^^^ what he said. I have a Tacoma and I pull a 5k lb trailer. It's not bad and under the max weight however it's not that comfortable passing rigs and on high wind days.
So I've decided to go lighter. I'm looking at one that weighs 5500 dry and grosses at 7000. Does that sound better to y'all?
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This should work better.
IMO people get too involved in max weight when selecting a camper. The main problem with campers is that they are extremely light compared to the surface area subjected to wind.
A 5000# camper may cause trouble in windy conditions when a 8000# flat concentrated load will not given same tow vehicle.
You are not gong to happy towing with a 1/2 ton pick up. Suspension is weak, drive train is weak, especially the transmission, if you will be pulling 1 or 2 times a year you can get by. Sooner or later you will realize you will need a bigger truck.
Now I'm really confused. First too heavy was going to pull terrible, now I hearing light isn't going to do well.
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Lighter pulls better but not as stable. There are trade offs. I'm pushing 32,000 pounds now so wind doesn't affect me like it did with a 5,000 trailer.
You are not gong to happy towing with a 1/2 ton pick up. Suspension is weak, drive train is weak, especially the transmission, if you will be pulling 1 or 2 times a year you can get by. Sooner or later you will realize you will need a bigger truck.
I agree. That's the only reason I'm keeping my 3/4 ton diesel. I don't want to pull 6700#'s with my 1/2 ton and can't swing the cash for a new truck right now.
Yes it will pull it. You won't break any land speed record but it will do fine as is. To be on the safe ER side I would install trailer brakes and only use a weight distribution hitch and sway bar.
^^^^ THIS!!! Weight distribution hitch with sway bar and trailer brakes are the only way to go with that much trailer. Most dealers won't let you drive out without WD hitch. The question isn't really if you can pull it, it is if you can stop it and if you can control it. I bought a 2015 F-150 XLT Sport SCrew and a 2015 Forest River Surveyor last year with an Eaz-Lift 48058 Elite Weight Distributing Hitch Kit and installed a Tekonsha 90195 P3 Electronic Brake Controller with a factory harness. My trailer is level the ride is smooth.
I think you'll be much better off with the light 5,000-5'500 lbs trailer. I had a trailer that weighed 7,500lbs empty and it was waaaay too much for my chevy 1/2 ton I had at the time and my tow capacity on that truck was 8,500, just like your Dodge. That was towing empty too. It's just too much tongue weight for that 1/2 ton. Even with a weight distribution hitch, it nearly put my truck at the spring stops. I went to a 3/4 diesel. Problem solved. Even with that truck, though, the weight distribution hitch was needed. I'm now on my second trailer which is much lighter. It's easily half ton towable. But, it's too small for my wife's liking, so we're probably going to get another one somewhere between our 1st trailer and second trailer, but still half ton towable so it can be pulled with her truck as well as mine.
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