A Comprehensive Guide to Towing with the 2019 RAM 1500 - Everything You Need to Know!

[Willwork4truck]

I think we will be shipping/selling the Odyssey instead. We don't want to drive separate vehicles, but it's a 1700 mile move. That's a long way at 55mph, not using highways. Even if we used highways @ 55mph (assuming that is legal in every state), that would still be a long drive. I am guessing 36 hrs of driving...with kids, that's 5 days . Thanks for all the help! It's better to find out here than with a scattered mess on the highway.

With kids that would be a challenge, keep the Mrs. happier. Maybe she needs a new vehicle as well. Pacifica maybe?

 

[DevinB]

A lot of cold, hard, truth in here and I love it. Extremely helpful for an aspiring....?tower?...'person-who-tows-things' ..whatever...like myself. 2021 Limited currently on order and am picking out a utility trailer for general utility (lumber, helping friends or me move random stuff) that can also be used for hauling used woodworking and shop machinery up-to about 3000 lbs or so at a time....possibly more from time to time if I have the capacity and am ever allowed to buy two things at once....

Many posts on here supported my assumption that around a 7K GVWR tandem axle utility trailer (if ever fully loaded with about 5k of stuff) is all I'd ever be able to realistically and legally tow if I can leave about 700 lbs of payload available for the tongue weight.

Thanks all for the posts.

 

[Willwork4truck]

A lot of cold, hard, truth in here and I love it. Extremely helpful for an aspiring....?tower?...'person-who-tows-things' ..whatever...like myself. 2021 Limited currently on order and am picking out a utility trailer for general utility (lumber, helping friends or me move random stuff) that can also be used for hauling used woodworking and shop machinery up-to about 3000 lbs or so at a time....possibly more from time to time if I have the capacity and am ever allowed to buy two things at once....

Many posts on here supported my assumption that around a 7K GVWR tandem axle utility trailer (if ever fully loaded with about 5k of stuff) is all I'd ever be able to realistically and legally tow if I can leave about 700 lbs of payload available for the tongue weight.

Thanks all for the posts.

Oh, you're the guy with the trailer... everybody's "friend" at moving time...
Say, I'm moving in about 8 months, come on' down!

 

[DevinB]

ha, yes. though it'd be more like OVER your way...a long way over. Currently in central/southern CA. I should update my sig. Though we did make it to Charlotte & Asheville and surrounding touristy areas (Mt. Mitchell) a few years ago to see some of those green-blanketed Appalachian Mountains you all have.

 

[Willwork4truck]

ha, yes. though it'd be more like OVER your way...a long way over. Currently in central/southern CA. I should update my sig. Though we did make it to Charlotte & Asheville and surrounding touristy areas (Mt. Mitchell) a few years ago to see some of those green-blanketed Appalachian Mountains you all have.

It is a nice area in western NC around Asheville. Drive the parkway sometime... Open trailer or closed? V front or not? Curved roof or flat? Better get elect brakes on it though.

 

[DevinB]

It is a nice area in western NC around Asheville. Drive the parkway sometime... Open trailer or closed? V front or not? Curved roof or flat? Better get elect brakes on it though.

Did it (parkway). Gorgeous area; family in VA too.

It'll be an open utility trailer. 14 or 16ft. Two 3500lb Axles with electric brakes on both. 83" deck. 102" overall width. Will look kind of like this except tan or black and with no back gate (slide in ramps instead)



Onto which I hope to find and pull home things like this, ~ 3k



or this (3k+)



After being previously limited to smaller things like this: ( ~1200 lbs) unless I rented a drop-deck hydraulic trailer or a flatbed truck.



It's fun to find and buy these old machines and make a little mini vacation out of the drive to pick them up...where ever they are. Last trip was up to Seattle and back to SoCal.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Did it (parkway). Gorgeous area; family in VA too.

It'll be an open utility trailer. 14 or 16ft. Two 3500lb Axles with electric brakes on both. 83" deck. 102" overall width. Will look kind of like this except tan or black and with no back gate (slide in ramps instead)

View attachment 82187

Onto which I hope to find and pull home things like this, ~ 3k

View attachment 82188

or this (3k+)

View attachment 82189

After being previously limited to smaller things like this: ( ~1200 lbs) unless I rented a drop-deck hydraulic trailer or a flatbed truck.

View attachment 82190

It's fun to find and buy these old machines and make a little mini vacation out of the drive to pick them up...where ever they are. Last trip was up to Seattle and back to SoCal.

Always neat old power tools to find! Question is, what to do with them, where to store/display them and how to convince your wife that it/they “just followed me home”...

 

[LoudHogRider]

Always neat old power tools to find! Question is, what to do with them, where to store/display them and how to convince your wife that it/they “just followed me home”...
View attachment 82216

I have this problem with lever action rifles.

But that is one cool looking band saw. A guy needs some mountain land with timber and a hankering to build his own cabin to make use of such a glorious machine, IMO.

 

[devildodge]

I can put my specific VIN number in. Why is that inaccurate. I agree on the more "general" information.

Your payload will be accurate.

The towing number is just GCWR minus base weight....so that 11450 alot of people see....that is no driver or hitch....so when people buy a 10000lb campers they get pissed at RAM....THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER.

Make sense now. Just do GVWR minus payload to get base weight then GCWR minus base weight to get max towing.

Then take max towing and subtract driver passengers cargo hitch and remember tongue weight has to be a number that keeps the truck under GVWR.

 

[Chanyote66]

Your payload will be accurate.

The towing number is just GCWR minus base weight....so that 11450 alot of people see....that is no driver or hitch....so when people buy a 10000lb campers they get pissed at RAM....THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER.

Make sense now. Just do GVWR minus payload to get base weight then GCWR minus base weight to get max towing.

Then take max towing and subtract driver passengers cargo hitch and remember tongue weight has to be a number that keeps the truck under GVWR.

That payload rating actually does include 300 lb for one driver, one passenger. Seated in the front row, and all fluids full.

 

[devildodge]

That payload rating actually does include 300 lb for one driver, one passenger. Seated in the front row, and all fluids full.

No it does not. The 300lb rating is in the SAEJ2807 rating for tow rating. As i mentioned...the configurators do not give a trailer weight.

And what does an allowance matter when everyone weighs something differnt.

And I would love to see the literature that specifies the front seat

 

[Zeronet]

Devildodge speaks the truth.

There is NO allowance in the payload number for a driver, passenger nor a hitch.

When I first purchased my truck I went to the cat scales the next day. Filled the truck with fuel and put it on the scales. I was not in the truck when it was weighed.

Scale says 5640. Cat scale weights are in 20 pound increments. So by the scales, my truck has a payload of 1460 pounds (7100 GVWR minus 5640 curb weight).

GVWR of 7100 minus door sticker payload of 1479 gives a curb weight of 5621. VIN lookup for my truck also shows 1479. So on my truck, the door sticker accurately reflects the actual payload available. No allowance for driver/passenger/hitch in that door sticker.

 

[Chanyote66]

No it does not. The 300lb rating is in the SAEJ2807 rating for tow rating. As i mentioned...the configurators do not give a trailer weight.

And what does an allowance matter when everyone weighs something differnt.

And I would love to see the literature that specifies the front seat

True, I'm just over 100hours on the clock this week so getting numbers mixed

 

[Redfour5]

Devildodge speaks the truth.

There is NO allowance in the payload number for a driver, passenger nor a hitch.

When I first purchased my truck I went to the cat scales the next day. Filled the truck with fuel and put it on the scales. I was not in the truck when it was weighed.

Scale says 5640. Cat scale weights are in 20 pound increments. So by the scales, my truck has a payload of 1460 pounds (7100 GVWR minus 5640 curb weight).

GVWR of 7100 minus door sticker payload of 1479 gives a curb weight of 5621. VIN lookup for my truck also shows 1479. So on my truck, the door sticker accurately reflects the actual payload available. No allowance for driver/passenger/hitch in that door sticker.

Finally, a real world example. Thanks. That was what I was operating under, but why the heck is it still mudd. I went to get the SAE standard, that has the details, but it costs 85 bucks. I don't want it that bad...

 

[devildodge]

We

Finally, a real world example. Thanks. That was what I was operating under, but why the heck is it still mudd. I went to get the SAE standard, that has the details, but it costs 85 bucks. I don't want it that bad...

have given over 3 years worth of information about this.

The SAEJ2807 gets you a standard for GCWR. And I explained the rest. There isnt anything to get.

Payload is what is added to an empty truck up to GVWR.

GCWR is what weight can be attached to truck with a trailer.

Base weight is an empty truck with full fluids.

Ford does some ******** where it gives 150lbs for a driver in the payload figure. I haven't weighed 150 pounds since 7th grade...so 150lbs is the stupidest number ever to me.

 

[devildodge]

The SAE gives a list of scenerios a manufacture must test the truck in.

Parking brake must hold on a certain grade at GCWR. Truck must accelerate from a stop to a certain speed in a certain time at GCWR. Truck must come to a stop on a certain grade in a certain amount of feet. Etc.

3.21 geared HEMI is 13900 3.92 is 17000

3.21 pentastar is 11900 with 3.55 is 12900

3.21 eco diesel is 13900 and 3.92 is 15600

 

[devildodge]

 

[ramblin'man]

TFLTruck is a great YT channel.

 

[Redfour5]

Finally, a real world example. Thanks. That was what I was operating under, but why the heck is it still mudd. I went to get the SAE standard, that has the details, but it costs 85 bucks. I don't want it that bad...

The SAE gives a list of scenerios a manufacture must test the truck in.

Parking brake must hold on a certain grade at GCWR. Truck must accelerate from a stop to a certain speed in a certain time at GCWR. Truck must come to a stop on a certain grade in a certain amount of feet. Etc.

3.21 geared HEMI is 13900 3.92 is 17000

3.21 pentastar is 11900 with 3.55 is 12900

3.21 eco diesel is 13900 and 3.92 is 15600

SAE J2807 "This document establishes minimum performance criteria at GCWR and calculation methodology to determine tow-vehicle TWR for passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks. This includes all vehicles up to 14000 pounds GVWR."

THIS "and calculation methodology" is what I wanted to see. Come on someone spend 85 bucks to get a copy...

You have immersed yourself into this so maybe it is clear to you, but why don't you convince the companies to make it more clear to the regular guy buying a truck that doesn't come here.

What I got out of the actual example that makes a difference FOR ME is the FULL TANK OF GAS. I have the 26 gallon. I used to have the 32 Gal on the 2015. Now, that is approximately 208 lbs of weight. I always added that into my calculations as I didn't think it was part of the SAE equation. Based upon a real world experience, it is. So, I just picked up 208 lbs for my calculations. I am always close on my 2015 AND the new one. I am OK now that I don't have to put a full tank of gas into my calculations. That always put me over... Considering that I almost never have full tanks of anything, I SORT OF have a fudge factor of like 50 lbs from a real world standpoint IN MY OPINION. I'll drive on that... If my payload calculations were a couple hundred lbs over no matter what, I'd really be concerned. NOW I am not. Your stuff helped me hone down my questions. Thanks. It lead me to wonder about the J2807 standard. Much appreciated. The real world example made it concrete for me. Now, curiosity makes me want to read the SAE standard, but my curiosity is NOT worth 85 bucks. https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2807_202002/

 

[Eighty]

Are you looking for this?

https://www.automotive-fleet.com/fc_resources/pdf/j2807.pdf