Tow Vehicles and Hitches

[wiiman3893]

Hey everyone,

I have a few posts on full time RVing with my wife and now we are looking for our truck. I need some information though on weight distribution.

The RV we're looking at is the Freedom Express 248 RBS, which has a shipping weight of 5000 lb, carrying capacity of 2200 lbs, and hitch weight of 705 lbs.

The truck I am currently looking at is the 2001 GMC Sierra 1500, which has a dealer installed tow package. The towing capacity says that it is between 7300 lbs and 8300 lbs, I assume with the tow package it's more towards the 8300.

The hitch on the truck has two sets of capacities, one for a weight distribution system and one for a weight carry. The weight carry is 6000 lbs with a 600 lb tongue weight but the weight distribution limit is 12000 lbs and 1000 lbs tongue weight.

I know the truck is the limiting factor, and I'm not looking to haul 12000 lbs but I want to see if you guys think this set-up will work.

We are full timing in one park for several years, so it won't move the trailer long distances all the time. I'm military though so I need it to be capable of driving across the country with this trailer. We do plan to go camping with this lets say 12 times a year, driving no more that 6 hours each way.

What do you think? Does this set-up sound like a reasonable one provided I install a weight distribution receiver?

[BenK]

wiiman3893 wrote:
But isn't the payload dealing with a different set of forces based on the truck's 2 axles? My understanding is that the payload would be affected by the tongue weight, which does apply that force to the truck's axles. I know that the vehicle weight is labelled much lower than it typically is as it is the weight with an empty gas tank, so is it related to towing capacity? By which I mean the actual amount the vehicle can tow, not what the dealer says or anything.

Maybe a different analogy using your own body...

The Backpack is the 'cargo' or 'payload' with the trailer tongue hooked
up to your belt buckle...that is the weight stuff...TV (your body)
GVWR, front/rear GAWR (your feet)


Now the tow rating is what the above can pull via your belt buckle...


The GCWR is all of them both together as the rating your body is rated for


The OEMs used a butt naked person with no optional clothing (shoes,
pants, shorts, shirt, t-shirt, gloves, socks, etc, etc) except for
the towing option...the belt and it's buckle

But most folks has optional stuff. Pants, shoes, socks, shorts, shirt,
t-shirt, gloves, Swiss Army knife, key chain, wallet, handkerchief,
coins, lip balm, cell phone, extra cell battery, armored cell phone
case, wrist watch, cell ear piece, gold chain necklaces, wedding
ring, and a big ETC

All of those 'options' takes away from the cargo/payload rating of
stuff in the back pack...oh...the weight of that backpack counts too

So unless your TV is going to be a butt naked truck...does it have
the MTWR (max tow weight rating)

[wiiman3893]

But isn't the payload dealing with a different set of forces based on the truck's 2 axles? My understanding is that the payload would be affected by the tongue weight, which does apply that force to the truck's axles. I know that the vehicle weight is labelled much lower than it typically is as it is the weight with an empty gas tank, so is it related to towing capacity? By which I mean the actual amount the vehicle can tow, not what the dealer says or anything.

[bikendan]

wiiman3893 wrote:
Well, I'm basing that 8800 lbs off of the dodge towing chart for that cab, engine, and transmission. It's not the max capacity of all 2500s that year.

I would not buy any tow vehicle, until I had the door sticker payload capacity.

[BarneyS]

I had a 1999 Dodge(Ram)2500 with the 5.9 gas engine, purchased new, and used to tow my previous trailer, a 7500lb Sunnybrook 26cks. It towed that trailer just fine and went about 140,000 miles before I sold it to a friend who used it for another 6 years before trading it in on something else.

I averaged around 9.5-10mpg towing during that time and also about 14-15 non towing. It had plenty of power and never failed to start or run smoothly. I really liked that truck and would have purchased another but a great deal on my present 7.3L PSD came along and I took it. Have no regrets doing that either! 🙂

You can see both the truck and the trailer in one of the pictures in my webpage photos linked in my signature.
Barney

[mkirsch]

wiiman3893 wrote:
Well, I'm basing that 8800 lbs off of the dodge towing chart for that cab, engine, and transmission. It's not the max capacity of all 2500s that year.

That's a much better number than the sales brochure, but even so that truck still can't tow that much and remain within the ratings. More importantly you probably would not be happy with the performance towing that much.

Lucky for you, you won't be towing that much! If you keep the trailer around the ~7000lb mark, you should be reasonably happy with that combination. It won't be the fastest machine up the hills, but it won't be a mushy vague drive like so many 1500's are when loaded to the max.

[wiiman3893]

Well, I'm basing that 8800 lbs off of the dodge towing chart for that cab, engine, and transmission. It's not the max capacity of all 2500s that year.

[APT]

I don't like the Ram 5.9L Gas engine. Diesel or get something new enough with the 5.7L Hemi.

[mkirsch]

You've got to get off that "tow capacity" thing. Tow capacity is the most bogus, misquoted number on a pickup truck.

Misquoted, because most of the time people look at that "up to XXXXlbs towing" in the glossy brochure, and assume that their truck is capable of that. That "up to" number is based on a very specific truck engine/transmission/gearing/cab/suspension configuration, which almost certainly does NOT apply to the truck you are looking at. It is a maximum theoretical capacity under ideal conditions.

What's more important is the payload of the truck. Basically, the truck can tow about 7 times its remaining payload capacity, after you've installed any aftermarket customizations, put all your stuff in it, loaded the wife/kids/dogs and their stuff in it.

With an '01 GM 1500, that's not much. Those trucks typically have about 1200lbs of payload capacity, totally empty. You're thinking, "Oh, I can tow 8400lbs of trailer, awesome!" Not so fast... Throw a fiberglass topper on there, 350lbs of driver/passenger(s), and you've just reduced that by 1/2.

My method doesn't even take into account towing performance. That's just keeping the trailer tongue off the ground and keeping it under control on the road.

[bikendan]

wiiman3893 wrote:
How about a 2001 ram 2500, 5.9L V8 with towing capacity of 8800?

what's its door sticker payload capacity?
more important than the 8800 number.

[wiiman3893]

How about a 2001 ram 2500, 5.9L V8 with towing capacity of 8800?

[APT]

A truck of that vintage, full timing, cross country plus 12 trips per year? Stick with 3/4+ ton. If you were a weekender for short tips, then 6k loaded is a great match for those half tones. But you'll be adding more like 2500+ pounds to the dry eight, plus a truck cab/bed will of stuff to cross the country so you need more payload too. Ford V10, GM 6.0 or 8.1L even better.

[wiiman3893]

It has an trans cooler, and electronic brakes. and we do have another car which we intend to use mostly for cargo while moving. Since my wife and I will have to split anyway.

[handye9]

Full timing, you'll most likely be on the high side of the trailer's carrying capacity. Your actual trailer weights will be pushing the 7220 GVWR and actual hitch weight will be over 900 lbs. When you add the weight of a weight distributing hitch and anti sway equipment, your truck will need enough payload to support 1000 to 1100 lbs of trailer weight, in addition to the weight of any passengers, cargo, or aftermarket accessories, that may have been added to the truck.

Read the fine print in many tow vehicle owners manuals, you will see something like "the vehicles max towing capacity is limited to the weakest link in it's overall tow ratings". The weak link, in many cases is payload.

You mentioned "dealer added" tow package. That would make the tow package an aftermarket accessory, and doesn't necessarily increase anything in regards to towing. In fact, the added weight reduces available payload, by an amount equal to the weight of that added equipment. Example: Say the truck came from the factory, rated to carry 1400 lbs and tow 7000 lbs. After the dealer adds 200 lbs of towing equipment, the vehicles remaining capacities would be reduced to 1200 lbs carrying and 6800 lbs towing.

Will that 1500 GMC pull that trailer, probably. Will you (or the truck) enjoy the ride, probably not.

[Need-A-Vacation]

The '01 you are looking at, why do you state it is a "dealer installed" towing package (seller stated so???)? Did this truck not have the factory tow package? If not the factory installed package and it was dealer installed, did they install a trans cooler along with the receiver hitch and 7 pin plug? You will want a trans cooler for sure.

Also look in the glove box for the rear gear ratio code. You will want at least the 3.73, if not the 4.10 gears for that trailer depending on what motor the truck has (4.8 or 5.3???) since that truck only has a 4spd trans.

Does the truck have the GM factory hitch? If so, that design has known issues of failing. I would suggest a square tube hitch because round tube models can "wind up" (twist) when you latch up the wd bars.

Good luck!!!