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Old 08-06-2017, 04:29 PM   #1
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what size airstream can I tow

I am a new member to this forum and enjoy all the great info from owners of airstreams,I am on the look for a airstream and am driving a dodge ram 1500 with a 5.7 hemi,the dodge dealer says I should tow around 10,000 lb. I am looking at 27 to 30 ft. lenghts, what do you all think is realistic and safe for my ram to pull?
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Old 08-06-2017, 04:40 PM   #2
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You can tow any Airstream.
Stopping any Airstream is another story.

A friend of mine bought the same truck a year or so ago based on the tow capacity the dealer said. When he first towed his utility trailer he felt it was severely underpowered. He looked up his VIN and his truck was actually only rated to tow 6500 lbs based on the specific package he had. Dealer didn't know what he was talking about. Look up your vin and double check.

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Old 08-06-2017, 04:54 PM   #3
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In addition to the weight you can tow, one of the things that is most overlooked is the payload of the truck. A 28 or 30 foot will have a tongue weight of something around 800 to 1000 pounds. A couple of peeps, full of gas and you will probably be close to your payload.
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Old 08-06-2017, 05:09 PM   #4
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the dealer actually did look up vin# and it came to 10,150 lbs. for towing and payload, what else do i need to be concerned about?
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Old 08-06-2017, 05:12 PM   #5
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the dealer actually did look up vin# and it came to 10,150 lbs. for towing and payload, what else do i need to be concerned about?


You need to know the max payload rating for your particular truck.10,150 is supposedly the amount of weight that your truck can pull and has no bearing on the payload rating.
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Old 08-06-2017, 05:24 PM   #6
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so are you saying that the vin# that the dealer looked up that said 10150Lbs for towing and payload is different than payload rating, somewhat confused,sorry but new to this
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Old 08-06-2017, 05:32 PM   #7
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Don't know about Ram and what the dealer looked up, but typically max tow and max payload are mutually exclusive. Any cargo and people in the TV (not counting the tongue weight) subtracts from the maximum trailer. At least that is how I understand it.

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Old 08-06-2017, 05:33 PM   #8
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Yes. Payload is a separate issue. That info will be on the driver side door post. Don't confuse the axle ratings with total payload.
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Old 08-06-2017, 05:35 PM   #9
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Hi

Ok,

payload = gross vehicle weight rating - weight of vehicle (more or less).

receiver max weight = how much the "hitch socket" is designed to take as added weight.

Front axle and rear axle have max weight ratings.

tow capacity = gross combined vehicle weight minus vehicle weight and possibly payload (but not always)

Payload may or may not include fuel or passengers

So no, it's not just one single number. In some cases tow capacity may be one number with a weight distributing hitch and another number *without* a WD hitch.

Payload needed also is going to have to cover whatever "stuff" you happen to haul along with you in the truck. Some can do fine with a 1500, others "need" a 2500, there are a few who bring along things that bump them into a 3500. It depends a *lot* on what you will be doing.

Trucks are like anything else, you *can* modify them. There is no doubt in anybody's mind that you can make them better. A 1500 with upgrades can do all sorts of things. When it gets to the level of new engine and drive train, some might wonder about "why?".

If you look at what most people are using, they seem to cut over to 2500's at about 28 feet. That's not to say you *must* do that. It's just to say that trailer + junk + "cool factor" cuts in at that point.

Bob
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Old 08-06-2017, 06:02 PM   #10
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you all have been helpful and thank you uncle bob in putting it into perspective that makes sense to me, I hear you saying staying around 25 to 27 ft. might work better
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Old 08-06-2017, 06:20 PM   #11
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you all have been helpful and thank you uncle bob in putting it into perspective that makes sense to me, I hear you saying staying around 25 to 27 ft. might work better
Hi

For *most people* that seems to be the comfort zone. No single person's situation will ever be a perfect fit to "most people".

Further complications come from the fact that it's not the length as much as the weight of the trailer that matters. The "full loaded weight" of a 33' Classic is the same as the full loaded weight of a 30' Classic. A 30' Flying Cloud is much lighter when loaded to the max than a 30' Classic fully loaded. Will you ever "max load" any of these - I doubt it ....

The actual sizes and weights of the 23' to 28' models are a lot closer to each other than the model numbers would suggest. That's not even getting into how things have varied over the last 50 years or so. I would not rule any of them out with the truck I believe you have.

Given the price (and longevity) of an AS, picking one based on the TV you now have may not be the best approach. Trading a tow is not that crazy. The trailer will outlive a number of tow vehicles. Buying a trailer that's to small or to large for your needs and then trading it in ... that's expensive. Focus on your needs in a trailer first. Find one that fits what you want to do. If that trailer is perfect for your tow ... great. If it's a bit large, consider a trade, either now or down the road a bit.

Bob
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Old 08-06-2017, 06:37 PM   #12
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Hi

For *most people* that seems to be the comfort zone. No single person's situation will ever be a perfect fit to "most people".

Further complications come from the fact that it's not the length as much as the weight of the trailer that matters. The "full loaded weight" of a 33' Classic is the same as the full loaded weight of a 30' Classic. A 30' Flying Cloud is much lighter when loaded to the max than a 30' Classic fully loaded. Will you ever "max load" any of these - I doubt it ....

The actual sizes and weights of the 23' to 28' models are a lot closer to each other than the model numbers would suggest. That's not even getting into how things have varied over the last 50 years or so. I would not rule any of them out with the truck I believe you have.

Given the price (and longevity) of an AS, picking one based on the TV you now have may not be the best approach. Trading a tow is not that crazy. The trailer will outlive a number of tow vehicles. Buying a trailer that's to small or to large for your needs and then trading it in ... that's expensive. Focus on your needs in a trailer first. Find one that fits what you want to do. If that trailer is perfect for your tow ... great. If it's a bit large, consider a trade, either now or down the road a bit.

Bob
I totally agree with Uncle Bob. Get the AS you want and you can adjust the TV to meet your needs.

Regarding the payload and towing specs on your current TV, you can go to this RAM truck website and you can enter you VIN (on the right side in the red box which says "Look Up My Vehicle") to get the numbers for your truck. Maybe it will be helpful.

FWIW I tow a 25FB with my RAM 1500, 5.7 hemi, 8 speed tranny and 3.55 rear.
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Old 08-06-2017, 07:54 PM   #13
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You have gotten a lot of good, common sense advice.

One way to think about some of these terms is that tow weight weighting is what you can pull, but payload is what you can carry. Think of yourself as a person doing some work outside. You can drag around a wheelbarrow full of topsoil. Maybe you can drag a full wheelbarrow with 10 bags in it. That's 400 pounds you can pull (tow).

Can you carry that much at once? Probably not.

I am a middle aged woman who works at a desk. I go to the gym and do some weights now and again, and I can load the wheelbarrow up just fine with those 10 bags of dirt, but I have to carry them 1 at at time. My payload is 40 pounds if I need to do it for an extended period of time.

When I go to buy the dirt, the young and stronger loaders at the garden center, they can carry 2 bags at once. Their payload is 80 pounds.

My truck has a tow capacity of 10,000 pounds.
It has a payload of about 1200 pounds.

My trailer has a hitch weight of 835 pounds. So that uses up some payload, since the frame of the truck has to carry it. (ignoring any weight distribution for now). Truck also has to carry us, the dog, our chairs and other things in the truck bed and back seat. These all use up payload . (Note, for most manufacturers, the driver and full tank of gas are accounted for before the payload is calculated, since they are constants)

So the frame of the truck has to carry the payload, just like your arms and legs and back have to carry the bags of topsoil.

My truck could pull a heavier trailer, but realistically the two of us camping, along with the stuff we want to bring along, is at a comfortable payload level with our 25 Flying Cloud.
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Old 08-06-2017, 08:58 PM   #14
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Old 08-06-2017, 09:42 PM   #15
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We have had two Ram 1500's, Hemi and Ecodiesel, towed extensively through every state except a few in the upper east coast, mostly in the West. You will do very well with any midsize Airstream (25-28 feet). They all come to about 1,000 lbs hitch weight when fully loaded, of which your weight distribution hitch will transfer at least 200 lbs to the trailer axles, leaving 800 on the truck. A high quality weight distribution hitch will make it successful, otherwise you're out of luck. Don't underestimate the importance of this.

Payload, a good reference for hauling but of little use when towing with a weight distribution hitch. Use the axle ratings (Ram 1500 are 3900 lbs front and rear) to know what your truck can carry. Set up your weight distribution and take it to the CAT scale to verify axle loads. The combined weight of loaded truck and trailer for your truck (GCWR) will advise you what your truck and trailer can pull, handle, and stop. With your Ram 1500, mid-size Airstream, and reasonable travel load you will be good.

BTW, Airstreams with their streamlined shape, low center of gravity, and full independent suspension tow easier than any other travel trailer. The truck's ratings don't consider this advantage.

Then it will be up to you to spend some time learning good trailering skills. Some never get beyond this.
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Old 08-06-2017, 11:28 PM   #16
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All good replys but Dkottum actually took the time to explain it the how & the why. After you pick your TT pick a WDH appropriate for your TT.

One way take the max gvwr of the TT as your camp ready weight should be below this. With a measured level TT the hitch weight should be about 12.5 percent. So if you have an 8,000 pound gvwr or max wet TT your tongue weight would be about 1,000 pounds before weight redistribution. So you would want a hitch with at least 1,000 pound rating bars. 1,100 or 1,500 depending on hitch mfg would work also just nothing less than the 1,000 for this example.

The exception being the high dollar 4 point hitches ie a Pro Prop or Hennessy.

The weight distribution hitch will transfer weight off your drive axle & back to your steer axle and also some back to the trailer axles. Not only does this translate into less weight toward your truck's gvwr or actual payload (often 6,950 for 4th gen Ram 1500) but more importantly it balances the load between your truck axles for better safer handling & stability and a safer setup for your family. Today these hitches also come with built in sway control. For the 4th gen 1500 Ram actually says to use a WDH for trailers over 5,000 pounds.

People who don't understand this or are unwilling to take their truck & TT to the scale to set it up often have to get bigger trucks to compensate for what they don't know.

I've transported many of the largest heaviest 30 & 33' Classics with my 1500 Ram ED but for camping with your family would suggest a 28 or shorter if you must keep your existing truck. Last if it doesn't have it add the factory trailer brake controller as it makes any down hill decents much safer.
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Old 08-07-2017, 05:58 AM   #17
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I am a new member to this forum and enjoy all the great info from owners of airstreams,I am on the look for a airstream and am driving a dodge ram 1500 with a 5.7 hemi,the dodge dealer says I should tow around 10,000 lb. I am looking at 27 to 30 ft. lenghts, what do you all think is realistic and safe for my ram to pull?
A lot depends on your level of experience. How much towing have you done? How comfortable are you towing? That's a fairly large trailer for a half ton. Where are you planning to go camping?

I know that's a lot of questions and no answers but if you're not planning to go up 10% grades for 20 miles and are good at towing that truck might be fine for a 27'. Personally I would go with a larger truck, and I've towed quite a few different loads with a half ton. You will need a WD properly set up, and you'll notice that truck will squat quite a bit without it.

A lot has to do with your ability and level of comfort.
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Old 08-07-2017, 07:57 AM   #18
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One way to think about some of these terms is that tow weight weighting is what you can pull, but payload is what you can carry. Think of yourself as a person doing some work outside. You can drag around a wheelbarrow full of topsoil. Maybe you can drag a full wheelbarrow with 10 bags in it. That's 400 pounds you can pull (tow).

Can you carry that much at once? Probably not.

I am a middle aged woman who works at a desk. I go to the gym and do some weights now and again, and I can load the wheelbarrow up just fine with those 10 bags of dirt, but I have to carry them 1 at at time. My payload is 40 pounds if I need to do it for an extended period of time.

When I go to buy the dirt, the young and stronger loaders at the garden center, they can carry 2 bags at once. Their payload is 80 pounds.
That is the most cogent, succinct explanation I have ever seen in layman's terms! I hope you don't mind, but I am going to steal this for future use!
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Old 08-07-2017, 08:04 AM   #19
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That is the most cogent, succinct explanation I have ever seen in layman's terms! I hope you don't mind, but I am going to steal this for future use!
I totally agree with this explanation. Very well done!
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Old 08-07-2017, 10:53 AM   #20
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You can tow almost any Airstream trailer ever made.
The only ones I don't think your truck can handle are the 34' slide-out models.
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