Towing Help (urgent)

[Skittchin]

Hello,
First time truck buyer. I wanted to get a truck for everyday driving as well as towing an RV to be purchased at a future date. I went with a 2019 Ram Laramie 1500 Black Edition. However, after taking the vehicle home and doing more research I found the following specs which make me nervous about towing. My plan would be to tow a RV with a max weight of around 7K pounds.
3.21 gear ratio (realized after the fact that this is not great for towing)
22 inch factory tires (285/45R/22 Goodyear) most forums state that you should not tow with 22 inch tires because of the risk of a blowout, plus they can decrease your towing capacity
1543 payload
8150 lbs towing capacity according to website (I have called the Ram dealership and 1-800 number and neither can confirm if this is the exact payload since my truck comes with 22 inch factory tires)

Will I be able to tow safely (as I have two kids under 5 years old) and effectively with this vehicle or should I return it as I am within my 7 day window. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-Bryan

 

[JJRamTX]

Not sure where you heard that about the 22" wheels. They are actually stronger than the 20" or the 18" as they come with a stronger bearing assembly from what I read in the past but haven't been able to find much more on. I have 22" wheels and tow real heavy all of the time (over 9K) and will say that you get less tire squishiness and less trailer sway with 22" wheels due to the less amount of rubber sidewall flexing. The 3.21 could be less desirable but you should be fine if you aren't going over 8K and your payload is under the max.

 

[RAM5]

There are lots of things to consider when purchasing a Ram with towing in mind and there are lots of options to consider, however the weight of those options do takeaway from the towing and payload ratings.

i believe there is a topic just for towing. It would be a good idea if you check that out.

i Wish you the best of luck

 

[JF19Longhorn]

If the door sticker says 1543 payload, then as long as you haven't added anything, that is your payload. Payload includes everything you put in the truck including fuel in the tank, people, stuff in the bed, and tongue weight of your trailer. The 22's should have little to do with it, unless RAM did something really stupid.. My last truck had 22's and an 11k+ 'tow rating'. Like most 1/2 ton's, she ran out of payload long before she would ever reach the max towing capacity.

Make sure you know the loaded weight of the trailer you're planning on buying. Alot of salesman will pound that dry weight into their sales pitch and tell you your truck can pull it no problem! ...then you take the loaded trailer to the scales and findout you're 2k lbs over that dry weight and maybe even over your trucks payload.. and you haven't even put your family in the truck yet!

 

[EMS_Pilot_66]

Here’s a comprehensive guide. Within the towing thread. Towing guide, everything you need to know

 

[RamFan2019]

Agree with with what others have stated above. Is the 7000Lb trailer the Dry Weight or the GVWR?? That makes a world of difference.
I tow a Sunset Trail 262BH, 30' TT that has a 5600lbs Dry weight and 7500 GVWR - actual tow weight is about 6600lbs. My truck is similar to yours, and it performs well.
Now if the Trailer you are looking at has a 7000lbs Dry weight, I would be concerned, as you are starting out very close to your tow capacity and likely right at your payload rating. Suggest you look at the TT's GVWR as opposed to the Dry Weight.

 

[NDanecker]

If you are really into camping or RV'ing then I would suggest getting the 3500 with diesel - if that is a true option for you right now. From what I've learned from my own experience (and others) you will eventually upgrade to a larger TT or fifth wheel. You have 2 kids which will eventually grow and need toys (bikes, kayaks, etc). You may want to take along a golf cart. Better to grow into a truck then be at the max from the gate. The truck you have will work for light to medium TT but once you get into the larger TT (and fifths) that approach 8k or more actual weight you are really pushing the little hemi 1500. I've owned multiple 3500 DRW diesels towing 44 ft fifth wheels, and there is nothing like a diesel towing a camper (TT or fifth). Just so happens they make a black out edition in the HD's now too.

Good luck!

 

[Mtsabo]

I wouldt think twice about towing 8k with that truck equipped with a weight distributing hitch. Approaching max with a fully loaded camper isnt going to hurt it. The driving and keeping the family safe is all you.

 

[Turin]

Is 7k the dry weight or loaded weight? If it's dry weight you're pushing the limits of your payload and might be over depending on what you plan to put in the truck. Your little ones may not weigh much now but that will change quickly! If 7k is the wet weight you should be fine. The 3.92 gears are preferable for towing but a number of members on this forum have reported success towing with the 3.21 gears. I'm simplifying, but essentially the 3.92 ratio gives you an extra gear at the low end while the 3.21 ratio gives you an extra gear at the high end. So your starts from a stop would be a little slower but once you're rolling you'll be fine, just running one gear higher than you would with the 3.92 gear ratio. On the plus side, you'll get better highway mileage when not towing.

The tow ratings don't vary by wheel size. The wheels are strong enough. (Aftermarket ones might not be, though. Also, pay attention to the load rating of your tires.) The risk, as you said, is a greater likelihood of a blowout due to the shorter sidewall. On the plus side, shorter sidewalls are stiffer and less squishy under load. I have 18" wheels on my truck and with the stock P tires things can feel a bit greasy when towing. Increasing air pressure helps, but I'll probably switch to LT tires when the stock tires wear out.

So yes, the truck you bought is capable of towing an RV that size safely — assuming that you don't overload it with passengers/cargo, load the trailer properly (weight/balance), use a weight-distribution hitch and adjust it properly, etc. There's a lot to learn when you start towing. There's also lots of good information here, and plenty of people happy to help.

 

[Firebird]

If it were me, I would step up to at least a 2500

 

[Willwork4truck]

Pretty good replies. The OP can “safely” tow his 7K wet weight (if it’s that) trailer as long as he is set up with a good weight distributing hitch. The 3.21 will strain a bit on startup especially if on a hill but not for long.

As far as getting a 3500, thats overkill. Not everyone can afford a $65-75K truck, though a 3500 CTD single rear wheel would laugh at that trailer.
I still belong to the “get the right truck“ crowd yet his exact scenario is safely within limits for a 1500 as described.

There’s always the usual provisions, Ie. what else is going in the cab or bed, how is he loading the trailer as far as tongue weight, what speeds will he be driving at, does he go out on high wind days, what experience level does he have, will his spouse ever spell him on the road, and I’m sure there are more things to consider.
I will say that a trailer tower who “knows” how to drive a 1500 set up like he is doing can have a very different experience than an inexperienced spouse. If (she) does much of any driving of that rig, he may want to have considered a 2500 gasser.

 

[IowaHawg]

Here is my recent experience with a similar setup...

Last week was our first chance to tow with our new 2020 Ram 1500. We have a 5.7 Crew Cab Night Edition with the short bed and 3.21 rear end. We pulled our 7000lb 30ft Travel Trailer from central Iowa to the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was 1400 miles total and we averaged 8.9 MPG for the entire trip.

We could definitely feel the South Dakota wind when running across I-90, but overall the weight distributing hitch took care of keeping us level and reducing the sway.

I had installed Airlift air bags before the trip, but the weight distributing hitch took care of the squat very well. We have the Blue Ox hitch and it works great.

Although the trip was hilly and windy, the 5.7 never really struggled. I think Ram did a great job with the 8 speed tranny. On the interstate, 65 MPH seemed to be the magic speed. At 65, it ran mostly in 6th gear and occasionally dropped to 5th on the hills.

Loving the new truck!

 

[JF19Longhorn]

6th gear at 65? What is that, 4,000 rpms?

 

[IowaHawg]

6th gear at 65? What is that, 4,000 rpms?

It was about 2500 rpms

 

[Piggywutz]

The terrain where you are towing makes a difference too. Flat ground is a walk in the park. Up and down steep mountains However will quickly make you realize just how heavy that trailer is behind you.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Yep for a really heavy trailer you need p o w e r for sure.
I’m out visiting my Denver CO brother, saw his 15.5K wet 34’ Grand Design 5th wheel that he tows with his 15’ 2500 DMax. His truck’s payload sticker said 2400# which seems light for that trailer plus 5th wheel hitch pin weight, but his 10K GVWR definately was backed up by the “wood wagon” suspension. Gawd what an uncomfortable riding truck!
A non-turbo gas mill like RAM’s 6.4 would definitely struggle up at elevation on those 11,000 ft passes with his trailer.
Where he lives and what he tows it’s a CTD if you have a RAM for sure.

 

[Trooper4]

The terrain where you are towing makes a difference too. Flat ground is a walk in the park. Up and down steep mountains However will quickly make you realize just how heavy that trailer is behind you.

Towed 9000# from Arizona to Washington state an never once was under powered or felt like I needed more truck. But everyone should start small/light and work up from there with experience, and never pull more than you are comfortable with.

 

[Boston]

Yep for a really heavy trailer you need p o w e r for sure.
I’m out visiting my Denver CO brother, saw his 15.5K wet 34’ Grand Design 5th wheel that he tows with his 15’ 2500 DMax. His truck’s payload sticker said 2400# which seems light for that trailer plus 5th wheel hitch pin weight, but his 10K GVWR definately was backed up by the “wood wagon” suspension. Gawd what an uncomfortable riding truck!
A non-turbo gas mill like RAM’s 6.4 would definitely struggle up at elevation on those 11,000 ft passes with his trailer.
Where he lives and what he tows it’s a CTD if you have a RAM for sure.

That payload is exactly why the diesels are not good in 2500 trucks and why big gassers are the way to go. The weight of the diesel kills the payload big time. 3500 is minimum to get decent payload.

 

[Aseras]

The diesel will get 20 mpg pulling 10k lbs and not even care, the 6.4 is gonna get 7 and it's gonna be screaming.

 

[NDanecker]

The diesel will get 20 mpg pulling 10k lbs and not even care, the 6.4 is gonna get 7 and it's gonna be screaming.

20 for the 3.0 eco diesel ... maybe but not the 6.7 cummins. I averaged 14 overall (not towing) and 10ish towing 16k fifth with my 3500 DRW diesel. Can't imagine what a gasser 2500/3500 would get towing that. LOL

It is not so much about the mileage but the towing experience. I towed the heavy fifth pulling grades with no downshifts and loss of speed while having a conversation with the Mrs.

Diesels are king for towing, and once you tow with them its extremely difficult to appreciate a gas truck for towing no matter the size.