# Rear Living Outback



## scuba0331 (Dec 7, 2011)

My wife and I are looking into an Outback. We really want a Real Livng unit. our TV is a 2011 Ram 1500 4x4 .355 gears, tow package. Max towing is 8500lbs. Currently, I feel the Outback 277RL is to large for our TV.

I think maybe a 260RLS and or a 268RL will work with the Ram? I will also most likely purchase a Blue Ox to compliment the trailer.

What are your thoughts on the 260 or 268 with my Ram 1500?

Thank you so much!


----------



## jake's outback (Jul 24, 2010)

Welcome!!! So I will presume you have the 5.7 Liter. A crew Cab...
So GVWR is about 6800lbs.
Curb weight of RAM 5256LBS
TT tongue weight:695LBS plus propane batteries so add about 150 LBS

This leaves you 700lbs for any additional weight on the trailer tongue, you, gas, ...anything you have in the truck.

The trailer weighs Max 7700 lbs. Seems like you may be able to do it but you are, or appear to be, at the the GVWR of the truck. Not a good place to be.

Will the truck pull it YES! but here is what I will say, I use to pull a 260FL with a 1500 crew cab and the numbers were pretty close to what I see here. I Prefer the 2500 HD I like the peace of mind of the added payload I have and most of all the bigger brakes to stop. Just look at my signature!

The engine in that has the horses to pull it but it is the payload that is the limiting factor. Not knowing the terrain you plan on covering (hills, mountains, the prairies...) You're close and if $$ is no object I would upgrade the truck.

Good luck and I hope this helps... I used the 1500 for a season....


----------



## scuba0331 (Dec 7, 2011)

Jake thank you so much for the Reply. Yes my truck is a crew cab and has the 5.7 hemi. I almost pulled the trigger on the 2500 Cummins when I was looking at the 1500 and I had a little bird in my ear saying "do you really need a truck like that" lol! Oh well I will down size on the trailer.

We really want a rear living but I don't think we can get one that we can pull comfortably with the 1500.

I do have the specs on my truck per the Manufacturer. I guess the only question I have is the Base Weight Dry or Wet (Full tank of fuel, oil etc.).

To be safe should I be some % of GCWR, maybe 85% when factoring what trailer I should be considering?

Also, will the weight distribution hitch factor into the GVWR, ie. taking weight off of the truck?

Thanks!


----------



## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

I had a Dodge 1500 with 5.7. My camper was the RSS250 with max loaded weight 7,000 lbs. I never loaded it with water when I towed and barely had about 500 lbs of cargo on the trailer. The Dodge blew the transmission after two trips (odometer read 49K), which came out to less than 800 miles. Max speed on level terrain was 60 miles/hr. When we went through the low hills in West Texas, it barely made 45 miles/hr.

I'd strongly recommend an extra aftermarket cooler for your transmission. Get the biggest one you can get.

I now tow it with a Ford F250 diesel. Life has been good since.


----------



## jake's outback (Jul 24, 2010)

scuba0331 said:


> Jake thank you so much for the Reply. Yes my truck is a crew cab and has the 5.7 hemi. I almost pulled the trigger on the 2500 Cummins when I was looking at the 1500 and I had a little bird in my ear saying "do you really need a truck like that" lol! Oh well I will down size on the trailer.
> 
> We really want a rear living but I don't think we can get one that we can pull comfortably with the 1500.
> 
> ...


Funny you should mention the GCWR, I recently weighed my TV/TT combination ready to go camping and it weighed out at 15,000lbs and the Owners Manual said the max GCWR is 16,000lbs, but I'm well inside the GVWR @ 7600lbs(max GVWR is 9500lbs) I event went further down to front and rear axles to ensure I was not exceeding axle ratings and I'm good there.

With the above numbers I'm comfortable, I think it's a important to look at all the values, not exceeding the GCWR, I'm at 80% of the GVWR. I'm in my comfort zone! I\m ultra conservative lately so figure where your comfort zone is 85-90??? and go with it!

A good hitch installed correctly is a must to distribute the weight evenly over the truck axles! the hitch adds weight to the truck as well. Someone else may comment on the distribution to the trailer axles...I haven't researched that to much, maybe I will now.








I sure hope I covered it








You could always park it in a Private campground for a year or 2 until you upgrade the truck... just thinking


----------

