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mdsonofthesouth
Maryland
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Joined: 02/15/2023
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Heres a link to the exact camper: https://www.keystonerv.com/product/springdale/comfort-travel-trailers/floorplans/280BH
The tow vehicle is a 2016 Ram 1500 that has upgraded shocks, springs(TufTruck XHD), sway bars, Helper airbags and E-Rated tires. I will be using a weight distributing hitch just like I do with my current 26Ft Shadow Cruiser and my vehicle does have a brake controller/tow package.
So per the specs of this Travel trailer I should be fine with proper loading of my truck, but what worries me is the length of this new TT. The original plan was to get a few more years out of the shadow cruiser until I can get a Ram 2500, but the camper is causing me too many headaches left over from the previous owners + we need more room for the family and dog. No mountains are in our immediate future and most trips are ~3 hours or less.
So do yall think I can safely tow this camper? Thanks!
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TurnThePage
North ID
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If it's within specs, and considering your upgrades, I would go for it. You may want to consider a high end sway controlling WDH. I'm actually in the same boat right now with my Ram 1500. I've been instructed to purchase a little longer than I had planned so we can accommodate kids and grand kids.
2015 Ram 1500
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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She’s a big’un for a half ton but I’d do it all day long. Bags and a wdh will keep ‘er level.
Hemi, even if it has 3.21 gears will be ok. As long it has a towing package and the trans stays cool. But don’t freak out if you see 200-210 deg trans temps. The 8HP in our Charger runs 200 deg all day long in a car.
Just taker easy.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
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mdsonofthesouth
Maryland
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TurnThePage wrote:If it's within specs, and considering your upgrades, I would go for it. You may want to consider a high end sway controlling WDH. I'm actually in the same boat right now with my Ram 1500. I've been instructed to purchase a little longer than I had planned so we can accommodate kids and grand kids.
Yeah we love our 26ft, but when inclement weather comes and we want to chill out and watch a movie or something its not a great setup. Add in that the wife and I need to sit sideways to use the toilet and have the door closed doesn't help. For 2 people its great! for 4 and a dog its pretty snug. Not to mention the previous owners didn't take good care of it and I have had to replace 2 walls in the camper myself, repair a poorly sealed fiberglass that pealed back DURING our last trip and now the frame has torn and rotted where the drivers side rear leaf spring bracket is welded to it. But other than that we LOVE RVing and cant see ourselves without a camper.
Like I said even with the higher gearing the weight is within the limit and the tongue/hitch weight with us will be good. The WDH I use now for our Shadow Cruiser is rated at 1200lbs and the camper has a hitch weight of 545lbs. Id honestly stick with the same "size" or maybe even go up a size to be safe. My main concern is safety of my family and others around me. I also worry about legal issues having a CDL for work (Class B) but seems like the numbers and law are on my side with this one.
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MFL
Midwest
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At 33', that would be a chore to handle in the wind, if truck was in stock form. With the upgrades you have, suspension, E-rated tires, I'd sure give it a go. You are an experienced tower already, and should recognize if it handles poorly. Make sure to have your hitch wt at 12-13%, if you aren't overloading your receivers capability.
Welcome to the forum, and good luck!
Jerry
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mdsonofthesouth
Maryland
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MFL wrote:At 33', that would be a chore to handle in the wind, if truck was in stock form. With the upgrades you have, suspension, E-rated tires, I'd sure give it a go. You are an experienced tower already, and should recognize if it handles poorly. Make sure to have your hitch wt at 12-13%, if you aren't overloading your receivers capability.
Welcome to the forum, and good luck!
Jerry
Thank you for your response and welcoming! I do have some experience with 5 or so years with the TT and longer hauling hay but I always appreciate input and can always learn something new.
My guess is the hitch wieght will be between 900 and 1000, but will plan on 1- 1.1k hence the idea of going up a size with the wd hitch. My max weight for my hitch is 1200 which is also a concern, but within spec. I have alot of thinking to do that's for sure!
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Lantley
Ellicott City, Maryland
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A 33' long 9600# GVW TT will put an average 1/2 ton at its limits.
On a good day you may be on OK.
On a bad weather day you will be taking your chances.
Stay on the flats you maybe OK, go into the mountains and you are testing your limits.
I live in MD and I can travel North, south or east of Baltimore with ease however if you head west the equation/landscape changes quickly.
I always want my combo to be set up to travel with out limitations.
The combo you are considering will NOT be without limitations!
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bikendan
Goodyear, Arizona
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mdsonofthesouth wrote:Heres a link to the exact camper: https://www.keystonerv.com/product/springdale/comfort-travel-trailers/floorplans/280BH
The tow vehicle is a 2016 Ram 1500 that has upgraded shocks, springs(TufTruck XHD), sway bars, Helper airbags and E-Rated tires. I will be using a weight distributing hitch just like I do with my current 26Ft Shadow Cruiser and my vehicle does have a brake controller/tow package.
So per the specs of this Travel trailer I should be fine with proper loading of my truck, but what worries me is the length of this new TT. The original plan was to get a few more years out of the shadow cruiser until I can get a Ram 2500, but the camper is causing me too many headaches left over from the previous owners + we need more room for the family and dog. No mountains are in our immediate future and most trips are ~3 hours or less.
So do yall think I can safely tow this camper? Thanks!
You didn't post what the driver's door sticker says is the truck's payload capacity. 2016 Ram 1500s were notorious for poor payload capacities.
Figuring that having 1000lbs of axtra trai,er weight, when loaded for camping, 12% would mean a ballpark tongue weight of 984lbs. That goes against the payload number, then subtract the weights of everyone in the truck, any truck cargo/add-ons weight and 100lbs for the WDH. If there's any payload capacity left,you should be OK.
Dan- Firefighter, Retired">, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur">, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever(RIP">), 2014 Ford F150 3.5 EcoboostMax Tow pkg, 2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255 w/4pt Equalizer and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
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mdsonofthesouth
Maryland
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Lantley wrote:A 33' long 9600# GVW TT will put an average 1/2 ton at its limits.
On a good day you may be on OK.
On a bad weather day you will be taking your chances.
Stay on the flats you maybe OK, go into the mountains and you are testing your limits.
I live in MD and I can travel North, south or east of Baltimore with ease however if you head west the equation/landscape changes quickly.
I always want my combo to be set up to travel with out limitations.
The combo you are considering will NOT be without limitations!
Yep sadly have lived here all my life. Doubt Ill pass much further west than Frederick to Brunswick area. Most of my driving would be to the Outer Banks, eastern shore, Central MD to NC maybe. I know until I get the 2500 Ill have limitations and will avoid Appalachia for sure! Heck I wouldn't want to go to the mountains without an exhaust brake no matter the size of my camper.
bikendan wrote:
You didn't post what the driver's door sticker says is the truck's payload capacity. 2016 Ram 1500s were notorious for poor payload capacities.
Figuring that having 1000lbs of axtra trai,er weight, when loaded for camping, 12% would mean a ballpark tongue weight of 984lbs. That goes against the payload number, then subtract the weights of everyone in the truck, any truck cargo/add-ons weight and 100lbs for the WDH. If there's any payload capacity left,you should be OK.
The 280BH is 7100-7200 dry, add ~1000lbs (probably will be much less) in "stuff" and then 13% tongue weight will be around 1100lbs. The kids, wife, dog, stuff and myself are ~540lbs. If I put the bikes and such on the back of the camper I should be around my payload capacity.
No matter how I slice it Im extremely close to my limits and the more I think about it the more I get uneasy with the proposition. Sad thing is my current RV looks like it will be in its last year before I have to do serious frame repairs or sell it if I can. If I get a camper I'm 5 years from a new truck and if I get a new truck Im 5 years away from getting a camper...unless I win the lottery.
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blt2ski
Kirkland, Wa
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1000 lbs or less stuff in trailer....
Had a fellow moderator say in his new trailer he would load less than 750 lbs for wife and himself. I laughed, said 1000-1200 lbs. Not going to say who was correct. My family of 6 were typically 1500-3000 lbs in our 24' trailer, depending upon if it was a summer weekend, or a 3-4 day ski weekend. Let's not mention the day we got 20 miles down the hill, and had 6000 lbs of snow between the trailer and what was in the bed of the truck. Pass got shut down for 4-5 days, they lets us leave with an hour or two notice.
My 02 on what you will really pack! 1500-2000 would be more realistic.
Marty
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer
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