Dodge Ram Towing Questions

KCRam

The 1500 MegaCab is essentially a rebadged 2500. The only difference is a slight reduction in GVWR (the 1500 is rated at 8510, the Hemi 2500 is 8800).

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ellisjay2

My ram did not come with the trailer hitch that is low and comes out like the letter " J " , which means if I were to tow for now it would have to be on the bumper right?? Which I do not want to do. My question is is there a way I can get the hitch connection added to the stock towing reciever which is maxed at 5000 lbs, or would I have to replace the whole thing to have the J hook type hitch to keep from towing on the bumper???

twcarver

Hello, I need to get a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500, 2 wheel Drive, Regular Cab, Short Bed, from Indiana, To Florida. The Tow Vehicle is a 1996 Ford F350 Motor Home. I don't have a Trailer and I would not want to remove the Drive Shaft . Could you give me some alternatives? Would a Tow Dolly be a viable solution, putting the rear wheels on the dolly?

truckerpete

bigriver,i drive a class 8 commercial vehicle(18 wheeler) the consideration you might consider making is if you have any questions as to what size rv to puchase,that more axles are better,so 13500 gawv on your truck is probably not all that important,the numer of axles to distribute the weight evenly should be a consideration,as the nose of the rv will be positioned over the bed of the truck does change not the tongue weight,but does change the pulling characteristics,they are a dream to pull,if you have enough engine and transmission to pull the existing weight,after you purchase an rv35ft or longer really needs three axles,youll also need to learn to store heavier object as close over the trailer axles as possible,also realize that 13500 trailer turns into 15000 or more when you put your personal things inside,however most construction companies use chevy,dodge,ford duallies to move backhoes to jobsites etc.bottom line in my opinion,more axles,engine is always better,especially in the heavy winds,rain and possibly mountains,dont limit yourself,its dangerous,i hopes this help you good luck in your travels,iv got a fiver and ford dually and love it

truckerpete

that would be a solution,you might also consider a u haul tandem axle single car hauler,they are a little more money,but 10 times safer,plus they should help you with the wiring if tow vehicle is not wired,behind a motorhome a dolly will wiggle,taking a driveshaft is always a bad idea,if there are other options,probably 900, 1000 miles fl to indiana,be a hassle in bad weather,if you had to crawl under the pickup to tetie something up

truckerpete

the way to figure what a truck will pull is definitly connected to the gawv,however any pickup will pull a trailer some distance,the thing to consider is how far you will go how much engine and how beefy is the transmission,and how will it connect to the tow unit,i once pulled a 42ft hitch hiker fifth wheel from dallas to phoenix,with a 1986 dodge ram with a 360 engine and auto tansmission,the truck was fairly new at the time so it was no problem,but i would have never attempted the mountains,v8 ram pickup should pull a 30 ft fiver with ease

george723

Can you tell me if I purchase the controller with the cable for a Dodge with a tow package could I put it in myself? I am interested in the Prodigy Trailer Brake Also the vehicle I am talking about is a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 Hemi

sitdog84

I am looking at purchasing a 2007 Dodge Ram 3500 dually 5.9ltr but my concern is that it has 3.73 gear ratio. I tow a 12K 5th wheel, will the Dodge tow it alright with the 3.73 gears or do I need to find one with 4.10 gears?? I currently have a 2000 Ford F250 with a 7.3 and it dies on hills with it's 3.73 gear ratio.

thanks
Ken

sitdog84

Would a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 4wd, megacab with 5.9ltr and 48RE auto trans be able to comfortably tow a 13,000 lb 5th wheel?

KCRam

Depends on how often you tow and how often you'll drive the truck unloaded.

With the two trucks you're asking about, the 12K-13K fifth will be right at the prescribed limit for the 3.73 axle and 48RE. If it's occasional use and relatively flat terrain, you'll be ok. If you tow frequently and/or deal with hills, you'll be happier with the 4.10 and the dually (for lateral stability).

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butch0630

I have a 2006 1500 with 4.7 V-8 and 3.93 diff. total tow capacity is rated at 7650 lbs. My travel trailer is rated at 8100 lbs full loaded. Is there anything I can do to increase towing capacity on my rig?

KCRam

The answer is "yes and no".

Whilke there are things you can add to your truck that will indeed increase its physical abilities (such as stringer rear springs), you are still legally limited to what the manufacturer sticker says you can tow - that's what an officer will check if you are sent to a scale.

Also keep in mind that whatever you add to the cab reduces what you can tow. Two passengers and luggage/gear can easily knock another 500 pounds off your towing capacity.

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oz_bloke

I intend to tow a 2 axle trailer weighing about 8,000 lbs fully loaded.

Would a 2010 3500 6.7 Cummins 4x4 Laramie be better with manual or auto box?
Would the gearing be ok at 3.72 or should I stay with 4.10?

Most work will be flat road but some country dirt roads and sand.
I'm concerned that if I go auto with 3.72 - good mileage but no go when stuck in sand with the trailer on or going up steep hills.

Any advice would be very helpful. Thanks.

KCRam

The truck won't even notice 8000 pounds. My 96 Cummins 3500 dually 4x4 pulled an F450 rollback-bed out of very soft/wet clay mud in low range with 3.54s - engine output back then was 180/420. You have more than enough torque to work with 3.73s - my 2005 Cummins 3500 dually 4x4 has not been stuck in anything or felt underpowered in 5 years.

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habsfan2

I have a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Crew Cab with 20" wheels and I'm having a hard time finding out what the towing capabilities are. I want to buy a travel trailer that weighs 5200lbs dry and be able drive long distances

KCRam

For the 2009 4x4 Crew Cab with 20-inch footwear...

With the 5.7L and 3.55 axle:
- GCWR is 12,000, maximum trailer weight is 6300

With the 5.7L and 3.92 axle:
- GCWR is 13,000, maximum trailer weight is 7300

With the 4.7L and 3.55 axle:
- GCWR is 10,500, maximum trailer weight is 5750

With the 4.7L and 3.92 axle:
- GCWR is 11,500, maximum trailer weight is 5950

Remember that the weight of people and gear in the cab have to be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight. Hope that helps!

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campfire7

I have a 2005 Ram 1500, 4 door Quad cab with 5.7 Hemi , 5 speed Automatic Trans.,3.92 axle ratio, factory towing package. The new travel trailer that I want to buy is 29ft. and weights 7600 lbs, dry weight. I live in Florida and the longest trip we make is about 150 miles on flat ground, and then only 3 or 4 times a year, I really want this trailer but i cant afford to buy a new trailer and a new truck right now. will my truck pull this or should I give up on this trailer and find a smaller one.

KCRam

I have to make the assumption this is 2WD since you didn't mention it (and that's more likely in Florida). The maximum trailer weight for such a truck is 8600 pounds, so you'll be close because whatever you add to the cab (people, luggage) subtracts from the available trailer weight. Likewise for adding fluids to the trailer.

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cs75

I own a 1985 dodge ramvan B250. It has a 3 speed transmission and 5.2 liter motor what is the recommended towing capacity of this vechicle.

sbihm

can someone tell the towing ability for a 2007 dodge 1500, 4.7 L, V-8, 4 door. i have a rv trailer that weighs 6200 pounds. the truck came with an towing package, (the hitch is off of the frame, not the bumper).... thanks....

rosie23

Hey guys my name is Rosie and i have a 1500 dodge ram and my son told us we can use his fith wheel trailer and it is a 27 footer well my truck be big enough to pull that trailer

rosie23

you are in the same boat as i am i hope we have a 2006 dodge ram four door

abc19

What Dodge Ram is needed to pull a 9000 lb boat/trailer?

corkscrew

That information and more can be found here: http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/
Corkscrew

abc19

tullos

tullos

I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 V8 and want to pull my 33ft. travel trailer 35 miles to a camp ground...Can I pull this trailer without hurting my transmission.....