hey all I got myself in a bind. I ordered a new toy hauler almost 2 months ago figuring that was going to leave me enough time to find a new truck but it did not. my current truck is a 2013 ram 1500 10,100# max tow and a 1434# payload with a class IV hitch. my hauler is 7200# dry weight so im ok there. the tongue weight is 1160# which is 160# over max TW rating for a class IV hitch. I did buy the equalizer WDH which is 115# I took the TW of 1160# and the 115# of the WDH added em together for a total of 1275# so now the weight my hitch needs to support is 1275# that's 275# over class IV ratings. I am really bad at math so forgive me will the WDH transfer enough weigh so I can make the 3 hour drive home safely? also I do have timber grove 4,000# airbags currently installed on the truck.
TW question please help.
- Thread starter scarecrow
- Start date
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I agree your truck has enough power to pull it, but it doesn't have enough capacity to CARRY it. That trailer has a GVWR of 10,000#. That puts the tongue weight at 1000# to 1500#. Your truck probably doesn't have enough payload capacity to carry the weight of the tongue, the hitch, passengers, other cargo, etc. You can look at the yellow sticker on the driver's door pillar to get the actual payload for your truck. The max payload for a Ram 1500 equipped like your's but with NO options is only 1650#. The airbags may help the carrying ability, but they don't increase the payload capacity one pound. Actually the weight of the airbags system needs to be counted as payload. I'm speaking out of experience, as I had a 2013 Ram 1500 similarly equipped. I set my max trailer weight at 8200# even though the trailer could carry more. I had my trailer loaded to the max once and had to move it from one camphost site to another, the truck didn't like it, and there was no way I would have gone out on the highway like that. I have a bigger truck now. And no, I'm not one of those folks that thinks you need a one ton dually to go get a 20# bag of dog food. If you check my posts, I'm one of the folks that realize 1/2 ton pick-ups are very capable trucks. But in your instance, you are close to being maxed out if not over weight with your current set-up.
To answer your question about the class IV hitch, the 1000# rating is when not using a WDH. It's rated at 1400# with a WDH.
To answer your question about the class IV hitch, the 1000# rating is when not using a WDH. It's rated at 1400# with a WDH.
Gotcha! Yes, in that case, the hitch and truck should get your empty trailer home just fine. It hurts to trade off a nice truck like that Ram. My current truck is fine for what I want it for, but I still think my old Ram was pretty sweet. It ran like a scalded ape.
Pugapooh
Well-known member
"One ton dually for 20# of dog food". That gave me a laugh.
I assume the dealer is the one you got the hitch from. Going from a 1500 to a 2500, you will probably need an extended length shank for mounting your hitch head. See if they will set it up with the extended shank right off the bat so you don't have to buy another if they're not already doing that.
Pugapooh said:
I also have antique farm tractors. Definitely dont need a 3500 for the hauler. But sense i got my 1500 i haven't been able to takemy tractors to the pulls or shows. Didnt think i would miss it like i do so that is the real reason for a 3500.
scottydl
Site Team
You should be okay getting the Toy Hauler home, as others have mentioned. Your dry weight may be even higher if you have additional options on the trailer (that might have been installed after it left the factory), but probably not by much.
I suppose this thread is a good place to admit this... right after buying, I towed our 32' double slide bunkhouse TT home from the seller location (2+ hours and through heavy commuter Chicagoland traffic) with NO prior trailer towing experience, using a 1/2 ton truck with no trailer brakes. The truck was borrowed from a friend last minute, because the WD hitch on my 3/4 ton Suburban (which I had already purchased) was seized in place and couldn't be adjusted to the proper height. And, I thought my friend's truck was a 3/4 ton with an integrated brake controller, but later learned otherwise! (In hindsight I shouldn't just used my Suburban and let the trailer ride a little nose-low, but at the time I "didn't know what I didn't know" so to speak.) I made it home just fine, taking it easy along the way, and only pulled with that truck that one time.
If you tow a couple hundred pounds over one of your truck's weight limits, the truck won't instantly fall apart or crash. Those risks are more applicable with severely overweight tow vehicles and/or if you tow over the limits on a regular basis over a long period of time.
I suppose this thread is a good place to admit this... right after buying, I towed our 32' double slide bunkhouse TT home from the seller location (2+ hours and through heavy commuter Chicagoland traffic) with NO prior trailer towing experience, using a 1/2 ton truck with no trailer brakes. The truck was borrowed from a friend last minute, because the WD hitch on my 3/4 ton Suburban (which I had already purchased) was seized in place and couldn't be adjusted to the proper height. And, I thought my friend's truck was a 3/4 ton with an integrated brake controller, but later learned otherwise! (In hindsight I shouldn't just used my Suburban and let the trailer ride a little nose-low, but at the time I "didn't know what I didn't know" so to speak.) I made it home just fine, taking it easy along the way, and only pulled with that truck that one time.
If you tow a couple hundred pounds over one of your truck's weight limits, the truck won't instantly fall apart or crash. Those risks are more applicable with severely overweight tow vehicles and/or if you tow over the limits on a regular basis over a long period of time.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Why not just ask the dealer to deliver it? Maybe even pay him a few bucks extra to do it? Then no worries while you shop for the new truck.
Many Class IV hitches are rated higher than 1000/10,000 when WD is used. Reese, for example, rates theirs at 1400/14,000 with WD.
Many Class IV hitches are rated higher than 1000/10,000 when WD is used. Reese, for example, rates theirs at 1400/14,000 with WD.
grashley
Well-known member
I am sure you are aware that all ? ton trucks are SWR, and 1 ton trucks come in either SRW or DRW versions. You do not need a DRW to get a super duty truck.
Pugapooh
Well-known member
Scarecrow,I wasn't laughing at you. Just the "wannabes" who buy a huge truck and don't need it. We just upgraded to a 2500 from 1500.
GA_Boy
Well-known member
Most trucks are capable of more than the MFG's GVWR.
With my F250, 7.3 I was grossing 73,800# with a 5th wheel pin weight of 4,800#. I had the 5th W. brakes in top notch working order and a Brake Buddy in the Oldsmobile. With the 7.3 and 6 speed manual transmission I got around 12 MPG and it handled like a dream.
I was way overweight according to Ford but the truck has over 100K miles and still going strong.
Marvin
With my F250, 7.3 I was grossing 73,800# with a 5th wheel pin weight of 4,800#. I had the 5th W. brakes in top notch working order and a Brake Buddy in the Oldsmobile. With the 7.3 and 6 speed manual transmission I got around 12 MPG and it handled like a dream.
I was way overweight according to Ford but the truck has over 100K miles and still going strong.
Marvin
