Help with weigh calculation

[jaxglide]

Noobie here. Thinking about renting a travel trailer to ease into the rv lifestyle. Need some help calculating how big a rig I can tow. Attached are truck specs - crew cab 4x4 ecodiesel with 3.55 gear

Any help is appreciated.

[JRTJH]

YOUR truck (not the advertising brochure) has a decal on the driver's door pillar that lists the payload for THAT SPECIFIC TRUCK... Those brochures do not list optional equipment, trim lines (cheap/no options vs "loaded to the gills) and EVERY truck will have a specific payload listed on the yellow sticker.

What you see in the brochure chart you posted is a "best case, maximized capability for advertising purposes". The chart is designed to "make RAM look better than GM and Ford" not to give any specific capability for any specific truck. If you look at the footnotes for the truck, one of them will say something like: "Ratings are for base model vehicle in each category" or something similar to that.

To give you any specifics, members will need the information on YOUR truck.

[jaxglide]

Door stickers as requested. Thanks again all

[sourdough]

Thanks for that info. Looks like the sticker says 1180 payload from what I can read. That is very low and limits your selection of trailers to very small. From the payload you must deduct the weight of all family members, pets, gear, toys and any other thing that goes in the truck...including the water bottle . Add to that the weight of the wdh/sway control; say 125 lbs. and you have what? Maybe 5-600 lbs before you max out? Plus, IMO you need to leave at least a 10% safety cushion on weights that would give you a max of say 1000 lbs before you are "pushing your limits" with the truck. A diesel in a 1/2 ton sounds neat, and probably is for something, but not particularly for towing. JMO

[Ken / Claudia]

Than you read the RVs dry weights. Mine said 560 lbs tongue wt. on listed trailer. Seems maybe doable for that truck, but wait the real wt. is 920 lbs when I take it camping. I know I drove over a scale and checked. As a way to help make real weight guesses. Always look at the GVWR of the RV and figure about 12-15 % of that will be weight on the hitch or tongue weight.

[notanlines]

You have a TV with just about as small a cargo capacity as possible for a 'full-sized' pickup. All things previously considered, let's start with a maximum RV weight of about 4000 pounds, not an ounce more. I'm mainly putting out a starting weight for others to argue up or down. Even at 4K, I don't see you coming in under your max unless you travel empty and alone.....sorry.

[jaxglide]

Thanks all. Does the tongue weight count against the payload allowance ?

[sourdough]

Yes, the tongue weight comes directly off the payload of the truck.

[jaxglide]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Yes, the tongue weight comes directly off the payload of the truck.

Thanks. End result - truck is worthless. I have been looking at the 2500 and now consider 3500 dually. Hate to do the dually since it’s my daily driver- I still work. Lol

Really wanted to experience the rv lifestyle before dropping 150k

[sourdough]

All is not lost. You happened to pick a truck for certain amenities without considering the towing aspect. A typical 1/2 ton truck has a pretty low payload for trying to tow trailers of much size. Deduct the extra weight of a diesel engine from that and things get anemic quick.

If you are seriously considering a truck upgrade a 3/4 or 1 ton would work fine unless you are looking at really big trailers. You don't need a dually unless you go with the very large trailers. My previous truck was a gas 3/4 ton (6.4L) with a 3100lb. payload (key there is gas; a diesel will have less payload). I pulled a 10k gvw. trailer (loaded out at about 9300) with no problems at all.

I understand not wanting to go to a dually. They won't fit in my garage and I'm not going to leave them outside or build a new house so..... From my perch I would say trying to "ease" into the RV lifestyle might be OK. Don't know anything about your family but from my experience my family has loved it for decades....and we still do. It will open up opportunities and horizons (not to mention conveniences) you (they) have not experienced. I hope you get that opportunity.

[jsb5717]

You don't need a dually to enjoy the RV lifestyle. Generally a 1-ton SRW will often safely pull up to about a 35' 5er. There are a lot of choices in that weight bracket that can keep you from needing a dually. You will obviously need to crunch the numbers for each set up as there are a lot of variables between trucks and trailers. High profile 5ers start out heavier so just pay attention to the GVWR of each.

When you get to 35' and above the weight will also jump accordingly and a dually may be your best, or only bet. It all really depends on the rig you want in order to enjoy the RV lifestyle.

[Badbart56]

I personally like duallys but ymmv. My payload is 4529 pounds so there's not much I can't tow and my daily driver is a Freightliner so driving the Ford isn't an issue for me. I'm more comfortable having more truck than I need than not enough.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by sourdough

All is not lost. You happened to pick a truck for certain amenities without considering the towing aspect.

Or a salesman gulled you with the "pull" rating, which is usually impressive but almost never the critical factor.

I had to do the 150 -> 250 dance (a post-prom, really) to accommodate my new "half-ton towable," and since, I've seen too many others on this forum who fell into the same trap. It's too easy to buy wrong.

[jaxglide]

Thanks fellas. I did buy the 1500 with no consideration of towing more than a motorcycle trailer. Now, momma wants a 40ft’er. Look like the dually maybe required. I used to have a f350 back in 03- yes I’m old now lol. Pulled horse trailers for my kids. Im sure this rig will do a lot of travel from Florida to Colorado and the surrounding areas so comfort will be key.

[Gegrad]

Originally Posted by jaxglide

Thanks fellas. I did buy the 1500 with no consideration of towing more than a motorcycle trailer. Now, momma wants a 40ft’er. Look like the dually maybe required. I used to have a f350 back in 03- yes I’m old now lol. Pulled horse trailers for my kids. Im sure this rig will do a lot of travel from Florida to Colorado and the surrounding areas so comfort will be key.

Yeah, if your lady wants a large trailer and you will be pulling from Colorado to Florida a decent bit you will want a dually. As you said, comfort and stability in towing on those long trips.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jaxglide

Thanks fellas. I did buy the 1500 with no consideration of towing more than a motorcycle trailer. Now, momma wants a 40ft’er. Look like the dually maybe required. I used to have a f350 back in 03- yes I’m old now lol. Pulled horse trailers for my kids. Im sure this rig will do a lot of travel from Florida to Colorado and the surrounding areas so comfort will be key.

Jax, this is just me but if you go for a 40' or more 5vr you need a diesel. If you get the diesel in a SRW you won't have the payload or stability for a trailer that large. IMO, if you are open to the change, is to first determine the trailer; sometimes easy, sometimes takes years; then acquire the TV that is required. Remember too that you need to watch those payloads on a DRW 350/1 ton. One just listed in this thread I believe was only about 4500 lbs. - not big enough to tow large, heavy, luxury trailers. There is a limit to every truck so pick the load first and then the truck to match.....including that 10% safety cushion.

[Badbart56]

Looking at the Keystone toy haulers spec sheets, it strikes me as odd how the new (current year model) toy haulers dry weights are higher than the older models like my 2010 405. Yet the carrying capacity is diminished, by a considerable amount.

https://www.keystonerv.com/fifth-wheels/fuzion/specs/

I suppose it's much like the tow vehicles having a lower payload due to the weight of the optional equipment. My 405 has a hitch weight of 2875 so I have over 1600 pounds reserve for everything else we carry, and since it's just me and my wife we don't ever approach the limit. The new models have hitch weights approaching 3600 pounds so make sure you take that into consideration.

Also, as Danny mentioned, look at the door sticker to get an accurate payload number. Don't let the sales people tell you what they want you to hear. F-350 duallies typically will have a higher payload than an F-450. The F-450 is a heavier duty truck but those HD components weigh more than that on an F-350. And also, a gas F-350 may very well have a higher payload than a diesel F-350 for the same reason. Lower weight. But towing a 40 footer out of Colorado-you'll need the grunt that the diesel provides.

You likely already know all of this but many don't so at the risk of being repetitious, do your homework. And let us know what you decide on! I get excited when I see folks getting new RV's and tow vehicles! I'm looking at getting a 2020 F-350 myself later this year when they start making deals to clear the lots for the 2021's. 475 hp and 1050 ft/lbs sounds like fun to me! Good luck in your search!

[ctbruce]

Kudos all. This is probably one of the nicest and super helpful truck weight threads in a long time. Well done, high fives all around!

[sonofcy]

Originally Posted by jaxglide

Attachment 25103Attachment 25102

Door stickers as requested. Thanks again all

I weighed my truck wheel by wheel done by a guy who travels around RV shows doing that. My payload before hooking up the RV is 800 or 900 lbs, I don't remember which. That payload is made up of 2 adults medium size, one medium dog, all the stuff added to the truck since it left the factory, the hitch and all the stuff in the bed of the truck. Since that leaves you only 280 to 380 pounds and you likely need at least 700 lbs for a 7,000 lb travel trailer you are waaaaaaay overloaded. Maybe a popup.

[CaptnJohn]

My 2019 F350 Lariat diesel 4x4 payload is 5598

Originally Posted by sourdough

Jax, this is just me but if you go for a 40' or more 5vr you need a diesel. If you get the diesel in a SRW you won't have the payload or stability for a trailer that large. IMO, if you are open to the change, is to first determine the trailer; sometimes easy, sometimes takes years; then acquire the TV that is required. Remember too that you need to watch those payloads on a DRW 350/1 ton. One just listed in this thread I believe was only about 4500 lbs. - not big enough to tow large, heavy, luxury trailers. There is a limit to every truck so pick the load first and then the truck to match.....including that 10% safety cushion.