Towing with 1500

[Slick87SS]

I am looking buy a used TT for me and my family. Def want a bunk house trailer with slide for the extra room. I will be towing with Silverado 1500 with 9200 tow cap. and 1850 payload. Also I will be using WD hitch. What should I be looking for as far as dry weights for trailers. It would be our first TT though I do have experience towing my 14 foot work trailer I wouldn't want a white knuckle trip every time I pull it. Most I have checked out and liked are anywhere between 5800-6900 dry weight. Any info would be super helpful.

[1oldtruck]

lawrosa wrote:

cbshoestring wrote:

lawrosa wrote:
That 1850 lbs payload is questionable to say the least...

I dont believe it..

Here we go with the 1500's being low payload, grocery getters. For the record...I believe 4 door trucks with 6' beds are grocery getters...or as my boy say "convertible SUV's".

Guess that 1668 sticker on my truck is really only 668#....must be a smudge in front of it.

2013 RAM 1500 contractor, Reg cab, 8' bed (4X2) 5.7 Hemi.

yeah I know....1668 is 182 light of 1850. Must have been that factory installed tow package that did me in.

gotta go now...wife wants milk and bread.

OK your 1668 may be right.. You know why?

Reg cap 2 wheel drive...

If it was a 4 door with options and 4x4 the payload stays similar less weight of 4x4, 2 more doors, and two more people in the back seats.. ( His kids)

Now tell me what the OP's payload is remaining? ( Note we dont know what he has yet) That 1800 just got reduced big time IMO...

500 for 4x4 stated in every manual I have read... so 1800 is now 1300. Two 100 lbs kids and gear now we down to 1000 say. Add the wife 100 ( If she is skinny and we down to 900.. And it can be a lot worse... Most never know...


So your 2x2 reg cab fitting 3 people is of course going to retain payload...

Its a no brainer if you know about trucks, payloads , and weights...

Id love to tow with a reg cab work truck 2 wheel drive any day... Thos trucks have the most capcity period...

My opinion of course... But true.. Hope someone can prove me wrong....:)

I'm not sure where you came up with this. My fully loaded crew cab 4x4 has a payload of 1614 with a tow rating of 9,600 lbs. Plenty of truck for the OP's planned TT. It won't race up a mountain but it will get the job done comfortably.

[pb65stang]

Just an FYI, I have a 2015 F150 SuperCrew 4x4 King Ranch pretty well loaded with options and my payload sticker says 1699. And that's with heavy stuff like power running boards, cameras, and 20" rims. So in a newer half ton, I could see 1800 depending on the options. I'm looking to tow about a 6,300 lb dry trailer with a 700 lb tongue weight and I have no reservations about it. Still leaves me 1000 lbs for people and gear.

[lawrosa]

cbshoestring wrote:

lawrosa wrote:
That 1850 lbs payload is questionable to say the least...

I dont believe it..

Here we go with the 1500's being low payload, grocery getters. For the record...I believe 4 door trucks with 6' beds are grocery getters...or as my boy say "convertible SUV's".

Guess that 1668 sticker on my truck is really only 668#....must be a smudge in front of it.

2013 RAM 1500 contractor, Reg cab, 8' bed (4X2) 5.7 Hemi.

yeah I know....1668 is 182 light of 1850. Must have been that factory installed tow package that did me in.

gotta go now...wife wants milk and bread.

OK your 1668 may be right.. You know why?

Reg cap 2 wheel drive...

If it was a 4 door with options and 4x4 the payload stays similar less weight of 4x4, 2 more doors, and two more people in the back seats.. ( His kids)

Now tell me what the OP's payload is remaining? ( Note we dont know what he has yet) That 1800 just got reduced big time IMO...

500 for 4x4 stated in every manual I have read... so 1800 is now 1300. Two 100 lbs kids and gear now we down to 1000 say. Add the wife 100 ( If she is skinny and we down to 900.. And it can be a lot worse... Most never know...


So your 2x2 reg cab fitting 3 people is of course going to retain payload...

Its a no brainer if you know about trucks, payloads , and weights...

Id love to tow with a reg cab work truck 2 wheel drive any day... Thos trucks have the most capcity period...

My opinion of course... But true.. Hope someone can prove me wrong....:)

[cbshoestring]

lawrosa wrote:
That 1850 lbs payload is questionable to say the least...

I dont believe it..

Here we go with the 1500's being low payload, grocery getters. For the record...I believe 4 door trucks with 6' beds are grocery getters...or as my boy say "convertible SUV's".

Guess that 1668 sticker on my truck is really only 668#....must be a smudge in front of it.

2013 RAM 1500 contractor, Reg cab, 8' bed (4X2) 5.7 Hemi.

yeah I know....1668 is 182 light of 1850. Must have been that factory installed tow package that did me in.

gotta go now...wife wants milk and bread.

[mbopp]

The only payload number that matters is the one on the yellow door sticker of your particular truck. Manufacturers stated payload is with a stripped-down truck, and upgraded trim packages cut into the payload quickly.

Crew cab & family? My guess is you'll run out of payload before you hit the gross tow rating.

[Slick87SS]

Yes that is the Laredo I looked at. It is a lot of trailer and its high too. The dealer stated 1850 payload even if he is wrong the Chevy web site states 1796 which is still pretty good IMO. The sticker in the TT I looked at says 6860 as a dry weight which I feel is at the upper end of my comfort zone. Correct me if I am wrong here. It was time to dump the Ram anyway these New England winters have not been kind to it. Keep the posts coming I am hoping to capitalize on some end of season deal if I can. Thanks

[Doug33]

I have the Avalanche 1500 5.3 and my TT is about 5300 lbs dry weight. We don't tow long distances and mostly on flat grades. And it is usually just my wife and I traveling. Even so, I think the Avalanche is at its towing limits. I would not even want to add another 500 pounds to the load.

[Terryallan]

E&J push'n wind wrote:
this one maybe??

that floor plan is almost exactly like my APEX. Only my APEX is 2000 lbs ligher than that

[lawrosa]

Looking up 2004 laredo the only bunkhouse they made in 2004 was a 33 footer. Called the M 284 BH

Is this what you looked at????

Its shows a GVW of 9900 lbs ..
Empty I assume is around the 6800 you quoted..
Load carry 3340.. ( WOW)
TW only 600... ( Wow again)


Here is the link to keystone.

laredo m28


If that is the case and the trailer dry is 6800. Lets say 7000 lbs and TW 800 You may be ok..

Pack light and thats a lot of trailer back there length wise..

I would want the dealer to show me that the 1500 truck has 1800 lb payload..

A scale reading would be nice..

( What year ram truck? Maybe you dont need a new truck)

[lawrosa]

That 1850 lbs payload is questionable to say the least...

I dont believe it..

Can you post the exact model truck?

YEAR, 2 door, 4 door, 4x4, motor, trans, rear..

Yes it will pull 9000 lbs plus as you state but the key is the tongue weight..

Some of those 1500 series, after a full tank of fuel, wife, kids, gear in the bed, you may be left with 500 lbs of payload..

THIS IS WHAT THE DONT TELL YOU!!!


But we dont know till you post back with more specifics..

Its all assumption as we dont have all the facts/data.

[E_J_push_n_wind]

this one maybe??

[Slick87SS]

I believe my numbers are accurate. That what the dealership tells me they are. I haven't even picked up the truck yet! Lol I went in with these types of numbers in mind and let them know I intend to tow a a TT with the vehicle. If that is not the case then I don't sign that dotted line! My wife fell in love with a used 04 Laredo that has a dry weight of 6860. All the info on the inter webs is scary so I figured I would ask some experienced people on the forums. Originally was gonna use my 06 Dodge Ram quad cab.

[rbpru]

1850 lbs. payload seems pretty robust for a half ton. But if that is true, you could pull a 6500 lb. + loaded weight TT with 1000 lbs. tongue weight and still have 850 lbs. of payload left.

My F-150 4x4 has a payload of 1411 lbs. I would assume that with your cargo capacity your truck must have some sort of towing package.

Double check all the weight figures and features on your TV before you buy a TT.

[APT]

I would stay closer to 6000 pounds dry than 6900 pounds as long as your numbers are accurate. I'll assume you have the 6-spd/3.42 axle. Use tow/haul mode and I like M5, maybe M4 for your gearing and power.

[8iron]

If your door sticker does indeed say 1850# of payload you have a lot of options open to you. A (very) general guideline would be a unit with an empty weight of 7200# or less.