Perrysburg Dodgeboy
Perrysburg, Ohio USA
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Joined: 12/06/2003
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Your tt is under what your truck is rated at but not by much. The 13,850# you posted is for a 2500 not the 1500. My 04 is rated at 13,850 with the CTD so you need to recheck what Dodge rates the 1500 at for max trailer rating. IIRC it is somewhere around 9800#. BTW you have a class IV receiver not a class III.
You are most definitely going to need a good WD and sway control system to keep your set up going straight down the road. I also would look at upgrading to E rated tires to help keep the sway under control.
Don
Perrysburg Dodgeboy
2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab SLT Cummins HO
2005 Keystone Cougar 304 BHS
Chrysler the only one to pay back 100% of their loans from the Government. *The Old Car Company" still owes 1.6 billion. Is that better Chuckles 
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HappyTrails2U2
Tennessee is home but being held hostage in GA.
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Joined: 11/11/2009
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M GO BLUE wrote:
Can you tow the TT safely? Not likely...
I tow a 34 ft. trailer with my 1/2 ton truck and there's no tail wagging the dog. The truck has no idea whether the trailer is 20 ft or 40 ft. long it's the weight that matters. The difference in the weight and length of a 1/2 ton truck and a 3/4 ton truck is not all that much difference and a good weigh distribution hitch with sway control will take care of any wagging anyway.
2010 Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 8315BSS
2003 Chevy Silverado 1/2 Ton Extended Cab
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RedG
Fort Worth Texas
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Joined: 10/13/2008
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HappyTrails2U2 wrote:M GO BLUE wrote:
Can you tow the TT safely? Not likely...
I tow a 34 ft. trailer with my 1/2 ton truck and there's no tail wagging the dog. The truck has no idea whether the trailer is 20 ft or 40 ft. long it's the weight that matters. The difference in the weight and length of a 1/2 ton truck and a 3/4 ton truck is not all that much difference and a good weigh distribution hitch with sway control will take care of any wagging anyway.
There's one in every crowd......
2005 Newmar Dutch Star 4024 DP 370 Cummins
Towing my 2012 Malibu w/Blue Ox towbar & Patriot brake system
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HappyTrails2U2
Tennessee is home but being held hostage in GA.
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Joined: 11/11/2009
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RedG wrote:
There's one in every crowd......
You mean the one that thinks that nothing can be towed without a one ton dually? The one that has to drive a big monster fuel guzzling engine clanking truck around the rest of the time that he's not towing his trailer? If that's what your talking about then there's more than one of them here.
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Nvr2loud
Canada
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Joined: 06/19/2012
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M GO BLUE wrote:A 1/2 ton gas truck pulling a 31' TT? Wow...more than likely you will be overweight...may even have a case of the "tail wagging the dog"
Been there and done that...never again for me
Can you tow the TT? YES
Can you tow the TT safely? Not likely...
I can tow my 30 ft TT without a problem behind my GMC Acadia, and it is only a CUV. Towing below my limit, with brakes, and weight distribution, plenty of horse power... I feel it is perfectly safe. I do not know why a vehicle towing at or below it's rated limit is considered unsafe.
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drae0814
Sunny Cal
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Joined: 02/25/2009
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Thank you ANARO i will need to read what you wrote about 10 more times and my 200lbs was only what was in my truck along with the 300 for me and DW But i still don't see over another 200 to 300 loaded in trailer bag of things to ware, kitchen stuff i 22in tv guess i will have to stand on my scale and have my DW hand me each item. I see a lot of trailers going up and down the road with SUV pulling them, much smaller engine and wheel base then my dodge so i think there are a lot of people in my boat my truck is 20ft long and the trailer is 31ft from rear to tongue. i have only taken out twice so far right around 28 miles one way no sway i do have the up graded Goodyear trailers tires and the Draw Tite Weight Distribution hitch with the same maker in a sway control. i haven't been on the big Interstate or the I5 as i am surrounded by 7 campgrounds with in 30 miles or closer to my house so a new truck for 4 to 6 camps a year i don't know its an 05 with 58,000 miles only at 10 miles to gal it just sits in the garage. I am no expert by any means on pulling trailers but if i ever feel unsafe or truck does not sound right or as some of you have put it white knuckles i will trade it or the truck to keep all safe thanks for all the info
enjoy life while you can
05 Dodge HEMI Quad Cab
03 Fleetwood Prowler 31G LS North West Edition
Draw Tite Weight Distribution ans Sway Unit
90885 Prodigy Break Controller
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Taco
VA
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Joined: 11/17/2002
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Load it up how you would to camp in it. setup the weight distribution hitch then take it to the truck stop and weigh it. Make sure you weight steer, drive, and trailer axles separetly.
the only weights I personally would worry about are how your axle weights are compared to the manufacturers axle ratings. I would not worry about gcwr, or gvwr.
From there it is up to you if it feels stable. I have towed the same trailer with a f150, then went to an older srw f350 and now to a new 2500hd chevy. I will tell you this much. There is a pretty noticeable difference in stability from a half ton to a 3/4 or 1 ton.
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Terryallan
Foothills NC
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Joined: 06/28/2004
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t.
Terry & Shay
Coachman Apex 288BH.
04 F150, 5.4, Lariat SuperCab
Lazy Campers
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husk
Home
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Joined: 04/19/2009
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HappyTrails2U2 wrote:RedG wrote:
There's one in every crowd......
You mean the one that thinks that nothing can be towed without a one ton dually? The one that has to drive a big monster fuel guzzling engine clanking truck around the rest of the time that he's not towing his trailer? If that's what your talking about then there's more than one of them here.
I agree with you completely.....I tow a 31' trailer with my F-150, and equalizer sway bars....it is completely safe, I can stop quickly with the Prodigy controller actuating the trailer brakes....the Ford drives like a dream..no sway..I feel completely in control.
I don't want a truck any bigger than I need.........the F-150 tow rating is 9300#..my loaded weight per a pay scales is 7700#.......where is the problem? I haven't found it, and I have been across the US east and west, and north and south.
These threads always end up with half the responders saying you need a bigger truck...even though it is within the trucks specs.....that part of the responses never seem to change.
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MPD56
Canada
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Joined: 12/30/2007
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drae0814 wrote:Thank you ANARO i will need to read what you wrote about 10 more times and my 200lbs was only what was in my truck along with the 300 for me and DW But i still don't see over another 200 to 300 loaded in trailer bag of things to ware, kitchen stuff i 22in tv guess i will have to stand on my scale and have my DW hand me each item. I see a lot of trailers going up and down the road with SUV pulling them, much smaller engine and wheel base then my dodge so i think there are a lot of people in my boat my truck is 20ft long and the trailer is 31ft from rear to tongue. i have only taken out twice so far right around 28 miles one way no sway i do have the up graded Goodyear trailers tires and the Draw Tite Weight Distribution hitch with the same maker in a sway control. i haven't been on the big Interstate or the I5 as i am surrounded by 7 campgrounds with in 30 miles or closer to my house so a new truck for 4 to 6 camps a year i don't know its an 05 with 58,000 miles only at 10 miles to gal it just sits in the garage. I am no expert by any means on pulling trailers but if i ever feel unsafe or truck does not sound right or as some of you have put it white knuckles i will trade it or the truck to keep all safe thanks for all the info
Drae0814: Your same questions are posted a lot. In my opinion you first have to understand the reasons why they have the numbers in the first place and how to do the math. These are real numbers that can’t have multiple answers. The only way to know what your trailer and truck weigh, is to have it weighed on a scale.
The other thing that throws a wrench into this topic is human feelings that isn’t a real fact, but is more important to you because even if the numbers say it is OK, if you are not having fun towing your rig, does it really matter. Only you know your limits. Don’t think that “ignorance is plisse”
FYI:
I have driven an 80,000 pound Semi with two trailers through major cities and don’t think that driving my personal 35’ 5th wheel for the first time was easier on my feelings.
People ask me a lot if their TV can pull that trailer; my answer is “I don’t know if it is full of rocks or feathers?”
Some people don’t think the length of a trailer or type of TV doesn’t have anything to do with handling or safety. Well you only have to be escorted across the Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge in high winds at less then 20 mph for 5 miles “once” to figure out feelings peak before you think of any weight numbers LOL.
I think you know where I’m going.
A fact:
Yesterday when I was driving through town, a tourist had traffic stop on a 4 lane city street because he missed a turn and was making a “U” turn. He had a 2012 Ford F150 Super Crew towing a 29’ Cougar 5th wheel and behind that he was towing a smart car. My wife asked me if he was overloaded. I don’t know but I guess he felt completely in control. I wish I had a camera and if that person is a member and reads this, I sure hope he will post a picture of his rig.
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