2001 Dodge towing chart

billy1davis wrote:
Thanks so much for all of that help rhagfo. So how does your truck do pulling that much weight. I am looking at 5vr's that would be putting me at about the same weight. I have pulled a truck camper that weighed around 8000+ lbs and it seemed to handle all the mountain passes just find. Slowed down to 45 mpph on the steepest. My tranny has about 140k miles and so I worry some about that.

Your truck has plenty of potential but it also has some weak points that can be addressed if you want to tow heavier than stock.

billy1davis wrote:
Thanks so much for all of that help rhagfo. So how does your truck do pulling that much weight. I am looking at 5vr's that would be putting me at about the same weight. I have pulled a truck camper that weighed around 8000+ lbs and it seemed to handle all the mountain passes just find. Slowed down to 45 mpph on the steepest. My tranny has about 140k miles and so I worry some about that.

It does well, but I have a manual transmission and added a DS Power Puck for a advertised 50hp and 140 lb ft of torque, and also have RV 275 injectors which puts me around 280 to 300 HP and likely about 600 lb ft of torque, never been on a dyno.

wilber1 wrote:
....snip

They didn't but the 3500 dually auto had the same GCWR as the 2500 auto because of the transmission. Of course the dually had a much higher truck GVWR. Other than it was a 4 spd with a really tall overdrive, the biggest drawback to the 47RE for me was no second gear torque converter lockup. If you are towing in the hills with 235 HP, you are going to spend a lot of time in 2nd gear and the transmission temps can really get up there. If the OP wants to go heavier and doesn't want to go with a major transmission rebuild, I would strongly suggest a modified valve body with the accompanying electronics from one of the established rebuilders (BD, Suncoast etc.) that will allow 2nd gear lockup. This will also make adding an exhaust brake much more effective.

I think a lot of VP44 failures were at least helped by undetected lift pump failures. The lift pump would fail and the VP44 would keep drawing fuel until it quit. I installed a Vulcan kit on my truck which moved the lift pump from the side of the engine block where it was subject to a lot of heat and vibration, to the frame where it was below the tank and easy to get at. I installed a ball shutoff between the tank and pump to make pump changes quick and easy. I once changed a lift pump in a campsite at Terra Nova National Park in Newfoundland. It took about a half hour, no muss no fuss. I also installed a warning light kit from BD that told me if lift pump pressure went below 5 PSI. It warned me of a couple of impending pump failures and I was able to change them before they failed completely. Not saying that's the reason why but I didn't have any VP44 problems.

Vulcan Kit

BD Kit

I not only moved the pump, I also replaced with a FASS DDRP-2 for more reliability and better pressure. I also installed a set of gauges, as I have a manual, they are Fuel pressure, Boost, and Exhaust Gas Temp, the FUEL pressure is the most important.

As I have a 5 speed, I also added a small chip, and RV275 injectors.

Thanks so much for all of that help rhagfo. So how does your truck do pulling that much weight. I am looking at 5vr's that would be putting me at about the same weight. I have pulled a truck camper that weighed around 8000+ lbs and it seemed to handle all the mountain passes just find. Slowed down to 45 mpph on the steepest. My tranny has about 140k miles and so I worry some about that.

fj12ryder wrote:
I don't think Dodge offered a SRW 1 ton truck in 2001. I think they were all duallies.

A 12,000 lb. fifth wheel can be pulled very easily with this year truck and the Cummins. Anything over that and you will be going pretty slowly up the hills, and may need a little boost in power. The weakest point of the truck, besides the VP44/lift pump, is the automatic transmission. If you use it to tow a 5th wheel, at some point you'll have to budget in a transmission overhaul/change.

Not with a badge!
The 2500 with Optional 265/75-16E's, Camper and Tow packages were the equal to a 3500.
The camper package added the 3500 springs and sway bar. Still 8,800# GVWR! :S :h

billy1davis wrote:
So I have 2001 Dodge 5.9 Diesel Dually 3.55 gears auto 4 speed and the towing charts indicate that total trailer weight capacity is near
10,000lbs. Is this too conservative?? Can I go up at all? I know the truck was one of the heaviest duty truck at the time and they were making many 5vrs weighing more ??

Here are the towing charts for the 2001 Ram CTD, well you don't state if Regular cab or Quad Cab, 4X4 or 4X2.
Depending on those factors, max trailer is as low as 9,050# or as high as 9,900#.

So the side note is I have a 2001 2500 4X4, 5 speed manual, 3.55's, Quad Cab long bed. It is rated to tow 9,300#. Our current 5er is 12,360# GVWR and have not weighed since starting full time, but believe it is about 11,600# currently.

The real issue you need to make a decision about is running over the Rams GVWR. That is your choice. The GVWR on the 2500 is 8,800# even with optional 265/75-16E tires (3,415# capacity), camper and tow packages, currently over that by a ways.

The max GVWR in 2001 is 11,000# for the 3500 Quad cab!

These are the charts out of the owners manual.

fj12ryder wrote:
I don't think Dodge offered a SRW 1 ton truck in 2001. I think they were all duallies.

A 12,000 lb. fifth wheel can be pulled very easily with this year truck and the Cummins. Anything over that and you will be going pretty slowly up the hills, and may need a little boost in power. The weakest point of the truck, besides the VP44/lift pump, is the automatic transmission. If you use it to tow a 5th wheel, at some point you'll have to budget in a transmission overhaul/change.

They didn't but the 3500 dually auto had the same GCWR as the 2500 auto because of the transmission. Of course the dually had a much higher truck GVWR. Other than it was a 4 spd with a really tall overdrive, the biggest drawback to the 47RE for me was no second gear torque converter lockup. If you are towing in the hills with 235 HP, you are going to spend a lot of time in 2nd gear and the transmission temps can really get up there. If the OP wants to go heavier and doesn't want to go with a major transmission rebuild, I would strongly suggest a modified valve body with the accompanying electronics from one of the established rebuilders (BD, Suncoast etc.) that will allow 2nd gear lockup. This will also make adding an exhaust brake much more effective.

I think a lot of VP44 failures were at least helped by undetected lift pump failures. The lift pump would fail and the VP44 would keep drawing fuel until it quit. I installed a Vulcan kit on my truck which moved the lift pump from the side of the engine block where it was subject to a lot of heat and vibration, to the frame where it was below the tank and easy to get at. I installed a ball shutoff between the tank and pump to make pump changes quick and easy. I once changed a lift pump in a campsite at Terra Nova National Park in Newfoundland. It took about a half hour, no muss no fuss. I also installed a warning light kit from BD that told me if lift pump pressure went below 5 PSI. It warned me of a couple of impending pump failures and I was able to change them before they failed completely. Not saying that's the reason why but I didn't have any VP44 problems.

Vulcan Kit

BD Kit

I don't think Dodge offered a SRW 1 ton truck in 2001. I think they were all duallies.

A 12,000 lb. fifth wheel can be pulled very easily with this year truck and the Cummins. Anything over that and you will be going pretty slowly up the hills, and may need a little boost in power. The weakest point of the truck, besides the VP44/lift pump, is the automatic transmission. If you use it to tow a 5th wheel, at some point you'll have to budget in a transmission overhaul/change.

"rbcamping" your tq and hp numbers are not what I would expect for a 24V 2nd gen your TQ for 500 hp is on the high side. Numbers from an actual Dyno? Or a guesstimate?

SIX transmissions??? I'm guessing they did NOT know what they were doing. The 48 can be made VERY dependable by many builders and is a preferred trans for racing.

Sounds like you spent as much money as just buying a new fully capable truck. Hey been there and dunn that!

wcjeep wrote:
I would be more concerned with proper fuel pressure for the injection pump.

I am willing to bet that truck and near every VP44 out there have been rebuilt including a new lift pump or at the minimum a better lift pump.