I have a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 crew cab short bed.It's got an Arctic Fox 811, 4569lbs, fully loaded and wet, in the bed. I am getting ready to go south for the winter and need to bring about 15 trash bags of clothes and shoes, about 150 lbs of boat equipment, and another 100lbs of tools.So I think I'm looking at bringing about 350lbs of junk along. Would it be better to stuff all that into the crew cab, into the crew cab and truck camper? Or get an enclosed cargo trailer and tow it in that?It's a one way trip and the extra junk would be left in the cargo trailer at a marina once I arrive there. It's a 1 way, 1000 mile trip on a smooth interstate. Can I get away with this?The 2500 is all modded out with ridiculously over spec rims and tires, extra leafs in the rear springs, exhaust brake and air bags. It's already set up with a frame mounted towing hitch. Am I good to go with this?

Moved to Truck Camper forum from Towing.

You don't say what your axle ratings/tire/wheel ratings are, or any mention of scaled axle wts. It's kind of hard to say "good to go", but IMO, another 350 lbs on the truck should not make a lot of difference with 4500+ already sitting in the bed.Can you get away with this? Maybe, how does it handle before the added 350 lbs?Jerry

2 ton in the bed, arn,t you already over the top.? whats a few hundred more.

I'd add the load to the cab of the truck and if it didn't all fit, add a front receiver hitch and carry basket to carry the rest. Loading the front axle more won't hurt any more than another passenger or two would add. Even though the front receiver hitch and basket have even more weight, shifting off the back axle to the front is the way I would go. Otherwise, tow a small trailer. I have a rig similar to yours and flat tow a small car and occasionally up to 2500 pounds of loaded trailer. No problems. In fact, my rig handles better towing.

I want to add; maybe you could load the over cab with what doesn't fit in the cab itself to keep weight as far forward as possible without the front receiver hitch.

What's the best way to break my rig while towing?

129 Replies

Sam_Spade
Explorer
Oct 21, 2018
HadEnough wrote:
No rust down there too.

I see that you haven't been in Florida much. :E

Down here, EVERYTHING "rusts", that is oxidizes.

With the high heat and high humidity and a hint of salt blowing around in the air sometimes, nothing escapes. Even wood.

P.S. And you need to be absolutely sure that the marina really will allow you to park your truck AND a trailer long term. The vast majority won't.
joerg68
Nomad III
Oct 21, 2018
Without detailed knowledge of your setup... the further up front and the lower the additional weight is distributed, the better it should be. You could also offset some of the weight by traveling with the fresh/gray/black water tanks as empty as possible.
You are probably already way over the stated payload of the truck - but you have done a number of modifications to address this. Only you know how your rig handles as it is today.
HadEnough
Explorer
Oct 21, 2018
Thanks for the input, guys. I am not overly familiar with just how much you can load up a 2500.

I'm leaning toward the cargo trailer only because I need something for storage once I get to the destination.

But I definitely see the logic behind sticking it all inside the crew cab and Truck camper.

Maybe I can transport it all down inside the crew cab and truck camper, then search for a cargo trailer once in Florida. No rust down there too.

I do have a 20' shipping container in another part of Florida but I don't think I can put that at the marina I'm going to on this trip. Plus... Can't move it yourself easily. So leaning toward the cargo trailer.
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2018
Would it be better to stuff all that into the crew cab

If it were me,that's what I would do, and do it myself with the extra's I bring.I don't like to "garbage up" the TC,I want it ready to use whenever I pull over without having to put stuff up to enjoy..
Ski_Pro_3
Explorer
Oct 21, 2018
I want to add; maybe you could load the over cab with what doesn't fit in the cab itself to keep weight as far forward as possible without the front receiver hitch.
Ski_Pro_3
Explorer
Oct 21, 2018
I'd add the load to the cab of the truck and if it didn't all fit, add a front receiver hitch and carry basket to carry the rest. Loading the front axle more won't hurt any more than another passenger or two would add. Even though the front receiver hitch and basket have even more weight, shifting off the back axle to the front is the way I would go.
Otherwise, tow a small trailer.
I have a rig similar to yours and flat tow a small car and occasionally up to 2500 pounds of loaded trailer. No problems. In fact, my rig handles better towing.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2018
2 ton in the bed, arn,t you already over the top.? whats a few hundred more.
MFL
Nomad II
Oct 21, 2018
You don't say what your axle ratings/tire/wheel ratings are, or any mention of scaled axle wts. It's kind of hard to say "good to go", but IMO, another 350 lbs on the truck should not make a lot of difference with 4500+ already sitting in the bed.

Can you get away with this? Maybe, how does it handle before the added 350 lbs?

Jerry
BarneyS
Nomad
Oct 21, 2018
Moved to Truck Camper forum from Towing.

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What's the best way to break my rig while towing?

129 Replies

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