blt2ski
Moderator
Joined 25 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: Towing 9K pound loaded trailer with Ram 2500
My first NEW truck was an 81 C2500 with a 120'ishHP 292 I6. Compared to my current 1500 with a 285/305, I've pulled a 4% grade at 50-53 mph with an 8500 lbs trailer behind me! That 292 would be in 2nd gear of a muncie 4sp barely doing 20-25mph. The gearing in it made it pull steeper grades at heavier gvw than the BB V8's with the 3 sp TH400 behind them. I stalled them puppies out more times than I care to admit! Amazing what a little more HP and torque, add in 2-7 more gears, and you have the ability to do better! I can imagine my 96 6.5td with an NV5600 vs the 4500, having to drop from 50 at 1700 rpm on a hill, to 50 at 3200 redline, dropping to 35 at 2600 for a smoother quieter drive up a 4% freeway grade,. the 6 sp would have put me at 40-45 at 2600 rpm due to being a 1.3 vs a 1.6 gear below direct! Marty45Views0likes0CommentsRe: Towing 9K pound loaded trailer with Ram 2500
As noted, that should not be an issue. Places it can become an issue, ie like myself at one time, a crewcab with 4 adult sized teens along with mom and dad. 1200-1300 lbs of payload gone with people. A couple of malamutes in crates in the bed, rack, cross bed tool box, maybe a canoe and bicycles in the bed, you might have room for a 6-7000 lbs trailers hitch wt of 750 lbs! Much less the 1200-1500 for the trailer you are looking at. EVERYONES situation is a bit different. Some might manage that trailer with a heavier 15 series truck from GM or Ford. Most of the Dodge ones do not have the payload, much less a beefier suspension to handle that trailer. POWER wise just about every truck no matter the gvw has the HP etc compared to when I started pulling trailers in the late 70's. A 250/400 hp torque motor was a monster motor.....compare that to todays diesel with 500/1000 power specs, 10 gears in the trans vs 3....PAYLOAD is the key today with most rigs. Marty54Views0likes2CommentsRe: Is MB GLE450 sufficient for pulling Bullett Crossfire 2220ML
Grit, The 2024 Subaru's don't give you an option of CD players anymore. Assume you would be paying for the new pay for radio option. So of course, CD's will not be in the vehicle. I was attempting to be rather broad in what went into the vehicle as far as my weights went. Maybe I should have used cassettes, or heaven forbid, them 8-track thingamajigs! Yes this thing is about the size of a tahoe or equal. It does have some ability to handle the trailer just fine! Some of the issues that may occur, if it has some kind of ride height airbag load leveling system, WD bars or equal will be out the door. Same with other full-size SUV's. Choose ones poison for what is best for you or me or __________! Marty355Views0likes0CommentsRe: Is MB GLE450 sufficient for pulling Bullett Crossfire 2220ML
Looks like you're looking at a 2220ML trailer?!? That should be very doable with your MB. The one thing to look at is where are the tanks, ie water gray and black. The heavy item storage. With a bath, side kitchen, if those areas are behind the axles, you can run into a low hitch weight issue. But if you can load forward of the axles, you'll be better off. I don't personally see an issue with you MB towing this trailer. Get somewhere, park the trailer, you have the MB to tour around locally. A class C, you have to tow a car around to your locally or take the MH. Danged if you do, danged if you don't. You'll probably put 800-1200 lbs of stuff in the trailer. 750-800 lbs of hw. 6500 or so on the axles. No issues. 2 People etc in MB at 600-700 lbs. This includes CDs, wife's purse, food for trip, first aid kit, jumper cables etc that we all put in our rigs. 1400 lbs in vehicle for people and hitch weight. Trailer at 26', probably as long as one wants on a 117" WB, but a proper WD/sway control setup assuming MB recommends one, you'll be styling! My last post I forgot to mention payload issues. That's usually more of a problem than tow ratings. Been there done that! Marty448Views0likes2CommentsRe: Is MB GLE450 sufficient for pulling Bullett Crossfire 2220ML
Having had an ML320 for 20 some odd years. If MB has the same type of tow ratings as back then, ALL of that model has a tow rating of 7700 lbs. In the owners manual, it states that if you want more performance, then make sure you buy the BIGGEST engine available. You can safely tow that trailer size with your MB. Similar to a 66 IHC travelall I had, best performance, was the biggest engine, most gears in tranny, and lowest overall low ratio to get bigger loads moving. Now things that can hinder performance, the BIGGEST is aerodynamics! This is worst on performance than overall weight. I drove from Seattle to Ellensburg a few times and back with a truck LONG gone. Towing two different trailers, both at 15K GCW. One was a 90+ sq ft frontal area boxy RV. The other an equipment trailer with maybe 70 sqft of frontal area. I got +2 mpg, and pulled a gear taller, around 7-10 mph with the equipment trailer, than I did the travel trailer. At the end of the day, you have more HP(2x) and dang near the same torque as the truck I was driving at the time. More gears in trans etc. I would pull a 7500 lbs trailer with your MB! no questions asked! My current GM 1500 with a 4.3 V6. Ive pulled an 8500 lbs trailer with it. Its pulls better than every BB, DIesel truck I've owned, but my Dmax! I still have that equipment trailer with the same mini excavator on it! I'm very happy with how it pulls. I'm at 285 hp and 300 lb ft of torque. I'd pull one of the newer trailer that was on the aerodynamic side too! While I agree to a point what the two previous posters said, I need to disagree as to HOW BAD it will be. SUV's can be great tow rigs for many reasons better than a pickup! In your case, the shorter rear overhang can be a blessing! Have fun. Marty537Views0likes0CommentsRe: Towing tire confusion
😂 😆 😂 17" tires on 20" rims...... I believe the few of us reading this, realized the OP would get appropriate rims for tire size choosen. At least I did, or assumed by his typing he knew this. Ultimately if you change tires, add overall weight, diam, you tow capacity goes down. Same diam or smaller with less weight, goes up! I'm assuming load capacity per tire is greater than the load out on them. Marty558Views0likes0CommentsRe: Towing tire confusion
Bid_time, If you look at the recent about 5-10 yrs ago, towing specs put out by ASE group, nowhere is it assumed that tire capacity per say is a limiting factor of one's tow rating. It;s generally speaking a performance factor. Acceleration, holding mph above 35 or 40 mph depending upon the total GCW of the vehicle in 100F temps on a 5% grade, NOT overheating mechanicals! Starting on in forward and reverse X times on a 12% grade and not overheating the mechanicals or brake fade. Ebrake holding gcw on an x% grade. Yes, you do need payload for the HW of the trailer plus # of occupant's times seatbelts at 150lbs per person. SOme cases, a 5W will be lower rated than a ball mount. a 10K trailer will need generally 10% or 1000 lbs to 15% 1500 lbs, vs a 5W at 2000-2500 lbs of HW for the 10K lb total weight trailer. If you only have 2000 lbs of payload, 3 seat belts, max trailer is around 10K in a ball or pintle hitch setup. A 5W is generally speaking out of the equation. Payload is the only real place tire capacity comes into play. As I noted, if tire capacity, axle, springs etc are too low for the payload needed, you have too small of the vehicle! doesn't matter if you are or are not towing. At the end of the day, if you do not have the payload needed for the HW of the trailer, you have no trailer tow capacity! Marty935Views0likes0CommentsRe: F450 tires. I should have done this years ago.
Unfortunately, notuch is going on here. To lock these, weods, who's left per say. Need people above to program this into the system. Ie no reviving post over 12 months like it was. My literal only option is to delete the offending post(s). I have not had the beef to delete anything since the new format. I've seen the buttons to do so. It's not as simple as the older format. I check in every few days now. Take care of the one post that shows up. I'm close to leaving per say.2.8KViews1like0CommentsRe: F450 tires. I should have done this years ago.
way2roll, We moderators do not have a way of fixing the issue talked about, ie stopping the ability to pull up a post from x months/years ago! If we are going to blame someone, blame the upper management folks, and or the designer of this platform for allowing it....or upper folks have not turned off that ability. With this said. I've really only had issues with one brand of 19.5 tires on my Navistar since I bought it in 93 or there about. That was MIchelins XRV in an 8r19.5. hwy tire, soft is warm IC! On the other hand, I have some predecessors to the XDR2 that the OP talks about on the rear. THey've been great tires. 60+K miles, got them in 03, still have a few miles left in them! then again, I don't drive this thing much, so I am not driving 60+ MPH across hot asphalt in the AZ to Texas deserts at 100+F. I would suspect I would have issues with them by now! I've switched to 225-70-19.5 tires. I'm positive my suspension is heavier than the 450 mentioned at 24K total front and rear. Marty3KViews0likes2CommentsRe: Appropriate tow vehile
I would suggest a 2500 for a dodge. "Generally speaking" as the 1500 dodges have usually been the softest, lightest capacity and payload of the full size 1500 models. You will probably want a minimum of 1800-2000 lbs of payload. 1000 lbs for 4 people, and 1000 lbs for a ball mount. 1500 if you go 5w. Yes my 1000 lbs of people may be too much....but include extras such as food, books, first aid kits etc, not included in normal weights with clothes on. Most of us have 5-20 lbs of clothes on. Summer shorts tee shirt, to winter with boots, coats etc. My GM handles 2000 lbs just fine, including people, Ball hw etc. I have a 4000 lb rear end capacity. I've seen dodges as low as 3000. GM has an option for a 450/, Ford iirc a 5000 lb RA. Even my 4.3 V6 has the power to pull 7-8000 lbs better than many BB V8s of your! In your case, mine too, the old 8600 8 lug suspension 25 would be perfect vs the monster gcwr with a bit more, but not that much more payload than today. Keep some of this in mind too Marty446Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Fifth Wheel Group
Interested in fifth wheels? You've come to the right spot.May 02, 202519,011 Posts PNW Group
The Pacific Northwest is the best of many worlds. ID, MT, OR, WA, WYDec 21, 202412 Posts Pet Owners
Notes from the road with the best travel companions around.May 05, 20252,081 Posts RV Newbies
We all start out new. Share lessons learned or first-time questions!Mar 20, 20254,030 Posts Travel Trailer Group
Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.May 05, 202544,030 Posts
