5th Wheel Trailer Weight Compatibility With Ram 2500 Short Bed for Safe Towing

Question:

I am in the market for a front living fifth wheel. I have a Ram 2500 6.7 Diesel 4x4 crew cab short bed. the towing cap. is 17280 w/ a payload of 2450. I had the truck weighed, full of diesel , no passengers . It weighed 7680. It has GVWR of 10000. Can I pull a fifth wheel trailer w/ a GVWR of 12565.and a dry weight of 9998. can I safely tow this Fifth wheel RV? What is a safe hitch weight that I can tow?

asked by: Felix C

Expert Reply:

Without knowing the year of your truck and the axle ratio I can't confirm your towing capacity. There are a couple of ways to figure it out but the best way is to call the Ram dealer and give them your VIN number to find your Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). This is the complete weight that your truck and trailer combination can be and then you simply subtract the actual weight of your truck along with the weight of the driver and any passengers and cargo. That will give you your trailer max weight when loaded.

You won't have a problem with the hitch weight of whatever trailer weight you are able to tow. Because you have a short bed, I recommend using a sliding hitch like the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider # BWRVK3270 to give you the turning clearance needed to protect your vehicle. You can use a custom base rail kit like the Reese Quick-Install Custom Installation Kit w/ Base Rails for 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches # RP50054-58 which is a fit for 2014-2019 Ram 2500 models. If you want more specific help, you can go to our fit guide or let me know the model year of your truck along with the axle ratio and I'd be happy to assist.

expert reply by: Jason S