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Towing with Pentastar V6 pickup truck

mr61impala
Explorer
Explorer
Hello, I would like to hear from anyone towing a travel trailer with a Ram 1/2 ton equipped with 305 hp 3.6L Pentastar V6, 8 speed ZF automatic, & 3.21 axle ratio. It appears that the truck is rated to tow approximately #4500 and Jayco says trailer in question weighs #4260 empty, hitch weight of #460. The tow rating of this truck jumps to #7000 if the gear ratios were 3.55.
Shopping for Travel Trailer
20 REPLIES 20

WillyQ711
Explorer
Explorer

Well I see that this is an older post, but I now am planning on the same but more modern Pentastar V6 3.6 for towing 5500 lbs GVWR (this is the loaded weight, not dry weight). Loaded tongue weight will be around 800 lbs. What's interesting is that the Pentastar has the higher payload rating from the Ecodiesel and Hemi. My truck will be a 2020 or 2021, same 305 hp / 3.55 axle, but these newer models have a town rating of 7730 lbs (with the 3.55). I'll be towing around FL mostly around 4-6 times a year for 250 - 700 miles for ea trip. The thing is I need the better mpg over the Hemi as it will also be my daily driver. Real world the V6 gets around 18-19 mpg mixed, while the Hemi only gets around 14-15, so that option out. The Ecodiesel is too problematic and expensive. 

You might look at the Ford ecoboost line of engines. With the turbo, they don't need to be screaming at 4000-5000rpm to put out decent HP but assuming you go easy on the throttle, they get good MPG running empty.

Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

VernDiesel
Explorer
Explorer
Use Tow Haul. In state couple times a year you will be fine. But a cross country tour would be asking for trouble.
Transportr TT & boats RAM EconoDiesel Factory TBC, Tow mirrors, Hitch camera, Axle to frame air bags, Tune w turbo brake, Max tow 9,200 CGAR 7,800 CVWR 15,950 axle weights 3,340 steer 2,260 drive Truck pushed head gasket at 371k has original trans at 500k

ib516
Explorer II
Explorer II
Two 2013 Ram 1500 V6s Towing trailers. One 3.21 one has 3.55.
VIDEO 5500# trailer, Davis Dam grade.

Another video here, Ram 1500 with the V6 towing an airstream vs a Ford F150 V6 (non-EcoBoost). VIDEO #2
Prev: 2010 Cougar 322QBS (junk)
02 Dodge 2500 4x4 5.9L CTD 3.55
07 Dodge 3500 4x4 SRW Mega 5.9L CTD 3.73
14 Ram 2500 4x4 Crew 6.4L Hemi 4.10
06 Chevy 1500 4x4 E-Cab 3.73 5.3L
07 Dodge 1500 5.7L Hemi 3.55 / 2010 Jayco 17z
All above are sold, no longer own an RV

mr61impala
Explorer
Explorer
jerem0621 wrote:
It will tow until a time that it no longer does

The Pentastar V6 is an exceptional motor. One which I have towed with extensively with our 2014 Chrysler Town & Country. I would recommend the Pentastar for weights up to about 4,000 lbs...after that itโ€™s just not worth tracking a Pentastar Ram down.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
Thanks for your input. We have 2 Pentastars, one in her Grand Caravan and the other in her Ram 1500. My truck is a 2010 Ram with the 4.7L which is rated to tow #6000. I guess we will tow with it, but hers sure cleans up better.

PS, I too have become a big fan of the quick Pentastar as the miles and MPG numbers accumulate.
Shopping for Travel Trailer

jerem0621
Explorer II
Explorer II
It will tow until a time that it no longer does

The Pentastar V6 is an exceptional motor. One which I have towed with extensively with our 2014 Chrysler Town & Country. I would recommend the Pentastar for weights up to about 4,000 lbs...after that itโ€™s just not worth tracking a Pentastar Ram down.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
TV-2022 Silverado 2WD
TT - Zinger 270BH
WD Hitch- HaulMaster 1,000 lb Round Bar
Dual Friction bar sway control

Itโ€™s Kind of Fun to do the Impossible
~Walt Disney~

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
Wonโ€™t be pleasurable towing that weight with that truck.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

Samsonsworld
Explorer
Explorer
Grand Cherokee. Like I said, you'd be turning a lot of rpms. Only 268lbs tq.

Lessmore
Explorer II
Explorer II
Samsonsworld wrote:
No way I'd try it with a pentastar. Mine is only 290hp but it's pretty weak. Heck, the 8-speed drops gears with a strong head wind. You'll be going down the road at 4k rpms....and probably at 50mph.


290 hp ? Sounds like you have one in a sedan. Believe all the 3.6 liter V6 installed in newer Dodge pickups are the 305 hp version. Gearing in each individual gear could be different from a truck to a car.

Samsonsworld
Explorer
Explorer
No way I'd try it with a pentastar. Mine is only 290hp but it's pretty weak. Heck, the 8-speed drops gears with a strong head wind. You'll be going down the road at 4k rpms....and probably at 50mph.

Lessmore
Explorer II
Explorer II
The Dodge 3.6 liter V6 has 305 hp, an 8 speed transmission. Yup the hp comes at high rpm, but then the Mopar V6 does have dual overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder. A few decades ago an engine with features like DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder and 305 hp out of 3.6 liters...would be a very expensive European sports engine.

Back a couple of decades ago...the big OHV...2 valves per cylinder V8 in a Dodge truck was the 360 (5.9 liter) engine...it pumped out 245 hp, 330 ft.,lbs of torque, the Dodge 4.7 liter truck engine was good for 250 hp, but less torque at it's best rating. And they only had 4 speed transmissions!

So you got twice as many gears...over 50 more hp, less torque...probably about 50-60 ft. lbs in the 3.6 liter Dodge truck engine.

I dunno what Mopar rates the Dodge V6 truck engine's tow rating at...but I would assume the 3.6 can handle the rating.

Technology has made a difference.

j-d
Explorer II
Explorer II
I question the 4500 rating. Might be "up to" and what that means is this:

Manufacturer builds to a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or GVWR and a Gross COMBINED Vehicle Weight Rating or GCWR.

Let's say empty truck and empty trailer weigh 5000 each and GCWR is 10000. By specs you're good to go. My experience with rigs that are right at GCWR, is they're pretty doggy, get poor mileage and don't handle well. Now put 500 in the truck. Trailer can only be 4500. Put 500 in trailer and you're 1000 overloaded to the ratings.

Your geographic location reinforces my NO! You won't be happy with it. Flatlands, maybe. Tow it to the Lake and leave it set up for summer then tow it back home, OK. Actually Travel and Camp? Out there with two adults for two weeks and maybe more people or longer trip? Nope.
If God's Your Co-Pilot Move Over, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100 218" WB

TurnThePage
Explorer
Explorer
Obviously the towing platform is very up to the task. The drive train is where it gets a little hairy. I believe you will be perfectly safe if you've taken the standard precautions with maintenance, hitch setup, tire inflation, etc. But you really will be under powered, which will be most noticeable on hills. I bet it could be done just fine, but I wouldn't want to be the one doing it.
2015 Ram 1500
2022 Grand Design Imagine XLS 22RBE

noteven
Explorer III
Explorer III
For long distance towing 50% of advertised tow capacity works nice with pickup trucks, especially gasohol engines.