Some Towing Math and Questions

Polishmagnum wrote:
Thank you all for so many thoughts! MFL, I cannot see an image you may have posted, but yes, GAWR on my door sticker is 3900 lbs.

Most of the information I used to calculate all this came off the door sticker, using my VIN on MOPAR site for original specs, and also from RAM website.

Yes, my truck is listed as having 1510 lbs. of cargo capacity. I used this in the calculations. GVWR-Curb Weight=Cargo, for truck. I got the same 1510 number that RAM posted. Cargo being people, bed full, whatever I add to truck.

I think I'm ok with my numbers, and I think sticking to a trailer with a GVWR around 7500 is a reasonable plan. But the real question, are there many sane, reasonable people towing say 7500 GVWR trailers at about 31 feet with a half ton? I'd like to hear from anyone, because I'm old enough to know the book figuring doesnt always correlate to real world...haha! Thanks everyone!

And as I pointed out, the trailer tongue plus WD become "cargo" of your truck!

So, a 7500 lb GVWR trailer can have up to 1125 lbs on the tongue not including WD and hitch head..

WD and hitch head are substantial at about 100 lbs!

So now a 7500 GVWR trailer fully loaded with wd and hitch head can weigh as much as 1225 lbs leaving you with only 285 lbs of available cargo for your truck!

Yes, you could make it work but only if you had one passenger and a very small amount of gear in the bed of the truck..

As far as length goes, I know there are folks towing with half tons with that length, it can be done, but I suspect it may not be all that fun to do..

A lot of things can go wrong, gonna get a lot more of "push-pull" from other vehicles passing you or you passing other vehicles..

Personally, I tow a 26ft TT with a 3/4 ton, was a pretty good noticeable difference with "push-pull" from a 20ft TT to 26ft TT..

Really is your choice, it seems like you have your heart set on the 31ft TT and the only way to find out is going to work well enough for you is to try it.. Everyone has a certain degree of "comfortability" I would call it as to how much or how bad of a feeling they get as to what is acceptable to them.

It might be acceptable to you, it may not..

I will say though, to hedge your bets for the best possible stability, you WILL need to get the tongue at 15%, you will need to scale the trailer and I would suggest a tongue scale so you know just how much tongue weight you have..

Sufficient tongue weight goes a long ways to making a stable tow, too light and the back of the trailer can easily start whipping out of control.. A lot of folks here like to quote 12%-13% just so they can stay under their cargo weights, 15% or even a touch more will make a huge difference in the towing handling.