Towing 35+ footer

[MBarmer]

I think i've decided against a 5er due to only having a 2500. I think the payload is going to be too much.

That said, the wife and i have picked out three campers that we really like:
Jayco Jay Flight 33RBTS
Jayco Eagle 324BHTS
GD Reflection 308BHTS

all of these campers are around 1000 lb tongue wt. and 10-11K GVWR

the problem is they are all 36-37 ft long.

How are those going to pull behind a RAM 2500 CCSWB 4x4 6.7?

[Walaby]

MBarmer wrote:

I think we are going to stick with a TT though. I just dont want to be "negligent" on GVWR. I would love a 5er, but i can get almost the exact same floor plan for about 10K less and stay within specs.

That is EXACTLY I went with my current TT. Got almost the exact same floor plan for 10K or more less.

Mike

[MBarmer]

Thank you all for the comments. I truly appreciate the candor and discussions. Its the exact same conversation my wife and i have had.

I think we are going to stick with a TT though. I just dont want to be "negligent" on GVWR. I would love a 5er, but i can get almost the exact same floor plan for about 10K less and stay within specs. There's no doubt that my truck will pull it. I was just curious about sway and tight spots.

Thanks again. This forum is a wonderful source of information.

[IdaD]

93Cobra2771 wrote:

IdaD wrote:

93Cobra2771 wrote:
Irony: Member saying payload is meaningless.

It isn't meaningless, it is a number derived from the GVWR. So are you saying he should ignore it since his truck is basically a F350 other than rear springs? And yes, I'm pretty familiar with his year vintage heavy duty trucks.

The other true irony is the my 11 model F150 has very close to the same capacities as his vintage Heavy Duty F250 (payload being the biggest difference). However, if I came on here with my truck wanting to tow the same trailer he's looking at, I'd be worse than a drunk driver on the interstate ready to kill and maim anyone driving near me.

I'm not quite sure how it's ironic, but whatever. In his particular situation (2015 Cummins Ram 2500), it's my opinion that he can ignore his GVWR and rely on his axle and tire ratings to determine what's within the safe capacity of his truck. That's because the GVWR and thus payload rating of his truck is unrelated to the capability of his truck (not true for your F150).

If he's properly registered for his weights there are no legal implications to doing it, and there are also no practical reasons it isn't completely safe and within the capability of his truck.

*Edit - I may have cross posted in the wrong thread, will research and figure it out.

From OP's profile:

2015 RAM 2500 6.7 CTD

I'm not the only one with this opinion. Most of the time this comes up I'd say the majority of posters recognize that newer diesel 3/4 tons are underrated as it relates to payload rating because they weigh a lot but are restricted to a max 10k lb GVWR due to truck class. Do some searches if you want to learn more on the subject - it's a topic that's been beat to death.

[phenrichs]

They are heavy. Period. But put a Dual Cam or Arrow hitch on it and you will be fine. From the ball to the spare I am 38ft. with my truck I am 53' total. It tows fine. Yes you feel some wind, but no more than the 20' hybrid we used to have.

[Silverback98042]

I agree with the OP, a 5th wheel's pin weight would overload the truck, at least according to the vehicle ratings. His truck might be capable of getting the job done, but if he's like me, there's something to be said for knowing you're within all of the vehicle specs.
Get a good WD hitch, set it up properly, and go have some fun.

[93Cobra2771]

IdaD wrote:

93Cobra2771 wrote:
Irony: Member saying payload is meaningless.

It isn't meaningless, it is a number derived from the GVWR. So are you saying he should ignore it since his truck is basically a F350 other than rear springs? And yes, I'm pretty familiar with his year vintage heavy duty trucks.

The other true irony is the my 11 model F150 has very close to the same capacities as his vintage Heavy Duty F250 (payload being the biggest difference). However, if I came on here with my truck wanting to tow the same trailer he's looking at, I'd be worse than a drunk driver on the interstate ready to kill and maim anyone driving near me.

I'm not quite sure how it's ironic, but whatever. In his particular situation (2015 Cummins Ram 2500), it's my opinion that he can ignore his GVWR and rely on his axle and tire ratings to determine what's within the safe capacity of his truck. That's because the GVWR and thus payload rating of his truck is unrelated to the capability of his truck (not true for your F150).

If he's properly registered for his weights there are no legal implications to doing it, and there are also no practical reasons it isn't completely safe and within the capability of his truck.

Ironic because you are the only person I can remember on this site saying to disregard the payload. Payload is simply a calculation from GVWR.

Just like everyone else's TV in here, all those numbers and ratings apply one way or another. To say they don't apply to his truck and they apply to my F150 is once again, ironic.

You can be over your GVWR and under payload or axle ratings. The inverse can also apply. All about how you are loaded, what you are pulling, etc etc.

[IdaD]

93Cobra2771 wrote:
Irony: Member saying payload is meaningless.

It isn't meaningless, it is a number derived from the GVWR. So are you saying he should ignore it since his truck is basically a F350 other than rear springs? And yes, I'm pretty familiar with his year vintage heavy duty trucks.

The other true irony is the my 11 model F150 has very close to the same capacities as his vintage Heavy Duty F250 (payload being the biggest difference). However, if I came on here with my truck wanting to tow the same trailer he's looking at, I'd be worse than a drunk driver on the interstate ready to kill and maim anyone driving near me.

I'm not quite sure how it's ironic, but whatever. In his particular situation (2015 Cummins Ram 2500), it's my opinion that he can ignore his GVWR and rely on his axle and tire ratings to determine what's within the safe capacity of his truck. That's because the GVWR and thus payload rating of his truck is unrelated to the capability of his truck (not true for your F150).

If he's properly registered for his weights there are no legal implications to doing it, and there are also no practical reasons it isn't completely safe and within the capability of his truck.

[93Cobra2771]

IdaD wrote:

93Cobra2771 wrote:
Irony: The number of members recommending a fifth wheel with more tongue weight compared to a travel trailer. Even though the OP has stated that a fifth wheel will likely put him over his cargo ratings.

The payload rating on his particular truck is meaningless because it's driven by the class 2 truck GVWR limit. His truck is literally identical to a SRW 3500 aside from the rear suspension, and if you look at the axle rating it's only 500 lbs lower than a SRW 3500. Tires, wheels, brakes, axles, chassis...all the same.

A lot of us are recommending a second look at fifth wheels because he'd be fine pulling a reasonably sized one and they have some significant advantages.

Irony: Member saying payload is meaningless.

It isn't meaningless, it is a number derived from the GVWR. So are you saying he should ignore it since his truck is basically a heavy duty other than rear springs?

The other true irony is the my 11 model F150 has very close to the same capacities as a vintage Heavy Duty F250 (payload being the biggest difference). However, if I came on here with my truck wanting to tow the same trailer he's looking at, I'd be worse than a drunk driver on the interstate ready to kill and maim anyone driving near me.

**Edit - confused OP truck with a truck in another thread, have corrected my statements regarding the OP truck.

[IdaD]

93Cobra2771 wrote:
Irony: The number of members recommending a fifth wheel with more tongue weight compared to a travel trailer. Even though the OP has stated that a fifth wheel will likely put him over his cargo ratings.

The payload rating on his particular truck is meaningless because it's driven by the class 2 truck GVWR limit. His truck is literally identical to a SRW 3500 aside from the rear suspension, and if you look at the axle rating it's only 500 lbs lower than a SRW 3500. Tires, wheels, brakes, axles, chassis...all the same.

A lot of us are recommending a second look at fifth wheels because he'd be fine pulling a reasonably sized one and they have some significant advantages.

[93Cobra2771]

Irony: The number of members recommending a fifth wheel with more tongue weight compared to a travel trailer. Even though the OP has stated that a fifth wheel will likely put him over his cargo ratings.

Granted, some fifth wheels will likely hit his cargo needs, but very few fifth wheels will be as light on the nose as the travel trailer will be.

Regarding the OP's question: Get the TT you want, and spend the money on a good PREMIUM hitch. A dual cam or equalizer, or a used Hensley arrow/propride (watch craigslist, they can and will show up on there). And yes, a 10,000GVW trailer will likely be more like 1200/1400# tongue weight, according to trailer layout.

With a premium hitch, they pull just like a shorter trailer. They do require a little more care when backing into sites, but other than that they are just fine.

[fray]

We just finished a 3100 mile trip with a 2016 Rockwood Ultralite Signature pulled with a 2015 Ram 6.4L, 3.73 gears from Texas to Delaware. We have a Blue Ox Sway Pro. The hills in Tennessee and Virginia slowed us down a little. Maintained 62-63 mph with cruise, averaged about 8.5 mpg. The 6.4 worked as advertised, you should not have any problem with a longer trailer.

[JoeTampa]

I tow a JayFlight 33RBTS with a 2006 Silverado 2500 Duramax and a Blue Ox SwayPro hitch with 1500lb bars and it's like it's not even back there.

[6_7_tow_rig]

It will pull like a breeze. My trailer is just shy of 37 feet and we pull it with the truck in my signature. We have logged about 20k miles so far and all is great. The tongue weight is a little high but perfectly acceptable.

[CampingN_C_]

My setup truly pulls like a dream. It took me a few years and several TV's and trailers to say that but it really does. Granted I have a CCLB and I believe that makes a night and day difference in the towing.
I will say in all fairness, my last truck was a CCSB 2500HD and I never got it to feel just right.
Expect around 1500lb tongue weight on the trailers listed. Reese Dual Cam, no less.

[ktmrfs]

we tow a 10K lb, 1500lb tongue weight trailer, 35ft overall with our cc duramax. don't think the dodge would be any different. I've logged over 30K miles towing the trailer, and never had an issue towing. Have a reese dc hitch, no sway even down the columbia river gorge known for almost constant winds. And usually we use backroads that are scenic. IMHO it won't be an issue towing.

The only issue we occasionally run into is with the overall length of over 60ft, backing into spots can be an issue in older campgrounds with narrow roads and right angle narrow sites.