Towing Capacity for Travel Trailer
#1
02-22-2017, 11:11 AM
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Towing Capacity for Travel Trailer
Currenlty own a 2014 Dodge Ram 150 (four door cab) short bed 4x4 5.7 Hemi.
Purchasing a 2017 Rockwood Travel Trailer that weighs 8,500 lbs. (higher than number on travel trailer) with a 1200 lb capacity for cargo.
Will my Dodge Ram pull this baby? What issues will I have or create?
Purchasing a 2017 Rockwood Travel Trailer that weighs 8,500 lbs. (higher than number on travel trailer) with a 1200 lb capacity for cargo.
Will my Dodge Ram pull this baby? What issues will I have or create?
#2
02-22-2017, 12:28 PM
Your owners manual will state the towing capacity of your vehicle. If you don't have one, you can download one here for free:
https://www.mopar.com/ramtrucks/en-u...ge-center.html
https://www.mopar.com/ramtrucks/en-u...ge-center.html
#3
02-27-2017, 11:28 AM
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#4
02-28-2017, 10:38 AM
Will it pull it... YES... will it be safe, Maybe NOT.
I have the same RAM, Big Horn, 4x4, crew cab, 5.7 bed, with the 8 speed and 3.21 gears. I pull a 5000# TT just fine. But I am well within my payload capacity. My tongue weight is about 575#.
Payload for that RAM is under #1500, (1460# rings a bell) which is the design load carried by the truck. That number includes gas, passengers, cargo and tongue weight of your TT.
My WDH weighs about 60#, say two passengers at 400#, cargo at 200#, fuel at 200#. That leaves about 640# left for the travel trailer to put a load on the RAM, in which mine is 575#... so I have about 80# to spare.
Your 8500# is dry weight. Add cargo, you will be over 9,000#. Tongue weight should be 10 to 15% of the trailer weight to prevent trailer sway. Lets pick 13% is optimal. So 9,000 times 13% is 1170# additional weight put onto the frame of your RAM.
That is about 1900# put on your RAM... using my figures for passengers and cargo weights... well above published payload figures for that RAM. Can you overload your RAM that amount... probably, but I would not do it to that extent on an extended trip... maybe 50-100 miles to the local campground. You really need a RAM 2500 for that much trailer. Check your question on a TT forum lime the one I use, Forest River Forum.
People get hung up about rear gears. You need to factor the transmission also. The overall gearing of my 8 speed with 3.21 gears is lower (better off-line pulling power) then a 6 speed with 3.55 or 3.92 gears. Plus I have 2 overdrive gears to get additional MPG when not pulling a TT that give me great highway mileage to boot. Compare two different axle combos with the same transmission for towing power, but throw in a different transmission into the equation and all the final drive numbers are different. The newer 8 spd available from RAM is rock solid and proven all over the world.
From ALLPAR.COM News...
I have the same RAM, Big Horn, 4x4, crew cab, 5.7 bed, with the 8 speed and 3.21 gears. I pull a 5000# TT just fine. But I am well within my payload capacity. My tongue weight is about 575#.
Payload for that RAM is under #1500, (1460# rings a bell) which is the design load carried by the truck. That number includes gas, passengers, cargo and tongue weight of your TT.
My WDH weighs about 60#, say two passengers at 400#, cargo at 200#, fuel at 200#. That leaves about 640# left for the travel trailer to put a load on the RAM, in which mine is 575#... so I have about 80# to spare.
Your 8500# is dry weight. Add cargo, you will be over 9,000#. Tongue weight should be 10 to 15% of the trailer weight to prevent trailer sway. Lets pick 13% is optimal. So 9,000 times 13% is 1170# additional weight put onto the frame of your RAM.
That is about 1900# put on your RAM... using my figures for passengers and cargo weights... well above published payload figures for that RAM. Can you overload your RAM that amount... probably, but I would not do it to that extent on an extended trip... maybe 50-100 miles to the local campground. You really need a RAM 2500 for that much trailer. Check your question on a TT forum lime the one I use, Forest River Forum.
People get hung up about rear gears. You need to factor the transmission also. The overall gearing of my 8 speed with 3.21 gears is lower (better off-line pulling power) then a 6 speed with 3.55 or 3.92 gears. Plus I have 2 overdrive gears to get additional MPG when not pulling a TT that give me great highway mileage to boot. Compare two different axle combos with the same transmission for towing power, but throw in a different transmission into the equation and all the final drive numbers are different. The newer 8 spd available from RAM is rock solid and proven all over the world.
From ALLPAR.COM News...
If one puts together that low first gear, one finds that the overall ratio, including both transmission and axle, ends up at 12.30:1 with the six-speed automatic and a 4.10 axle. With the 3.92:1 axle, the six-speed automatic can only muster a multiplication of 11.76. By contrast, the eight-speed is much lower even with the 3.21 ratio — at 15.12.
Last edited by rsdata; 03-01-2017 at 10:59 AM.
#5
03-09-2017, 06:35 AM
People get hung up about rear gears. You need to factor the transmission also. The overall gearing of my 8 speed with 3.21 gears is lower (better off-line pulling power) then a 6 speed with 3.55 or 3.92 gears. Plus I have 2 overdrive gears to get additional MPG when not pulling a TT that give me great highway mileage to boot. Compare two different axle combos with the same transmission for towing power, but throw in a different transmission into the equation and all the final drive numbers are different. The newer 8 spd available from RAM is rock solid and proven all over the world.
From ALLPAR.COM News...
The rear gears make a difference. Look at the tow capacities, I believe its about 1500 pounds higher if you have the deeper gears. Could be the difference from having a trailer too heavy, to one that it's rated for. But like you said, he's in 3/4 ton territory with that trailer either way.