Actual towing capacity

[MarkEHansen]

The hitch weight you're showing is the published weight from the manufacturer, and is not useful. Ignore all dry/empty weights. The pin weight estimated as 20% - 25% of the GVWR for the trailer.

Also, I'm not so sure on pin weights for TH trailers. Someone else can answer that. Loading cargo in the garage is going to reduce the pin weight.

To know the real weights, you need to weigh them. Of course, this is not feasible when you haven't purchased the trailer yet, so you have to just estimate.

As someone else said, you may be getting into Dually territory.

[Govols]

So as I'm shopping, since i can't take it to get it weighed, could i use the advertised gvrw and use 20% to figure out estimated pin weight? Or ask the dealer (i know i know) what the max pin weight would be for the TH fully loaded amd go from there?

[flybouy]

To my thinking it's just not wise to be so close that you have to think "gee I'd love to take that loaf of home made bread with us but it will put us over my truck's capacity". If you really need, or really, really want that large of a trailer then bite the bullet and get a proper truck to pull it.

If you can't afford both truck and trailer then lower your sights on the trailer. Life's full of compromises but I think it's reckless and foolish to compromise on safety to satisfy a desire. JMHO

[Govols]

Originally Posted by flybouy

To my thinking it's just not wise to be so close that you have to think "gee I'd love to take that loaf of home made bread with us but it will put us over my truck's capacity". If you really need, or really, really want that large of a trailer then bite the bullet and get a proper truck to pull it.

If you can't afford both truck and trailer then lower your sights on the trailer. Life's full of compromises but I think it's reckless and foolish to compromise on safety to satisfy a desire. JMHO

I agree 100% about safety....not just the wife and i but all the people on the road with me. We don't need anything "bigger" than what we have just need to haul our toy.....making 2 trips is getting old....lol. I want to make sure what my truck can handle and not exceed it. All the experts are here (not at the dealerships) and i appriciate all the help!

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Govols

So as I'm shopping, since i can't take it to get it weighed, could i use the advertised gvrw and use 20% to figure out estimated pin weight? Or ask the dealer (i know i know) what the max pin weight would be for the TH fully loaded amd go from there?

That yellow sticker from your door frame... didn't it say 3999 lbs passengers and cargo? That would be payload. Not sure where you are getting your numbers. DO NOT ASK DEALER... they will tell you what they think you want to hear. Look at the published gross weight for the camper and guess 20 percent from that and see if you think your cargo will get over that gross weight and it probably won't unless you go nuts taking stuff.

[sourdough]

Don't ask the dealer anything. I've talked to innumerable dealer employees from techs to managers to owners. None have ever been able to tell me, or accurately tell me, anything about weights so forget that thought.

When you are shopping use the gvwr of the trailer and a minimum of 20% for the pin. Remember, if you are trying to faniggle numbers to get the biggest thing you can by "going light", forgetting stuff etc. you are only doing yourself a huge disfavor. Forget the published dry pin weight of 2260 and any other published pin/tongue weight from a manufacturer.

Of whatever is left over you have to figure your hitch; is it light or heavy? If you go with a slider or other heavy hitch take off 250 at least. What do you weigh? Getting close? What about wife, tools, blocks, ice chests, traveling goodies, electronics, those running boards you put on the truck, bigger tires, fancy wheels etc. Every one of them come off the remainder of that payload. It can be a very tight squeeze and if you want that 10-15% safety cushion?

[Govols]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

That yellow sticker from your door frame... didn't it say 3999 lbs passengers and cargo? That would be payload. Not sure where you are getting your numbers. DO NOT ASK DEALER... they will tell you what they think you want to hear. Look at the published gross weight for the camper and guess 20 percent from that and see if you think your cargo will get over that gross weight and it probably won't unless you go nuts taking stuff.

I probably haul about 500lbs cargo....2 generators, cornhole boards, hoses, 10gals fuel for generator....etc. Only travel with 1/3 tank fresh water. Only adding the golf cart and maybe the scooters so i don't believe I'll come close to the max cargo weight. I'll take your advise and do the gross weight and 20%. I'll probably come back later tomorrow or sunday and have more questions after we look at a few 5ers. Again, thanks for all the info!

[Govols]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Don't ask the dealer anything. I've talked to innumerable dealer employees from techs to managers to owners. None have ever been able to tell me, or accurately tell me, anything about weights so forget that thought.

When you are shopping use the gvwr of the trailer and a minimum of 20% for the pin. Remember, if you are trying to faniggle numbers to get the biggest thing you can by "going light", forgetting stuff etc. you are only doing yourself a huge disfavor. Forget the published dry pin weight of 2260 and any other published pin/tongue weight from a manufacturer.

Of whatever is left over you have to figure your hitch; is it light or heavy? If you go with a slider or other heavy hitch take off 250 at least. What do you weigh? Getting close? What about wife, tools, blocks, ice chests, traveling goodies, electronics, those running boards you put on the truck, bigger tires, fancy wheels etc. Every one of them come off the remainder of that payload. It can be a very tight squeeze and if you want that 10-15% safety cushion?

Good points. Didn't even think about the running board, bed liner, etc.

[ctbruce]

The Impacts and Carbons come with a 30 gallon fuel station and can be equipped with a onan generator.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Govols

Good points. Didn't even think about the running board, bed liner, etc.

When you're cutting it tight every little bit is going to count. I threw a bed a thick rubber bed mat in my last 3/4 ton and it weighed 75 lbs.; a spray in liner would probably come in about the same?

[Govols]

Originally Posted by ctbruce

The Impacts and Carbons come with a 30 gallon fuel station and can be equipped with a onan generator.

I saw that online. I kinda like the impacts. Not sure if i need the fuel station....golf cart is electric and have had the scooters for a year and only have 30 miles on each so thats shows how much we use them....lol. Is that a 50amp generator?

[Govols]

Originally Posted by sourdough

When you're cutting it tight every little bit is going to count. I threw a bed a thick rubber bed mat in my last 3/4 ton and it weighed 75 lbs.; a spray in liner would probably come in about the same?

Only things I've added was the running boards, bed liner, the b&w hitch....which says it weighs 150lbs....it feels more like 1500lbs when i try to pick it up....lol. Think I'll go get the truck weighed tomorrow.....

[MarkEHansen]

Originally Posted by Govols

Good points. Didn't even think about the running board, bed liner, etc.

Remember that the payload sticker on the door post of your truck was the payload capacity as the truck left the factory. It's really computed as the GVWR of the truck less the actual weight of the truck. It is figured with a full tank of fuel and (I think) a 150-lb driver.

Given this, you can take your truck to the scales and have it weighed and determine your actual payload capacity as the truck is today.

But, given that's not real easy, we mostly just estimate based on the yellow sticker

[Govols]

Originally Posted by MarkEHansen

Remember that the payload sticker on the door post of your truck was the payload capacity as the truck left the factory. It's really computed as the GVWR of the truck less the actual weight of the truck. It is figured with a full tank of fuel and (I think) a 150-lb driver.

Given this, you can take your truck to the scales and have it weighed and determine your actual payload capacity as the truck is today.

But, given that's not real easy, we mostly just estimate based on the yellow sticker

So, if i weigh the truck tomorrow and it weighs 8000lbs, subtract that from the 11700 gvwr on the sticker and i get a payload of 3700lbs?

[MarkEHansen]

Make sure you weigh it with a full tank of fuel. Then adjust for a 150lb driver (you would add 150 to the payload, assuming you weighed the truck with you not in it).

[ctbruce]

Originally Posted by Govols

I saw that online. I kinda like the impacts. Not sure if i need the fuel station....golf cart is electric and have had the scooters for a year and only have 30 miles on each so thats shows how much we use them....lol. Is that a 50amp generator?

It's a 5500 and will run 2 AC's

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Govols

Only things I've added was the running boards, bed liner, the b&w hitch....which says it weighs 150lbs....it feels more like 1500lbs when i try to pick it up....lol. Think I'll go get the truck weighed tomorrow.....

The ONLY WAY to know how much payload you have available is to scale the truck LOADED ready to haul, all stuff, passengers, and hitch. Get each axle, as with newer trucks the axle limit may be less than available payload.

ON EDIT: I will add that our 2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW has a yellow sticker payload of 5,411#. Once we added the hitch, DW, the beagle, the in bed tool box and my excess weight over 150, full tanks, the truck scales 10,000# leaving 4,000# for a 5er pin.

[77cruiser]

When you have a truck W/O a yellow sticker, then what?

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by 77cruiser

When you have a truck W/O a yellow sticker, then what?

GVWR from the VIN sticker, less the trucks total weight ready to tow. The yellow sticker is only good for comparison shopping on the dealers lot on a new truck.

[Stumpy75]

Here's the site I have used. I have tow behind, not a fifth wheel, but the site has info for both. I just had everything weighed this week because of my new truck, and I came out fine with the weights and capacities.

http://www.towingplanner.com/ActualW...WheelCatScales