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Old 05-09-2011, 06:06 PM   #1
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Cool Question concerning TV

We have a 2005 Jayco 31 BHDS - we needed a new TV - so my husband headed out and purchased a brand new 2011 Ram 1500 with the Hemi, 3.92 and 17 inch wheels. Dodge claims it can tow 10,450 lbs. The dealer naturally claimed it could tow the trailer with ease and we didn't need to look at the 2500.

We will mostly be towing locally [within 20 miles on back roads no faster than 55 mph]. And we use the Pro-Pride hitch to haul with.

However - we would like to take small trips no further than 200 - 600 miles [each way] once a year. No mountains [though the dealer assured him the truck could easily go over the mountains and will pull the trailer with ease because [of course] his dad does it all the time]. But some hills.

How screwed are we? Are we stuck only being able to pull it locally or can we take it from Ga to Fl - and around Ga as long as we load light?
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Old 05-09-2011, 06:17 PM   #2
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http://www.trailerlife.com/Images/Di...wGuide2011.pdf

Would need more information, but you can look it up here!
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Old 05-09-2011, 06:18 PM   #3
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Welcome to the forum, chinnie. We see these concerns all the time, you are not the first. Do you know the max loaded weight (GVWR) of your trailer and your approximate tongue weight? The advantage in the 2500 is that it has greater payload capacity and thus can more easily bear the weight of a heavy tongue and all the goodies and passengers you put in the truck with its beefier suspension. With more info some members will probably chime in on how well your TV will handle this trailer.
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Old 05-09-2011, 06:30 PM   #4
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Chinnie,

Welcome to the Jayco forums.

Your 2005 Jay Flight 31BHDS weights that I found at the Jayco web site are very similar to my 2005 Eagle 278FBS. The 31BHDS has a GVWR of 9,000lbs, UVW of 7,395lbs, and a dry hitch of 785lbs. The Pro-Pride hitch that you have is a great WDH and will work well with your 34ft. long TT.

IMO your 1/2 ton TV will tow the TT assuming that you keep your all your "loaded" weights within your TV, TV receiver, and TT specified weight limits. What I have a little concern with is the 17" wheels/tires. On some TV's when you go to the special wheels/tires the TV's tow capacity may drop a little (500lbs ?). Most likely not enough to be an issue in itself, but the 17" tires should be checked into. If its the low profile tire the load range/sidewall ply may not be ideal for towing.

Do you have the specs on the tire?

Since you have a 2005 TT I would have the brakes checked/adjusted, and the bearings packed.

I would also recommend that you visit a CAT scale to confirm all your weights, just to be sure.

Hope this helps a little.

Bob
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Old 05-09-2011, 06:57 PM   #5
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http://www.uvsconsole.com/manager/ad...0365830441.pdf
According to this flyer your dry weight appears to be 7315 pounds for your trailer with 9000 gross. If 10450 is correct for your TV then on some hills would be fine ... but you would have a tough time on a 11,000 foot climb. So I suggest a Transmission temp gage to help gage driving habbits.
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Old 05-09-2011, 08:36 PM   #6
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Bob, phew thank you so much [and politely removes her hands from around her husbands neck ] ....

The specs for Ram 1500

I don't have the specific spec's on the tires at the moment but there are only two 17 in on the 2WD Quad ST with the 3.92 axle both have GCVW of 15,500 and let me correct the towing weight - it's 10,250. The 17 in for some reason is able to tow more weight?

http://www.dodge.com/bodybuilder/201...ammlup1500.pdf

The specs for the trailer are

Cargo Carrying Capacity (lbs.) 1605
Dry Hitch Weight (lbs.) 785
Gross Vehicle Weight (lbs.) 9000
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (lbs.) 7395

http://www.jayco.com/php/products/ar...=fp&mod_id=346

We travel light I don't believe we will ever carry 1605 lbs of cargo.

As far as payload - for our truck it is 1620 lbs. We usually have two to three riders in the truck - combined weight minus 150 lbs driver - would be approximately 270 to 500 lbs. And wooden blocks to set the camper on. I would est another 50 lbs for those?

Added to the tongue - We have the ProPride which is at least 200 lbs [could be a little more I'd have to check on that]. Two 30 gal propane tanks and 1 battery.

We're planning to add air bags - but I think that is added to the payload weight? And have no clue what they weigh - I read that by adding those it increases the tongue weight allowance [not sure if that's true or not - as we're just looking into adding them]?

I really really appreciate the input. I have read where others have said they would never attempt to pull this trailer with a half ton...given they have a lot more experience than we do - I highly value their opinions.

Others say it can be done safely in the newer half tons? And that's the question....can it be done safely? It's one thing to risk our own lives...but it's a whole nother story when you knowingly risk other peoples .... and I simply refuse to take that risk.

I hope the added info helps...and thank you all so much for your input so far!!
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Old 05-09-2011, 08:59 PM   #7
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Welcome to the site, I'm a fairly new member myself but I recently upgraded my TV to a 2010 Ford F250 PS. I had a 2005 FORD F150 5.4L pulling a TT of 6700LBS Dry Weight , Tongue weight 700 lbs.and I pulled for Four Years on several vacations of over 1000 miles one way with out much problem. The two things I could suggest I had to put a set of tow springs on the back suspetion to stop the front to back bouncing effect and 10 ply tires really helped with sway. GoOd lUcK aNd hAvE fUn:hihi::hihi::hihi:
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Old 05-09-2011, 11:25 PM   #8
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I think you will be alright towing with your truck/tailer. The rear axle ratio will help out a lot. You should look into an auxillary transmission cooler and possibly a transmission temperature gauge.

Welcome to the forum.
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Old 05-10-2011, 06:02 AM   #9
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A big thanks to every one for the welcome..and again for all the input.

And we do have -

1) Both the auxillary transmission and oil coolers

2) We also have all the readings for the "temps to pressures" for the oil, tranny, engine, tires etc. Even the trailer braking appears on the EVIC when in use.

3) Truck also came with the Trailer Control System - [not sure how important that is - given we have the ProPride but it's there].

4) And we did have the brakes checked/adjusted and the wheels repacked when we had it de-winterized.

Addad45 - my husband and I can't agree more and are looking into adding air bags to the back suspension and replacing the factory installed tires with a much better set. We also want to add a tire pressure monitoring system for the trailer [I hear those are worth every penny as well] and new tires before we take longer trips.

I am kind of stunned that we haven't heard any "no ways" - as I said - I have seen a lot of 'no way with a half ton" when pulling a TT this size - -so I have been afraid to try and pull it further. But have to admit it is nice to know we could tow it a little further down the road if we chose to - I'd really be a happy camper then!!
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Old 05-10-2011, 06:13 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by chinnie View Post
Bob, phew thank you so much [and politely removes her hands from around her husbands neck ] ....
Just remember that these weights also need to factor in the weight of everyone in the tow vehicle and stuff you carry in it..
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Old 05-10-2011, 08:47 AM   #11
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Chinnie,

The newer 1/2 tons are better for towing than older ones, but they still fall short in payload capacity as compared to 3/4 ton models. It's the limited payload of 1/2 tons that can get folks in trouble because they don't realize all the variables that contribute to it. That's why I recommended that you go to a CAT scale under loaded TV/TT conditions to confirm your weights.

I'm sure the "no-ways" on the 1/2 ton come from folks based on their loading and travel habits. It just becomes more important to understand the weight you are adding to a 1/2 ton because it's limits are less for-giving than if you went with a 3/4 ton under the same circumstances.

I'll add a couple of more comments based on your added information, and also echoing what others have offered:

* Tires; Consider a LT rated tire, 10 ply tread, 6 ply sidewall.

* Adding air bags will not increase TT tongue weight allowances.

* The ProPride WDH hardware added to the TT A-frame will add about 75lbs.
to your TT loaded tongue weight. The remaining hardware is added to the
TV's weight.

* To best confirm how much true payload your TV has, take it to a CAT
scale and weight it under loaded conditions (passengers, cargo, full fuel,
etc.), subtract this weight from the TV's GVWR. This will give you a
snapshot of what you have to work with (for tongue weight, WDH, etc.).
Only a TV/TT CAT scale weigh-in process will confirm where your axle
weights fall.

* To minimize the potential for going over your TV's weight limits, tow
without any fluids in the TT tanks.

* With a 34ft. long TT, you will want your loaded TT tongue weight at 13%
to 15% of the loaded TT weight. So a 8,000lb TT weight (including the
ProPride WDH), would put the desired loaded tongue weight at 1,040lbs to
1,200lbs. This is where 1/2 tons can get in trouble with the heavier TT
weights, they run out of payload capacity to carry the tongue weights.
Keep in mind you stated that your TV only has a 1,620lb payload
capacity (based on your TV's base curb weight).

As I mentioned in my first post, "IMO your 1/2 ton TV will tow the TT assuming that you keep your all your "loaded" weights within your TV, TV receiver, and TT specified weight limits".

The better understanding you have about "loaded" TV/TT weights and there respective limits, the safer your travels will be.

Bob
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Old 05-10-2011, 10:38 AM   #12
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Dont worry about the 17" tires and Wheels on the truck that is what Dodge has put on there trucks since 2003 they have larger rotors and 17 inch wheels is the smallest that you can put on that goes for 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton but tires arent low profile they are standard tires.
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Old 05-10-2011, 11:17 AM   #13
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Dont worry about the 17" tires and Wheels on the truck that is what Dodge has put on there trucks since 2003 they have larger rotors and 17 inch wheels is the smallest that you can put on that goes for 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton but tires arent low profile they are standard tires.
Your correct, I was thinking about the 20" wheels/tires that came with my brother in-law's TV that created some issues with his towing.

The Ram 1500 17" wheels can come with "P" rated tires, but IMO "LT" tires would better serve the OP's TV/TT combination.

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Old 05-10-2011, 11:37 AM   #14
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Chinnie not the perfect answer, but just a little bit about our experience. I'm aware you have the Dodge (check my sig). Our particular half ton is rated at over 10k lbs towing. Our tt is 30'6" and around 7100 lbs loaded. We have anywhere from 2-4 people and bikes in our tv. Our tongue is around 1000+ lbs (pretty heavy and really reduces the payload for out tv).

Although we can tow 'a lot', towing on hills and grades can bog down our 1/2 ton all the way down to 40-45mph. Although hills aren't as bad, the truck still has to work. The tow/haul works great on the grade descents and keeps us from having to 'ride' the breaks. Don and I are pretty sure we wouldn't tow with any heavier tt (even though the numbers say we can) or any longer than the 30' we have. When traveling the longer distances with your half ton, keep the speed down below 65mph and leave plenty of room behind you and the guy in front of you

Also, with our platinum, the original tires/wheels were 20". Thank goodness for the internet, because we learned that we really should trade out those 'bling' car tires for 18" LT's. We contacted the manager at the dealer (our truck was coming from another dealership 200 miles away) who was a little reluctant to make the wheel trade. I pointed out to him that I was pretty sure that with him knowing we were purchasing the truck to tow with, he would feel pretty bad knowing that we had an accident due to not having the necessary equipment. He agreed and swapped out some nice 18" rims/LT tires.

Hope this helps a little... Have fun with your new tt/tv combo and post pics when you can
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Old 05-10-2011, 11:19 PM   #15
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To me a tow truck should have LT tires either 8 ply or 10 ply. With a 1/2 ton truck I would not put 80# of air in the tires because the wheels may not handle that pressure. 65# should be ok tho.
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Old 05-11-2011, 06:59 AM   #16
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To me a tow truck should have LT tires either 8 ply or 10 ply. With a 1/2 ton truck I would not put 80# of air in the tires because the wheels may not handle that pressure. 65# should be ok tho.
Anything over 50psi requires special METAL valve stems. The rubber ones will not safely handle the pressure.
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Old 05-11-2011, 02:12 PM   #17
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Just to add what has already been said, I think you'll be fine with that setup. The half ton trucks today are built like the 3/4 ton trucks of the '90s. Just watch your tongue weight and you'll be fine. You won't win any races, but you shouldn't be racing anyway.

You're already ahead of most of the half ton crowd thanks to the rear end you've got in that Ram... 3.92 are great gears for pulling (most come with 3.55 or higher these days for more mpg). Even with a good WDH setup, your rear end will squat some. If you don't like the way it handles with the squat, get a set of air bags or timbrens to help.

The size of rim doesn't necessarily negate from towing... if the truck you're buying is rated at a certain weight, that already includes the rims on the vehicle. I know that Ford doesn't put anything smaller than 17" on their half tons anymore because their brakes are so big that anything smaller won't fit. Dodge is probably the same. Just get a decent set of tires (D or E rated) and you'll be good to go.

Be wary of what you hear (or read) on the internet. There are a LOT of folks out there who truly believe you need a one ton dually to tow a jet ski. With some of the larger message boards, you have to wade through a lot of posts before you find any that are actually based in fact and experience. Thankfully, this board is occupied by a level headed group that doesn't feel the need to reply to every single post with an opinion. I like hanging out here because it's mostly fact and experience, as opposed to 'mine is bigger than yours.'
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Old 05-11-2011, 02:40 PM   #18
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Just to add what has already been said, I think you'll be fine with that setup. The half ton trucks today are built like the 3/4 ton trucks of the '90s. Just watch your tongue weight and you'll be fine. You won't win any races, but you shouldn't be racing anyway.

You're already ahead of most of the half ton crowd thanks to the rear end you've got in that Ram... 3.92 are great gears for pulling (most come with 3.55 or higher these days for more mpg). Even with a good WDH setup, your rear end will squat some. If you don't like the way it handles with the squat, get a set of air bags or timbrens to help.

The size of rim doesn't necessarily negate from towing... if the truck you're buying is rated at a certain weight, that already includes the rims on the vehicle. I know that Ford doesn't put anything smaller than 17" on their half tons anymore because their brakes are so big that anything smaller won't fit. Dodge is probably the same. Just get a decent set of tires (D or E rated) and you'll be good to go.

Be wary of what you hear (or read) on the internet. There are a LOT of folks out there who truly believe you need a one ton dually to tow a jet ski. With some of the larger message boards, you have to wade through a lot of posts before you find any that are actually based in fact and experience. Thankfully, this board is occupied by a level headed group that doesn't feel the need to reply to every single post with an opinion. I like hanging out here because it's mostly fact and experience, as opposed to 'mine is bigger than yours.'

Well said Tex. That is what sets this forum apart. Folks really want to help, not hammer a poster looking for advice.
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Old 05-11-2011, 03:16 PM   #19
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Well said Tex. That is what sets this forum apart. Folks really want to help, not hammer a poster looking for advice.
Thats exactly why I love this forum!
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Old 05-13-2011, 06:57 AM   #20
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Smiles - I didn't realize there was a second page of comments so sorry I'm slow responding.

Bob - that's exactly where my fear lies - "This is where 1/2 tons can get in trouble with the heavier TT weights, they run out of payload capacity to carry the tongue weights.".

It's the tongue weight that terrifies me and am not sure how to know if we have surpassed that? The way I see it is - if I am adding this correctly we have a tongue weight of 1185 lbs correct [dry hitch weight + 200 lbs propane/battery + 200 lbs hitching system]? Don't we also have to add the weight of anything stowed under the front bed to that?.....Does all this get subtracted from the payload?
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