing limits. You'll run out of payload capacity long before you reach the max tow limits.

What to buy...I need a little advice! | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

bid_time
Nomad III
Dec 28, 2015
What is the "payload" rating of your truck? The sticker in the door of your truck will tell you the GVWR of your truck and it will have something to the effect of "the weight of cargo and passengers shall not exceed xxx lbs.". That is your payload rating and the place you need to start.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Dec 28, 2015
you need a heavier truck. ,you,ll get better braking and much better preformence.
rbpru
Explorer II
Dec 28, 2015
Most likely your limit will be your Tow Vehicle (TV) cargo capacity or pay load.
For example,
• My 5000 lb. dry weight Travel Trailer (TT)weights 6200 lbs. loaded for a trip. Tongue weight is about 700 lbs.
• My F-150 is rated to pull 9500 lbs. but it has a cargo capacity of 1411 lbs. That is what it was designed to carry. That leaves me with 711 lbs. of cargo.
• My DW and I plus our dog and the truck cap with our gear weight about 700 lbs.
• According to the CAT scales we are at or slightly over our TV weight limit when we tow.

As for gas mileage expect 9 to 10 mpg and you will not be too far off. I assume your TV has the towing package.

Also the only weight numbers that count are the ones you get from the scales.

Unless you are in a real hurry, rent a TT similar to what you think you want. It is a tad expensive but it answers a lot of questions very quickly; without the big cash outlay.
Olympian_retire
Explorer
Dec 28, 2015
Your gaser can pull your tt but can you stop that tt with your non heavy duty brakes and going up hills and down hills takes a toll on your gaser engine as it dose not have engine braking built in to it so those may be somethings to look at maybe buy a 2500 for your basic needs not a 3500 its to much truck for that little tt you have.

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What to buy...I need a little advice!

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