Please help.... TV weight question?

[bryguy1822]

Hello all. New to diesel trucks and never pulled a 5th wheeler. I do have plenty of years behind a 1500 gasser and travel trailers. Experience aside, here are the numbers. Can I safely tow this 5th Wheel toy hauler with my tv? Are my calculations right?

2018 Ram 2500 Crew Cab Diesel 6.7L 4X4 Tradesman with factory 5th wheel prep package
Based off manufacturers specs:
Max Tow 17,280
Max payload 2,450
GVWR 10,000

Curb weight 7,800 (verified Cat Scale)

GVWR 10,000 - 7,800 (curb) = 2,200
(Door sticker says front axle 6000 rear axle 6500)
2,200 - 2120 (trailer pin) = 80
80 - 305 (5th wheel hitch weight) = -225
-225 - 535 (family/dog) = -760
-760 - 100 (misc items in truck) = -860

Payload = 10,860 (860 over GVWR)


5th wheeler toy hauler
2007 Fleetwood Redline 335FSE

UVW 8,580
GVWR 14,300
Hitch weight (pin) 2,120

[Old-Biscuit]

UVW 8580# with a 2120# Dry pin is 24.7%

GVWR 14300# at 22% is 3146#

With that 6500# RAWR......load up GO Camping!

[Dayle1]

JIMNLIN wrote:
Ram gives your 2500 truck a 6500 rawr that will carry all the pin weight plus the hitch and junk in the bed.

These trucks rear axle may weigh in the 2900-3000 lb range leaving around 3400-3500 lb in the bed payloads.

Tires and wheels are rated to the truck highest gawr...not the yellow sticker or gvwr.

RAWR = the lessor of the vehicles tires/wheels/brakes/rear suspension/rear axle assy.

The 3/4 ton diesel equipped truck is without doubt the most under rated LDT on the road.

X2, get the truck weight for each axle. Your rear axle weight is likely around 3000 lbs and with a 6500 lb GAWR, you have about 3500 lbs before exceeding tires, axles, suspension. Also, what weight is your truck registered for? If it is 10K lbs, you might be able to increase it. As long as you don't exceed tire ratings or registered weight, you should be legal.

Several have posted that the loaded pin weight will be more than the listed dry pin weight. But most are talking about conventional fifth wheels. With a toy hauler, loaded pin weight will vary significantly in how it is loaded. If you have very little weight in normal gear, but load 2-3K lbs in the garage, pin weight could go down. You can't really know actual pin weight til you own the unit, load it how you intend on using it and then hit the CAT scales.

[Me_Again]

If you are in a state that licenses weight(AKA tonnage) make sure you pay for 12K and go camping. Chris

[Old-Biscuit]

Your 2500 RAM has similar ratings as my old 3500 SRW Dodge

Except your RAWR is 300# higher

With that 14K 5th wheel you will be Close to RAWR BUT Under it
With that 14K 5th wheel you will be Under rear tire load ratings
With that 14k 5th wheel you will be Under GCVWR

Those are the ratings that matter


You will be Over GVWR and Payload which is based on GVWR
GVWR is a 'Class' rating, a MFG warranty ranting and a Registration Issue which is based on the 'Class'

Class 2...under 10K
Registration.......many states allow registering for a higher GVWR...just pay the increased fee. Even States recognize that the GVWR is NOT a true rating


My old 3500 SRW & 5vr
Truck 7890#...camp ready
5vr 13,873# ...CAT Scale
Wet Pin 3080#
GVWR----10100#----truck with 5vr 11,060#

11 yrs of towing 5vr (7yrs FT WEEKLY)
Truck/5th wheel GREAT combo......very stable match.
YES it is max'd out BUT dang isn't that what a truck is for...towing/hauling :B

Just some Real World numbers to help YOU decide.

[troubledwaters]

bryguy1822 wrote:
Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

I appreciate those that offered help and even those passing judgement :-). I don't own the 5th wheeler so I didn't "pick the wrong truck" and i'm not going to "do it anyways". Hence the reason I joined the forum and am asking questions..... I was simply looking for responses providing information about my numbers. I wanted to make sure I was calculating things correctly and if not, was hoping one would explain what I was doing wrong.

For example: I thought the pin weight would be the 2120 + the b&w hitch weight of 305 = 2425. Providing i don't add anything else to the bed of the truck. eHoefler said it will be in the 3k lbs area. And troubledwaters said "you thinking the pin weight is only going to be 2120". So would either of you care to explain? This is what i'm looking for. TIA

Be happy to respond. Your pin weight will be 20% - 25% of the Toy Haulers total weight once its loaded and going down the road. Its brochure weight is 8580, it will likely weigh 3,000 or more pounds above that once you put toys in it, plus groceries, camping stuff, bedding, clothes, etc., etc., etc.

Take 8580 + 3000 = 11,580 x 22% = 2545± pin weight.

Its not hard to put 2,000 lbs of stuff in a RV that size (not counting toys). Add a couple of 4 Wheelers and you got 3,000 lbs. Pin weight will vary and can only be a guess at this point. But it shouldn't be less than 20% of whatever the loaded weight of the toy hauler is. It is likely to be more than 20%.

[Super_Dave]

bryguy1822 wrote:

For example: I thought the pin weight would be the 2120 + the b&w hitch weight of 305 = 2425. Providing i don't add anything else to the bed of the truck. eHoefler said it will be in the 3k lbs area. And troubledwaters said "you thinking the pin weight is only going to be 2120". So would either of you care to explain? This is what i'm looking for. TIA

The sticker 2120 is likely a naked trailer pin weight. Add factory upgrades, propane, water and all your trailer contents, you've likely added a few thousand pounds to the trailer weight. 20% can easily be transferred to your pin, another 400 to 500 lbs to your 2,425.

[JIMNLIN]

Ram gives your 2500 truck a 6500 rawr that will carry all the pin weight plus the hitch and junk in the bed.

These trucks rear axle may weigh in the 2900-3000 lb range leaving around 3400-3500 lb in the bed payloads.

Tires and wheels are rated to the truck highest gawr...not the yellow sticker or gvwr.

RAWR = the lessor of the vehicles tires/wheels/brakes/rear suspension/rear axle assy.

The 3/4 ton diesel equipped truck is without doubt the most under rated LDT on the road.

[bryguy1822]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

I appreciate those that offered help and even those passing judgement :-). I don't own the 5th wheeler so I didn't "pick the wrong truck" and i'm not going to "do it anyways". Hence the reason I joined the forum and am asking questions..... I was simply looking for responses providing information about my numbers. I wanted to make sure I was calculating things correctly and if not, was hoping one would explain what I was doing wrong.

For example: I thought the pin weight would be the 2120 + the b&w hitch weight of 305 = 2425. Providing i don't add anything else to the bed of the truck. eHoefler said it will be in the 3k lbs area. And troubledwaters said "you thinking the pin weight is only going to be 2120". So would either of you care to explain? This is what i'm looking for. TIA

[memtb]

IdaD wrote:
I guess the first question I'd ask is do you intend to put 5,720 lbs of cargo in it? Even if you did I personally wouldn't worry about it with my truck (2015 version of yours). FWIW your payload rating doesn't mean anything because it's simply a result of your heavy truck applied to a class max 10k lb GVWR. Your 6/6.5k axle ratings are the key numbers to follow.

Yes! If you choose to ignore the “yellow sticker”....your tires/ rims are the limiting factor! The tires/wheels, can be addressed....but it’s a little pricey.

Another “IF”! If you only 860 pounds over, after everything is loaded and you “have” scale verified.....likely you will be within the tolerance ( they will not fail immediately upon exceeding the rated capacity) of the tires/wheels. But....still above the “yellow sticker” numbers. Potentially a serious game-changer if your “at fault” in an accident!

[IdaD]

I guess the first question I'd ask is do you intend to put 5,720 lbs of cargo in it? Even if you did I personally wouldn't worry about it with my truck (2015 version of yours). FWIW your payload rating doesn't mean anything because it's simply a result of your heavy truck applied to a class max 10k lb GVWR. Your 6/6.5k axle ratings are the key numbers to follow.

[donn0128]

Toy haulers are notorious for being very pin heavy, especially if your not carrying any toys. Lets face it, you picked the wrong truck for such a large fiver.

[eHoefler]

Your loaded pin weight is going to be in the 3,000 pound area.

[troubledwaters]

So you already know you're at a minimum 860 lbs over (presuming you never put a thing in the RV). What are you looking for? Someone to tell you it's ok to do what you were going to do anyways? Your truck is not going to self destruct in a big ball of fire the minute you pull away from the first stop light. After having said that, I don't know what kind of advice you are looking for. Except for you wanting to think the pin weight is only going to be 2120 lbs., it's not a question of you not knowing what you're doing.

[MFL]

A FW puts almost all of it's pin wt on the rear axle. If you stay under your RAWR/tire rating, that truck will work for that toy hauler. The payload and GVWR is a class 2 registration issue, rather than an indication of the trucks actual capability.

Jerry