First Tow with New 2021 Ram 1500 Big Horn Crew Cab

[Whiteymin]

I made my first trip this week.in My new 2021 Night Edition Ram 1500 4x4 truck. With the 6ft 4” bed. My truck has the 5.7 hemi. No etorque. With 3.92 gears. Trailer break controller and new General Grabber ATX AT tires. My RV is a bumper pull dry weight 5253 lbs. If l have another 1000 pounds loaded too, it would put me at 6263 lbs. My door sticker list me at 11,600 lb tow compacity and a Payload of 1726 lbs. I use a EZ R3 hitch with Steel bars on L brackets on trailer tongue and a sway engage feature. I run with water , gray water, and black water tanks empty. Even with the WDH installed I still have little sag in rear. I brought it up an uphill climb of 8-10 miles at 5-7percent uphill grade. I was able to keep my RPMs at 3500 and maintain 62-65 mph through the climb. I know I was using far less power than it has because I wouldn’t step into the gas to do so. I wanted a conservative approach to diagnose performance. It done wonderful. It was a relaxing easy pull. My coolant ran in 220 range some. My transmission mostly around 197 and once or twice hit around 200 or 205. My engine oil hit 261 on at its highest. I did not feel like the struck was strained at all. These temp numbers worry me some. What do u guys think of those temp numbers?
last thing is my setup had a lot porpoising going on. I am attributing it to coil springs on rear instead of leaf springs. They give it its comfortable ride but bounce some when towing. I decided to order a set of Air Lift 1000HD AIR Bags to install in rear coil springs. I think this should stiffen it up and hold it steady not allowing it to bounce, sway and bottoming out. For you all that have used this air lift model did it work for you? Also on installation we’re you able to fold them and push them into the spring without removing shock bolts and brake cable holder and removing the coil spring? Also if u installed one these, did you attach line to the air bag while it was in the coil spring after setting the spring back in or did u attach it before u pushed bag into coil ? One sticking point I need guidance on. Again my TT is a Forest River Grey Wolf MK23. I thin it is well within range at 5253 lbs. How does this TT and tow numbers look to you? Thanks

 

[Dragonmaster13]

If it’s porpoising you don’t have enough tension on the WD bars. Jack the tongue up, or jack it up further to get the bars higher for more tension.

As for the air lift, they do help. On my rebel I had to remove shock bolts, calipers, sway bar end links and still didn’t get enough to put the bags between the springs. Had to remove the springs to put the bags in and this would have been easier with the panhard bar removed as well as i still had to pry them out and back in. If you have a spring compressor it would be easier. Impossible to add air lines once the bags are in and need to be done before as the barbs to line fit is very, very, very tight. Also putting on the clamp would be almost impossible in a tight space.

 

[IvoryHemi]

Looks like a 7,600 lbs GVWR trailer, so you’re close to being maxed out.

I’d definitely recommend spending a few bucks at a CAT scale to get your WDH dialed in

 

[cj7]

I made my first trip this week.in My new 2021 Night Edition Ram 1500 4x4 truck. With the 6ft 4” bed. My truck has the 5.7 hemi. No etorque. With 3.92 gears. Trailer break controller and new General Grabber ATX AT tires. My RV is a bumper pull dry weight 5253 lbs. If l have another 1000 pounds loaded too, it would put me at 6263 lbs. My door sticker list me at 11,600 lb tow compacity and a Payload of 1726 lbs. I use a EZ R3 hitch with Steel bars on L brackets on trailer tongue and a sway engage feature. I run with water , gray water, and black water tanks empty. Even with the WDH installed I still have little sag in rear. I brought it up an uphill climb of 8-10 miles at 5-7percent uphill grade. I was able to keep my RPMs at 3500 and maintain 62-65 mph through the climb. I know I was using far less power than it has because I wouldn’t step into the gas to do so. I wanted a conservative approach to diagnose performance. It done wonderful. It was a relaxing easy pull. My coolant ran in 220 range some. My transmission mostly around 197 and once or twice hit around 200 or 205. My engine oil hit 261 on at its highest. I did not feel like the struck was strained at all. These temp numbers worry me some. What do u guys think of those temp numbers?
last thing is my setup had a lot porpoising going on. I am attributing it to coil springs on rear instead of leaf springs. They give it its comfortable ride but bounce some when towing. I decided to order a set of Air Lift 1000HD AIR Bags to install in rear coil springs. I think this should stiffen it up and hold it steady not allowing it to bounce, sway and bottoming out. For you all that have used this air lift model did it work for you? Also on installation we’re you able to fold them and push them into the spring without removing shock bolts and brake cable holder and removing the coil spring? Also if u installed one these, did you attach line to the air bag while it was in the coil spring after setting the spring back in or did u attach it before u pushed bag into coil ? One sticking point I need guidance on. Again my TT is a Forest River Grey Wolf MK23. I thin it is well within range at 5253 lbs. How does this TT and tow numbers look to you? Thanks

I’m ok with those temps, except for the oil. Mine goes into the 250s towing, and I’m working on an oil cooler install, with a 220 deg thermostat.

Towing numbers Look good, but def find time to hit the scales...

 

[blakei]

I have similar temps. Lots of discussion on temps in this thread:

Overheating While Towing in Mountains

I recently bought a RAM1500 Hemi 5.7 3.92 4x4 to tow our travel trailer from Denver to west slope and Utah. We hoped to make ~6 round trips per year (24 ascents over Vail Pass + Ike Tunnel). Made 2 runs so far and it's a FAIL. Truck now has 1300 miles on it and I got the Engine Temperature...

5thgenrams.com

I use Timber Grove airbags and they help with porpoising. 100% agree with dial in your WDH at a CAT scale. I've found that measuring the fenders doesn't return enough weight to the front axle due to how soft the suspension is.

 

[Glenn54]

I made my first trip this week.in My new 2021 Night Edition Ram 1500 4x4 truck. With the 6ft 4” bed. My truck has the 5.7 hemi. No etorque. With 3.92 gears. Trailer break controller and new General Grabber ATX AT tires. My RV is a bumper pull dry weight 5253 lbs. If l have another 1000 pounds loaded too, it would put me at 6263 lbs. My door sticker list me at 11,600 lb tow compacity and a Payload of 1726 lbs. I use a EZ R3 hitch with Steel bars on L brackets on trailer tongue and a sway engage feature. I run with water , gray water, and black water tanks empty. Even with the WDH installed I still have little sag in rear. I brought it up an uphill climb of 8-10 miles at 5-7percent uphill grade. I was able to keep my RPMs at 3500 and maintain 62-65 mph through the climb. I know I was using far less power than it has because I wouldn’t step into the gas to do so. I wanted a conservative approach to diagnose performance. It done wonderful. It was a relaxing easy pull. My coolant ran in 220 range some. My transmission mostly around 197 and once or twice hit around 200 or 205. My engine oil hit 261 on at its highest. I did not feel like the struck was strained at all. These temp numbers worry me some. What do u guys think of those temp numbers?
last thing is my setup had a lot porpoising going on. I am attributing it to coil springs on rear instead of leaf springs. They give it its comfortable ride but bounce some when towing. I decided to order a set of Air Lift 1000HD AIR Bags to install in rear coil springs. I think this should stiffen it up and hold it steady not allowing it to bounce, sway and bottoming out. For you all that have used this air lift model did it work for you? Also on installation we’re you able to fold them and push them into the spring without removing shock bolts and brake cable holder and removing the coil spring? Also if u installed one these, did you attach line to the air bag while it was in the coil spring after setting the spring back in or did u attach it before u pushed bag into coil ? One sticking point I need guidance on. Again my TT is a Forest River Grey Wolf MK23. I thin it is well within range at 5253 lbs. How does this TT and tow numbers look to you? Thanks

Have you installed the Air Lift 1000HD air bags yet? Curious how the install was and how you like the results. I have almost the same size travel trailer and my truck squats more than it should. Thanks.