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Towing a small 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton truck

redwingnc
Explorer
Explorer
I am thinking of trading in my TT for a 5th wheel.... I have a Dodge Ram 1500, 4.7L V8 with towing package. The specs show that I should be able to tow 7300 lbs.

Do you see any problems with towing a 6300-6500 Lb. 5th wheel?

Thanks,
57 REPLIES 57

RobertRyan
Explorer
Explorer
jrp26789 wrote:
An interesting fact is that ram trucks are rated for 500 lbs more payload in Europe. Same truck.

They do not sell RAM's in Europe as such. Rating if imported would be the same as in the US.

john_bet
Explorer
Explorer
Way back in the early to mid '80's I knew an Wyoming State Trooper who pulled a small 5er with a Nissan pu.
2018 Ram 3500 SRW CC LB 6.7L Cummins Auto 3.42 gears
2018 Grand Design 337RLS

jrp26789
Explorer
Explorer
So I towed with a 2006 ram 1500 with the 4.7. I added air bags and double towed my cross roads cruiser 5th wheel and my 17' ft alumacraft behind that. It worked. An interesting fact is that ram trucks are rated for 500 lbs more payload in Europe. Same truck. Was it ideal, no. Did I hate it with white knuckle corners and clenched cheeks when the wind blew. Not by a long shot. It did the job and I wasn't stuck driving a 3/4 ton around the other 350 days a year. I now have a 2012 ram 1500 hemi that I tow a 26 ft treasure ship 5th wheel. It tows great. Went out to mount Rushmore and passed many rigs on my way up the 10% grade. Sure I was pulling 5000 rpms but held 60 mph without issue.
If it is fun, the State of Minnesota will try to outlaw it!
2017 F150 2.7 ecoboost
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Hannibal
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BUFFALODAN wrote:
http://www.livinlite.com/fifth-wheels.php


Interesting! I like the idea of no wood. I've often wondered why even the Airstream has a particle board floor.
2020 F250 STX CC SB 7.3L 10spd 3.55 4x4
2010 F250 XLT CC SB 5.4L 5spdTS 3.73
ex '95 Cummins,'98 12v Cummins,'01.5 Cummins,'03 Cummins; '05 Hemi
2017 Jayco 28RLS TT 32.5'

BUFFALODAN
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Explorer
http://www.livinlite.com/fifth-wheels.php
2006 KZ Frontier 2505
2006 GMC Yukon XL Denali AWD
2014 Chevy Silverado Double Cab 4WD
[purple]1 DW
3DD's[/purple]

Supercharged
Explorer
Explorer
35,000 miles with 5.3 and 27ft. 5th wheel, now we went to motorhome.
So big a world, so little time to see.

walthallm
Explorer
Explorer
I pulled a 7100 lb Fifth Wheel with a Ford F-150 for a year and then upgraded to a Super Duty 3/4 ton. It was always an unpleasant tow unless I was traveling on flat and very smooth highway.

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
redwingnc wrote:
It is a regular cab 2 WD shortbed -- got it off the 2011 Dodge Ram Pickup Towing Chart on their website -- thanks.

Yeah, your getting some mis info here and others offer some good advise.
Looking at the '11 Dodge body builders website shows the 1500 Dodge has payloads from around 1200 up to 1800 lbs all depending on the trucks selections.
Also tow ratings are shown for a ST or SLT or a Lone Star or a Bighorn /etc and not a base or stripper model as was claimed.

There are small 5ers out here still on the market. http://www.allencampermfgcoinc.com/Spec-sheets.html.

They have two models at 4500 GVWR and 5800 GVWR.
Check out the models with 7-8k GVWR and 3000 CCC. Their around the 5k dry weight range and will fit your trucks payload rating.
Always look at the trailer mfg dry or shipping weight and GVWR for making a informed decision.

The truck won't have any issue carrying its rated payload but IMO with a high profile 7000+ 5th wheel trailer you may not like the performance with the little 4.7 engine.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

Les_Balty
Explorer
Explorer
A new V-Cross Vibe should be good too (around 5-6K empty). There are a lot of brands that have 5th Wheels GVWR of 10K. You'll need to decide for yourself how comfortable you are with that.
Les Balty

Eng208
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Explorer
redwingnc wrote:
It is a regular cab 2 WD shortbed -- got it off the 2011 Dodge Ram Pickup Towing Chart on their website -- thanks.


Well it would certainly have the highest payload capacity of any of that yr model 1500s. As long as the towing capacity fits in, I think you will be fine. Just realize the 4.7L is no power monster. I wouldn't even consider it "wiry." If you are not in a hurry though, it still has much more power than the 5.7L and others that used to be recommended back in the 80-s and 90s! Keep that in perspective! I have 370Hp and 800Ft/lbs of torque available at my right foot. Do I need it? Heck no. I had a 91 Dodge CTD that set the towing world on fire when it was introduced in 1989. All with 160 Hp and 400 ft/lb torque. People would consistently pull 25000 lb gooseneck trailers with those trucks.
97 Dodge 2500 Ext Cab 4X4 CTD with Goerend Transmission mod.(GVWR 8800lbs, or 4000 Kg)
95 Four Winds Fifth Wheel
99 Toyota Fourrunner V6

APT
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Explorer
The 2009+ Ram 1500's have the lowest payload in the half ton class. It's not the IRS specifically as the 2014 2500 also has IRS with over 3000 pounds of payload and somewhere around 10k GVWR. The 1500 Springs are just weak, and I'm not sure where the axle ratings stand with respect to GVWR/loading. Ram offers the air suspensino for 2013+ models now, but GVWR is still 6800 pounds at most, less that a comparable standard 7200 pound GVWR Ford/GM truck. Then Ford/GM offer higher payload improving options that no one else does.

If you insist on a half ton, then the Ford Ecoboost with HD payload/8200 pound GVWR is a good choice for what RV companies claim as "half ton towable 5ers". 1000-ish pound dry pin weight. Going to a 3/4 ton gasser adds about $2000 to a comparably equipped (like web site build and price) half ton last time I speced them out. Diesel options are another $8-9k, so $10k more for a diesel 3/4 ton over half ton is about right. There are plenty of 3/4 to 1-ton gassers happily pulling 10-12k pound 5ers.
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camp-n-family
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Explorer
There's only about a 200lb difference between the 5.7 Hemi Ram and the 3.0 diesel Ram. Just go to the Ram 1500 towing guide and pick your model. I choose the Big Horn and the 3.0 has 204lbs less payload. 1205lbs to 1409lbs.


None of which have enough payload to carry even the lightest of fifth wheels.
'17 Ram 2500 Crewcab Laramie CTD
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nohurry
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Explorer
redwing, I may have missed it, but did you say why you aren't considering a "bumper pull" travel trailer? Just seems like you could get a nicer one that would easily fall into your trucks capabilities. Just sayin.
Carl
2007 National RV, Sea Breeze

redwingnc
Explorer
Explorer
It is a regular cab 2 WD shortbed -- got it off the 2011 Dodge Ram Pickup Towing Chart on their website -- thanks.