Ram 1500 - can it tow an Airstream 28?

[Shiny16]

Originally Posted by Larry C

Wally Byam pulled on with a bicycle also, but only for a short distance, mainly because he didn't have a Hensley hitch, and he was concerned about sway....

Larry

He should have called that guy in Canada.

[RamRider]

I found this guide for 2017 Ram Trucks

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/

On the top of the page you can chose options premium/Std Box size, 2x4 /4/4 etc and get the loading and towing weights.
I see Ram 1500's towing the 28 foot and larger Airstreams but I am not sure if they are overloaded or not

[Mergatroyd]

Originally Posted by RamRider

I found this guide for 2017 Ram Trucks

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/

On the top of the page you can chose options premium/Std Box size, 2x4 /4/4 etc and get the loading and towing weights.
I see Ram 1500's towing the 28 foot and larger Airstreams but I am not sure if they are overloaded or not

All towing and payload information you see online or in sales brochures comes with the footnote "when properly equipped". My point is, when you look at your actual vehicle's nameplate the numbers could be drastically less.

[mwkersh]

If you go back and review the first page, the reason this Ram is so short on payload is because it is loaded down with options. Power seats, all leather, sunroof, cargo boxes, etc. That extra weight all eats into payload.

My 1500, like many others, don't have all the options and get more of the full advertised payload. My model advertised payload in the towing charts is 1520, and my door sticker says 1380 due to a few additional options (bedliner, full console, leather/heated seats).

[rodo]

Short answer is no. You want a 2500 for that. You take it to some mountains or big hills and you'll wish you had the 2500. JMO.

[IAMGLG]

Originally Posted by Mergatroyd

I just looked at a Ram 1500. The door payload label says the maximum load is 945 lbs. That's occupants + cargo + tongue weight. The Airstream has a dry weight of 5979 lbs and a hitch weight of 976 lbs. It would be tricky to make this work.

The number you are referring to is a dead weight load on the ball. If you use an equalizer hitch the number goes to 1,500 pounds. Many, many 28 foot AS trailers are driven with "1,500" rigs and do just fine...but like always remember you are pulling a 8,000 pound trailer with a 4,000 pound, maybe not exact numbers but the trailer weighs twice as much as your tow vehicle whether its a 1500 or a 2500 or whatever. PS the receiver itself is a 1,600 dead weight devise regardless of what truck it's mounted on....

[dkottum]

A recent trip to the CAT scale has our Ram 1500 at 7220 lbs and our Airstream 25 (a 28 can carry 300 lbs more) at 6320 lbs hitched with weight distribution set, heavily loaded for a long trip, full fuel and water and us, the most we have ever carried. Our truck GVWR is 6950 and our axle capacity is 7800, the axles are loaded within 20 lbs of each other.

[ijustlee]

1000lbs. is the definition of a half-ton truck! Why bother to do it? Just go with a 2500! For all practical purposes you can drive around without the trailer just fine. I can park my 3/4 ton Chevy just as easy and in the same spots as I can my Lincoln Town Car. I don't drive my truck much anymore so I tend to forget this until I get into town. The most trouble I've had parking is I can't fit into some underground garages because of the camper shell with a boat rack.

[davidrrand]

Originally Posted by AirMiles

I agree that a 3/4 ton truck is a better solution for larger Airstreams. But as I posted earlier, you even have to be careful which 3/4 ton truck you buy. This 3/4 ton truck only has 1877# of payload. http://www.hannafords.ca/used/Ford/2...ac52ae7e61.htm . If you have a large family or want to carry four adults and some gear in the truck, that payload goes away quickly. So scale weights and payload stickers are important even if you choose a 3/4 ton truck.

**************

AirMiles, the link and the specs indicated 3350 lbs. of payload. I think that number is what the max payload for a base truck, not a Platinum crew cab with a diesel. Where was the 1877 given? Not disputing this, just did not see it in the link?

[dkottum]

Originally Posted by Mergatroyd

I just looked at a Ram 1500. The door payload label says the maximum load is 945 lbs. That's occupants + cargo + tongue weight. The Airstream has a dry weight of 5979 lbs and a hitch weight of 976 lbs. It would be tricky to make this work.

Returning to the original question for a moment, our new 2016 Ram 1500 door label tells us we have 1050 lbs payload (our 2012 Ram 1500 had 1450 lbs payload). After 15 years and 300,000 miles, well-worn engine, transmission, differential, brakes, springs, shocks, bearings and a rusty body and frame, our Ram 1500 door label still tells us we still have 1050 lbs payload. Think about it, does it still have 1050 lbs payload or was the payload number a little low to begin with?

[VernDiesel]

2017 Airstream's new 33' Classic 8,561 dry
2017 Forrest River Wildcat Maxx 9,086 dry with 3 slides.
No sway WDH & axle to frame bags set up at CAT scale. Truck has GDE tune with turbo brake. I don't recommend these for camping with this truck it's only for dry transport.

But a wet 28 below trailer GVWR assuming it's below your trucks max tow rating with both truck n trailer set up level with good axle weight disbursement will do just fine. Set like this TW should be about 12.5 percent of TT weight ie below receiver, axle, & CVWR.

In fact it should handle an emergency accident avoidance maneuver better than the average bub in a 3/4 ton with the same TT no weight distribution "flying blind" ie never seen a scale.

Like Doug & a few others have been saying focus on weight distribution, axle weights, & CVWR for your family's safety not anything else. Although only following this formula & maxing Both truck & trailer load can get you a little above CVWR. But you will actually know because you will be using the scale.

The FR went 965 miles from northern Oregon to southern Cali over the grades even up the grape vine & through moderate wind in the high desert. No sway issues I tow at 65 & slow to 55 when climbing grades. Descending a grade is drama free with the turbo brake & trailer brake controller no heating the truck brakes. In fact I changed the original pads with 293,000 on the clock. Happy streamin y'all

[AirMiles]

Originally Posted by davidrrand

**************

AirMiles, the link and the specs indicated 3350 lbs. of payload. I think that number is what the max payload for a base truck, not a Platinum crew cab with a diesel. Where was the 1877 given? Not disputing this, just did not see it in the link?

http://www.hannafords.ca/used/Ford/2...ac52ae7e61.htm

Go to the above link, scroll through the pictures until you see the yellow "Tire and Loading Information" sticker, there you will see the "the combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 851 kg or 1877 lbs".

A picture of the tire and loading sticker is included for every truck in inventory.

[xrvr]

If you're so concerned about a few hundred pounds of payload then you need a different tv. The total set up of hitch, tv, and trailer is more important than a few hundred ponds of pay load. Set it up correctly and go for it.

[21Airstream]

Originally Posted by Holy Grail

... if you can avoid the Rockies, you can probably get by with a 1500 pickup. To operate on the safe side, buy a 2500 with a diesel and an exhaust brake. This is the best advice you'll ever receive.

+1 What fun is it to avoid the Rockies? We bought our tv and 27FB FC to enjoy our country. When we crossed Vail Pass last September, we did not have any surplus power (in our '12 Ram 3500 CTD). Why compromise if you don't have to?

[trumpetguy]

My Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi 4wd has a gvwr label of 1278. The Leer cap weighs about 400 lb. My Sherline scale says tongue weight is 1200 lb. So I am over gvwr without any cargo or people yet the truck sits level with a Blue Ox hitch, brakes strong with the factory controller , and tows without sway even in high desert cross winds. I always travel with a full fresh water tank, and empty gray and black tanks.

I do have Sumo Springs so maybe that helps some.

"Does argument trump experience"

[Mergatroyd]

Originally Posted by trumpetguy

My Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi 4wd has a gvwr label of 1278. The Leer cap weighs about 400 lb. My Sherline scale says tongue weight is 1200 lb. So I am over gvwr without any cargo or people yet the truck sits level with a Blue Ox hitch, brakes strong with the factory controller , and tows without sway even in high desert cross winds. I always travel with a full fresh water tank, and empty gray and black tanks.

I do have Sumo Springs so maybe that helps some.

"Does argument trump experience"

Your WD hitch will transfer around 1/3 of the tongue load from the hitch ball to the trailer axles, so your trailer will add only 800 lbs to the truck's payload.

[VernDiesel]

Been over Vail pass four times with Airstreams 3 time going west once going East. So you slow to 50 to 55 on a climb no biggie you are still passing semi. A software tune provides a turbo brake on a an ED which mine has so the descent is always drama free. You don't normally even have to use your truck brakes. Almost nobody is having transmission problems with these with the 8 speed mines about to turn 300k towing TT still working fine.

Nothing wrong with using a bigger truck but question was asked about this one. Find max trailer GVWR find your max tow if they match per above set your hitch & load at the scale you will be good. Yes if you max load both truck & trailer you could be a little over CVWR but it's not like you can't carry a more than a reasonable amount of stuff between truck & trailer. If you have a load such as a quad in your bed plus the AS which would take you over axle then yes by all means get HD you need more truck for your load.

[trumpetguy]

Originally Posted by Mergatroyd

Your WD hitch will transfer around 1/3 of the tongue load from the hitch ball to the trailer axles, so your trailer will add only 800 lbs to the truck's payload.

Thanks for that info

[dkottum]

At the CAT scales our hitched and heavily loaded Airstream adds 800 lbs to our Ram, we have a ProPride hitch and two Grp 31XT AGM (originals Grp 24 AGM) batteries in the battery box. We don't have a Shurline scale, no need for it, the CAT scale tells us what we need to know.

trumpet guy, next time you're loaded and hitched for a trip, run it over a CAT scale along the way and see what your Airstream and individual axle loads are, compare them to the GAWR (axle load rating, they will be 3900 lbs GAWR each) on the drivers door jamb plaque and see what you have.

[21Airstream]

Originally Posted by VernDiesel

... Nothing wrong with using a bigger truck but question was asked about this one...

You're right. I re-read my post and I've got to admit that everything is a compromise... you've just got to be able to live with the choices you make.