2450 and 2500RL owners: What are you towing with?

[mecanik1975]

We have a 2020 2500rl and have towed it about 5k miles over the last year with a 2018 f150 platinum/3.5 ecoboost. The engine has no issue at all with pulling this thing. Where we get close is on payload. We have about 1630 payload capacity and the with a tongue weight of about 1000 that does not leave a lot of extra payload (I'm 6'6" and 260lbs so that eats a lot of it right there). Having the kids join or bringing fire pit or generator or extra water etc... are all challenges.

Bottom line the truck tows it just fine, with the occasional porpoising, but I've just ordered a new f250 7.3 tremor because I want the freedom to bring whatever I want with me and not be over gvwr. I'd hate to get in an accident or something and have my insurance walk away because of that.

i have a 2020 f250 with the 7.3...i love the truck, but only getting 6 mpg pulling my 2600rb. i have already made the deal and ordered an identical truck with the 6.7.


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[Ynot4me2]

My 2500RL tongue weight, and others of that model, is upwards of 950~975 without fresh water. Tow with a Tundra and e2 WDH. I know that I will always be 150-200# over payload. Installed RAS, Other then that, all stock suspension tires and wheels. No problem towing.

Did the RAS make a difference? What do you think of them?

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[mackazon]

Just came in. Will install before Holidays. All I’ve read, both FB, and Forums, as well as communication with manufacturer, it appears to be the single best mod that minimally affects unloaded ride as well as works in harmony with WDH. Didnt want bags or Sumos.

[D5boone]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum but have been a long-time member of another RV forum and am on the verge of making a switch. We currently have a hybrid travel trailer that we like well enough but it does have some short-comings that I won't go into here, and so we're wanting to "move up" to a full hard-sided camper. Love the layouts of the rear living room models in the Imagine line but I have a question:
Can I (reasonably and safely) tow one of these with my 2015 Ram 1500 4x4 Quad Cab?

I'm not worried about towing capacity, I'm worried about tongue weight. My current camper at last weigh was about 670 lbs. I like to bring quite a bit of stuff in the bed of the truck and was shocked to find out that this was causing me to be near my GVWR and actually had my rear axle over it's rating by just a little. My WDH was set up by my dealer when I bought the camper so the camper and my truck were empty at the time. Also, I don't think he knew that I have the auto-levelling suspension (nor would he have known what to do with it if he did know it was there!) so I think there are some adjustments I can make there to get things looking better along with moving some of the weight from the truck to the camper.

My worry is that starting with a 580 pound hitch weight rating on the 2450 or 2500, well... what is it really?? I know that's what the factory says it is (dry), but what is it out the door? I know that different options are going to change it some but it would be nice to know a ballpark going into it.

So, what are you guys towing these campers with and, more importantly, have you weighed your rigs and if so, what were your numbers?
I don't want to find out after purchasing that I'm overloading the payload capacities of my truck! And 3/4 ton trucks are super expensive!!

Thanks!

We have the 2450RL and tie with a2017 Ford F-150 with the 6.5 ft box. No problem towing. You certainly know it when you are facing a strong headwind but I think that is to be expected. We have towed through the Rocky Mountains with no problems. We have a fit bit of stuff packed in the trailer but have never taken any of the hitch or axle weights. Hope this helps.

[eeshelman]

I have a 2450rl. Have measured tongue weight around 1200 lbs from CAT scale several times. Tow it effortlessly with 2500 Chevrolet Express van with the 6.0 engine. Van has 2300 lbs payload and 7 feet of covered storage with a couple seats pulled out (5 passenger mode) cost is $25,000 for one a year old. Thing to know about 2450rl is that 3 of your 4 tanks are front of the wheels (including fresh water)

[TangleMan]

I've been pulling our 2018 Imagine 2500RL with a 2018 Ford F150 Platinum 3.5/trailer towing package. We live near Toronto and have taken the trailer all through northern Ontario as far as Manitoba. Other destinations have included New Brunswick, Nova Scotia. Nashville TN and many Ontario Provincial Parks. The Ford F150 has been a great truck and the engine is certainly capable of pulling the trailer. I learned too late, through this forum, that I should have ordered the truck with the Heavy Duty Payload Package. It believe it would have helped with many of the white knuckle experiences I encountered in heavy crosswinds. I installed air bags and new tires which helped a bit - but didn't (in my opinion) resolve the stress of bad weather surprises and the many times when I had to continuelly keep both hands hands on the steering wheel. We love the freedom of having the trailer, may even buy something a little bigger, and plan to travel to the east coast and across Canada to British Columbia. Yesterday I picked up a new 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD - Duramax Diesel - drove 200 KM - YES I think this will be better!
Just my opinion. Rob's calculator recommendation helped make the decision
Ron

[Skiddy]

In addition to the dry weight per GDRV brochure, add at least 90 to 100 pounds for propane and battery. Another 75 to 100 pounds for hitch. To be safe, your TT with a dry tongue of 580# is more like 780# before any of your personal stuff is stowed. Front bedroom Imagines with under bed pass thru stowage will have between 65% to 75% of whatever is in the bedroom closets and the pass thru stowage added to the tongue weight. The longer the trailer, the more weight is added to the tongue. (Pass thru stowage is same distance from coupler for a 2600RB as it is for 2200 or the discontinued 2150RB)
As noted above, the fresh tank on the 2450 is in front of the axle. A 580# tongue weight becomes over 1000# with 400# of stuff stowed.

[dmendoza]

2018 ,2500RL I tow :with 2014 Ram 5.7 v8 Hemi 1500 lonestar quad cab, i added airlift.bags in her coils on rear axle. Gives 1000lbs extra load capacity. Total over scales ready to go dry 12280 lbs. Use a equalizer and 2 sway bars shes rides nice and balanced. HEMI power never fails.. tounge weight last chked 680

[eeshelman]

A lot of the Exoress 2500 have the 6.0 v8. Tow haul mode is amazing. You can get the 3500, but you’ll hit GCVWR max before use the extra 1000 lbs payload

[more tired since retired]

2018 ,2500RL I tow :with 2014 Ram 5.7 v8 Hemi 1500 lonestar quad cab, i added airlift.bags in her coils on rear axle. Gives 1000lbs extra load capacity. Total over scales ready to go dry 12280 lbs. Use a equalizer and 2 sway bars shes rides nice and balanced. HEMI power never fails.. tounge weight last chked 680

Actually adding air bags to get extra capacity is a fallacy. You are still limited by the weakest item AND if you were to be stopped and weighed, they use the information on the driver's door for your GVW and GVCW. If you are over the Ram supplied stickers (or remove them) you will be stopped and not allowed to continue until you are below that information. PLUS SUBJECT TO MAJOR FINES AND/OR VIOLATIONS.

I've been stopped once when towing and the inspector went as far as checking the load rating for all four tires in addition to checking the truck and trailer weights. I had a WD hitch and was not overweight. The first thing he said when I was pulled over, and before being sent to a mobile scale at a rest area 2 miles up the interstate was "We are pulling over RV trailers to make sure you are safe. There has been a bad accident about 5 miles up the highway from a driver loosing control while speeding. Personally, you are driving safely and I see no problems, but we honestly want to avoid accidents from overweight rigs".

We came in under our limits, were thanked by the inspectors who asked where were heading. They gave us some suggestions on decent boondock sites (2 were boondockers) and which roads should be avoided (rough, heavy traffic, etc). Totally professional and took only about 15 minutes. There were two rigs that were overweight which were being held while trying to figure out how to lighten their loads.