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Looking to Tow 6500lbs - Thoughts?

9K views 51 replies 20 participants last post by  Bikenut 
#1 ·
Hey Folks,

Looking to Tow a 6500lb(dry weight) travel trailer with my 2012 Dodge Ram Big Horn. Any thoughts on what to expect or any experiences towing travel trailers with the new edition?
 
#3 ·
What rear end do you have ? what is the length of the trailer ? First off you want to make sure you have a brake controller installed, did your truck come with the factory one ? As well make sure you have a proper weight distribution hitch as well. The dry weight of a travel trailer really means jack all, you want to look at the fully loaded weight of you unit! Your truck is good up to around 10,000 LBS for towing(depending on your gears), however this does not include propane, water, cargo, people etc etc....You would be suprised how quick you could get up to 10,000 LBS...You will probably notice lots of sag in the rear end, i would reccomend getting some airbags in the back to help level out the ride! I tow my travel trailer with my 2010 1500 Hemi, and it tows like a dream...Just make sure you are within the weight limits set out for your truck and you should be fine!
 
#4 ·
your tow rating is 10,950 pounds, full tank of gas is already in computation

that is with 1 person in the vehicle & nothing in the trucks bed

you have to figure how much is in the trucks bed & the weight of the passengers from that weight

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/
 
#5 ·
This is what I'm going to be pulling this year. 9690lb GVW. 840 Hitch. Equalizer cut's it down to 420 on the Hitch.
 
#6 ·
So as of right now it's a 30' travel trailer, rear end unknown(looking into it), Factory break installed. Can you recommend at proper hitch as well as air bags(kinda confused on the air bags)

Let me know, and thanks again for the replies. Beter getting answers hear then at the RV dealership, they just want you to buy but I want to make sure I am safe going down the road as well as I don't destroy my truck!
 
#41 ·
I tow a Coachman Freedom Express that is close to 7k lbs loaded...and I don't even know it's there. I have the factory brake controller set at 4, and a 4-point hitch equilizer. No need for airbags. My only gripe is all the squeaks and cracks the 4-point equilizer makes when turning which is normal. I always make sure to hit the "tow" button so it holds gears better.
 
#9 ·
I'm currently pulling about 5000 pounds Wisconsin to Florida. 5 hours in, I wish I had done air bags before I left. Not killing me, but it would be nicer. In terms of power, the hemi couldn't care less. So far I am just shy of 11 mpg.
 
#10 ·
I remember towing 6 horses in a 20' gooseneck (approx. 10,000lbs) with a 1990 Chevrolet 1/2 ton, with 400,000kms probably 200,000 on a tired 350 v8 (approx. 200 horsepower at the very most), transmission not shifting that great, took a while to get to cruising speed 120 km/h, but it did the 3.5 hour with $400 worth of gas. (back when gas prices were at there highest a few years ago). When we got up there we went straight to look at a diesel.

My point is I'm sure your 390 Horse Hemi can handle this no problem.
 
#11 ·
You want to check on a couple of things, refer to your build sheet if possible, if your truck came with the heavy tow package (should see that on your window sticker sitting on the lot), your golden, along with the rear-end ratio, 3:92's being the optimal pulling gears. This ratio is limited slip also. Even if you had 3:55's, plenty of power, maybe slightly slower acceleration, (gears being taller), I would think you would still be safe at that weight. My trailer is about 5600#'s loaded, you know it's there, you just have to be reasonable about expected performance, pulls beautiful between 55 to 65 mph. Let the truck pull on it's own and expect to see 10 to 13 mpg, that's real-world numbers for mine, that's with the 3:92 gears. Weight distribution hitch and sway control levels everything, cuts your tongue weight approximately in half. I have the timbren rubber suspension on the rear, they substitute the factory bump stops. They sit about an inch above the rear axle unloaded, any squat is taken up by the rubber stops with a load, greatly relieving your factory springs, also adding roll stability. Combined with your factory trailer-tow, the hemi pulls loads awesome. Good luck with trailer towing!
 
#12 ·
First and foremost, My name is Josh and I have ALOT (I do mean alot) of experience towing and hauling heavy loads. Having been in the army, and on 3 combat tours, for the better part of a decade now, I have seen and driven just about everything there is to drive, from tanks, to Route Clearance Vehicles, to pickup trucks. Some are VERY heavy, and some are bone stock trucks guys like you and me drive everyday.

If you are towing a 6500lb trailer (which you can do just fine), you will notice something profound almost as soon as you set your trailer on your hitch. Your truck will go from raked (the front end lower than the rear), to squatting. Your coil springs will collapse under the weight, and while that does not pose a problem to your truck immediately, it can, over time. Towing a load as heavy as this with the 4th gen Ram requires some additional help, due to the smooth riding coil spring Multi-Link rear suspension. Coils were put in the ram because they ride smoother, but they are your worst enemy when towing/hauling heavy. Thats where the good folks at Total Load Control Suspensions come in. TLC John will not only hook you up with great customer service, but Ramforumz members even get discounted pricing on their kits. This system is designed and patented specifically for 2009+ Ram 1500's. It will work in conjuction with your coil springs to improve load handling, reduce wear and tear on your coil springs, and even helps with unladen ride comfort and stability.

Shoot TLC John, or myself a message, and we can get you on your way to comfortable and safe towing. Happy Travels!
 
#15 · (Edited)
If you are towing a 6500lb trailer (which you can do just fine), you will notice something profound almost as soon as you set your trailer on your hitch. Your truck will go from raked (the front end lower than the rear), to squatting. Your coil springs will collapse under the weight
What??? His tongue weight is only 840lbs, 420lbs with equalizer bars...this is NOT going to make his truck squat excessively and need a bunch of other BS to haul that trailer. I hauled a 10,000lbs enclosed trailer from Little Rock to Maryland with my 2003 1500 Hemi with nothing more than equalizer bars. Sure the 3rd gens used leafs instead of coils, but still, 850lbs of tongue weight is not alot - a bumper hitch can handle that.
 
#20 ·
Very nice WeeJohnny. Just make sure you go with a Wieght Distribution Hitch & you wont even notice any Sag if it's set up properly. Good luck man...
 
#22 ·
Air assist bags are a good idea but if the wieght is distributed correctly via the WD Hitch in the first place you havn't got problem.:smileup:
 
#24 ·
Dont worry about it man. As soon as mine is set up i'l post pics for you. No Bags needed. Already some pics on here somewhere of other trucks with TT's setup.
 
#25 ·
Not trying to hijack the thread, but looking at the towing guide linked above...why does the towing rating jump so much when the gear is lower? I understand the truck will get going better but I thought that rating was the "safe" amount you could pull. How is it unsafe just because I can't put as much torque to the ground?

For example my 2500 CC Big Horn is listed at 10,500lbs with a 3.73 but 13,500 with a 4.10. Hard for me to believe that my truck is "safe" pulling 13,500 lbs with 4.10s but somehow unsafe doing the same with 3.73s? The towing experience will be worse of course, but is that really what drops the rating?
 
#27 ·
Not trying to hijack the thread, but looking at the towing guide linked above...why does the towing rating jump so much when the gear is lower? I understand the truck will get going better but I thought that rating was the "safe" amount you could pull. How is it unsafe just because I can't put as much torque to the ground?

For example my 2500 CC Big Horn is listed at 10,500lbs with a 3.73 but 13,500 with a 4.10. Hard for me to believe that my truck is "safe" pulling 13,500 lbs with 4.10s but somehow unsafe doing the same with 3.73s? The towing experience will be worse of course, but is that really what drops the rating?
It's a warranty thing - just like the the deeper gears make it easier to tow more weight, the taller gears make it harder and therefore put more strain on the drivetrain and they figure it lessens the chance for failures and therefore warranty work if they rate if for less weight.
 
#26 ·
There is no such thing as too much research
there is what the book reads & actual experience

the manual says what the engineers say it can tow
The people that have actually towed comments are what really matters
 
#28 ·
I regularly pull 7000lbs of trailer behind my 2010 1500 with about 800lbs of tongue weight. I do not use a weight distribution hitch, but do have Timbren's installed to eliminate the sag.

Before I get jumped on about not using a WD hitch, and to qualify why I'm recommending you do use one, there are many factors to consider when it comes to towing big weight behind your truck. Without going into detail, you of course must ensure that you do not exceed any of the manufactures weight specs. It is also very important that you do not exceed the rating of the hitch components, and the hitch coupler (slug) is one that is often over looked. Most are rated at 500lbs, so be aware of that. I happen to use the 'Alumastinger' rated at 2000lbs tongue, so it is over rated compared to the actual hitch receiver.

The suspension in 1/2T trucks is not optimal for heavy towing, as a properly loaded trailer will place about 10% of it's gross weight on the hitch. If this weight exceeds 400lbs, suspension enhancement is desired and recommended to ensure the overall drivetrain geometry is maintained at a point to ensure best handling and minimize the off geometry loading a wear on drivetrain components.

As the length of the trailer increases, the load change on the hitch changes to a greater degree when driving through rises and dips, which leads to the reason I recommend you consider using a WD hitch. It will go a long way to control the hitch loading to ensure your truck stays well within geometric limits as well as ensure predictable handling.

Although under certain circumstances, you may be OK without suspension enhancement, I highly recommend it as yet another 'correct' thing to do to ensure overall safety and reliability. After all, when you consider the $ investment you have in the truck and trailer, the cost to enhance the suspension is very low.

The most popular suspension enhancements have already been mentions in the posts above, but I will summarize them -

1) Airlift 1000 - Inexpensive, relatively easy to install, adjustable (I have never used these myself)
2) Timbren SES - Slightly more expensive, ultra easy to install, not adjustable (I currently use these)
3) Total Load Control - More expensive, looks pretty straight forward to install, full adjustable (These are on my mod list for this summer)

So, why would I not consider the Airlift 1000, and replace my Timbrens with TLC ??

There are many success stories on this forum with the Airlift 1000, however I make my living with the equipment in the trailer, and a failed airbag (although not common, does happen) could cost me a lot more than then the cost of the whole trailer let alone the cost of a suspension enhancement system. The cold weather I usually have to deal with for many months of the year, and the experiences of others here with them is also a consideration for me.

The Timbrens are great....love them! However, there are times that I wish I had some control over the amount of enhancement, as I could then level my truck and adjust the rear suspension as required from time to time.

Total Load Control is offering a system that mounts where my Timbrens are, is made of a material proven to handle the weather I will require them to work in, and offers the adjustability I desire. The fact that TLC is a supporting site vendor is a real bonus. :)

If you ensure that your truck/trailer unit is setup for success, then you can enjoy your travels with piece of mind knowing that everything is designed to ensure safety and reliability. Which ever system/setup you choose, have a great time in your camping adventures, and take lots of pics to share with us. :smileup:
 
#35 ·
Finally picked up new trailer last weekend. Nice to have truck & trailer together. Cant waite to get away now.
 
#36 ·
Finally picked up new trailer last weekend. Nice to have truck & trailer together. Cant waite to get away now.
http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a446/col-lees/newpics043.jpg
Looks like you still have snow on the ground?? That seems crazy for May but I am not familiar with Calgary.

Nice looking trailer. I can either stick with my 2011 F-150 with a bad transmission and get a trailer like that or switch to a Ram, lose money and not have a trailer. Tough choice.

Hope you have fun this summer.

NC
 
#37 ·
Thanks NC. The weather had been great all week untill we set out on Saturday morning. Short lived but heavy snow storm. Clear by afternoon. Sounds like some tough choices you have to make. Is your Tranny not still covered on Warranty ?
 
#38 ·
It is at the shop for repair attempt #5. Last time they had the truck eight days and did a lot of repair work to the transmission. They have had it since Tuesday and claim they can't find anything wrong. I told them to keep it one more day for additional diagnostic work. I should hear something by tonight.

The one laughable thing about warranties is that they only work if you can get the dealer to acknowledge there is a problem.

NC
 
#44 ·
Just to chime in here....

I have the exact same truck (with 3.55s) and my 282BHSS Springdale is 6410lbs dry (weighed by me, with propane, batteries and nothing else), fully loaded we hit a max of 7200, if it's for a long trip. We don't tow with more than 20 gals of water in it.. just enough to use on the road for the kids.

My truck with WD hitch drops no more than an inch, and I only noticed that when I measured before and after. No air bags or blocks.

But, at the end of the day, it's your truck and trailer.. do as you wish. Your doing the right thing by asking those who are already doing it with similar setups.
 
#46 ·
If you have to go with 3:55, inquire to your dealership about having them install 3:92's. The diff carriiers are the same, only the gearsets need changed. I had to pay for mine (wasnt done at point of sale) and it was $2100 and some change. Ask them if they sell you the truck will they put the gearsets in the diffs?
 
#52 ·
Of course the WDH is the required equipment, but air bags are a very nice supplement. I am not saying they should compensate for a poorly set up WDH, but they do add stability and you can fine tune the ride. Don't write them off is all Im saying, they are great to have.
 
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