I've got a 2013 Ram 1500 rated for 10,500 towing and a payload of 1,290. For the past 4+ years I've been towing a 2013 Jayco 26RLS with a sticker weight of 6,767 and a dry hitch weight of 820. The bed of the truck usually has the BBQ, a dog cage and other assorted items with a combined total of less than 100. In the bedroom we usually store the HD satellite dish, 2 zero gravity chairs and a bunch of cut up 4x6 blocks. Maybe a case of water too. We don't keep much weight in the back of the camper besides the plates and stuff like that which sit pretty much right over the axels. We do have a sliding back rack under the rear bumper of the camper that usually has about 8 pieces of firewood that we keep there for reserve. I've never had an issue with towing the rig and everything looked fairly level.On my most recent trip I ended up coming back with a lot more firewood than I originally brought out. We camped about 20 minutes from home so 1/2 way through the trip I stopped back to load the bed with more firewood which I never ended up burning anyway. On the way home with the rig I stopped at my local RV dealer for something and couldn't help but notice the rear of the truck was sagging a lot more than it ever did before. I'm sure all that additional firewood was the culprit since that was really the only thing that was added.Anyway, I just ordered a tongue weight scale to get a better idea of how much weight the camper is putting on my truck. The sticker weight on the camper is 6767 and I can only assume the actual weight is 7,500-8,000 since I've never weighed it. I'd love to know the actual tongue weight and I know I could probably do a much better job distributing the weight better in the camper.

Sounds like you are lot closer to 8,000# loaded. Always ignore dry weights as they are a joke {and the joke will always be on you}. At 8,000# your tongue weight - 1,040#{ and the weight of the hitch}, will eat up about 90 per cent of your available payload. Get to a scale and weigh the rig loaded for a normal camping run and I'm sure you'll find that you are over your TV's payload. Tow ratings are almost as big a joke as dry weights. You will always run out of payload and probably rear axel limits long before you get anywhere near your so called "towing capacity". If you load very light you will probably be OK but I think you have been pushing the envelope... the extra firewood sent you a valuable message. One last thought, are you running "P" tires or LT's? Yep, you need to be running LT's and if you've been running P's you will see serious improvement in the ride and handling when you switch to LT's..As always.... Opinions and YMMV.:C

For $10 you can get weighed on a CAT scale at a truck stop.

Seems to me. You are over the payload of your truck just using the dry weight of the TT. BEFORE you add any weight to the TT.

Terryallan wrote:Seems to me. You are over the payload of your truck just using the dry weight of the TT. BEFORE you add any weight to the TT.On this we agree.:C

Keep from hauling home a load of firewood, or get some air bags. Don't let these guys scare you into a dually, lol. Unless you want one....

Getting Serious About Weight..... | Good Sam Community

lakeside013104
Explorer
Apr 28, 2017
corvettekent wrote:
For $10 you can get weighed on a CAT scale at a truck stop.

CAT went up to $11 now. I took them a ten dollar bill last week when I got weighed. Cashier told me I owed her another buck 'cause CAT increased their prices. I had to do dishes for half and hour before I could leave. On the positive side, my hands are real soft now........

Lakeside
ependydad
Explorer
Apr 28, 2017
Yet another suggestion for getting weighed. Most truck stops can do it and with their 3 scales, it makes it easy to get the weights you need.

http://learntorv.com/how-to-weigh-a-travel-trailer/
Horizon170
Explorer
Apr 28, 2017
My F250, 2001, 7.3, 5th Wh. carried 4,800# tongue weight for years with no trouble.
mgirardo
Explorer
Apr 28, 2017
cm11599ps wrote:
Anyway, I just ordered a tongue weight scale to get a better idea of how much weight the camper is putting on my truck. The sticker weight on the camper is 6767 and I can only assume the actual weight is 7,500-8,000 since I've never weighed it. I'd love to know the actual tongue weight and I know I could probably do a much better job distributing the weight better in the camper.

As has been suggested, get your truck and camper weighed so you can stop guessing. It's a small price to pay for piece of mind. Don't rely on the weight of the camper printed on the sticker. A tongue jack is definitely nice to have, but you want to know the weight of the camper too.

Wood is deceptively heavy. It doesn't feel like much when you're tossing it in the back of the truck, but all together it weighs a good bit. I doubt the tongue weight was the reason for the sagging rear end, it was most likely the firewood. Meaning: too much payload as has been mentioned.

-Michael
Terryallan
Explorer II
Apr 28, 2017
tomkaren13 wrote:
Another case of our rule of TT dry weight should be under 6K with a 1/2 truck.,Proven!

Glad it is just your rule, and not a real one.

BTW you do know that in truth, there are no 1/2 ton trucks any more. A truck with 1600lb of payload is in fact a 3/4 ton. Or is 1500lb not 3/4 ton. Notice neither Ford nor GM calls their 150s, and 1500s 1/2 ton (1000lb) trucks.
irishtom29
Explorer
Apr 28, 2017
mike-s wrote:
irishtom29 wrote:
There are 1/2 ton trucks available with payload over 3000 pounds
Ah, the power of marketing. In the real world, that would in fact be a 1 1/2 ton truck.

I think that would be in an ideal world. Regardless of what they're called or the reason why this increased payload is of benefit to customers.
mike-s
Explorer
Apr 27, 2017
irishtom29 wrote:
There are 1/2 ton trucks available with payload over 3000 pounds
Ah, the power of marketing. In the real world, that would in fact be a 1 1/2 ton truck.
Mich_F
Explorer
Apr 27, 2017
If you're really "Getting Serious About Weight", I'd suggest you go get everything weighed. :D

CAT scale locations
Naio
Explorer II
Apr 27, 2017
It's amazing how much difference a small increase in weight can make when you are already maxed out, isn't it?

I run my van pretty close to the max, and last trip I carried some extra water on the back bumper and I sure as heck felt it.
irishtom29
Explorer
Apr 27, 2017
tomkaren13 wrote:
Another case of our rule of TT dry weight should be under 6K with a 1/2 truck.,Proven!

You're drawing a general conclusion from a particular incident. There are 1/2 ton trucks available with payload over 3000 pounds and 1700+ payloads are now quite common.