Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi towing 6,700#s?

Wxguru wrote:

I had a 2003 1500 with the 5.7L Hemi in it. I had the 4X2 and we were towing about 7000lbs loaded up. 31FT long from tip to tail. On 5% grades that were long, I would be down to 35-40mph and running way up there on the rpm side.

Can you clarify what you mean? When you say "way up there on the rpm side," how high do you mean? And in what gear?

I had an almost identical setup, although my trailer is about #7500 loaded. Same truck, though, but I had 3.92 gears. Did you have 3.55s?

In 2nd gear at 60 mph, mine would turn about 3900 RPM and could easily accelerate up a 4% grade. Slowing down to 35mph I'd be turning only 2300 RPM or so, which isn't high at all. Or are you talking about 1st gear? In that case, 35mph would turn at around 4600RPM, which is about peak power for the Hemi. I just have a hard time imagining the need for 1st gear to pull 7000# up a 5% grade with that truck.

-- Rob