Ram truck pulling 5th wheel

[Super scoop]

Looking to buy a 41 foot 5th wheel weighing about 12300 lbs, is anyone pulling this size trailer with a Ram 2500 crew cab 4x4 and have you had any issues with this size trailer?

 

[Oldgator73]

Welcome to the forum. That’s a bunch of trailer for that truck. When you say it weighs 12300 pounds is the loaded weight? What are the specs on the truck?

 

[Super scoop]

Thank you for responding so quickly, the specs say that truck can pull up to 16,000 lbs and the 12300 is the dry weight

 

[Oldgator73]

What is the 5th wheels total weight. There should be a cargo carrying capacity. Dry weight really doesn’t matter. And what is the trucks cargo capacity. Everything you carry in the truck counts; people, dogs, anything you carry in the bed, everything.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

Note that with a 5th wheel, about 20-25% of the actual weight is carried by the truck. This is not the same as what it pulls.
My 35’ 5th wheel, for example, has a GVWR (max weight) of 14,000. This pretty much maxes out my Single Rear Wheel (SRW) Ram 3500. Any more and I need a dually (DRW).

Add the cargo Capacity of the trailer to the dry weight to get the GVWR.

Look on the drivers door latch post for a sticker with yellow on it for the payload of that truck. It will say something like passengers and cargo should not exceed nnnn.

20-25% of the trailer GVWR should not exceed the truck payload minus the passengers and anything else added to the truck since it left the factory.

I suspect you will need a bigger truck.

 

[TonyL]

I would agree with Rob, I think you either need a smaller fifth wheel, or a bigger truck.

 

[donn]

I originally started pulling my 35 foot fiver with a 2500 GM product. First trip across the scales proved to me I was grossly over weight.

For a 41 foot fiver you will want a dually.

 

[steveblonde]

Dry 12300 means nothing you are looking close to 14000 road ready - you are in 3500 territory both of our 3500 rams are 3800lbs payload a 2500 will be less than 2800 lbs 14000 road ready weight will be over 3000lbs - too much for any 2500 series truck

 

[CharlesinGA]

Way too much trailer for the truck. Just because the manufacturer says the truck can PULL 16K lbs doesn't mean that all of the other weight restrictions are met. Figure about 200 lbs in the bed just for the hitch. The truck's payload and rear axle gross weight rating will be the limiting factors.

You need a 5th wheel in the range of 31-32 ft to meet all of the truck's limitations.

Charles

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Super scoop...Is this your first RV?

 

[Bill Nourse]

I pulled a 38' toy hauler at 16,000 from NM to Yellowstone and back(2,000 miles) with an old 2002 Chev Duramax 2500 that had air bags, upgraded tires and a chip. This was before I was able to get a 3500. I had zero problems with handling, breaking or anything else with the set up, but I was definitely overloaded based on GM's specs for the vehicle. We went through some serious mountain passes and found the old Duramax anemic power wise but other than that, no issues. I certainly do not recommend this just giving my personal experience.

 

[Oldgator73]

I pulled a 38' toy hauler at 16,000 from NM to Yellowstone and back(2,000 miles) with an old 2002 Chev Duramax 2500 that had air bags, upgraded tires and a chip. This was before I was able to get a 3500. I had zero problems with handling, breaking or anything else with the set up, but I was definitely overloaded based on GM's specs for the vehicle. We went through some serious mountain passes and found the old Duramax anemic power wise but other than that, no issues. I certainly do not recommend this just giving my personal experience.

But you wouldn’t do it again or advise anyone to do it either?

 

[steveblonde]

I walked to school up hill both ways at minus 45 with newspaper for shoes and walking into a headwind both ways on sundays

 

[Bill Nourse]

But you wouldn’t do it again or advise anyone to do it either?

I said in my post that I did not recommend doing it and that it was done because I had nothing else at the time.

 

[Bill Nourse]

I walked to school up hill both ways at minus 45 with newspaper for shoes and walking into a headwind both ways on sundays

And again we have the perfect answer to the question that was asked.

 

[RNS]

We had to walk on our ankles cause we could not afford feet, hard to get stuff off the top shelf too since could not stand on our tippy toes.

 

[longhaul]

Thank you for responding so quickly, the specs say that truck can pull up to 16,000 lbs and the 12300 is the dry weight

Must be the Ram /Cummins with a 16000 lb tow rating.
Your Ram won't have any issues pulling a 16000 lb trailer however the Ram 2500 has a 6000 lb rear axle rating that will be carrying all the trailers hitch weight....the hitch and other gear in the bed.
You have the truck so drop by a set of CAT scales and weigh the trucks front and rear axle separately.
Most 2500 Ram rear axle weigh in the 3000 lb range leaving around for all the load.
The 3500 srw ram has a 7000 rawr and is good for around 3700-3800 lbs in the bed.

I wouldn't use a trailers advertized dry weight alone to determine the size truck needed. Once a rv trailer is loaded road ready its gonna' weigh closer to its gvwr numbers.
Rams 16000 lb tow rating is for all type of trailers like my 16k tri axle stock trailer that can be loaded front heavy or lite heavy depending on the size of the trucks rear axle.

 

[gdelanghe]

I had a 2007.5 Ram 3500 Quad cab dually with 6.7 Cummins and 68RFE Automatic transmission. 350 HP/680 lb Torque. Pulled everything. Never thought I'd ever give it up. Till I drove my 2019 Ram 3500 Quad cab dually with 6.7 Cummins High Output (400 hp/1000 LB Torque) and Aisin transmission with 4:10 rear end. My trailer is DRV 38RSB3 wt 18000 lbs. The Ram is rated 35000 lb towing. It has the automatic exhaust brake and dash connected EOH disc brakes on trailer (Electric over Hydraulic) It tows this trailer easily. Up the Grapevine / Tejon pass in California and up Hwy 93 from Cranbrook to Banff. All the new diesel 1 ton trucks (Ford, Chevy/GMC, Ram) are rated to tow 35000. Someone always asks me why I always buy the dually. Simple: I always have two extra spare tires where-ever I go. LOL

 

[richclover]

FWIW, my 2018 Ram Cummins 2500
HD has a rear GAWR of 6500 lb. Front is 6000 lb. On the sticker.

OP needs a 3500 for a 41 footer that will likely weigh 14,000 plus, fully loaded. JMHO.

 

[rbrdriver]

Needs a 3500 for sure and if it's mine it would be a dually.......