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Towing info

BFMT1010

BFMT1010

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Good afternoon and sorry if this is on here somewhere but I’ve read for hours with no luck but have also found a lot of great information. What can my truck tow safely in a travel trailer and 5er. Looking at both options but I’ve talked to 3 dealers and received 3 different answers. Attachment shows my truck window and door sticker. Thank in advance for the help.
 

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For 5th wheel towing your payload number is normally the first number that you hit. The payload sticker is the yellow sticker on the door jam. The pin weight on most 5th wheels is 20 to 23 percent of the loaded weight. So a 13000 pound 5th wheel will have approximately 2990 pounds pin weight, With a 2500 you will be able to tow about any travel trailer, But will be limited on what 5th wheels you can tow without exceeding your payload,
 
It depends, if you’re in a state that uses GVWR as a weight limitation for private use then that’s going to be your limit and it won’t take much to exceed that.

If your state is not concerned with GVWR, every state I’ve researched is not, then you can load up to your axle limits and be legal. What size trailer that allows you to pull depends on how the truck is otherwise loaded.
 
Thank you both for the responses. Looks like payload sticker shows 2176 so I can see hitting that before any weight limit in a 5th wheel. Looks like you would have to play with you loading and try and load behind the rear axle of the 5th wheel to help with pin weight. Looking at those I’m leaning more towards a travel trailer then. Either of you know what the allowable hitch weight is for the truck. Will definitely be using an equalizer hitch. I do not find any restrictions for my state (Montana) that start till 34000 lbs so good there. I added the payload photo to the original post as well.
 
The owners manual should have hitch weight ratings in it.
 
It’s shows 20,000 for weight and 2,000 for hitch but I do not see that it states with or without air suspension which I do note have. It is also referring to the hitch loads and not necessarily the truck for what I can gather. I will dig around some more to see if I’m missing something.
 
The hitch rating is immaterial of what suspension the truck has.

The truck is limited by the ratings we mentioned earlier, so as long as you don't exceed any of the mentioned ratings you're good.

The published max tow rating can be found in the Ram towing guide, but it's really pretty useless outside of marketing. The max tow weight uses only 10% TW for a bumper pull and 15% for a 5er/GN, both of which are unrealistically low and there isn't any cargo or passengers taken into consideration.
 
Got it. I noticed most of the published pin and hitch weights seemed really low. I will go with 23% for a fifth wheel and 17% for the hitch but ultimately looking at the ratings. Looks like any of the 26-30 ft travel trailers I’m looking at will be an issue. The one the wife likes is 6,080 dry, 8600 GVWR. Should be well under the ratings of the truck if I understand correctly. Appreciate the replies as this has been a great learning tool. Thinking my truck is rate at 14,800 lbs for a travel trailer as long as I’m under the limits but the camper site I goes to shows 19,900 which is misleading. I could see someone being way overloaded if they go off the first thing they find.
 
worth noting that the payload isn't just the trailer hitch/pin weight - its everything in the truck too. You, passengers etc. that number gets eaten up quickly...
 
BFMT1010 said:
Got it. I noticed most of the published pin and hitch weights seemed really low. I will go with 23% for a fifth wheel and 17% for the hitch but ultimately looking at the ratings. Looks like any of the 26-30 ft travel trailers I’m looking at will be an issue. The one the wife likes is 6,080 dry, 8600 GVWR. Should be well under the ratings of the truck if I understand correctly. Appreciate the replies as this has been a great learning tool. Thinking my truck is rate at 14,800 lbs for a travel trailer as long as I’m under the limits but the camper site I goes to shows 19,900 which is misleading. I could see someone being way overloaded if they go off the first thing they find.
Click to expand...

Most TT's are 13-15% TW unless it's a toy hauler.

Your trucks bumper pull rating, based on SAEJ2807 would be 18,010lbs.
 
Pasta4lnch said:
worth noting that the payload isn't just the trailer hitch/pin weight - its everything in the truck too. You, passengers etc. that number gets eaten up quickly...
Click to expand...
I have noticed that and good info to keep in mind.
 
AH64ID said:
Most TT's are 13-15% TW unless it's a toy hauler.

Your trucks bumper pull rating, based on SAEJ2807 would be 18,010lbs.
Click to expand...
Can I be a pain and ask what math was used to get to this number? The dealers I talked to were all over the board. Appreciate it.
 
BFMT1010 said:
Can I be a pain and ask what math was used to get to this number? The dealers I talked to were all over the board. Appreciate it.
Click to expand...
Ram uses 300 lbs for passengers and 75lbs for a conventional hitch.

2176 - 375 = 1801lbs of payload remaining for tongue weight, which at the 10% used for J2807 calculations means the trailer can weigh 18,010.

A more realistic trailer weight for 1800lbs of TW is 12,000-13,750 lbs.

That's using payload, and not rear axle limits.
 
Perfect. Appreciate the help from everyone. Doesn’t seem like the 8,600 lbs will be a problem at all for bumper pull and well under limits. Just wanted to understand how it is all figured out and why I was getting so many answers and this did that! Now I’m not guessing what is allowable and have a solid start.
 
BFMT1010 said:
Thank you both for the responses. Looks like payload sticker shows 2176 so I can see hitting that before any weight limit in a 5th wheel. Looks like you would have to play with you loading and try and load behind the rear axle of the 5th wheel to help with pin weight. Looking at those I’m leaning more towards a travel trailer then. Either of you know what the allowable hitch weight is for the truck. Will definitely be using an equalizer hitch. I do not find any restrictions for my state (Montana) that start till 34000 lbs so good there. I added the payload photo to the original post as well.
Click to expand...

Is that 34K what's on your DL?

26K is the most common "technical" limit for combined GVWR on a Regular State issue DL before some type of non-commercial or commercial endorsement is required.
 
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