Hi, I am new to this forum and I would appreciate the views of all you Travel Trailer experienced hands on this question.I am looking to buy a custom built 36' Travel Trailer made by Recreation by Design that will weigh approx. 8000 LBS. I intend to use a Reese or similar hitch and sway/weight distribution set up on a Ram 1500 with a 3.92 differential, 5.7 Hemi 8 cylinder and a factory rated towing capacity of 10440 LBS. I intend to keep my total vehicle weight below 10440 LBS including passengers and cargo. I will be installing a back up camera with wide angle on the trailer.I have been told by an experienced RV guy that the trailer is too much for my truck and that the length will cause me all kinds of problems, regardless of what Ram says the tow rating is and what kind of sway/distribution hitch system I put on it.Any Thoughts from your RV Trailer Trailer pros on this or anything else I am thinking about and trying to do here? Mark

What is the trailer capacity? 8k dry is going to get up there wet.Without any trailer towing experience, I wouldn't want to be that close to the capacity. Are you planning any hill/mountain travels?

I don't intent to travel with tanks full. Not planning to boondock. May have a couple of 5 Gallon containers of water in case a bathroom trip is needed. Intending to stay around 9000 loaded.

Not planning any hill country travel until I get more experienced.

Do not base anything on dry weight. What is the ready to camp weight?What is the payload capacity of your Dodge.An 8K trailer is a lot for your typical 1/2 ton truck.On the surface I agree with your friend it appears to be too much trailer for your truck.

Welcome to the Forum...from experience I can tell you that it's going to be hard to keep an 8K, 36 footer under your payload rating..Start with a couple of batteries and 2 full propane tanks, then there is the weight of the hitch equipment, then this and than and before you know it you are crushing the bump stops on your truck's suspension..Give it a shot, we did and soon were truck shopping. Good luck with it.

Buying 1st Travel Trailer Go Large or Not? | Good Sam Community

Jebby14
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
The you don't have enough payload or wheelbase horses have been beaten to death. I agree, you don't. I think you understand that. One point I didn't see brought up was although you think you will be packed light now, if you start to take extended trips you will get heavy fast, those recliners wont be light, cookware isn't light, propane and batteries aren't light, your hitch wont be light and you wont have much room for toys. is a minimalist lifestyle one you want?
Ride_S40T
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
Lantley, great advice IMO.

The OP is asking as a new arrival to RVing, not a veteran. As a newbie I was able to do the simple math to ensure we were GTG but I've hauled many types of loads over the years - and I did lots of homework on RVs. Albeit after we bought it.

The specs, weight limits, and other considerations are there beyond just simple liability of a manufacturer of a TV or TT. There's science (theirs, not mine) that these independent sources use in these worksheets. They factor what is safe, not just what could or can be towed. Can be a huge difference.
Lantley
Nomad
Feb 13, 2019
CaLBaR wrote:
yillb wrote:
I'm sorry you have to deal with all the people who can't do basic math. If the trailer is within the limitations that your truck is capable of, then so be it.

I noticed a couple of people were saying don't pay attention to the dry weight.... ffs, sorry for them too. The dry weight of the trailer is the most important weight you can look at. This is how you get an idea of how much the trailer weighs before you add propane, water, goods, etc. Since it has a GVWR the logic is you must know the exact weight of everything going into the trailer. Take your try weight, and add all that additional weight you added to the dry weight. Then you have your weight. Why anyone would tell you dry weight is basically useless, just can't do basic math. Now, your truck, with a 10K towing capacity. IF your trailer weighs 8k dry, let's just ASSUME you manage to add 1000 pounds worth of ****, so it gets up to 9k, you're still within your limits. That will put you at around 800 - 1000 pounds in tongue weight. You didn't mention your payload ( or at least I did not see it ), if you have an extra 1000 pounds of payload on a ram, kudos to you. The only thing i see here is " not doable " is going to be your payload, and that's even debatable, I don't know what your payload is, though I'm assuming it's somehwere around 1600 / 1800. After adding in kids / animals / wive(s), what's left?. Everything else is within your limitations. you have a long trailer, and that ram has a short wheelbase compared to other full 1 ton trucks. However, they don't sell trucks and say " Gotta keep the length below X ". Have fun!

I couldn't agree more. Well said. That is how I decided that my current trailer will be OK for my truck. I knew how much stuff I put into my old trailer so knew I would be close but within my tow ratings. Used that plus battery, propane weights to estimate tongue weight loaded. Not perfect but I was close enough once I weighed the combo to my estimate that it worked out well.

Things to consider with dry weight. What is the source of the dry weight info? If it is the brochure dry weight they are notoriously inaccurate vs. the actual stick on the trailer.
If you are using dry weight and are a total newbie what do you do with this figure? Do you take it as it is? Do you add to it? How accurate do you need to be? STill lots of variables using dry weight especially if you are a rookie.
If you have experience the idea of sizing it up a combo is less challenging. You are not in the dark as much as someone who has never done it so the loaded vs. dry scenario is less daunting.
If you are new have no idea GVW leaves more margin for error vs. dialing it in using dry weights. Rookies do not know how to dial it in or add the correct cargo amount to the dry weight.
GVW is a more foolproof figure, less variables or other factors to consider.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2019
MarkRBD2019 wrote:
Folks, just so you will know, I appreciate each and every comment you have made and based on your more experienced views I am rethinking my plan for a TT and considering a 28' to 30' box instead and a rental tryout.
I dont know anything about renting a TT, any advice on that? Think based on the comments that have been posted, I better have some insurance on the rental when if I get one. LOL

RVShare.com
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Feb 13, 2019
Ride S40T wrote:
CaLBaR wrote:
Ride S40T wrote:
You're going to hear varying degrees of good advice on RV forums and A LOT of solid recommendations based on years of experience.

After considering any or everything read here, please please go out to one of the reputable sites like Shereline and run all the TV and TT specs. Find a worksheet that uses all the specs all the way down to the wheelbase, do not use a simple "pulling capacity" worksheet produced by TV manufacturers.

Can you supply the links or the websites that you are referencing that take wheelbase and other information into account. I did a search and could not find one and it would be great if people on the forum could look that up for some additional information when trying to decide on TV/trailer combinations.

Thanks,

Just a few tow capacity Links. Google, be our friend.

Well, I googled "Shereline" and came up with nothing
CaLBaR
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
yillb wrote:
I'm sorry you have to deal with all the people who can't do basic math. If the trailer is within the limitations that your truck is capable of, then so be it.

I noticed a couple of people were saying don't pay attention to the dry weight.... ffs, sorry for them too. The dry weight of the trailer is the most important weight you can look at. This is how you get an idea of how much the trailer weighs before you add propane, water, goods, etc. Since it has a GVWR the logic is you must know the exact weight of everything going into the trailer. Take your try weight, and add all that additional weight you added to the dry weight. Then you have your weight. Why anyone would tell you dry weight is basically useless, just can't do basic math. Now, your truck, with a 10K towing capacity. IF your trailer weighs 8k dry, let's just ASSUME you manage to add 1000 pounds worth of ****, so it gets up to 9k, you're still within your limits. That will put you at around 800 - 1000 pounds in tongue weight. You didn't mention your payload ( or at least I did not see it ), if you have an extra 1000 pounds of payload on a ram, kudos to you. The only thing i see here is " not doable " is going to be your payload, and that's even debatable, I don't know what your payload is, though I'm assuming it's somehwere around 1600 / 1800. After adding in kids / animals / wive(s), what's left?. Everything else is within your limitations. you have a long trailer, and that ram has a short wheelbase compared to other full 1 ton trucks. However, they don't sell trucks and say " Gotta keep the length below X ". Have fun!

I couldn't agree more. Well said. That is how I decided that my current trailer will be OK for my truck. I knew how much stuff I put into my old trailer so knew I would be close but within my tow ratings. Used that plus battery, propane weights to estimate tongue weight loaded. Not perfect but I was close enough once I weighed the combo to my estimate that it worked out well.
yillb
Explorer
Feb 13, 2019
I'm sorry you have to deal with all the people who can't do basic math. If the trailer is within the limitations that your truck is capable of, then so be it.

I noticed a couple of people were saying don't pay attention to the dry weight.... ffs, sorry for them too. The dry weight of the trailer is the most important weight you can look at. This is how you get an idea of how much the trailer weighs before you add propane, water, goods, etc. Since it has a GVWR the logic is you must know the exact weight of everything going into the trailer. Take your try weight, and add all that additional weight you added to the dry weight. Then you have your weight. Why anyone would tell you dry weight is basically useless, just can't do basic math. Now, your truck, with a 10K towing capacity. IF your trailer weighs 8k dry, let's just ASSUME you manage to add 1000 pounds worth of ****, so it gets up to 9k, you're still within your limits. That will put you at around 800 - 1000 pounds in tongue weight. You didn't mention your payload ( or at least I did not see it ), if you have an extra 1000 pounds of payload on a ram, kudos to you. The only thing i see here is " not doable " is going to be your payload, and that's even debatable, I don't know what your payload is, though I'm assuming it's somehwere around 1600 / 1800. After adding in kids / animals / wive(s), what's left?. Everything else is within your limitations. you have a long trailer, and that ram has a short wheelbase compared to other full 1 ton trucks. However, they don't sell trucks and say " Gotta keep the length below X ". Have fun!
315RLTSinPA
Explorer
Feb 12, 2019
donn0128 wrote:
Good luck attempting to tow that monster. Even with a 3500 36 feet behind it would not be a good fit.

People crack me up. We have a 38ft travel trailer and it tows like a dream.
babock
Explorer
Feb 12, 2019
We decided to stay under 25'. Our trailer is 24'11" but it has 2 slides so it's very large inside. There have been many campsites we go to where a longer trailer wouldn't fit well.
time2roll
Nomad
Feb 12, 2019
Why so big? Large family? Toys? I would try to stay in at 25/30' for better towing and easier campsite fitment.

Maybe rent something for a few days/week before you custom build an RV. Very easy to get carried away on all the 'must haves' that just aren't.

For best towing experience I recommend keeping the trailer GVWR within the tow rating. Forget dry weight unless you plan to just haul empty trailers for a living.