Question re: Ram 1500 max towing

My in laws are looking to get a quad cab truck to tow with, they currently have a 2007 Silverado 2500HD with the 6.0 and rwd, and they are asking me if a new 18 Ram 1500 will tow their 5th wheel trailer, I’m pretty sure it’s a 24’, but it’s only maybe 5 years old, so it’s likely some kinda lightweight trailer. Anyways I’m wondering how your truck handles a lot of weight behind it, I told them it would be no problem, just get some helper airbags for the rear coils and they should be fine. I’m gonna check the trailer weight and what the truck is rated for, but they think the trailer is 8k.

Quick Google search showed approx wt of 4000 to 4500lbs for a '24 footer.
My hemi quad with 6.5 box and 3:21 gears is rated at a hair over 8000lb but jumps 2000lbs if it had 3:90 gears. It felt surprisingly good with decent flexibility even when towing a steel enclosed car hauler with the Cobra on board. Have added rear air bags (inside the spring style) plus pair of Bilstein HD's and run tires at max psi when towing.

Max sure if they want to go with a 5th wheel they opt for the 6.3' bed so they don't crunch the cab when turning. A 4x4 crew cab truck with the 6.3' bed and 3.92 gears will get you a max tow of 9700lbs/payload 1400lbs, as ZR stated dropping the cab down to a quad cab will net you max tow of 10,200/payload 1500lbs. Make sure to pay attention to that hitch weight/payload, the payload capacity of the ram with the coils is the only sticking point.

My truck is CC 5.7' bed with 3.92s, rated for a hair over 10k. I've drug around north of 9k on my truck (bobcat + trailer + attachments) and it got it done. Definitely feel the weight back there on power wise but it got up to speed just fine and truck never felt like it wasn't up to the task. Air bags are an absolute must above 5k I feel, I also really don't like the factory tires and will be ditching them soon for something with a high load rating and stiffer sidewalls.

Hopping out of my work 2500HD Sierra in to my Ram is like jumping out of a lumber wagon into a Mercedes. Ride comfort, technology, seat quality, and overall amenities not to mention unloaded MPG all trump the Chebby.

That all said if I was going to be towing north of 10k on a semi regular basis, or my trailer had a crazy hitch weight, I'd be sticking in HD territory.

Along with air bags, a 1/2 ton truck towing anywhere close to max would benefit from ditching the P rated tires.

I'll be going with E range/10ply next go around. To me it's comical bordering on stupid that trucks with a 1500+ lbs payload capacity come with tires designed to carry 1200 or less lbs stock.

For a dual purpose truck, to me, Load Range D would fit the bill giving best of both worlds.

Want the puncture resistance of the 10 ply. We see a lot items in tires.

Thx for the info. They tow 5-6 times a year, usually 3 hrs to grand bend, so not real far but yes, needs rear bags and tires should be upgraded.

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Originally Posted by Ponyryd

Thx for the info. They tow 5-6 times a year, usually 3 hrs to grand bend, so not real far but yes, needs rear bags and tires should be upgraded.

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Wifes aunt and uncle do the same trip (pinery and back) with same frequency. They have a 28ft travel, pretty much maxing the tow rating and over the payload of their 16' Laramie. So far no issues with truck and no complaints from them. I'd think at that level of towing and trip they'll be fine with a 1500. Make that sale get that referral $$$ Richard.

Lol, they bought a Cherokee from us a couple years ago, I think referral is only for new customers, but yea, I’ll try ;)
I gotta see what the trailer weighs, but I appreciate the help cuz I wasn’t sure if the 5.7 box could take a 5th wheel, I figured they would need the QC with the 6.3, unless the trailer is made for a smaller box I guess...

They make 5th wheel sliders for short beds, but I've personally seen them fail and tap a cab. Have to be extra vigilant and even then your turning radius is limited.

24 include the over hang on the truck?


seems short for a fifth wheel and 4500 lbs would be a little light, my 27ft 2017 trailer has a dry weight of 6800 lbs. figure a minimum of 1000lbs in gear and water when loaded.

frankly in a half ton ford has the best rating. but when I talked to the ram guy with the new power torque drive thing its like 12000 lbs, which is nothing to sneeze at.


that being said. having the 2500 and 3500 rentals this summer. (dispite the underpowered and over thirsty gm 6.0) it was night and day in term's of how they handled the towing, and keep in mind that 5th wheel counts as pay load weight and puts more load in the truck (but better distributed)

my vote if in the budget would be a 2500,

Would be their only car, so they won’t be getting a 2500. They currently have a 2500 Chevy, but used a 1500 Ram before that.
The trailer is 7k dry so it’s probably bigger than I thought, but the Ram They were looking at was rated for 15000 lbs towing capacity, seems high to me but that’s what the brochure said, even a 3.6 truck could tow over 12000. Not sure what a Ford is rated for, they only asked me about a Ram, which would be my choice as well.

Id double check that number was at the ram dealer last month and noting in the 1500 was rated that high, also be weary of the new 12' infotainment center, reading stuff on line about issues with them.

yeah just checked the website says a max towing available of 12,750. still plenty to tow a 7000lb 5th wheel. plus cargo

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Originally Posted by 5.4MarkVIII

Id double check that number was at the ram dealer last month and noting in the 1500 was rated that high, also be weary of the new 12' infotainment center, reading stuff on line about issues with them.

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I was looking in the brochure, it was way higher than that, I thought it was wrong because it was over 15k, or maybe I’m reading it wrong? I tried checking online but seemed all I could build was an eco diesel truck, so I gave up.
We have had no issues with the 12” screen though, but regardless that’s on the 19s, and only on the top dog truck.

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That's gross combined weight. That's max weight of the entire road train, including passengers and luggage. Not tow capacity.

That makes sense then, I was wondering why it was so high. So what do they allow for passengers and luggage? 1-2000 lbs?

At max tow your payload (passengers and cargo) is like 500lbs. Basically it's (truck weight) + (trailer weight) + (payload) cannot exceed the GCWR

So a 1500 Sport crew short bed with a 5.7 Hemi and 3.21 gears weighs around 5200 lbs and is rated at a max tow of 8040 lbs with a GCWR of 13800

(5200) + (8040) + (payload) = 13800

(13240) + (payload) = 13800

(payload) = 560lbs

For a similar spec truck but 3.92 gears

(5200) + (10220) + (payload) = 15975

(15420) + (payload) = 15975

(payload) = 555lbs

It's crazy that more people don't pay attention to GCWR in my opinion, or they just see a tow rating and neglect to factor in how much people and stuff they are loading in the truck when towing max. I've said before if you're going to be near max tow on any 1/2 ton truck make sure it's just you or another person in the truck during those tows, drive with serious caution if you plan on going right to max weights, or jump up to the 3/4 ton.

towing is just as sticky with cops as mods on vehicles....

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Originally Posted by hammerhead

towing is just as sticky with cops as mods on vehicles....

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At least in towing there's math, not as much discretionary really.

towing weights can bring in all kinds of other regulations in regards to "annual safety inspections" on truck and trailer...really something to consider before towing - these commercial rules also apply to car haulers unfortunately with weights over 2500lbs which is pretty much anything.

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Originally Posted by Laffs

At least in towing there's math, not as much discretionary really.

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You would think...

and maybe that's true with MTO...but not so much with cops lol (that was a looooooooooong effing night) :(

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Originally Posted by hammerhead

towing weights can bring in all kinds of other regulations in regards to "annual safety inspections" on truck and trailer...really something to consider before towing - these commercial rules also apply to car haulers unfortunately with weights over 2500lbs which is pretty much anything.

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I know, I get annuals done on about 12 trucks.

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Originally Posted by Laffs

At max tow your payload (passengers and cargo) is like 500lbs. Basically it's (truck weight) + (trailer weight) + (payload) cannot exceed the GCWR

So a 1500 Sport crew short bed with a 5.7 Hemi and 3.21 gears weighs around 5200 lbs and is rated at a max tow of 8040 lbs with a GCWR of 13800

(5200) + (8040) + (payload) = 13800

(13240) + (payload) = 13800

(payload) = 560lbs

For a similar spec truck but 3.92 gears

(5200) + (10220) + (payload) = 15975

(15420) + (payload) = 15975

(payload) = 555lbs

It's crazy that more people don't pay attention to GCWR in my opinion, or they just see a tow rating and neglect to factor in how much people and stuff they are loading in the truck when towing max.I've said before if you're going to be near max tow on any 1/2 ton truck make sure it's just you or another person in the truck during those tows, drive with serious caution if you plan on going right to max weights, or jump up to the 3/4 ton.

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Thanks, and that’s why I asked instead of just telling them they’d be fine, lol. Pretty sad though that our sales dept showed me the brochure and said that’s what it could tow. I thought that rating was way to high, and here we are now, all of us a little bit smarter :)

Ya. Sales people can sometimes overstate vehicle capabilities, earth shattering news I know.

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Originally Posted by Laffs

Ya. Sales people can sometimes overstate vehicle capabilities, earth shattering news I know.

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RV sales people would never do that, also...Sure your half ton will tow that trailer....

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Originally Posted by Laffs

Ya. Sales people can sometimes overstate vehicle capabilities, earth shattering news I know.

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Lol, yea but I think they’re simply ignorant to it, my sales guy said the rating and I immediately called bullshit, so he came out with the brochure to show me. He wasn’t trying to push a sale, I think he honestly though that’s what it was.

Ya your dealer is generally one of the good ones. I get it though, not everyone is a loser like me and memorizes this shit.