2023 Imagine 2500RL and tow vehicle question

[Jesse Bradburn]

Hello everyone,

I apologize for another question and input thread on the already debated topic haha. We are about to purchase a 2023 Imagine 2500RL possibly next weekend but I have some concerns about specifically the tongue weight on the 2500RL loaded. I know I will be super close on my payload, rear axle and GVWR but this will be our first RV so I have no idea what peoples actually "loaded or camping weights are". Here are my tow vehicle specs:

2020 ford F150 XLT sport 3.5L ecoboost 3.31 gear ratio
supercrew cab 145" wheelbase

GVWR 7000
Payload 1771
Front GAWR 3450
Rear GAWR 3800
Hitch receiver capacity 1160 with WDH
GCWR 16,100

The Imagine 2500RL has a dry tongue weight of 581 but when you add propane and a second battery will be im guessing 730 ish? We are a family of 4 with a dog which means with just us in the truck say 600 pounds. add 100 lbs for the hitch and 100 for generator in back of the truck and if I and thinking correctly we will be close to ratings with an empty trailer? The questions I guess I have for anyone who can chime in are and I know its diff with everyone and how you pack but what is your trailer loaded weight, your loaded tongue weight, what do you tow with and how does it tow. Also is your tongue weight closer to the 13% or 15%.

Like I said sorry for another post on this topic but just need some info before we purchase possibly next weekend, any info would be awesome.

Thanks,

Jesse

 

[Second Chance]

Loaded, the tongue weight on the 2500RL will be in the 940 lbs. neighborhood. Enter all your numbers in here and see what you find:

https://changingears.com/weight-calculators/travel-trailer-towing-weight-calculator/

Then, read all the way through this thread:

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/showthread.php/14865-How-To-Determine-Your-Truck-s-Trailer-Towing-Capability

Rob

 

[NB Canada]

There is no question you will be over or very close. Take your truck to a cat scale loaded with everything and everyone that will be camping and weigh it. The payload sticker is as it left the factory only.
Have you ever towed before?

 

[Jesse Bradburn]

Loaded, the tongue weight on the 2500RL will be in the 940 lbs. neighborhood. Enter all your numbers in here and see what you find:

https://changingears.com/weight-calculators/travel-trailer-towing-weight-calculator/

Then, read all the way through this thread:

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/showthread.php/14865-How-To-Determine-Your-Truck-s-Trailer-Towing-Capability

Rob

So somewhere between 900-1000 lbs seems about where it would be then if your saying 940. does your 940 include fresh water and is that packing relatively light, avg or heavy just so I can kind of gauge.

 

[Second Chance]

So somewhere between 900-1000 lbs seems about where it would be then if your saying 940. does your 940 include fresh water and is that packing relatively light, avg or heavy just so I can kind of gauge.

The fresh water tank on these rigs tends to be over the axles - or slightly behind - so doesn't figure into tongue weight normally. The rule of thumb (if you read through the thread I linked) is 12 - 13% of the trailer's GVWR for an estimated loaded tongue weight. If you have to worry about "packing relatively light" (very few can truly accomplish this) and on-board water, you need to look for a lighter trailer or a bigger tow vehicle. You can probably tow it with your truck, but it wouldn't be a comfortable towing experience (and you'd have your family on board to think about).

Rob

 

[NB Canada]

So somewhere between 900-1000 lbs seems about where it would be then if your saying 940. does your 940 include fresh water and is that packing relatively light, avg or heavy just so I can kind of gauge.

You want the TW to be as heavy as you can get it

I intentionally load up the front to make it heavy

What other people do doesn’t really matter.

 

[Jesse Bradburn]

There is no question you will be over or very close. Take your truck to a cat scale loaded with everything and everyone that will be camping and weigh it. The payload sticker is as it left the factory only.
Have you ever towed before?

I do know the payload sticker is as it left, I have already subtracted the bed cover 60 lbs and spray in liner and about 30 lbs of stuff under the seat in my paper calculations I have done here. I do have lots of experience towing so its not me being worried about the size of it. Just more concerned about damaging the truck if were over the ratings as far as GVWR and axle ratings and also how how it tows with being close to the max ratings.

 

[RV Sailor]

Why tow at max or worry about every 5 extra lbs

If you get in N accident and insurance finds you over payload capacity it will affect your ability to purchase insurance and may affect your responsibility in the accident (btw I investigate insurance claims)

As far as damage to the truck, you will not b able to find long term damage as it may be a function over time at stressing the suspension.

 

[FjClay]

The tow police will tell you need a one ton dually to safely pull a tent trailer. If you’re not over capacity and drive like a normal person you’re going to be just fine.

 

[NB Canada]

The tow police will tell you need a one ton dually to safely pull a tent trailer. If you’re not over capacity and drive like a normal person you’re going to be just fine.

Is he over capacity?

 

[RV Sailor]

Yep the tow police here.
Drive over payload capacity and get in an accident and your insurance may drop you or find you personally at fault ( I do this for a liviing)

Giving people incorrect information or popoing following the perscribef limits is irresponsible

 

[Duramax]

Yep the tow police here.
Drive over payload capacity and get in an accident and your insurance may drop you or find you personally at fault ( I do this for a liviing)

Giving people incorrect information or popoing following the perscribef limits is irresponsible

This is the norm here and another site I frequent.

We owned a 2500RL and towed with a GMC Denali 3500 SRW SB. I might have considered a 2500, but not a 1/2 ton.

 

[Petrovsky]

Is he over capacity?

He might be. You and I both have a GMC 1500. Mine being a 2020 with all the towing options and less bells and whistles. When I looked for a truck back then the GMC had the highest payload and towing capacity properly equipped.

As I have mentioned in other posts....I would have upgraded to a GMC 2500 but today....the costs is quite prohibitive. If he is going to do a lot of hills etcetera and can upgrade to a 2500 then that is what I would recommend. Having said this I note that there are a lot of 1500's towing trailers at their capacities without major issues as long as they have been beefed up a bit to do so....i.e. better shocks, maybe a RAS, air shocks and real 10 ply tires. Won't increase your capacities but will certainly improve the towing experience.

It is noteworthy to mention that I am within all my capacities as determined at the scales and posted labels. The tow police won't throw me in jail!!! RV Sailor that is. I do not travel with liquids in tanks and if I did I would still be within my capacities as the tanks are in the mid and rear and should not (except for the rear black tank) affect the tongue weight that is currently near 1025lbs give or take depending if the bikes and on or off.

One should never knowingly tow over capacities. My issue is all the bosses clothing!

 

[BillinSC]

We have the same rig and tow with a 2500 Silverado (gas engine). More than enough truck for the 2500RL. We upgraded from an F150 but never towed this TT with it. I knew I would be on the edge of the trucks capacity (if not over) and just felt better about getting something a little bigger because we do some long distance trips and get up into the mountains. I never tow with full tanks on the TT. On the 2500RL I believe the freshwater tank is ahead of the axles which tends to add to the hitch weight when full. We don't do a lot of boon docking (actually none) water is always available at the camp sites we book so why haul it. If you're doing relatively short trips on more or less flat roads then you'll probably be ok, Ive seen other people tow these with half ton trucks. Just know the risks and drive safely. If you can swing it and camping with a TT is in your long term plans then you might want to consider going up to a 3/4 ton truck sometime in the future.

Just my 2 cents worth
Enjoy!

 

[M&Lcamping]

Loaded, the tongue weight on the 2500RL will be in the 940 lbs. neighborhood. Enter all your numbers in here and see what you find:

https://changingears.com/weight-calculators/travel-trailer-towing-weight-calculator/

Then, read all the way through this thread:

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/showthread.php/14865-How-To-Determine-Your-Truck-s-Trailer-Towing-Capability

Rob

Agree Rob, our Imagine 2250RK hits the 770-800 lbs area loaded

 

[Toy4Rick]

We also tow a 2500RL with a Chevy 2500HD and wouldn't even consider a 1/2/ton. the extra capacity gives me much peace of mind

Good luck with your decision and be safe

 

[Pap and Mimi]

Our first camper, of another brand, was very similar to a 2500RL in size and weight and our 1/2 ton crew cab (Ford SCREW, 5.0, 3:73) handled it quite well, and was within all the limits. My payload capacity was 1675 and all things added up came in at 1650ish. The towing experience was comfortable and I don't recall ever having a "white knuckle moment".
After we traded for the 2970RL, I tried to "make" the 1/2 ton work, but just wasn't meant to be. (air bags, sway bar, ...) The towing experience screamed "bigger truck"

If the numbers (tongue weight/gross weight/axle capacities...) are in the "legal" range, then the towing experience can be used to determine if the truck / camper are a good match.
I found the weight worksheet linked earlier in this thread to be very valuable.

 

[Mr Duffy]

We have a 2021 2500RL that we tow with a 2013 F150 ecoboost with Max Tow Pkg and a payload of 1919#. Our Imagine had a shipping weight of 6,060#. We towed it 6,500 miles from Yuma, AZ to Skagway, AK and back this past summer. The loaded trailer weight was right at 7,000# with a tongue weight of 875#. We usually travel with about 10 gallons of fresh water. It towed just fine with the Equalizer WDH. When we purchased the trailer we had a 2013 Tahoe for a tow vehicle. Our first trip with it was to Yellowstone from Yuma. Plenty of power but the shorter wheelbase (116" vs 133") made for many White Knuckle moments. You should be Ok with your setup as long as you don't fill up the truck bed with bikes, grilles, firewood, etc.