I have a 2011 RAM 5.7 Megacab which has a rated towing capacity of 11,150 lbs. I have been pulling a 10,950 lb Cedar Creek trailer for 7 years with it. Fully loaded the gross weight of my trailer is around 11,400 lbs. I have had no problems pulling it from New York to Seattle and up and down every steep pass in 5 states. I feel like the tow guides are a little conservitive and you can probably get away with pulling a somewhat heavier trailer than the truck is rated for. But now I am looking at getting a new 11,500 lb trailer. Fully loaded that would make it around 11,900 lbs. So I am wondering just how much weight I can safely pull. Am I safe in pulling 11,900 lbs with a truck rated for 11,150 lbs or is the extra 600 lbs going to be too much for my truck?

As you know, your truck will not instantly self-destruct as soon as you exceed you truck's rated capacity. Having towed coast to coast at or over capacity, you know exactly how it does. Adding an additional 600 lbs will not make an appreciable difference, except in the head of someone who is obsessed with the numbers.

At this point, you are looking at dangerous ground. Generally they give you the maximum towing capacity with one operator in the vehicle, so that the weight of your truck loaded, and the maximum weight of the trailer will not exceed the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight. Now the catch, how much weight are you actually carrying in the truck, and yes that includes the passengers, the weight of the hitch, the stuff in the pick up box too. Then are you implying that you will only load a trailer to 400 pounds of goods?Then the trailer weight is often the bare bones trailer, and doesn't include some things that are optional extras for the build like the A/C, extra battery, TV and others.So you see, adding 1000 in the truck takes away from what's out back. It will pull fine, but will it stop? Will it respond correctly in an emergency?

“I feel like the tow guides are a little conservitive and you can probably get away with pulling a somewhat heavier trailer than the truck is rated for.”I wouldn't put my family or OTHERS in danger based how you “feel” and can “get away with.”

Man you really opened the door. Sit back and be ready to be beaten for even thinking about doing that.

The OP asks how much can he pull ..not how much load can the truck carry. Big difference. The '11 2500 chassis sure won't have any issue carrying 3000-3200 lbs in the bed however 11900 lb trailer is a lot of weight for a smallblock. I pull a 11200 lb 5er with my 2500 Dodge/Cummins/NV5600 6 speed manual with 325k miles on the odo. I made a living pulling heavy GN trailers (25k-32k gcw) for several years with the old 454/460 big blocks massaged by Crietz automotive (tow motors) to around 300-325hp and 450-475 torque. For my use I wouldn't be comfortable towing that much weight with a smallblock. I would guess if the truck was designed for 150k miles at max loads it would make it 145k miles before 1st over haul. You also will need a good Maintenance schedule operating at those weights.

How much weight is too much? | Good Sam Community

RoyJ
Explorer
Aug 02, 2020
Does anyone have links to even *1* lawsuit against an overweight RV combination?

A very common scare tactic here - go over 1 lb of a powertrain warranty driven "tow rating", you'll be sued till your wife and kids are living in the park...

4x4ord brings up a good point - if I overload my Corvette (easy with 440 lbs payload), and stopped in 110' from 60mph, instead of 97', I can be sued?
MFL
Nomad II
Aug 02, 2020
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"X2 I have had farts that weighed more."

Were they "BLUE" ???

Most likely :E

I do enjoy reading his SHORT posts, and seems to be a knowledgeable person. I just have to skip his LONG posts! Maybe his eyes are better than mine, or, he doesn't read his own posts.

Jerry
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Aug 02, 2020
"X2 I have had farts that weighed more."

Were they "BLUE" ???
Edd505
Explorer
Aug 01, 2020
there is one answer to the original question; only he can decide how much is too much over, depending on driving experience, vehicle condition, RV condition, and how much over weight. Lot of difference between 200lbs & 2000lbs
Huntindog
Explorer
Aug 01, 2020
Cummins12V98 wrote:
The part I am having a hard time believing is you have traveled across the USA and ONLY add 450# to your RV.
X2 I have had farts that weighed more.

I (so far) haven't seen where he has actually weighed it.
blt2ski
Moderator
Aug 01, 2020
Goeboy, while true, let a jury answer the question as to what is safe per distances 4x quoted. Issue still becomes, which is safer?
A ln Leo or cveo only enforces what the law specs. Not what a civil trial will allow!
Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 01, 2020
4x4ord wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
^BTW after you posted it, I tried that stunt with a 24' tag trailer behind by 1/2 ton. I chickened out at 20mph! You win!

Haha. I missed this post. Good for you. I bet backing a gooseneck up fast and straight is easier than a tag trailer.

Ha, yeah, GN tracks way better.
I’d be all good then a little bobble would send the pintos hitch the other way and it was a lot of work with the steering wheel!
Grit_dog
Navigator
Aug 01, 2020
Geo*Boy wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
Geo*Boy wrote:
4x4ord wrote:
^^^^ What does it mean to be able to safely stop a truck and trailer. A Corvette can come to a stop from 60 mph in 90 feet. If I can stop a 100,000 lb legally loaded semi trailer with properly functioning air brakes in 450 feet am I safe? What if I can bring my overloaded 2020 f250 from 60 mph down to zero in 300 feet.... is that safe? What if I'm towing a 1993 5th wheel with a '93 GMC 1 ton and all my weights are within specs and it takes me 400 feet to stop from 60 mph .... am I safe?

When you injure or kill someone, you can ask the court/jury that question.

Good job 4x4ord getting the weight ninnies all riled up!
Love it. Most of the weight "cops" on here are sorta like the most of the protesters out there. They're crying about something, they just don't know what about, but if they whine loud enough they feel better and have some sense of accomplishment that allows them to sleep better at night vs the insomnia caused by not having a real JOB! LOL

Grit, you want an analogy, I think your comment and others like you are more like the cops that do what they want and to hell with doing the right thing.

Rofl. Whatever dude. If you’re so smart tell us why it’s wrong or unsafe to tow 11,900 or whatever the Op said, with that truck. And not the what if’s, but apple to apples, what part of the truck is going to be “unsafe”. And I don’t mean slow. It’ll suck going up hills I mean unsafe.
All yours smart guy
4x4ord
Explorer III
Aug 01, 2020
Grit dog wrote:
^BTW after you posted it, I tried that stunt with a 24' tag trailer behind by 1/2 ton. I chickened out at 20mph! You win!

Haha. I missed this post. Good for you. I bet backing a gooseneck up fast and straight is easier than a tag trailer.
ppine
Explorer II
Jul 25, 2020
When you are overweight you cannot stop it.