Will It Tow?
2023 Ram 3500 (6.4L HEMI V8) with the 2027 Forest River Cherokee Black Label 39HBABL at its full GVWR of 13,300 lb, two adults and a dog aboard and a weight-distribution hitch.
Closest: tow rating, at 94% of its limit. Pack light and weigh it when you can.
- Tow rating: 810 lb to spare (13,300 lb camper, rating 14,110 to 17,670 lb)
- Payload: 1,435 lb to spare (2,306 to 2,705 lb used, payload 4,140 to 4,640 lb)
- Truck and trailer together: Not sure yet (20,390 lb, GCWR up to 24,200 lb)
Check it with your own numbers- Weight-distribution hitch (needed): Your camper is over 5,000 lb. Most truck makers require weight distribution here, and many receivers are rated far lower without it. It spreads the tongue weight to your front axle and the camper's axles, so the truck sits level and steers right.
- Sway control (strongly recommended): It stops the camper swinging side to side in crosswinds, when semis pass and on rough roads. At about 44 ft, your camper catches a lot of wind. Many weight-distribution hitches have it built in.
- Spring bars rated about 1,600 to 2,300 lb (size): Match the bars to your loaded tongue weight (1,596 to 1,995 lb, from an estimate of 12 to 15% of the camper's weight) plus anything heavy behind the truck's rear axle. Bars that are too stiff ride rough. Too light won't level the rig.
- Brake controller (needed): Your camper has electric brakes, and the controller in your cab runs them. Many newer trucks have one built in.
- Measure your tongue weight (tip): We're estimating 1,596 to 1,995 lb. A tongue weight scale or a hitch with a built-in gauge gives you the real number. Enter it in step 2.
Hitches make towing steadier, but none of them raise your tow rating or payload. The hitch itself counts against payload.
Ratings come from manufacturer towing guides and spec sheets. These are planning estimates, not a safety guarantee. Your truck and camper stickers, your owner's manual and a scale always win.