I am very close to purchasing a beautiful Elk Ridge 29RKSA. I have a RAM 2500 HD Big Horn with Cummins 6.7 I6. Is that really enough truck for tor the 29RKSA. Seems like everyone I see with this Elk Ridge is pulling with a 3500. I just want to make sure... Thanks for your thoughts!
Enough truck?
- Thread starter tkkmcjo
- Start date
jimtoo
Moderator
Hi tkkmcjo,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.
You should be fine with the 2500 as the 29RKSA gross is 13,000#. You will get more answers for sure,,, and you can bet some will recommend a 3500 also.
Enjoy the forum.
Jim M
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.
You should be fine with the 2500 as the 29RKSA gross is 13,000#. You will get more answers for sure,,, and you can bet some will recommend a 3500 also.
Enjoy the forum.
Jim M
codycarver
Founding Wyoming Chapter Leader-retired
Here is a link that you may find helpful. Good luck.
http://fifthwheelst.com/before_you_buy.htm
http://fifthwheelst.com/before_you_buy.htm
Nabo
Southeast Region Director-Retired
You should be fine. We pulled our 08 Big Country 3250 with a 2005 Dodge 2500 5.9 diesel for several years without any problems. We now have a heavier camper so we moved up to a new 3500 but to answer your question yes you can. Just be sensible pulling and don't try to be an indy driver. There are enough of those out on the road.
JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
You don't say what year your truck is, but if Dodge has followed GM and Ford, their newer 2500 series have weight ratings that rival older 3500's. As recommended, look up the ratings for the model year you have, if it's not new. But, folks are getting away with hauling rigs like mine with 2500's, which has a gross weight 3000 lbs. more than yours.
The real question is dulley or SRW as to the 2500 or 3500 RAM. My point is the only difference as to ability between the two SRWs is less than a 1000LB tongue weight. Brakes, axles, etc same. Only difference is stickers. I pull my BH @ 13,820 LBs with no issues, stopping or otherwise. Yes, I pulled it with a dully and did not one iota of difference. I am a dully fan and wish I had one but the 2500 will do the job, you will be over on tongue but should be under on axle and tires. Just make sure you weight it to watch the load on the axle and tires. What the dulley really does is provides much more stability in the event of a flat, and loks so much better, but to stay on track, since you already have the truck, it will do the job.
Thanks for the info and great advice! Keep it coming! I guess I did leave some info out of my original thread... My RAM is a 2011 Crew Cab 4WD Short Box 3.73RAR, Cummins 6.7 24V TD w/ 68RFE 6sp auto trans. I guess my concern is that every document or website I look at has different numbers for max tow capacity! One constant, however is the GCVWR of 20K. My calculations put the RAM w/passengers, light gear, fuel and fluids as well as a Yamaha generator and hitch at about 8800 (9600GVWR). With the base weight of the Ekl Ridge 29RKSA at 9650...that only gives me about 1500lbs for gear and fluids. If I travel with tanks mostly empty, whats the weight of a typical family of 4 gear food clothing etc.? Am I even thinking about this right!? I guess my Forum name should be "Over-Cautious" ...
JohnDar
Prolifically Gabby Member
Load your truck as if you were going camping, including passengers, and take it to a CAT scale. That will give you the actual truck weight, loaded for bear. Then subtract that from your 20,000 lb. GCVWR to see how much the loaded trailer can weigh before it's overweight. Then do an inventory of all of the stuff you think you need to pack in the trailer and get brutal about eliminating some of it, depending on how long and where you're going. Going to a campground, there's usually a WalMart nearby. Out in the boonies, maybe you need to take more stuff.
The Elk Ridge is listed to have a pin weight of over 2000 lbs even with the dry weight.Your truck
probably weighs 7000lbs with the crew cab and 4 wheel drive.That will be a total of 9000 lbs and
thats without passangers,fuel.hitch and cargo.You may exceed or be at the GVWR of your truck
and that won't be any fun.
probably weighs 7000lbs with the crew cab and 4 wheel drive.That will be a total of 9000 lbs and
thats without passangers,fuel.hitch and cargo.You may exceed or be at the GVWR of your truck
and that won't be any fun.
ncc1701e
Well-known member
If this works, I attached a fairly simple Excel worksheet that will let you put in the numbers for your trailer and two unit. The end result gives you some idea of how much under or over your rating you might be. The data is entered only in the yellow high lighted boxes. Nothing is absolute, but this gives you some idea of what needs to change for a truck and trailer to work together. I used it a lot when looking at various trailers and found it helpful.
Thanks to everyone who offered great advice on my original post "Enough Truck?". After running the numbers (thanks "codycarver"!) I followed the path of "better safe than sorry". I would love to have had the Elk Ridge 29RKSA. Instead I decided to go with a coach that's smaller and lighter, well within the safe specs of my Ram 2500. (Of course I had already decided it would be a Heartland 5er!) I am now the proud owner of a Greystone 27RK. I guess I'll have to switch over to the Greystone section of the forum. Again, THANK YOU to all that responded to my concerns! The Forum is truly helpful! Happy NEW YEAR!
jimtoo
Moderator
Hi tkkmcjo,
You are welcome anyplace on the forum. There is no discrimination here. A lot of the units use the same a/c's, stove's, micro waves.
Check the portal page for rallies in your area and think of joining the Heartland Owners Club also.
Enjoy the forum and your new Greystone.
Jim M
codycarver
Founding Wyoming Chapter Leader-retired
Congratulations on your new Greystone! As Jim mentioned check out your local HOC chapter.
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