Ram 1500 Diesel Towing Capacity?

RinconVTR wrote:

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the throttle was floored the whole time and RPM's generally high for a diesel. Two key points that people don't seem to care for while towing, as they perceive and assume this as straining the motor. You don't want to floor it or allow high RPM, and this will make matters even worse while towing.
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If not having to ever "floor it" is important, then certainly get more HP.

But personally not too worried about flooring it up the occasional mountain pass as we don't live in the mountains, just travel through them occasionally. Would be more concerned about fighting all-day prairie headwinds. But again, we don't live in the prairies and only occasionally have had to fight such headwinds. Also, I tow at 60-62 mph and rarely, if ever, pass anybody at that speed.:)

How much HP you *need* is really a unique decision based upon individual circumstances and how important mileage is to you. How much HP you *want* is another matter altogether.;)

Just from my personal experience with our rig (8000# trailer), I could easily get by with less HP than the EcoBoost provides at high rpms (365HP@5000rpm). We've travelled a lot with this rig, and about the only time I've seen those high rpms is going downhill trying to engine brake. With the EcoB, getting up steep, windy hills can be a lot easier than getting down.

So I figure an engine with around max 310HP at lower rpms would be perfect for our trailer and needs, and am hoping the new 5L Cummins in the Titan XD will be affordable. It certainly should get better mileage than the EcoB.

But if we towed a boat, or still had our old, 4000# travel trailer, the RAM EcoD would probably be my choice, especially if it had an exhaust brake. I do like the low-rpm HP of a diesel, the exhaust brake and the mileage.