Considering the Keystone Laredo 296RL

[murphysranch]

Like some ppl, we bought too small. So now we are considering a 2013 Laredo 296RL. I know that this has been beaten to a pulp, as I've scoured the posts. But I'm throwing my situation out there anyway, to the wise ones.

We have a new to us 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie, 5.7L hemi. Manual says that it tows 5000 lbs standard to 9850 max. Payload 1610 lb max. It does have the integrated trailer brake module. We are 2 ppl and 2 dogs, and sometimes a 5 yr old and 8 yr old grandkids. oh, and a lightweight shell cus DH is a painting contractor. No lumber racks tho.

The Laredo 296RL sticker says 6600 dry wt. We live lightly - plastic everything in the trailer. We don't tow with water or a generator - no intent to boon dock. Two propane tanks and one battery. We own a used EZ hitch, 92-00-1000.

Please tell me the good, if any, and the bad before I take money out of the savings acct for this used trailer. Thanks!

[JRTJH]

Like some ppl, we bought too small. So now we are considering a 2013 Laredo 296RL. I know that this has been beaten to a pulp, as I've scoured the posts. But I'm throwing my situation out there anyway, to the wise ones.

We have a new to us 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie, 5.7L hemi. Manual says that it tows 5000 lbs standard to 9850 max. Payload 1610 lb max. It does have the integrated trailer brake module. We are 2 ppl and 2 dogs, and sometimes a 5 yr old and 8 yr old grandkids. oh, and a lightweight shell cus DH is a painting contractor. No lumber racks tho.

The Laredo 296RL sticker says 6600 dry wt. We live lightly - plastic everything in the trailer. We don't tow with water or a generator - no intent to boon dock. Two propane tanks and one battery. We own a used EZ hitch, 92-00-1000.

Please tell me the good, if any, and the bad before I take money out of the savings acct for this used trailer. Thanks!

Your truck has specific ratings, not the "advertised entire model line ratings" look at your owner's manual and the driver's doorpost to get the information about your specific truck. You could have a payload of 1610 with a max trailer weight of 9850 or you could have a payload of 1100 (or less) with a max trailer weight of 5000 lbs. Any recommendation would have to start with the actual ratings for the specific truck, not for the "advertised range" of the model year.

More information please..... :)

[murphysranch]

I reread the owners manual and compared it with the sticker on the side of the door. The figures stand.

So does anyone have a comment about the EZ hitch or should we consider a better one for this longer trailer? Thanks!

[JRTJH]

You can't have "5000 lbs standard to 9850 max".

It's got to be one or the other (or some figure between those two). GCWR, GVW and Max Tow Rating are not stated in a "range between two numbers". These ratings are specific to the truck and only one figure for each rating per vehicle...

You're reading something into the content that's not in the owner's manual. You need to get the "specific rating" and it can't (won't) be a range of "5000 lbs standard to 9850 max".

[murphysranch]

Ok. Let me study this again. Be back at ya!

[JRTJH]

Sounds good. You should have 2 stickers on your driver's door pillar. One will be white, will list the GVWR, GAWR (front), GAWR (rear) and give data about the axle codes, spring codes, etc. The other sticker will have a yellow heading and somewhere on that will be a statement, "Maximum passengers and cargo shall not exceed xxxx" That is your "payload". The yellow sticker will also have recommended tire pressure inflation for front and rear.

In the owner's manual you'll find a chart that lists all the model configurations (reg cab, extended cab, crew cab), engine sizes and axle ratios. You can use that chart to look up your model, axle ratio and engine size and it will give you either the "maximum tow capacity" or possibly the "GCWR" (gross combined weight rating) which will be the truck GVW and maximum trailer weight allowed. Don't forget that if your truck has a trailer towing package, the maximum trailer rating may be different from the same truck without the optional trailer towing package, so make sure you're comparing "apples and apples" to get the specific ratings for your truck.

[murphysranch]

2012 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab with after market Leer Cap 175 lb.

White sticker on door:
GVWR: 6800 lb
GAWR Front: 3900 lb
GAWR Rear: 3900 lb
Then there are the tire pressure figures.

Yellow headed sticker on frame:
Combined weight of cargo and occupants should never exceed 1134 lb

From http://www.media.chrysler.com/dcxms/assets/specs/2012_Ram_1500_Specs.pdf
Max payload: 1500 lb
Axel: 3.92

Crew Cab Short Box GCW: 15,500 lb
Crew Cab Short Box Max. Trailer: 10,000 lb

Front Brakes: 13.2 x 1.1 (336 x 28) vented disc with 2.13 (54)
two-piston pin-slider caliper and ABS

Rear Brakes: 13.8 x 0.87 (352 x 22) disc with 2.13 (54)
single-piston pin-slider caliper and ABS


Are there other figures I need to obtain for you? I've learned alot in the last half hour! Thanks.

[gtsum2]

Your payload capacity is 1134. This is the max weight of all occupants, tongue weight if trailer etc. I had a 2013 ram Laramie 1500 and my payload was 1061lbs....you get loaded up for camping with gear and people and you are going to be over payload and gvwr on the truck. Ram 1500's have horribly low payload capacity unfortunately


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[Ken / Claudia]

My comment is not directed to anyone posting here, just a general comment. Those stickers on a pickups door post are really important to show the owner what their truck is able to carry/tow etc.. but, I have never ever had anyone say the salesman explained what they mean. They seen to think explaining how many and where the cup holders are what sells a pickup.

[JRTJH]

2012 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab with after market Leer Cap 175 lb.

White sticker on door:
GVWR: 6800 lb
GAWR Front: 3900 lb
GAWR Rear: 3900 lb
Then there are the tire pressure figures.

Yellow headed sticker on frame:
Combined weight of cargo and occupants should never exceed 1134 lb

From http://www.media.chrysler.com/dcxms/assets/specs/2012_Ram_1500_Specs.pdf
Max payload: 1500 lb
Axel: 3.92

Crew Cab Short Box GCW: 15,500 lb
Crew Cab Short Box Max. Trailer: 10,000 lb

Front Brakes: 13.2 x 1.1 (336 x 28) vented disc with 2.13 (54)
two-piston pin-slider caliper and ABS

Rear Brakes: 13.8 x 0.87 (352 x 22) disc with 2.13 (54)
single-piston pin-slider caliper and ABS


Are there other figures I need to obtain for you? I've learned alot in the last half hour! Thanks.

Ram 1500 series trucks are notorious for having a small payload. The "tradeoff" for a smooth "car like" ride is soft suspension which won't carry a lot. Dodge elected to advertise the "softest ride" rather than go for the "biggest payload". That's a marketing decision and unfortunately, it limits the trucks capability to be a "truck" rather than an "updated minivan".... :(

To give you some numbers to consider:

Your truck's payload is 1134, subtract 175 for the Leer cap, there's a 150 lb "allowance for the driver" and the payload is calculated with a full gas tank. So, add your weight, your DW's weight, the pet's weights. I'm guessing if your DW weighs 150, you weigh 200 and each dog weighs 35, that will come to 420, subtract the "allowance of 150" and you get 270 lbs for passengers. Then, deduct 100 lbs for the weight distribution hitch and you'll come up with your "NO CARGO IN THE BED" remaining payload which is the maximum tongue weight your new RV should weigh.

Doing the math: 1134 - 175 = 959 -150 - 200 - 35 - 35 = 539 + 150 = 689 - 100 = 589.

So, your maximum trailer tongue weight should not exceed 589 lbs. When you look at "advertised tongue weights" remember that they are stated with empty propane tanks and no battery installed (as shipped from the factory). So the 296RL hitch weight is listed on the Keystone website as 755 lbs, add 50 for a battery box and 60 for propane and you get an actual tongue weight of 865 lbs. That's 276 lbs over your truck's max tongue weight. Remember, this is BEFORE you put any personal belongings, water, food or camping gear in the RV. The only real "outside storage area" is located in the front of the trailer (under the bed) so all your chocks, blocks, sewer hose, tools, etc will probably be stored there. This will also add almost their total weight to the tongue weight as the storage is located so far forward.

I'd say that even before you start talking about "can it pull it" or "the total weight is below the max allowed" (GCWR or Max Trailer Weight) that you realize you'll probably be at least 500 lbs (possibly more) overweight on your payload with that trailer when it's equipped to travel. I'd say you've got "too little truck" or "too much trailer" with that combination..... Unfortunately, with your payload of 1134 lbs, you're talking about being in the neighborhood of 50% overloaded which isn't a good option.

My comment is not directed to anyone posting here, just a general comment. Those stickers on a pickups door post are really important to show the owner what their truck is able to carry/tow etc.. but, I have never ever had anyone say the salesman explained what they mean. They seen to think explaining how many and where the cup holders are what sells a pickup.

You're right, Ken. For someone who uses their truck as a truck, the sales staff really misses the mark when they sell "features" rather than selling the "truck". It seems that more and more, as the "minivan" loses some of its popularity and "soccer moms" trade for "6 pack trucks", the "soft ride" becomes more important than the "truck performance and capabilities" :(

[JRTJH]

2012 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab with after market Leer Cap 175 lb.

White sticker on door:
GVWR: 6800 lb


Crew Cab Short Box GCW: 15,500 lb
Crew Cab Short Box Max. Trailer: 10,000 lb


Are there other figures I need to obtain for you? I've learned alot in the last half hour! Thanks.

I wanted to post this separately rather than it be "muddied" within the other post:

If you consider the GVW of 6800 lbs and knowing it will be "near max GVW" when equipped for towing, there is a SIGNIFICANT disparity between the "max trailer rating" and the "GCWR".....

If the GCWR is 15500 and the truck loaded at GVW, weighs 6800, the actual max trailer can not weigh more than 8700 lbs. That's a far cry from the advertised 10,000 lb rating advertised. The only way to carry a trailer that heavy would be to have the entire payload "devoted to trailer weight" and to have a driver less than 150 lbs with no other cargo in the truck. Even then, with a payload of 1134, you'd be 166 lbs over the maximum trailer weight.....

Creative marketing? or just "throwing numbers" ?? or possibly an "error in how marketing wrote the brochure" ???

[rhagfo]

Your payload capacity is 1134. This is the max weight of all occupants, tongue weight if trailer etc. I had a 2013 ram Laramie 1500 and my payload was 1061lbs....you get loaded up for camping with gear and people and you are going to be over payload and gvwr on the truck. Ram 1500's have horribly low payload capacity unfortunately


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FORGET the YELLOW sticker!!!
VIN sticker has the important information, the yellow is at best a guide line.

Load truck with full tank of fuel, DW dogs and anything else you would be hauling to go camping with the TT, then go to the nearest SCALE and weigh!
Make sure you get individual weights for each axle. The total weight of the scaled truck subtracted from the GVWR on the VIN sticker is the payload you have left!!
BUT you need to also realize that the rear axle scaled weight subtracted from the rear axle GAWR (3,900) is the max tongue weight.