Need to know max trailer size to tow w/Ram Truck

[Logan X]

Originally Posted by jack65

How come the chart shows Maximum Trailer weight of between 9-10K lbs?

The max tow number they give is for a stipped down version of an empty truck. To get your tow number you take your GCWR 13500lbs and subtract your fully loaded truck or GVWR of 6800 lbs. 13500-6800= 6700 lbs. sorry, my math was off in the other post.

[MarkEHansen]

Where do you see max trailer weight that high for your truck? The image you posted showed values for a standard cab truck, but that's not your truck - unless I'm missing something.

[Logan X]

Anything aftermarket you have added to your truck may or may not improve your towing experience but IT WILL NOT increase your maximum towing capability or payload capacity. Those specifications are set by the manufacturer and the manufacturer will not change them.

You have to stay within your GCWR and your payload capacity.

[mfifield01]

I have a very similar truck with a longer wheelbase. I tow a ~32' trailer that weighs 5900lbs on the scale. I wouldn't go any bigger. The weight seems to be fine with the truck. It's the length that I would keep down. My opinion is to keep it below 30' and under 6000lbs with a half ton.

I do have LT Load Range D tires, the factory air suspension, and a longer wheelbase. I believe these help with the towing experience, but don't raise the payload.

[sourdough]

Hi Jack,

First, here are the "adds" you list:

Addons\Options
8-Spd Auto 8HP70 Transmission
392 Rear gear ratio
Trailer Tow Mirrors and Brake group
Trailer brake control
Trailer Receiver: 10K lbs gross weight / 1,000 lbs tongue weight
12,000 lbs weight "Distribution / 1,200 WD Tongue weight
Heavy Duty transmission & engine cooling system
Flowmaster exhaust system, K&N air filter system.

Note that ALL of them will (with the exception of the new ring/pinion gear) add weight. NONE of them increase gawr, payload, gcvwr or tow ratings. Effectively they have improved your ability to "tow" (pull the weight) but decreased your ability to "carry" the weight - 2 completely different things. Bear in mind the "legal" aspect, if you should ever encounter it, only cares about what you are supposed to "carry"; they have no interest in what it says you can "tow".

You still have not posted the payload from the door - which is what you really need to know lacking the scale weight; and, I'm afraid it's going to tell you the same thing the scale is, which is I'm afraid what you don't want to hear after putting all that money into the upgrades on your truck.

Why did your dad pull a "big" trailer with a 6 banger Toyota years ago? The same reason my dad did, I did and so many others. No one paid any attention to weights - if it would "go" and the bumper didn't fall off you were good. That was a different time and a different society. Now, anyone/everyone looks for a reason to sue someone. Overweight in an accident would put you and your family in jeopardy for the rest of your/their lives. When traveling do you know what the majority of the billboards are? Lawyers. "Strongarm", the "gorilla", "moneyman" etc.; all advertising to call them if you have been in an accident. If you are involved, and are overweight, the other guy won't have to drive a mile before he has a number to call for someone that's going to try to take your insurance company, and you, for a financial ride.

Post the payload off the truck sticker and let's see where we are, or as close as we can get. As I said, you've apparently made a lot of upgrades to make towing "feel" better but none of it increased your load limits. Not what you want to hear and I'm sorry.

Edit: Disregard the first portion of my comment through the first paragraph. I failed to note that the "add ons/options" were from the factory on the window sticker. That would mean whatever the sticker says on the truck would include those options making the first paragraph inapplicable.

[rjrelander]

Originally Posted by Logan X

Anything aftermarket you have added to your truck may or may not improve your towing experience but IT WILL NOT increase your maximum towing capability or payload capacity. Those specifications are set by the manufacturer and the manufacturer will not change them.

I keep getting confused here. If we look back at the images attached to post #13, it shows the 8-speed tranny and 3.92 axle ratio as "optional equipment" which would have been (I assume) normal factory installed options/equipment not aftermarket so they should be reflected in the yellow payload sticker (which we haven't seen yet) and the manufacturer listed GCVWR for that particular option package.

That is a really good option package. Wish we had known to look for something similar when we bought our truck but we really weren't focused on towing at the time.

[EDIT] For the combination weight, do they put the GCVWR on the door post stickers or is that always something you have to look up in the tables based on option packages? I don't remember. Also, as stated elsewhere, that's a quad cab not a standard cab so the towing spec tables attached to post #13 are the wrong ones.

[Logan X]

Originally Posted by rjrelander

I keep getting confused here. If we look back at the images attached to post #13, it shows the 8-speed tranny and 3.92 axle ratio as "optional equipment" which would have been (I assume) normal factory installed options/equipment not aftermarket so they should be reflected in the yellow payload sticker (which we haven't seen yet) and the manufacturer listed GCVWR for that particular option package.

That is a really good option package. Wish we had known to look for something similar when we bought our truck but we really weren't focused on towing at the time.

[EDIT] For the combination weight, do they put the GCVWR on the door post stickers or is that always something you have to look up in the tables based on option packages? I don't remember. Also, as stated elsewhere, that's a quad cab not a standard cab so the towing spec tables attached to post #13 are the wrong ones.

I posted what I believe is the correct spec sheet along with a link in post 15.

You have to look up the GCVWR on the website using the trucks options and packages.

[rjrelander]

Originally Posted by Logan X

I posted what I believe is the correct spec sheet along with a link in post 15.

D'oh. Missed that one.

[jack65]

Originally Posted by mfifield01

I have a very similar truck with a longer wheelbase. I tow a ~32' trailer that weighs 5900lbs on the scale. I wouldn't go any bigger. The weight seems to be fine with the truck. It's the length that I would keep down. My opinion is to keep it below 30' and under 6000lbs with a half ton.

I do have LT Load Range D tires, the factory air suspension, and a longer wheelbase. I believe these help with the towing experience, but don't raise the payload.

That is about what I had in mind for a trailer. only up to 26' and under 6000 lbs.

My 2007 Keystone Outback 18RS I sold last week was
Gross Vehicle Wt Rating (GVWR) 6000
Unloaded Curb Weight (lb) 4300
and towed in the steep Cascade Mountains beautifully... no sway at all around the corners or freeway getting there.

Originally Posted by sourdough

Hi Jack,

Post the payload off the truck sticker and let's see where we are, or as close as we can get. As I said, you've apparently made a lot of upgrades to make towing "feel" better but none of it increased your load limits. Not what you want to hear and I'm sorry.

As many of you said here, post the door sticker and I did. Here it is again, the only sticker on my drivers side door. Bear in mind this truck was from Canada, so maybe a different looking sticker?

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jack65

That is about what I had in mind for a trailer. only up to 26' and under 6000 lbs.

My 2007 Keystone Outback 18RS I sold last week was
Gross Vehicle Wt Rating (GVWR) 6000
Unloaded Curb Weight (lb) 4300
and towed in the steep Cascade Mountains beautifully... no sway at all around the corners or freeway getting there.



As many of you said here, post the door sticker and I did. Here it is again, the only sticker on my drivers side door. Bear in mind this truck was from Canada, so maybe a different looking sticker?

Ah! My bad. I bet Canada doesn't have the little yellow sticker with payload on it. Thanks for clarifying.

[66joej]

Originally Posted by sourdough

[/COLOR]


Ah! My bad. I bet Canada doesn't have the little yellow sticker with payload on it. Thanks for clarifying.

Actually Danny they do. This is from my truck.
The french version reinforces it is from Canada.

[Wyldfire]

Originally Posted by jack65

That is about what I had in mind for a trailer. only up to 26' and under 6000 lbs.

My 2007 Keystone Outback 18RS I sold last week was
Gross Vehicle Wt Rating (GVWR) 6000
Unloaded Curb Weight (lb) 4300
and towed in the steep Cascade Mountains beautifully... no sway at all around the corners or freeway getting there.



As many of you said here, post the door sticker and I did. Here it is again, the only sticker on my drivers side door. Bear in mind this truck was from Canada, so maybe a different looking sticker?

Should be a second sticker there to.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by 66joej

Actually Danny they do. This is from my truck.
The french version reinforces it is from Canada.

Thanks Joe.

[busterbrown]

I think RAM 1/2 ton trucks are generally "plagued" with the lowest payload among the "big three". The newest generation RAMs are improving that.

But one could be really be upset if they own a 2019 crew cab Tundra. This is the door jam sticker on a modestly equipped version I had seen at the Detroits Auto Show over the winter.

[Wyldfire]

So your hitch, wife, dog, everything added on and in truck plus pin weight of trailer should be less than 1185 lbs. On this truck. Better buy a popup

[Just chillin]

Oh whatever! Those tundras can haul a 40’ toyhauler all day long. Just ask one of them going down the road with his rear bumper 4 inches off the ground.

[jack65]

Many here say I can't tow over 6,000 lbs with my
Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L V8 Hemi MDS VVT 395 HP Engine
8-Spd Auto 8HP70 Transmission w/392 axle ratio

but this says otherwise: 10,150 lbs
http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/d...ammlup1500.pdf

[mfifield01]

Originally Posted by jack65

Many here say I can't tow over 6,000 lbs with my
Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L V8 Hemi MDS VVT 395 HP Engine
8-Spd Auto 8HP70 Transmission w/292 axle ratio

but this says otherwise: 10,150 lbs
http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/d...ammlup1500.pdf

The problem is the payload, not the towing capacity. The only thing with a low enough tongue weight to get near 10,000 might be a boat. Most TTs have a higher percentage of tongue weight. I'm way under on my GCWR, but really close on my payload.

[Logan X]

Originally Posted by jack65

Many here say I can't tow over 6,000 lbs with my
Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L V8 Hemi MDS VVT 395 HP Engine
8-Spd Auto 8HP70 Transmission w/292 axle ratio

but this says otherwise: 10,150 lbs
http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/d...ammlup1500.pdf

If you already know the answer then why do you ask the question? I feel like many people including myself have told you you need to stay within your payload capacity not just your max tow number. You still have not told us what your payload capacity is? I guarantee you will exceed your payload before you exceed your max tow rating.

Again, you cannot use the max tow number of 10,500. Your take the Gross Combined Weight Rating GCWR and subtract your trucks weight, the truck GVWR. That is the maximum weight your trailer can be.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by jack65

Many here say I can't tow over 6,000 lbs with my
Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4x4
5.7L V8 Hemi MDS VVT 395 HP Engine
8-Spd Auto 8HP70 Transmission w/292 axle ratio

but this says otherwise: 10,150 lbs
http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/d...ammlup1500.pdf

Also with the 292 rear axle not sure you could get a heavier rv moving, that's a very high gear for towing.