pwabbott

njoverkill,
If you have the 3.73 rear axle, your tow rating is 11,400#, with SO automatic, (4.10 axle tow rating is 13,400#).

"How will my Ram feel if I tow to it's max towing capacity (about 13,000#)?"

The Ram will handle the maximum tow capacity much better than the Cherokee.

The greatest factor from a safety standpoint is the driver. Too many drivers towing drive faster than their skill, physical/mental condition, for their tow rig, to be able to react in emergency situations.

Even professional drivers make this mistake. Every year we have multiple vehicle accidents on I-5 in which several persons are killed by drivers that don't slow down for near zero visibility conditions caused by fog. Usually there are several big rigs involved even running into each other.

I have towed my 5er (11,000# loaded) some 16,000 miles in the past year and my Ram handles the 5er much better than my wife's Grand Cherokee handled a 3500# trailer.

Some tow combinations are just "unsafe at any speed" and that could be said of some drivers.

Jim O

Sierra
I don't think that it is a fair comparison. Your Dodge with a 13000 lbs draw bar trailer compared to a Grande Cherokee with a Max rated draw bar trailer would be a fair comparison not with a Fiver.
My wife also has a Gr Cherokee with a tow package and it is rated for 6500lbs with the V8 (318cid) and although I have never used it for a RV trailer I have towed my carhauler with another Jeep Gr Cherokee on it and it was fine.
I do agree that some screw ups are driver error but that happens with out overloading as well.
JimO

MnTom

The unfortunate thing is THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST BEING STUPID. : :

Tiny

Are you sure that was a Jeep? Only way I could tell was form the rims. Sure would have been a wild ride!

Casey Balvert

Gee Phil, I sure hope I never get on you're wrong side. While I agree with you in principle, maybe there are better ways to get the point across. Casey

Jim O

Sierra Phil
I am assuming your comments were addressing my post. First of all a Grande Cherokee weighs around 4200 lbs. ( the one I hauled was a Six cylander. My car hauler weighs 2250 empty. 2250 + 4200= 6450 and the Max trailer weight that is recomended for my wifes Grande Cherokee is 6500. Does that make me smart? I was towing it for a friend that broke down and I know he would have done it for me. The point that you so obviously missed was it is not correct to compare a fiver to a drawbar trailer.to put this in words that you may understand, would you feel more comfortable pulling a 13000lbs, fifth wheel trailer or a conventional trailer with a equalizer hitch. If you are as smart as you try to let others believe you will pick the fiver. If your last post on this topic was not directed at me then I apoligize. Please note I did this all with out shouting
Jim O

pwabbott

Jim O,

I believe you have missed the point, Dodge, rates the Ram for towing a drawbar trailer no more than 10,000# regardless of how it is equipped. If you are talking about towing 13,000#, then you must have a fiver or gooseneck hitch.

The drawbar trailer and the fiver do have different hitches and require different driving skills. I have both, I know the differences and and am not a novice at towing either. I would feel comfortable towing either for comparison if both were 10,000#, properly equipped with hitches and other safety equipment, and properly loaded.

I have seen too many of both kinds of trailers towed at excessive speed for the road conditions and type of tow vehicle.

California and other western states have lower speed limits than many other states. In spite of this there many towing drivers who "put the pedal to the metal" and are constantly switching lanes as though driving a sports car. Youmust drive differently when towing whether 10,000# GCW or 18,000# GCW.

Cumminsdude

I dont know about any other states, but I'm pretty sure theres no extra license a driver needs in order to haul things in NY. Don't you guys agree that people should have to take a course or a test or something to haul certain things? I mean, that thing is like a 30ft rocket. I'd gladly take a test to know that others are hopefully doing the same thing. Maybe not a test for every trailer but ones that are a certain lenght or weight u know..

Just my $.02

y-knot

I agree that the driver of the travel trailer was overloaded and probally ****'d his self. I do hope there was not any injuries. I to have gone to travel trailer lots and had the salesman tell me I could pull a trailer like that with a ranger? They are ,I hope in the minority, and a disgrace to the profession. My take on this whole thing is vehicles are assigned towing capacities, and these limits are to be abided by. If you have a ranger and it's limit is 1500lbs, then that should be refered to as the absoulute maximum to tow, and stay under it. Same goes for our Rams, it they have a limit of say 13,400lbs, then that should be it. And the 10,000lb limit for a tag modle is it's limit. There is a huge difference between a tag and a fith wheeler, or gooseneck. Before our trailer we have now, I had a tri-axle enclosed that was right there at 10,000lbs. It tracked fine, and was a very well made trailer, but it's handling and sability was nothing like a gooseneck. Any type of quick or evasive maneuver and the trailer was a handfull. There were several occations when I really thought we were toast, all caused by people pulling out in front of us. The gooseneck is totaly different, first it's weight is forward of the rear axle, and actions taken by the tow vehicle are not amplified like a tag, were the weight is four feet behind the axle.
Anyway when one thinks about towing there should be several factors that they take into account. 1.) How much experiance do I have with this type of trailer. Take into account the lenght,weight,hitch configuration,number of axles, number of brake axles, height, and shape. 2.) What is my truck capabile of towing, legally. And what weight do I feel comfortable with. This should be the first thing checked. What ever the tow limit of the tow vehicle, that should be your maximum trailer weight when loaded, and ready to go. Not while it's sitting on the dealers lot. So try and figure up what that weight would be (water =8lbs to a gallon,cloths, food,ect) and keep it handy. Add it to the trailers weight and do not concider any trailer that is over the limit. 3.) Good drivers are not born, they are taught. Take time to get use to the new rig. Paractice backing. These is something that just takes time to learn, and different styles and lenght trailers have a different cut. Get use to the way your trailer follows. And when turning, large trailer do what is called "Off Tracking". It's the line your trailer takes while turning a corner, that is different from your truck. Also learn to look much further down the road when towing. I like to add a good 200-300 ft to my normal distance, especialy in areas with traffic lights. And increase your following distance, get a little more room between you and the other cars in front of you. You have a very long and heavey load behind you, you will need more time to stop, and you do not want to make quick sudden movements. This allows you time to deal with whatever they do in front of you. Watch your mirrors, you need to know whats happening on both sides at all times, remember you have to anticipate the movements of others. Plan your fuel stops, with a long load there are many places you will not be abile to get into, I like to start looking when I get just passed the half tank mark, on interstates it's a little easier. When you do stop, take the time and walk around the trailer and truck, look and make sure it's right, check tires, hitch, ect.
These are just a few reminders, and while there are a few books out there that one could read up on, there really isn't any substitue for good old common since. Also if you are fourtunite enough to have a co-pilot like I have with my wife, then you need to work as a team. They should be just as attentive as you, looking forward to help spot trouble, and not just riding along for the ride. I do think pulling trailers are fun, I realy enjoy it. And I welcome the extra pair of eyes, there has been several time my co-pilot seen something when I didn't. Also I think sometimes we are our own worst enimies, we know the Cummins and it's strengths and tend to think it can handle more then the limit might suggest. Well it can, just the truck can not.Good luck.

ddestruel

Really good advise there, especially the walk around, i wouldnt have thought to mention that, its just second nature. also carry a tire gauge check your tire pressures when you stop a low tire can blow latter on because of the increased heat produced. otherwise all good advise, and experience & knowing your speed are both major factors. Your GCWR can increase safely and legally, via reregistering. at least in my own opinion if you traier's axle ratings are appropriate and they have brakes I try to load so that my truck scales around 10000 at the tires both truck axles and my gooseneck is maxed out at around 16000-20000 at the tires since the axles are both 12k axles on the trailer and the truck can handle 4500F and 6800R you are safely loaded but not over loaded still leaving a saftly margin. Loading a double combo is a whole different story especially with a ball hitch rear.

ALSO DONT PULL DOUBLES UNLESS YOU ARE REALLY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR VEHICLE. alot of people hook up to a second trailer without realizing the compounded effect that it will add to your vehicles driving characteristics. Also if you do pull doubles put brakes on the rear vehicle and adjust the brakes to be just a hair tighter than the middle vehicle or on a different brake controller so that if you do slide on ice the rear trailer will engage and hold the load realatively straight.

I am licensed to run doubles and tripples with CMV and my pickup, and as a word of advise as long as you never think that you have the upper hand on your vehicle and trailer and you keep your gaurd up while towing youll prevent yourself from getting into some trouble. Too many people get a sevre case of false confidence while pulling a trailer or trailers and thats when accidents happen.


Keep her shinny side up
Dusty

pwabbott

I agree with the walk-around and tire pressure checks.

I have another practice, when I start moving the first 20 minutes or so I hold my speed down. This time allows me to listen to the way the truck is running, the brake systems are operating, in general allow my senses to get the general feel of my towing combination. It allows me to mentally adjust reaction times to towing. Also makes for a less stressful day.

FiverBob

I obviously set all tires before heading out on a trip. But, during the trip, I like to make sure and stop a minimum of every two hours. I make it a habit to eyeball the front truck tires, then feel the duallies and the trailer tires to determine the temperature. Then I stretch and do a quick walk (usually including the piddle room), and look over the fiver for anything unusual.
I am constantly amazed at the machos that like to brag how much they pull with their 1/2 ton pickup. One guy on one site is always bragging how he "built up his 150 to equal a 250 with $200 worth of air shocks". ??? He tows a pretty good sized fiver with it. Noted another one today (sorry to say he was driving a Dodge 2500) that was answering a newbies question about weight limits, and he was telling him not to worry about it. He towed a 36' older (meaning heavier) fiver with two slides and tacked a 4000# boat on behind the fiver. I didn't even bother to answer - - he would never understand if he is stupid enough to tell a newbie something like that. I guess they think they are smarter than the engineer that designed the truck and components.
OffTheSoapBoxBob

MnTom

Haulin' Why would you be stupid also???

Haulin_in_Dixie

[quote author=MnTom link=board=11;threadid=22349;start=15#msg222355 date=1071195540]
Haulin' Why would you be stupid also???
[/quote]

Removed the post, should not have posted an argumentative reaction.

MnTom

I was wondering------ it all the sudden dissapeared