How big a 5er can I pull

[Trucker2565]

I have a 2018 ram 2500 HD 6.4l Hemi 6 speed auto 4x4 crew cab 6.4 bed on 18" wheels. Ram says i can pull right at 16000 lbs.with 3300 lb bed rating so how much pin weight should I look at. I'm just looking at this point. My hideout 272 rks says around 1700 pin weight . Looking to maybe go a little bigger???? Seen an alliance that said 2600 pin weight. I think thats too much??? With my current hideout I climb Eisenhower pass and hit the tunnel at 55mph. Pretty happy over my 06 power wagon 5.7l hemi and 4 speed auto tranny at 35 in 1st gear. Just asking questions don't drive truck much and don't know much about diesels so don't really want to have a diesel sit all the time. Really like the 6.4 410hp 440 torque

[sourdough]

You need to think about what it is that you want to tow. Had the 6.4, 3.73, 6 speed in a 2500. It will be DONE (don't) at 12k gvw max...MAX. Payload was 3190.

You are looking at the wrong numbers; look at the gvw, not unloaded weight, of a potential trailer and take 20% minimum for your pin weight - ie; 15000 gvw = 3000lb. pin. I've looked for a Hideout 272rks for specs but find nothing other than travel trailers. I'm probably missing something but that 3/4 ton doesn't need to be towing a 5th wheel of any size...btdt.

[Trucker2565]

Mine has 410 gears. My hideout might be a 282 rks. 2016 model. It says gross 11k or so. empty weight like 8300lbs. Just curious when I dropped it off to be worked on I wandered the lot.

[wiredgeorge]

Trucker2565, Welcome! When you say "bed weight" is that from the yellow/white payload placard in your door frame? That is where payload is stated and not some advertising brochure. Lots of folks take those things as fact but they are kind of useless for real numbers. Payload is generally the key to how much you can drag behind you (fifth wheel). The gross weight of a fifth wheel should be multiplied by 20 percent to find a good pin weight estimation. The numbers for empty trailers are kind of useless as is the pin weight that Keystone claims as those number are not real world. I couldn't find a 272rks in the Hideout line except for a bumper pull 272RK. Not sure where you are seeing specs but look at the gross weight and multiply by 20 percent and you will be close. Last, keep in mind you need to subtract from your payload the weight of occupants and stuff in the truck.

[JRTJH]

There are many factors that must be included in any "how much pin weight can my truck carry?" type questions:

Is there extra "cargo" in the truck? Things like a bed box with a 40 gallon fuel tank in it, filled with heavy chains, tools, jacks, etc will dramatically reduce the remaining cargo capacity.

How many people are passengers on a "typical trip" ??? If you're a retired couple who almost always travel alone, your "remaining cargo capacity" will be significantly different from a couple who have 4 "overweight teenagers who won't travel without their snacks and all their electronics"...

The type of hitch you intend to use is also a "vital part of the payload"... We have people who "swear by Andersen" and their 35 pound aluminum hitch and we have members who "swear at Andersen" and will only tow with a 250 pound "iron automatic sliding hitch". When you consider a 3000 pound payload, 250 pounds of hitch is an automatic 8.3% deduction in capacity.

Then there's the "type of trip" you regularly do. I don't mean the "we only tow local and within 10 miles of home" argument, but rather the "we always dry camp, always bring a generator, 2 gas cans, a stand alone grill with an extra 20 pound propane tank, we've got to have 4 GC2 batteries to make it through the night and I found this neat 45 gallon water bladder so we can take showers every night without running out of water" type of camping.... All of those things will completely change the "remaining payload for a fifth wheel pin weight"....

"Customizing" a "what can I tow?" question includes far more than considering the yellow sticker on the driver's door.....

Just like considering a person's financial "health" goes far beyond how many dollar bills are in his wallet or in her purse, considering how big of a fifth wheel can I reasonably tow also requires a lot of "personal considerations" for that specific situation.

It's not ever an "easy, cut and dry, one size fits all" answer....

[DBinSD]

We JUST sold our 2017 Ram 2500 Diesel as the payload would NOT support the tongue weight of the trailer we wanted. Needed more than 2300lbs and it was right at that Max.
Look at your TOTAL payload number. Subtract you, wife, dog, gear, hitch and fuel weights and that leaves what tongue weight you can have.
Good luck !

[cavie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RbqPaqtpuI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwFLOBrADBs

[dutchmensport]

You can probably tow a 15,000 pound trailer with a Volkswagon, But, can the Volkswagon stop the trailer?

[chunker]

Originally Posted by Trucker2565

I have a 2018 ram 2500 HD 6.4l Hemi 6 speed auto 4x4 crew cab 6.4 bed on 18" wheels. Ram says i can pull right at 16000 lbs.with 3300 lb bed rating so how much pin weight should I look at. I'm just looking at this point. My hideout 272 rks says around 1700 pin weight . Looking to maybe go a little bigger???? Seen an alliance that said 2600 pin weight. I think thats too much??? With my current hideout I climb Eisenhower pass and hit the tunnel at 55mph. Pretty happy over my 06 power wagon 5.7l hemi and 4 speed auto tranny at 35 in 1st gear. Just asking questions don't drive truck much and don't know much about diesels so don't really want to have a diesel sit all the time. Really like the 6.4 410hp 440 torque

Ram is also talking about a Tradesman, regular cab 2wd, long bed. Is that your truck? Likely not and going to a Laramie/Limited crew cab, 4wd, etc. is heavier than the basic Tradesman and has LESS payload.

[Gegrad]

Originally Posted by chunker

Ram is also talking about a Tradesman, regular cab 2wd, long bed. Is that your truck? Likely not and going to a Laramie/Limited crew cab, 4wd, etc. is heavier than the basic Tradesman and has LESS payload.

Given what the OP described, he probably has right about a 3000 lb payload number.

[jimborokz]

Up to now all I've seen is guess work. Yes they're educated guesses and fact based but still guesses.
The good news is the OP has the truck, he is an experienced camper and has been pulling a TT. So my advise is to load up the truck like you were leaving for a trip, gear, tools, fuel, grill, etc, all of it. Then load up the wife and kids and take a ride to the local scales and get real weight. Subtract that from the GVWR and that number will be the payload you have left, the max pin weight plus the hitch weight. Then on the way home stop and get the kids some ice cream. Next day take the wife out to look a 5ers cause now you know what you can tow. Just remember to calculate the pin weight from the gross trailer weight.
My gut feeling is with a 3/4 ton you will be limited in your choice, but I think you will have a choice.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by jimborokz

Up to now all I've seen is guess work. Yes they're educated guesses and fact based but still guesses.
The good news is the OP has the truck, he is an experienced camper and has been pulling a TT. So my advise is to load up the truck like you were leaving for a trip, gear, tools, fuel, grill, etc, all of it. Then load up the wife and kids and take a ride to the local scales and get real weight. Subtract that from the GVWR and that number will be the payload you have left, the max pin weight plus the hitch weight. Then on the way home stop and get the kids some ice cream. Next day take the wife out to look a 5ers cause now you know what you can tow. Just remember to calculate the pin weight from the gross trailer weight.
My gut feeling is with a 3/4 ton you will be limited in your choice, but I think you will have a choice.

Actually subtract that from the payload that's already known posted on the door post.

[jimborokz]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Actually subtract that from the payload that's already known posted on the door post.

During my last trip I stopped at a Pilot and unhooked, so I was fully loaded minus trailer. The truck total was 9000#. If I subtract that from the payload I'd have a negative 6000#. Subtract from GVWR and I get what's left of my payload.

[notanlines]

Jim, assuming your F350 is the 11,500 GVW then your remaining payload is 2,500 pounds.

[jimborokz]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Jim, assuming your F350 is the 11,500 GVW then your remaining payload is 2,500 pounds.

Yup, lookin' for a dooly...