Towing a 2018 Solitude 344GK with a Ram 3500 SRW?

[jcschultz01]

Hi,
newbie to the forum so apologies if this is a FAQ but I could not find specific information.

We are looking at a used 2018 Solitude 344GK. Spec is a dry weight of 12600lbs and GVWR 16000lbs. Unloaded hitch load is 2200lbs but no idea of loaded weight.

We have a Ram 3500 Crew cab, 6'4" box, with the 6.7 I-6 Cummins diesel, AISIN 3.42 transmission and Michelin 275/70R18 tires
It is a GREAT truck but I am concerned about towing the Solitude which would be close to the weight limits of the truck. And also the bed length without a sliding hitch.

Truck specs are 16910lbs towing (SAE J2807) and 3780lbs payload.
We have a Companion 25K hitch (non-slider).

I have seen several opinions saying I should have a dually for a trailer this heavy?

Also, I am not adverse to getting a slider but it has been suggested that I just need to be careful backing up? I like the Companion because the RAM 3500 sits very high and I don't want to lift the trailer.

Appreciate any and all comments.
BTW, a dually won't fit in our garage :-(

[Hoopy Frood]

Well, are you buying a truck to pull a heavy trailer, or park in your garage? IMO that trailer is very likely to be very near its GVWR, and is in dually territory. But I have a dually and tend to feel that 15,000 lbs. is the cutoff for single wheel trucks. But that's me, many other people feel differently. All things considered, you'll likely be over your payload rating, and how you feel about that is up to you.

[CWSWine]

Loaded very light you MIGHT be able to stay under your trucks specs but explain that to my wife that she can't take something because of weight is a conversation I don't want to have. I was over my payload and close to axle rating with a 310GK.

It impossible to set RV GRWR that you can tow with XYZ truck. A toy hauler can have a 25% pin weight if you don't have any toys in the back and use just office or for kids bedroom. So 15,000 pounds at 25% pin weight would be 3750 pin weight now added in two people and hitch and you way would over. Now take my front living with very little storage in front forward of the axles "I" had loaded to 15,500 and had 18% pin weight 2790 and that's on a CAT scale. That was a SOB and tow TEARABLE behind a SRW truck to the point that I traded it.

Now I take 25% of RV GVWR and added an additional 10% and I know that is very conservative but lets me have some margin if I want put a generator and couple 5 gals cans of gas and bunch of wood. But that's me.

[ajg617]

We looked at both the 344/345 and 310. With a lot of good advice from this forum, decided the 310GK-R was probably the max with our SRW and our payload is 4014. Waiting to take delivery on the 310 (it is at dealer) but the UVW is 13114 and hitch weight 2632 dry and unloaded.

[Hoopy Frood]

FWIW, those UVW numbers mean very little, as no one travels at those weights, the GVWR is going to be much closer to real life.

[roegs01]

We tow a Solitude S-Class with our RAM 3500 SRW (see signature below for details). From all the checking and weighing that I did, its one of the only Solitude models that stays within the limitations of our truck. We purchased our RAM new and after spending more than I ever dreamed I'd spend on a vehicle, there was no way I wanted to be over on any of the weights. While I'm very happy with this truck / trailer combination, I would not go heavier without going dually. I know (and totally understand) your garage concerns. A dually would not fit in my garage nor would comparable GM or Ford 3500's. The RAM HD Crew Cab Short Box trucks are around a foot shorter than their GM and Ford counterparts. Keeping the truck garaged was a must for me, so for us the RAM was a no-brainer. As for the hitch, I decided to go with an Andersen. I love the light weight (helps with truck GVWR) and it also pushes the pin box a few inches towards the rear of the truck which helps with truck cab / trailer clearance. I know it's hard to not fall in love with the 5th wheel, but you'll be much happier in the end falling in love with the truck / trailer combination vs just loving the trailer and wishing you had more truck.

[Gronk1]

I don't think anybody keeps a lb, cc, dually in a garage, unless the garage is custom. Mine is getting old & still looks new-except for a few gravel chips in the paint. I wax it at least 3 times a year, use a windshield cover. The inside does have a bunch of dog hair though
You'll have a lot less drama with a dually, & can load the trailer without worry..

[Wileykid]

Your truck and mine are pretty close to the same, mine has a sticker payload of 3750 lbs. That payload is what it was leaving the factory, not what you have now. On the CAT scale, with me, normal junk, and fuel, the payload is actually 3400 lbs.

As long as the numbers are good, I personally have no problems running the truck at its max, that is what it was built for.

There are a lot of people that run the Andersen Ultimate hitch, or any non-sliding hitch, and have no problem. I have a Sidewinder pin box on my trailer, because RAM has the shortest short bed of all the three, and my driveway is about 7* uphill from the road, and it would be only a matter of when, not if, taking out the rear window when I back in.

[ajg617]

I'm about 3300 full up with the two of us on the CAT scale. Truck's pretty heavy with options.

[jcschultz01]

Thanks. Same truck but mine is a 2018 RAM.
So your 310GK is listed (in places) at 2350 hitch weight. If you are running 3300, roughly translating that to the 344 with a hitch weight of 2500 would be about 3500 lbs and the 2018 RAM is rated at 3780.

Any idea of your trailer weight loaded? Spec for the 310GK is GVWR 15000. The 344 is GVWR 16000 which is my concern.