It is important that the truck/trailer buyer understand a few basic facts and realities about the marketing of tow vehicles and trailers.
1. The marketing of tow vehicles is extremely competitive, so the manufacturers advertise the numbers that make them look their best. So, the advertised numbers are based on trucks optimized to have the highest possible rating, such as a basic no-frills 2-door, 2 WD, short bed truck with the largest and most capable engine/transmission package. However, most folks buy an upmarket model with 4-doors, 4WD that weighs considerably more, and hence has a significantly lower real-world rating.
2. It used to be true that ¾-ton trucks and 1-ton trucks were essentially identical except for spring rates. That is no longer true. In the race for max tow ratings, the manufacturers have made significant changes to their 1-ton trucks. For example, we used to have a 2010 Ram 3500 Laramie crew cab, long bed, Cummins 6.7L HO, 4WD. Four years ago, we traded it for a 2019 Ram 3500 Laramie crew cab, long bed, Cummins 6.7L HO, 4WD truck. Notice how the only difference in that description is 2010 vs. 2019? Well, our 2010 truck had a 10,100# GVWR and a 13,800# trailer rating. Our 2019 truck has a 12,300# GVWR and a 24,870# trailer rating – a huge difference. A friend’s Ram 2500 has a tow rating of barely half of ours.
3. While trucks are marketed using the highest numbers possible, trailers are pretty much the opposite – smallest numbers possible. For example, the brochure on our Carriage Cameo lists the following:
CAMEO 32SB2
Approx Exterior Length 32’ 11”
Approx Exterior Width 96”
Approx Exterior Height with AC 12’ 8”
Approx Dry Axle Weight (lb)* 8,300
Approx Hitch Weight (lb)* 2,230
Approx Total Dry Weight (lb)* 10,530
Approx Average Load Capacity (lb)* 3,700
Black/Gray Holding Tank Capacity 55/55 Gal.
Nowhere are the real-world numbers clearly published in the brochure. Instead, we need to calculate the real-world weight of the trailer as well as the pin weight, or we can look at the VIN sticker on the coach to find the GVWR of 14,230#. If we add the Load Capacity to the Dry Weight we get the 14,230# GVWR. Since Pin Weight is in the 21-25% range, we can estimate the pin weight of the loaded trailer to be 2988# to 3,558#; both considerably more than the brochure’s 2,230# Hitch Weight.
That’s not all. The typical RV model name suggests that the unit is shorter than it’s actual length; usually by several feet. What appears to be a 34’ 5th wheel is probably 37’ long. I’ve been told by RV sales folks that this is done to prevent the wife from getting scared about the RV being too big, while simultaneously entertaining her with the space and attraction of the larger RV. Of course us guys don’t get suckered like that. Wrong!
Continuing with our real-world example. . . Carriage Cameo tipped the scales at 13,320# with a pin weight of 3,330# on our first run. That was with no furniture – no sofa, no dining table or chairs, no recliner, no credenza. Yes, that’s the way we bought it. Since then, we have installed a rocker-recliner, power reclining love seat and custom solid cherry dining table & credenza and chairs. OTOH, our Cameo is equipped with an Onan generator, washer drier, and 2nd AC in the bedroom; all of which contribute to the pin weight. We’ll know more about our actual fully loaded weight in a few weeks.
Lastly, I’ll note that few things in life work ideally when loaded to the max. Do you do your best and most graceful work when loaded to the max? Nope, neither to I. Our trucks are no different.
A truck loaded to the max will not handle, accelerate or stop as well as a truck loaded to say 2/3’s of its max rating.
About 5 years ago we bought a 30’ Excel 5-wheel. I drove it home (Pacific Northwest) from New Mexico with our 2010 Ram 3500. The trailer was unloaded, so it weighed an actual 13,060#, 94.6% of the trucks rating. It worked fine on the flat lands, but the truck was clearly struggling in the mountains. By comparison, our 2019 Ram 3500 tows our 13,320# Cameo sooo gracefully & pleasantly because it is only 53.5% of the truck’s rating.
Lastly, in years past the difference between a 3/4-ton pickup and a 1-ton pickup was usually that the 1-ton was a dually. Yes, there were exceptions; we had a 1979 GMC 3200 Longhord SRW. Then about 20 years ago, the SRW 1-ton became popular. For the next decade plus the major differences between the 3/4-ton SRW pickup and a 1-ton SRW pickup was usually spring rates and not much else. Not so much today as the manufacturers have built up the newer SRW trucks to be even more capable than the duallies of the past.