We are really wanting to buy a 2009 Spree 318. We have a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD Quad Cab 5.9L. IS THIS CAMPER TOO MUCH FOR THIS TRUCK? One RV dealer assures me we're fine that the dry weight of the camper is 5800 pounds, another says were cutting it close.?? The sticker in my truck door says my GVWR is 6600. The GCVWR is 12,500 according to Dodge website. I wanted some answers BEFORE we take the plunge! thanks guys (and gals)!
* This post was
edited 11/05/09 09:34pm by 33swissmiss33 *
I tow our 6,500lb (fully loaded) trailer with a 2007 F150. The truck has a tow rating of 9,200lbs and the GVWR is 7,200lbs. I've weighed the truck/trailer at the weigh station, and we're below all of our critical weights (axles, hitch, payload, GCWR). It handles the trailer very well, and I've driven over our mountain pass 4 times now with little trouble.
With all of that said, I'm still very close on the weights and you'll be even closer. That doesn't mean you can't do it, but ask yourself these questions first.
How many trips will you make each year?
Does your tow vehicle double as a daily driver?
Will you tow in the mountains?
What will your payload be like? Kids, gear, etc.
If you're a weekend warrior (like us) who will likely take the camper out 8-10 times a year on trips under 200 miles (one way), you'll be fine with a tow setup that's at the limit of your trucks capabilities. If you plan on doing a lot of mountain towing, or you're planning on pulling your trailer thousands of miles on destination trips (snow birding, cross-country vacations, etc.), then you'll probably be better off with a bigger setup.
I'm the son of an engineer, and I believe in the weight formulas. A simple way to calculate things is to subtract 25% from your trucks max tow rating. In my case, 9200lbs minus 25% = 6900lbs. Guess what the GVWR of my trailer is? 6850lbs. You still have to pay attention to tongue weight, payload, and axle weights; however I've found that taking 25% off of your trucks tow rating gives you a good target for how big of a trailer you can tow. Remember to base your purchase on the trailers GVWR and not the dry weight.
So, if I use the calculations you give, my max towing capacity is 8350 minus 25% = 6263lbs. And the GVWR of the trailer is 7500. So then it would be too much....that sucks,
My bet is you're close to the numbers. I have that Spree, and most of them tend to be the LX model, with the front faring over the tanks and the max accessories. It just seems to be the way that they come from the factory. The 5800 lbs is the listed dry weight and doesn't include factory or dealer options, which the LX has in spades. I believe that there is a true weight given on a plaq in one of the drawers that will give a more true weight. My bet is that the true weight of this trailer is probably about 6200 off the factory floor.
You can put in lots of you're stuff into a 318. The propane tanks are 40lb. Hugh front pass through. Storage under both beds and the sofa and dinette, and then there's the panty and the closet. I figure I load mine up with at least 1000lbs of stuff.
I think you will be over with both GVWR and GCVWR. I tow with a Ford Expedition which has a 8800 GVWR. I have a engine smaller then you'res with a 5.4, but you're axle ratio is probably 3.5 and mine is 3.7, which is going to decrease you're towing.
When I'm ready to retire, I'm going to get a Dodge PU to tow my Spree, but it's going to be the 2500 with a diesel.
I think you are pretty close on this one, but if the truck is in pretty good shape I think you would be OK. The TT is pretty long at almost 33 feet. I would first want to know if you have the 3.55 rear end or 3.92 rear end on the truck. On the KZ website it states that the GVWR of the TT is 7300 which is at the max since the Ram has a towing capacity of about 7100 lbs. I think you will be OK with the payload on your truck. I pulled this off of the Dodge Towing Guide website for a 2002 dodge ram 1500 pickup 1500 SLT, QUAD CAB, 4WD, 6.25 FT Bed, Transmission - 4-Speed Automatic, "Magnum" 5.9L SMPI V8:
With Axle Ratio - 3.55 Axle Ratio You Can Tow 7100 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) = 6650 lbs
Payload = 1387 lbs
Curb Weight = 5263 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3092 lbs/3092 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear = 3900 lbs/3900 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) = 12500 lbs
With Axle Ratio - 3.92 Axle Ratio You Can Tow 7100 lbs
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) = 6650 lbs
Payload = 1387 lbs
Curb Weight = 5263 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 3092 lbs/3092 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear = 3900 lbs/3900 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) = 12500 lbs
Good Luck with your decision.
2007 Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab
2009 Nissan Murano SL
2008 Forest River Surveyor 291
I have a 2009 318BHS LX. Mine has a UVW of ~ 6200 lbs from the factory. The floorplan was rated with a 7000 lb GVWR (white and yellow loading stickers) in 2009 although the brochure lists 7500. I asked KZ about this and they said something about not including the hitch weight. That didn't make a whole lot of sense to me so you could probably load it to 7500 without any issues, but in your situation I think you would probably load it to 7000. I pull mine with a Nissan Armada with no issues so it is definitely 1/2 ton territory. The 2010 models I believe have the 7300 GVWR, but they also added a floor level trundle bed in the back so you lose that storage space.
I also have a Spree 318BHS (not an LX model). As others have mentioned the real curb weight is around 6200 lbs. Loaded you'll be in the 7000 lb ballpark. That's with empty water and holding tanks. I recently weighed my TV and TT. I was right at my Titan's 7200 GVWR. My GCW was about 14000 lbs (GCWR 15100 lbs). Now, my Titan probably weighs a bit more than your Ram. It's probably about 5800-5900 lbs.
I suspect that you will be slightly over your GVWR, provided you don't load your truck with a lot of stuff. You will be over on GCWR. As long as you're not doing a lot of mountainous and/or long distance towing, you could probably get by. But, in the long run, a more capable truck is probably in order.
2008 Nissan Titan SE, Crew Cab, 4x4
Long Bed, Big Tow, Roadmaster Active Suspension
ch47d99 wrote: The floorplan was rated with a 7000 lb GVWR (white and yellow loading stickers) in 2009 although the brochure lists 7500. I asked KZ about this and they said something about not including the hitch weight.
The 318BHS has 3500 lb axles. So, the maximum axle weight is 7000 lbs. The hitch weight would be on top of that. Some manufacturers set the GVWR at the axle rating. Others add in the hitch weight (usually unloaded).
So how about a 2003 Ford F250 XLT Super Duty?? My DH has had his eye on one for quite some time. The GVWR is 8800 and the GCWR is 13,500. Would this be plenty better or about the same??
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