First tow with new (to us) TV

[TCwheels]

Originally Posted by drzapper1

Does anyone tow a 19 ft Bambi with a Lexus GX 470 or a Toyota Sequoia with a 4.7 liter engine?

No, but I tow a 2011 FC20' with a Lexus RX350...


WBCCI #7246 Michigan Unit,Texas Hill Country Unit (associate member), AIR #91367

[coveredwagon]

I have an LX450 right now with almost 200,000 miles on it and am thinking it's not quite powerful enough for a trip thru the Rockies and Grand Tetons. I am afraid I might blow it up.

[Al and Missy]

David,

My hitch does not have any kind of a weight specifications label on it. I thought that was required by the FMVSS, but I guess not. Further, there are no specs in any of my manuals for tongue weight. I did find this on the Reese site:

"Class V hitches used as weight carrying are rated up to 12,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1200 lbs.

Class V hitches used for weight distributing are rated up to 17,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1700 lbs."

My hitch seems nice and tight and is certainly suitable for my 6300# trailer with less than 900# tongue weight.

Al

[dbj216]

Your new Ram - Cummins HD pick up is designed for some serious work. A lot of folks use these trucks for commercial purposes. Many of us know folks who are farmers, landscapers, masonry contractors, excavators and the like.

I see these type of trucks connected to big flat bed trailers with heavy skid steer machines or even backhoes on them. The hitch may be a "pintle" type where there is a simple hoop that drops over the ball with a finger that locks down on top of the ball. There is certainly no weight distribution system on these trailers. Folks using trucks like yours are not interested in comfortable towing, they are interested in getting the equipment to the job site.

I was quite surprised to learn that my HD pick up class V hitch is only rated for 600 pounds when a reducer sleeve is used. My Airstream tongue weight is in the low 900 pound range. And I use the reducer sleeve.

But maybe we worry too much about a catastrophic receiver failure. We are much more likely to get in a traffic accident.

Your Ram might have many advanced features including coil spring suspensions as opposed to the leaf springs on mine. Enjoy the ride!

David

[TCwheels]

Originally Posted by drzapper1

I have an LX450 right now with almost 200,000 miles on it and am thinking it's not quite powerful enough for a trip thru the Rockies and Grand Tetons. I am afraid I might blow it up.

Do you have the Lexus towing package? I think you have enough power, but certainly with the gas mileage, which is already not too good in that vehicle, would suffer dramatically

[m.hony]

When we were at Jackson Center we met a lady towing a 16' she had just bought with a Lexus RX330.
When she got home to Alabama, she bought a Tahoe.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[TCwheels]

Originally Posted by m.hony

When we were at Jackson Center we met a lady towing a 16' she had just bought with a Lexus RX330.
When she got home to Alabama, she bought a Tahoe.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Well, I know a guy who took one trip towing with his Tundra and then traded it at a big loss for a Dodge 1500 with a Hemi.


WBCCI #7246 Michigan Unit,Texas Hill Country Unit (associate member), AIR #91367

[switz]

The Curt 15300 is rated for a 2,400 pound tongue weight and a 16,000 pound trailer weight. It is a Class V with 2" square receiver. It weighs almost 59 pounds.

The Curt 15049 is rated for a 2,550 pound tongue weight and a 17,000 pound trailer weight. It is rated as a Class V XL with a 2" square receiver and weighs close to 79 pounds. This can be installed even if the factory receiver is installed.

[slowmover]

On a Dodge I'd much rather have a Reese than value leader Curt. Closely compare the design and construction of Curt and Reese. Note the attachments in several planes on the Reese 45299 and that it replaces the rear crossmember. This receiver is far better than the so called Class V Curt I have currently.

It ain't the "rating". Otherwise we'd be using ST tires.

Both can use reinforcement as SAE underestimated WDH force. A Reese extension tube kit cut to behind the rear axle pumpkin and diagonally to frame rails. Etc.

But only the Reese starts in the correct plane.

Take your time.

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by slowmover

On a Dodge I'd much rather have a Reese than value leader Curt. Closely compare the design and construction of Curt and Reese. Note the attachments in several planes on the Reese 45299 and that it replaces the rear crossmember. This receiver is far better than the so called Class V Curt I have currently.

It ain't the "rating". Otherwise we'd be using ST tires.

Both can use reinforcement as SAE underestimated WDH force. A Reese extension tube kit cut to behind the rear axle pumpkin and diagonally to frame rails. Etc.

But only the Reese starts in the correct plane.

Take your time.

And to the OP. Get the FALR to 100% as your default hitch setting. TT tires to sidewall maximum. TV tires to door placard number range. Look for side to side discrepancies in TT weights and see if moving items aboard is worthwhile.

If I can tell 5-lbs in a front tire and a pallet being 4" off center on a 53" flatbed, I'm guessing RVers can learn to work formulas and learn a new norm.

Too high TV tire pressure and too low TT pressure is the wrong direction.

[PaulnGina]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Note the attachments in several planes on the Reese 45299 and that it replaces the rear crossmember.

I pulled up that model on Reese's site. I Like the way that attaches to so many places. Apparently has attachment points to the vertical sides of the truck frame, not just the underneath side??

The custom rear bumper I had made is much like that....

[PaulnGina]

The Reese Class V hitch that would fit my truck is 45002... built like the Curt, but 2.5" receiver compared to 2" on the Curt.

Is the frame on the Dodge so different that it "needs" the side-frame attachment points?

[xrvr]

Perhaps the tw with the reducer is six hundred pounds because that is the rating for most two inch ball mounts. Peace,jim