towing near max weight. advice?

[jhill7]

Hello all! I am new to the forums and was hoping for some much needed advice. My wife and I have been shopping for a new TT for almost 6 months and have finally fallen in love with one.

We are getting a StarCraft Autumn Ridge 289BHS. The TT should be delivered in July and I want to get all my prep done to the truck before it arrives.

I drive a 2007 Dodge 1/2 ton with the 5.7 hemi and it has the 3.92 rear gear. According to Dodge I can trailer 7650 max weight. The TT I am getting is 6900. I know the tanks will weigh a lot when full but we have never filled fresh water in the past an always empty the others before hitting the road.

I have a prodigy P2 brake controller and a WDH with sway control. I plan on either adding air bags or helper springs for the rear. Any advice on this setup? Thanks for anyone who can give some real world input on trailering near their max.

[jhill7]

I can't figure out how to post a picture. I think I mistyped my maximums on the truck. Dodge's PDF for my year lists several figures. I will type them below. It seems they take the final number from a subtraction of GVWR and Payload from GVCR. Please advise.

GVWR = 6700
Payload = 1600
GAWR Front = 3700
GAWR Rear = 3900
GVCR = 13000
Max Trailer = 7650

[Lantley]

6842 is the brochure dry weight. The actual delivered weight will be a few hundred pounds higher. Brochure weight is notoriously inaccurate because it does not include any options or accessories. Delivered weight will be 7200-7300 lbs.

Beware you need to do more homework and understand the towing parameters. There are more ratings to consider than just the tow rating. Pay attention to your payload and axle ratings.
You need more research it appears the trailer is too much for you TV. Proceed with caution. Buying too large of an RV can be a long term costly mistake.

[therink]

Is 6900 the factory unloaded weight? If so, you will be overloading your 1/2 ton axle and truck payload ratings. I wouldn't do it. That trailer will have at least a 1000 lb tongue weight. Maybe others will see it differently but I'm basing my opinion 1/2 ton truck ratings alone.

[donn0128]

So, you have about 850 pounds for passangers, food, clothes, battety propane before toy hit the max? Yor call, bit if it were me I would be shopping for more truck.

[kaydeejay]

First of all, welcome to the Forum.
Now for the bad news.........
That trailer will probably be 8000# once loaded up with battery, propane, some water, all your bedding, clothes, kitchen stuff, food, drink, tools etc.
And that 7650# max trailer weight gets reduced by everything over 150# in the truck.
PLUS you are looking at a loaded tongue weight over 1000#, maybe as much as 1200#.
I suspect you are going to run out of payload rating real fast and possibly exceed your hitch ratings.
Bottom line - you will not be near your max, you will probably be well over it.
Not a good match IMHO.