Looking at used 2019+ Ram 1500 hemi 4x4's to occasionally tow a 6000 lb travel trailer in the mountains. Most have 3.21 axle, will that work?

[landk00]

Looking at used 2019+ Ram 1500 hemi 4x4's to occasionally tow a 6000 lb travel trailer in the mountains. Most have 3.21 axle, will that work?

 

[J-Cooz]

It would, but the 3.92 would be better, especially in the mountains.

While searching try and get the dealers to take pictures of the payload stickers on the door jamb. With 6,000lbs of trailer and gear you're going to want to try and get something with some decent payload numbers.

The numbers vary wildly depending on options etc. Some Bighorns have 1700-1800lbs while a fully loaded limited can be just over 1,000lbs.

 

[_StangPGH]

3.92s are nice for hauling / towing. I just hauled a pallet of pavers weighing about 2500lb and pulled a long 15 degree grade like it was nothing. I only went about 5 miles and wouldn't recommend grossly exceeding the payload by that much very often but the Rebel w/o air suspension didn't complain.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[User_3336]

Lots of gear hunting and downshifting with a 3.21.

 

[Orion10182011]

That's well below the 8,000 lb towning capacity of the 3.21 trucks. You should be fine.

 

[J-Cooz]

That's well below the 8,000 lb towning capacity of the 3.21 trucks. You should be fine.

Just below it's capacity doesn't mean it will do well. He'd be much better off getting the 3.92 because he's towing in the mountains.

 

[mikes ram]

I own a 5.7 with 3:21 axels in fact I ordered it that way. I tow a rv just under 6000# and live in the Denver area. When I take the rv. it is usually to the west over Loveland pass and long 6% grades so I feel qualified to answer your gestation. So here's the deal, the transmission being a 7 speed will not let the engine lug it just goes down in gears to give you the speed you want and when you get to flat land it goes up in gears to give you what you want. That is the beauty of 7 gears, gear 6 and 7 are overdrive gears you will never see those gears while towing, but when not towing the truck will go into the overdrive gears to give better gas millage and less wear

 

[J-Cooz]

Im

I own a 5.7 with 3:21 axels in fact I ordered it that way. I tow a rv just under 6000# and live in the Denver area. When I take the rv. it is usually to the west over Loveland pass and long 6% grades so I feel qualified to answer your gestation. So here's the deal, the transmission being a 7 speed will not let the engine lug it just goes down in gears to give you the speed you want and when you get to flat land it goes up in gears to give you what you want. That is the beauty of 7 gears, gear 6 and 7 are overdrive gears you will never see those gears while towing, but when not towing the truck will go into the overdrive gears to give better gas millage and less wear

Ummm....it's an 8 speed

 

[Neurobit]

Im

Ummm....it's an 8 speed

Yep. LOL

 

[zlman]

Yep. LOL

He's "qualified" though.......

 

[HeliPilot]

Now that right there is funny, i don't care who you are.

 

[Willwork4truck]

He's "qualified" though.......

6,7,8 whatever. The point is it will work. Is it ideal, no, the 3.92 is better suited. The op said only occasional use. As long as he’s ok climbing the pass slower than bombing along at turbodiesel speeds he will get where he wants to go.
(I lived in Colorado for 10 years and towed a 4500# wood framed 1972 24’ trailer with a 7,000# CC 1 ton truck that had a low-rise camper on it. Never went anywhere without full tanks of water and propane cause we dry camped a lot. The truck had a GM 400 good for 210 hp/appx 310 tq and a 4 speed auto. Climbing the passes was in 2nd gear at 30-35 mph.)

Now the problem is “trailer creep” or “trailer usage creep”. He’s starting off near or at the edge of capabilities (note he indicated a 6K trailer. Is that dry weight or camping weight?) If that‘s dry weight then he may be adding 1K or more in water, food, gear, misc. not counting what‘s in his truck. If that’s trailer gvwr he still has to account for what the bed of the truck may have.

Either way his 8 speed and hemi have a lot more useable power than my old truck did but somehow we made it for years with that combination. People tend to forget that power isn’t what’s lacking with a 5th gen 1500. I’d suggest he be more careful with payload and braking.

 

[landk00]

Sorry that I did not clarify, 6000 lbs wet for weight of the trailer. In az it seems most of the used ram 1500's have are 3.21's and was hoping for real world opinions.

 

[ktl5005]

You'll be fine

 

[Willwork4truck]

You‘re going to get a lot of “3.92 is best” which really is true but that doesn’t mean your 3.21‘s won‘t work. As you climb the grade up I-17 to Flag you might wish you had the 3.92 gears however just stay in the right lane and hope there‘s not too many of those 25 mph semi’s going up. You will have to gear down to pass them but you still can.
There’s really no climbing going out past Wickenburg on US 60 and headed down 17 to Tucson is a breeze. Interstate 8 heading into Cali has some grades but not as bad as going up to 7000’ Flagstaff.

 

[SColang22]

Looking at used 2019+ Ram 1500 hemi 4x4's to occasionally tow a 6000 lb travel trailer in the mountains. Most have 3.21 axle, will that work?

I pull a 6,000lb boat with 3.21 and it does just fine. Never have much trouble with it. Just got a bigger boat so upgrading to a 2500.

 

[Willwork4truck]

I pull a 6,000lb boat with 3.21 and it does just fine. Never have much trouble with it. Just got a bigger boat so upgrading to a 2500.

How much bigger? While I agree that a 2500 is a better tow platform, not too many owners would make that switch unless adding substantial weight.

 

[2wd]

You'll be good with the 3.21 at those weights. I've towed 8k 32ft TT and it did fine. One user on this forum has towed 10k multiple times w/3.21.

To help understand the power of the 8 speed, know that the 3.21 Ram final drive ratios are geared more aggressively than a Toyota Tundra 5.7 w/4.30 rear end. (oh the humanity, those Tundra's are towing 9K, sometimes in mountains!) The Ram 3.21 is geared slightly better for towing gear for gear than a Tundra 5.7 w/4.30's.

 

[User_3336]

Do you have a customized 5.7 Hemi wth a 7 speed transmission?

I own a 5.7 with 3:21 axels in fact I ordered it that way. I tow a rv just under 6000# and live in the Denver area. When I take the rv. it is usually to the west over Loveland pass and long 6% grades so I feel qualified to answer your gestation. So here's the deal, the transmission being a 7 speed will not let the engine lug it just goes down in gears to give you the speed you want and when you get to flat land it goes up in gears to give you what you want. That is the beauty of 7 gears, gear 6 and 7 are overdrive gears you will never see those gears while towing, but when not towing the truck will go into the overdrive gears to give better gas millage and less wear

 

[J-Cooz]

The point is, if he has a choice why not get a 3.92
A ford Ranger will tow that up the mountain eventually. If he's shopping used and that's his primary purpose he might as well wait and find the best truck for his needs.