Can a 2011 Ram 1500 Safely Tow a 2018 Jayco Jay Flight SLX 267BHS

Question:

What can I safely tow with my 2011 dodge ram 1500 4x2 st model I will be towing a 2018 Jayco - Jay Flight SLX 267BHS Dry weight 5600lbs, payload capacity 1400lbs , GVWR 7000lbs, hitch weight 665lbs My 2011 dodge ram tire size, P265/70R17, engine 4.7l V-8 Transmission 545RFE DGQ 5 SPD AUTO, gear ratio 3:55, GVRW 6700lbs pay load 1670lbs, Base weight total 5008, front 2858lbs rear 2150lbs GAWR front 3700lbs rear 3900lbs GCWR 12500lbs Max trailer 7600 I will have passengers for est 425lbs and cargo est 150 I will be using a Curtis weight distribution sway bar TruTrack Trunnion Bar Weight Distribution System 8K - 10K lbs., 35-9/16 inch Bars #17500 can I safely tow

asked by: Kurt K

Helpful Expert Reply:

Since the max trailer rating of your 2011 Ram 1500 is 7,600 lbs and the GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of your trailer is 7,000 lbs that means with your trailer loaded to max capacity you will still have 600 lbs of capacity on your pickup. This is a great margin to have so you will be good as far as the trailer goes.

You do need to be sure not to exceed the GCWR (gross combined weight rating) of your pickup as well. The GCWR includes the weight of your loaded Ram plus the weight of your loaded trailer. As long as this falls under the 12,500 lbs then you won't be exceeding what the truck can handle.

The Curt TruTrack # C17500 is an excellent choice! It has a tongue weight (TW) rating of 800 lbs - 1,000 lbs so you just need to make sure that the loaded TW of your trailer plus the weight of any cargo behind the rear axle of your Ram falls inside this weight rating. Using a TW scale like part # 5780 is a great way to ensure that you properly load your trailer each and every time. Please note that a properly loaded trailer will have a TW that is 10-15% of the weight of the trailer.

expert reply by: Jon G