Towing Capability - Has anyone towed anything big yet?
#21
04-15-2009, 10:28 PM
Ok, here's a helpful suggestion: Overload your 1/2 ton, it'll be alright. If you should happen to wreck while overloaded or damage the truck, just tell them that the people that sold you the trailer said it would be fine.
Look, if you choose to get pissy at someone when they give you an honest answer you didn't want to hear, that's your choice. It doesn't mean everyone else is gonna cheer you on about what a great decision you made when you bought too little truck to safely do what you're trying to do. It also doesn't make you look terribly smart, so you might wanna tone that particular aspect down juuuust a little.
I suggest you go ahead and hook it on up. Air bags will help if it puts your truck on the bumpstops before you move an inch. A good trailer brake controller will help stop it, and the hemi will help move it. As long as you don't blow a tire on the trailer, have someone else hit the trailer, or have anything unforseen happen, you'll probably be alright. There are more reasons for weight ratings than the truck's ability to accelerate or stop the load. The sheer weight of the truck plays a large role in helping prevent the trailer from manhandling the truck if something unexpected goes wrong. I can tell you from personal experience that having a trailer start manhandling your truck will make you reconsider your choice of whether you bought enough truck. But don't take my word for it, go ahead and try it yourself!
In fact, if you wanna make a quick buck, try to have a lump of charcoal between your buttcheeks when the trailer jerks the truck around. You'll have a diamond when it's over-it's that scary.
Look, if you choose to get pissy at someone when they give you an honest answer you didn't want to hear, that's your choice. It doesn't mean everyone else is gonna cheer you on about what a great decision you made when you bought too little truck to safely do what you're trying to do. It also doesn't make you look terribly smart, so you might wanna tone that particular aspect down juuuust a little.
I suggest you go ahead and hook it on up. Air bags will help if it puts your truck on the bumpstops before you move an inch. A good trailer brake controller will help stop it, and the hemi will help move it. As long as you don't blow a tire on the trailer, have someone else hit the trailer, or have anything unforseen happen, you'll probably be alright. There are more reasons for weight ratings than the truck's ability to accelerate or stop the load. The sheer weight of the truck plays a large role in helping prevent the trailer from manhandling the truck if something unexpected goes wrong. I can tell you from personal experience that having a trailer start manhandling your truck will make you reconsider your choice of whether you bought enough truck. But don't take my word for it, go ahead and try it yourself!
In fact, if you wanna make a quick buck, try to have a lump of charcoal between your buttcheeks when the trailer jerks the truck around. You'll have a diamond when it's over-it's that scary.
#22
04-15-2009, 10:36 PM
The rear gears and wheel size drive what a truck can tow. Gross weight can vary and is another measurement or check for towing. How often and far do you plan to tow? If it is frequent and long distants forget the fifth wheel. If it a few times and a few hundred miles you can tow it if you do the following:
Install the air bags
Swap the 3.55 gears for 3.92 (expensive)
Get a set of 17" tires/rims, you will need to put them on the truck everytime you want to tow.
The total combo will take you to about 8300 lbs.
I am thinking about the same thing I am waiting for my 1500 Laramie. I did order it with 3.92 gears. I currently have a TT but may get a fifth wheel however I would only be towing it at most twice a year since I have a seasonal sight. I couldn't justify getting a 2500 to tow something once or twice a year. Just make sure you are within the limits and take your time.
Install the air bags
Swap the 3.55 gears for 3.92 (expensive)
Get a set of 17" tires/rims, you will need to put them on the truck everytime you want to tow.
The total combo will take you to about 8300 lbs.
I am thinking about the same thing I am waiting for my 1500 Laramie. I did order it with 3.92 gears. I currently have a TT but may get a fifth wheel however I would only be towing it at most twice a year since I have a seasonal sight. I couldn't justify getting a 2500 to tow something once or twice a year. Just make sure you are within the limits and take your time.
Last edited by vrunner; 04-15-2009 at 10:43 PM.
#23
04-15-2009, 10:58 PM
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Ok, I'm having a hard time making sense of those last tables. If the 3.55 axle ratio truck has a higher GVWR and higher GAWR (both by 200 lbs), why is it rated to tow 2200 lbs less? I thought the GVWR and GCWR were interrelated, and if the GVWR went up the GCWR would also go up. But in this case the one with the higher GVWR has a lower GCWR.
Combined weight, gcwr is the GVWR (weight from above) + the total weight over all of the axles you are towing (the GVWR above accounted for tongue/hitch weight, so the weight of the trailer on its axles won't and shouldn't account for it). So, the much higher combined GCWR of the bottom one is due primarily to its gearing and tire/wheel size differences, but the curb weight plays a large factor as well.
#24
04-15-2009, 11:10 PM
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Ok, here's a helpful suggestion: Overload your 1/2 ton, it'll be alright. If you should happen to wreck while overloaded or damage the truck, just tell them that the people that sold you the trailer said it would be fine.
Look, if you choose to get pissy at someone when they give you an honest answer you didn't want to hear, that's your choice. It doesn't mean everyone else is gonna cheer you on about what a great decision you made when you bought too little truck to safely do what you're trying to do. It also doesn't make you look terribly smart, so you might wanna tone that particular aspect down juuuust a little.
I suggest you go ahead and hook it on up. Air bags will help if it puts your truck on the bumpstops before you move an inch. A good trailer brake controller will help stop it, and the hemi will help move it. As long as you don't blow a tire on the trailer, have someone else hit the trailer, or have anything unforseen happen, you'll probably be alright. There are more reasons for weight ratings than the truck's ability to accelerate or stop the load. The sheer weight of the truck plays a large role in helping prevent the trailer from manhandling the truck if something unexpected goes wrong. I can tell you from personal experience that having a trailer start manhandling your truck will make you reconsider your choice of whether you bought enough truck. But don't take my word for it, go ahead and try it yourself!
In fact, if you wanna make a quick buck, try to have a lump of charcoal between your buttcheeks when the trailer jerks the truck around. You'll have a diamond when it's over-it's that scary.
Look, if you choose to get pissy at someone when they give you an honest answer you didn't want to hear, that's your choice. It doesn't mean everyone else is gonna cheer you on about what a great decision you made when you bought too little truck to safely do what you're trying to do. It also doesn't make you look terribly smart, so you might wanna tone that particular aspect down juuuust a little.
I suggest you go ahead and hook it on up. Air bags will help if it puts your truck on the bumpstops before you move an inch. A good trailer brake controller will help stop it, and the hemi will help move it. As long as you don't blow a tire on the trailer, have someone else hit the trailer, or have anything unforseen happen, you'll probably be alright. There are more reasons for weight ratings than the truck's ability to accelerate or stop the load. The sheer weight of the truck plays a large role in helping prevent the trailer from manhandling the truck if something unexpected goes wrong. I can tell you from personal experience that having a trailer start manhandling your truck will make you reconsider your choice of whether you bought enough truck. But don't take my word for it, go ahead and try it yourself!
In fact, if you wanna make a quick buck, try to have a lump of charcoal between your buttcheeks when the trailer jerks the truck around. You'll have a diamond when it's over-it's that scary.
I don't understand why the 7100 lb fifth wheel would be considered overloading like everyone is suggesting. I called the dodge dealer after I seen the first few responses on this forum and they told me I would have no problems with that weight. They told me my max would be around 7600 lbs. This is a rather light fifth wheel in comparrisions to others, most new ones are well over 8000 lbs. I know the Dodge is whimpy when it comes to towing, but I didn't think that 7100 lbs would ever be a problem.
I appreciate all of your responses, you provided alot of good info. I will definately look into buying a lighter camper instead.
Last edited by rhulm1; 04-15-2009 at 11:14 PM.
#25
04-15-2009, 11:29 PM
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I don't understand why the 7100 lb fifth wheel would be considered overloading like everyone is suggesting. I called the dodge dealer after I seen the first few responses on this forum and they told me I would have no problems with that weight. They told me my max would be around 7600 lbs.
As far as the dealer telling you that you can pull 7600#, either they are idiots (which I doubt), or you did not give them enough detailed info about your truck and possible trailer for them to give you the correct answer.
#26
04-16-2009, 09:43 AM
I appologize if I sounded pissy, but I was clearly looking for an answer on how much I could tow with my new 1500 that I just bought. All I wanted to know is if any others are towing anything heavy with their 1/2 tons and how much it weighs. When I got the response "Buy the 2500/3500" that clearly isn't helpful because I just bought a $40K 1/2 ton that gets used like a car 97% of the time. I would only use it to tow maybe 400 miles a year.
I don't understand why the 7100 lb fifth wheel would be considered overloading like everyone is suggesting. I called the dodge dealer after I seen the first few responses on this forum and they told me I would have no problems with that weight. They told me my max would be around 7600 lbs. This is a rather light fifth wheel in comparrisions to others, most new ones are well over 8000 lbs. I know the Dodge is whimpy when it comes to towing, but I didn't think that 7100 lbs would ever be a problem.
I appreciate all of your responses, you provided alot of good info. I will definately look into buying a lighter camper instead.
I don't understand why the 7100 lb fifth wheel would be considered overloading like everyone is suggesting. I called the dodge dealer after I seen the first few responses on this forum and they told me I would have no problems with that weight. They told me my max would be around 7600 lbs. This is a rather light fifth wheel in comparrisions to others, most new ones are well over 8000 lbs. I know the Dodge is whimpy when it comes to towing, but I didn't think that 7100 lbs would ever be a problem.
I appreciate all of your responses, you provided alot of good info. I will definately look into buying a lighter camper instead.
Unfortunatly the dealer is giving you bad info. For example I bought a 07 Durango limited with the tow package. The dealer told me it would tow 8700 lbs and it had the 3.92 rear. My trailer is 6300lbs dry. Add items in the trailer and my family takes me to about 7400 lbs. I towed it a few times last year and the truck didn't feel real stable. I never had an issue but it wasn't the most comfortable ride. I did some research and found that it has the 3.55 gears and I also lost 1000 lbs due to the 20" wheels. So the rating dropped to 6200 lbs, the same as the Ram which puts me at 1100 lbs over.
I wound up ordering a Ram since I am most likely going to move up to a 5th wheel in the near future and I know the Ram is more than capable of towing more than the Durango. The only reason the numbers went from 8900lbs for 08 to 6200lbs for 09 were the changes to the rear suspension and wheel size. The suspension can be corrected with the air bags and the wheels can be swapped.
And here is another dealer tidbit... When I went into the dealer to look at the Ram and explained my issue with the Durango and what I was told his exact words were " You will be good with the Ram, it can tow 10,000lbs!!" This was a crew cab with the 3.55 gears.... Idiot!!
#27
04-16-2009, 11:50 AM
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On the Dodge.com website you can find towing capacity for your truck. I've tried to paste the link here.
http://www.dodge.com/hostc/towing/ca...Code=CUD200913
Basically it looks like your limit is around 7300 lbs. when you have 4x4 with the 3.55 rear end. You'd do better if you had the 3.92 rear end with 17" wheels.
I'm not an expert but it seems that those that pull 5th wheel trailer move up to 3/4 ton trucks or larger. Better safe than sorry.
Good Luck
http://www.dodge.com/hostc/towing/ca...Code=CUD200913
Basically it looks like your limit is around 7300 lbs. when you have 4x4 with the 3.55 rear end. You'd do better if you had the 3.92 rear end with 17" wheels.
I'm not an expert but it seems that those that pull 5th wheel trailer move up to 3/4 ton trucks or larger. Better safe than sorry.
Good Luck
Trailer is a 31' Cougar TT, only has a couple of bicycles and some dishes in it when towing, no water.
#28
04-23-2009, 08:42 PM
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1. Here's an even better link to figure out your truck's towing capacity. It has basically every single combination: http://www.dodge.com/bodybuilder/200...r/mlup1500.pdf
2. There's a thread on here where someone posted they couldn't get a 5th wheel hitch. Not sure the reason was mentioned though - something about the bed length or frame.
3. I've towed our boat & trailer which is 4,750 lbs and the truck had no problem and didn't squat at all.
2. There's a thread on here where someone posted they couldn't get a 5th wheel hitch. Not sure the reason was mentioned though - something about the bed length or frame.
3. I've towed our boat & trailer which is 4,750 lbs and the truck had no problem and didn't squat at all.
#29
04-23-2009, 09:25 PM
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Hey guys im looking into buying a 20-22ft enclosed car hauler, the empty weight is 3000lbs my car is 3000-3550 would it still be ok to tow?? so lets say no more than 7000lbs in total, i have the sport quad cab with the 3:92 rear end and the 20 inch rims, am i ok?? or should i forget about it
#30
04-23-2009, 09:28 PM
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