New, and wondering if this truck would work.

[whoot]

I had been planning to get a MH RV, but have recently really liked the Scamp/Casita information I've been reading. Instead of getting an old RV, I am planning to get a "tow vehicle", and was wondering if it would work. The vehicle is a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie Quad Cab with a HEMI 5.7 *gas* engine (not diesel), it has 100k miles already on it. It has a tow hitch, but I think I would need to add the electronic brake stuff after I buy it. I am thinking of getting this truck tomorrow. I had considered getting a truck camper, but it has a short-bed due to the Quad Cab. I could put a 5th wheel hitch in it, if I get a Scamp or Elite 5th wheel. At some point, I would like to "boondock".

After reading the website by "RV Sue and Her Canine Crew", I started to consider the smaller trailers. Originally, I wanted to get a van to pull the trailer, but the trucks seem better designed for pulling things. I am thinking of getting a Leer hi-top ("122") for the Ram 2500, so I could have extra storage.

The one thing I don't like about trailers, is not being in the cab of the tow vehicle. If someone causes trouble for me while boondocking, I would have to exit the trailer to get in the tow-vehicle to leave. Everything else about the trailers, I really like!

In the last few weeks, my plan has gone from getting a 33ft MH RV, to a 25ft MH RV, to a 19ft Class B, to a stealth van, and now to a pickup truck pulling a Casita.

I believe the Laramie can pull 5k lbs stock, and 10k lbs with a special towing kit. Or maybe that was for the Diesel engine version. The salesman guy assured me it could pull a small trailer, but I thought I better check.

Let me know your thoughts about the truck. If I don't read any major warnings, I will probably get it. My current vehicle is a tiny Ford van that is not able to tow anything.

thanks!

[Borrego Dave]

William, the truck you're looking at will tow a FG trailer just fine. All types of RV's have pluses and minuses, just have to decide what works the best for you. I've had everything but a 5th wheel...so far. Not sure but by what you're saying is you have no RV experience and are worried about others causing you problems or harm. I've never had any problems in over 30 years of camping, 99% boon docking but it could happen. Most all RV'ers I've met where great folks.

[honda03842]

"The one thing I don't like about trailers, is not being in the cab of the tow vehicle. If someone causes trouble for me while boondocking, I would have to exit the trailer to get in the tow-vehicle to leave. Everything else about the trailers, I really like!"

In the last 14 years we've camped about 3,000 nights and have never once had 'someone cause trouble'. The thought is not in our mind.

It's important to recognize that both the media and government create atmosphere's of fear. For example, 'sea level's rising at an alarming rate, yet they buy a mansion right on the beach'.

Like Dave people I meet camping are nice, sometimes a little loud, but generally 'fun loud' and most of us have been 'fun loud' on occasion.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by whoot

My current vehicle is a tiny Ford van that is not able to tow anything.
thanks!

Hi Bill. Tell us more about your Ford van. What exactly is it?

Thnxs.

[mary and bob]

We are towing a Casita 17' with a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab that has the 5.7 Hemi and it is a great tow vehicle. Bought both truck and trailer used last November. The truck had only 14,000 miles on it. I like that it came with an extended 5 year warranty.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

William, the truck you're looking at will tow a FG trailer just fine. All types of RV's have pluses and minuses, just have to decide what works the best for you. I've had everything but a 5th wheel...so far. Not sure but by what you're saying is you have no RV experience and are worried about others causing you problems or harm. I've never had any problems in over 30 years of camping, 99% boon docking but it could happen. Most all RV'ers I've met where great folks.

That's great to hear the truck should be fine. I recently saw this video where a couple was stealthcamping in a Rialta, and some guy attacked their RV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KptCYAByvY

If something like that happened to me, I would want to be able to drive away. I get your point though, people out in the "boonies" are probably much better behaved towards eachother than people in a city.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by MC1

Hi Bill. Tell us more about your Ford van. What exactly is it?

Thnxs.

It is a 2011 Ford Transit Connect cargo Van. In Europe it is rated at 2k lbs tow capacity, in America it is rated at 0 lbs. When I drive it on the interstate (17 hour trip each way), I am always expecting to be crushed by other cars, or killed by a deer coming through the window. I had one baby deer bounce off the windshield at about 30mph, luckily traffic had just stopped, and we were all accelerating (no car damage). It does however, get 30mpg. I only drive about 9k miles a year, but occasionally make a 36 hour trip on the interstate.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

We are towing a Casita 17' with a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab that has the 5.7 Hemi and it is a great tow vehicle. Bought both truck and trailer used last November. The truck had only 14,000 miles on it. I like that it came with an extended 5 year warranty.

My truck would be older, but if a Ram 1500 can do it, I would expect a Ram 2500 to also. Thanks!

[MC1]

Originally Posted by whoot

It is a 2011 Ford Transit Connect cargo Van.

A nice vehicle Bill and the 1,600 Lbs of payload is great but as you said the vehicle is under powered for towing.
If you go for the 2500 Hemi pick up you would have the ideal tow vehicle for a big, 32', 10,000lb 5th wheel if you should ever decide to go bigger than a glass egg.

[cpaharley2008]

My 2009 Hemi got 12 mpg towing or not, so do not expect much more. A lot of truck though, you will be set for either 5th or trailer pull. Good luck.

[mary and bob]

I got 18 to 20 mpg with my 2012 Hemi not towing because of the cylinder cutout feature, but running in tow/haul mode pulling the Casita it's usually 12 mpg if I keep my foot out of it. What are you getting Jim?

[cpaharley2008]

With the 2009 5 speed auto with 3:55 rear I averaged 12 mpg, in around town. On highway with the deactivation feature it improved to 16-18 but overall the 25,000 miles it was 12 because most of that was towing. The new 2014 Ram with 8 speed and 3:21 rear I'm getting 18 around town overall and 20 on highway. The short tow I have performed it dropped to 14 to 15 towing. I'm have a longer test next month to Tennessee.

[whoot]

Thanks for all the advice, I might get the truck on Thursday. Tonight I got there too late, but I saw the truck up close. It was ENORMOUS. I've only owned 4-cylinder cars for the 30 years I've been driving, and this truck was the biggest vehicle I've ever seen. I was actually glad I didn't get it last night, because I was afraid to try and park it at night in the rain. Where I live, the cars are scrunched together, so I may have to park it down the street. If this deal goes through, then the Casita is next, and then off to live in an RV park. The salesman guy said some people find it easier to back in to a spot, since you can see the rear corners more easily. He said it might take a week or two to get use to a larger vehicle.

[Donna D.]

The vehicle you're considering should tow any all molded towable (except maybe a 25' Bigfoot or the 26' Bigfoot Cloud). I'm towing a 2014 Escape 5.0TA with a 6-cylinder Ford (Ecoboost).

BTW, it sounds like your salesman is either blind or has never backed up a trailer.

Good luck with your decision!

[mary and bob]

The tow rating on my truck is around 8000 lb, but different models of the same truck have different ratings. It is a little hard to see the front corners on mine, more so than some other trucks I test drove, but this was the best one of what I found so went with it. Did test drive another Dodge, it was the full crew cab and 8 foot bed, that one was LONG. Towed our Casita 1200 miles south for the winter and then back home. Tows it great. Camped all winter with a guy that owns the same truck as mine and he tows a 28 foot stickie trailer.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by whoot

Thanks for all the advice, I might get the truck on Thursday. Tonight I got there too late, but I saw the truck up close. It was ENORMOUS. I've only owned 4-cylinder cars for the 30 years I've been driving, and this truck was the biggest vehicle I've ever seen. I was actually glad I didn't get it last night, because I was afraid to try and park it at night in the rain. Where I live, the cars are scrunched together, so I may have to park it down the street. If this deal goes through, then the Casita is next, and then off to live in an RV park.

Bill.... I'm not feeling your direction. You are getting way too much truck for your needs. They are big and bulky, use a lot of gas and are not that reliable. There are many vehicles that will tow a Casita that are less costly, more capable, and a lot more fun to drive and handle.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by MC1

Bill.... I'm not feeling your direction. You are getting way too much truck for your needs. They are big and bulky, use a lot of gas and are not that reliable. There are many vehicles that will tow a Casita that are less costly, more capable, and a lot more fun to drive and handle.

Hmm. Unreliable would not be good on 17 hour trips. There is a chance I would want to go as large as one of the FG 5th wheels, so I was thinking a bigger truck would be more likely to pull the trailer. I also expect to go over the Rocky Mountains at some point, and was afraid of ending up with a truck that was unable to pull a trailer up an incline. I've never had a vehicle that could pull more than 2k lbs, so I don't know what I'm doing.

I also wanted a vehicle in which I could survive hitting a deer, or being hit by another car, which was another reason I liked the fact that the truck was big. Maybe I should be looking at a smaller truck?

[MC1]

Originally Posted by whoot

I also wanted a vehicle in which I could survive hitting a deer, or being hit by another car, which was another reason I liked the fact that the truck was big. Maybe I should be looking at a smaller truck?

The 150, 1500 series pickups can now tow over 10,000lbs well within your range of fiberglass trailer.

There are other vehicle types that have very precise steering and agility. The thought is that one is far better off having the ability of avoiding hitting a dear or avoiding an accident that getting into one.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by MC1

The 150, 1500 series pickups can now tow over 10,000lbs well within your range of fiberglass trailer.

There are other vehicle types that have very precise steering and agility. The thought is that one is far better off having the ability of avoiding hitting a dear or avoiding an accident that getting into one.

Ok, I called the car place and said I was going to look around a little more, and look for a smaller vehicle. I was going to pick it up in a few hours!

Reliability is very important to me, so I will keep an eye out for what people say is most reliable.

Wow, I didn't know the smaller trucks could pull that much. I had not looked at pickups because my original goal was a van, but now I like pickups because they tend to have 4wd and can pull a 5th wheel. I can also put a camper shell on the back, and it is sorta like a van. Ok, I'm starting over. I still may end up with the Ram 2500, it sounds more than capable, but it may in fact be way more than I need. I am definitely going with a FG trailer, so that gives me an idea what tow ratings to look for.

I think I will look for something new or very low miles that is less than $30k if possible.

[jennykatz]

If you are set on a truck and a new one .Your choices are
1500 series in Chevy ,Ram or F150 Ford .These will have a v-6 motor or V-8 and be able to tow anywhere from 4000 lb -9500 lb maybe more they keep changing tow options? They will get 14-25 mpg depending on what you believe their propaganda .
Ram also has a V-6 diesel in a 1500 or 1/2 ton truck as they used to be called

2500 series in Ram and Chevy or f-250 Ford These are 3/4 ton pickups that have V-8 gas or 6 or 8 cylinder diesels . these are capable of towing 5000-15000 lb or more .

Then you have the smaller pickups by Toyota ,Nissan and now GMC and Chevy These are not small trucks they weigh in at over 4000lb and get almost the same mpg as their 1500 big trucks from Ram ,Chevy and Ford and Toyota Tundra models .

If you want a 5th wheel fiberglass RV then there are 3 companies that sell them Escape ,Big foot ,and Scamp .The smaller trucks will handle the escape and scamp easily except for maybe the big foot ?

I hope this helps the 2500 Ram is way way overkill for a 2500-3000lb Casita .Good Luck in your endeavors and search JIM