I currently have a travel trailer that has a GVWR of 6500 pounds and I am looking to upgrade to a newer model with a floor plan that the wife likes. The unloaded vehicle weight of the travel trailer that I am looking at is 6895 pounds with a carrying capacity of 2630 pounds. I do not plan on loading the trailer to capacity. I have the towing package with 3.92 gears. What do you guys think? Do you think the Dodge can tow it? Thanks in advance.

 

I dont know if the 6895 includes the 2630 in the dry weight of the trailer but if it is your fine. I work on the pipeline and we basically live on the road and travel trailers are alot cheaper than hotels and i have seen guys pull campers WAY over their trucks recommended weight. Sometimes upwards of 1000lb. Im sure its hard on your truck but it WILL pull it!

 

I pull about the same size trailer with 3.55's and have not had a problem though I wish I had at least 3.95's.

 

Just curious how long is that trailer?

 

Suggestions:
- Check your door sticker for actual rated capacities
- Check the trailer/camper for the same
- Weigh your truck with you, passengers, and normal gear in it and subtract that from
your GVWR/GCVWR
- Weigh the trailer, loaded (propane, water, camping supplies, etc). The "small
things" add up quickly and as an example; 40 gallons of water is over 300lbs.
- Use a WD hitch and adjust so that the truck squats the same with/without trailer
- Give yourself some reserve capacity

Personal anecdotes:
- My "just a couple of things in the truck" weighed a lot more than I expected
- Bed liner and topper add a couple hundred pounds
- When camping, we also take dogs + ~250lbs worth of kennel
- "It can pull it, but can it stop it?" I lost my trailer brakes due to the wire getting
stuck/pinched/shredded. The truck still stopped ~13,000lbs total but stopping
distance was greatly increased (it didn't help my blood pressure that somebody
decided to cut in front of me coming up to a red light)
- If you are a hilly/mountain area give yourself even more reserve room. The hemi
is strong, but gravity is stronger.

Info from elswhere:
- WEIGH the trailer. Manufacturer weight specs can be way off, although newer models
apparently fall under a law that is supposed to make them more accurate.

I ended up trading the 1500 for a 2500 for the peace of mind on payload. I was in spec for towed weight and GCVWR, but I was really putting a lot of weight on the tongue and in the bed.

 

I have an 08 mega cab with the 3.73 and pull a travel trailer loaded to about 6000 lbs + and no issues at all. (dry weight is 4900) Sure I would prefer a bigger truck but the 1500 mega sxt 4x4 does a great job.

 

Minor, but related, threadjack:
Isn't there something about the MC 1500 "really" being a 2500? What are the differences between a 2500 and an MC 1500?

 

Yeah it can tow it no problem.

 

Thanks for the replies guys........The camper that I was looking at was about 33' long. I decided to go with a smaller camper. We are picking it up Saturday. It is 32' long and a UVW of 6300 lbs. I weighed my truck on a scale loaded with fuel and calculated the weight of all my gear when we camp and I am well inside of of my GCVWR.

 

If you tow on a regular basis you may want to look into an anti-sway device and re-gear to 4.56s. Relatively inexpensive, especially if you are a 2wd! The 3.92s are imperative by you'll notice a world of difference especially getting that trailer rolling with the re-gear. Better in town mileage and no noticiable loss on highways. Your transmission will also thank you in the long run as it will not shift nearly as much (even with the Tow/Haul feature), keeping the Hemi in the sweet spot (powerband) much longer and putting more burden on that big V8 instead of the Achilles Heel Transmission. All serious tow folks who do not have the benefit of a super low end torque diesel should seriously think about 4.56 gears.
Don't believe me, ask anyone whose done it, especially Air Ram...