Ram 1500 with starcraft 289bhs

[samhain7]

Hi all.
Forgive me, but I have read a lot of threads and I just can't seem yo understand the formulas.
My 2012 1500 has the trailer package and the 3.92back end. It says I can yow 9500 lbs.
The trailer weights, 6300lbs empty.
Everyone I talked to including the dealer says I am fine. But reading threads here, I am not sure.
I haven't picked up the trailer yet and can still opt out of it. Can someone help me out on this one? Once again. I apologize for not being able to figure this out.

[samhain7]

1089 is what is on the sticker. 1570 is on ram trucks.ca for my truck and year.

[fla-gypsy]

Your tongue weight could be as high as 1k. You gave two different payload numbers. Is it 1570 or 1089?

[samhain7]

Thanks Eric. So your thought is this truck will be ok, because I am seriously re considering my decision.
Jeremiah. Grossly over my payload weight? That doesn't sound good at all.

[Community Alumni]

I have trailer sway control integrated within the stability control system on my Ram but personally I do not believe it is sufficient on a 1500 which has softer suspension. I've also towed with my 2500 and it was fine but the ride was really rough.

I don't know if there is an add-on for sway control, check with your hitch manufacturer.

... Eric

[jerem0621]

You're going to potentially be grossly overloading the trucks payload weight rating.

You have a half ton truck. take the published trailer weight rating with a grain of salt. That published weight rating was never really intended for travel trailer. That weight rating was designed for more than a flatbed type situation with a halfton or boat type situation with the halfton truck. The Important number for you your family and your truck is how much payload it can carry.

You need to take your trucks payload figure and subtract your families wait -50 pounds with gear that will be in the truck then subtract 60 pounds for a hitch then subtract 900 pounds trailer tongue weight because that's what it's going to be close too after the trailer is loaded.

My point is this... Will your truck carry this? Probably yes, it may even pull and handle well, however, can you live being 30-50% overloaded on payload? Some peoples tolerance and experience for overload situations is different than others. Some can handle it and others can't!

TIFWIW

I had a F150 with my two young sons 7 and 10, I had a trailer nearly identical to yours in weight and I had 1650 lbs of payload. My scaled weight with me and my family and two bikes in the bed and the trailer hooked up was literally 50 lbs under the trucks GVWR. My boys since then have put on 200 lbs between the two of them. Now I would be 150 lbs over GVWR of that truck.

It did handle great though.

Cheers and good luck!

Jeremiah

[samhain7]

Can you not buy sway control on its own. My truck has built in sway control so I didn't think it was needed.

[Community Alumni]

samhain7 wrote:
Hi all. So this sounds good, but bad. Do you all mean that if I put anyone but me in the truck I will be over? We are a family of 4. I weight 160, wife 108 and a 8 year old and a 7 year old.

Is there anything I can do to the truck to make it safer? Like new leaf springs or something? I have a husky round bar distribution hitch, but. No sway control.

I would get a hitch that also has sway control. I tow a TT that's 7700 lbs dry with an 820 lbs pin weight with Ram 1500; I have a 12K Equalizer hitch. It tows really well but I can't imagine towing it without sway control.

[samhain7]

Hi all. So this sounds good, but bad. Do you all mean that if I put anyone but me in the truck I will be over? We are a family of 4. I weight 160, wife 108 and a 8 year old and a 7 year old.

Is there anything I can do to the truck to make it safer? Like new leaf springs or something? I have a husky round bar distribution hitch, but. No sway control.

[bguy]

You should be fine until someone gets in the truck. At that point I'm guessing it'll be overweight(with an empty pan).

[ChooChooMan74]

You will probably be a little over payload. What's a few pounds between friends. Just be safe and keep the speeds safe.

[fla-gypsy]

Seems like a good match just watch the payload on the truck. Most of it will get used up on the tongue weight.

[samhain7]

More info.
GVWR 6,700
Payload 1570
GCWR 15,500
Max trailer 9,850

[diazr2]

Yeah you should be fine.

[samhain7]

The GAWR on the door sticker says 3900lbs for front and rear.
The other sticker says that the weight of passengers and cargo should not exceed 1089 lbs.