How much weight to tow with TC

[Harleybullet]

I have a 1999 Ram dually Cummins diesel(5.9), Quad Cab with a 3.55 rear end...My question is if anyone with this set up, how much weight do pull with a boat or trailer?

[Harleybullet]

Well said.... I guess it is really getting old my 99 Ram because I was working on the camper and under the truck there was a big empty space where the spare tire used to be, The bracket from the cable was rusted and bent, I assume the tire just dropped off but, my garage mechanic thinks it might have been a theft..... we are in NY you know!

[dirtyhandz]

Stock cummins is gonna have plenty of power to move anything your truck can handle. Good tires and brakes are pretty important IMHO.

[BradW]

We cross the scales at 18,000 lbs hauling our 4k lb lance, towing our jeep on a car hauler trailer on a 24" extension and WD hitch. Our rig actually drives better with the trailer back there.

Brad

[burningman]

I carry a 4000+ pound camper and tow a 10,000 trailer with a '99 Dodge with Cummins, with zero problems - but it isn't stock.
What your truck will do depends... is it manual or automatic? Is the transmission stock? (Hopefully not, they're garbage when stock!)
Have you upgraded your fuel pump? Thats the FIRST thing you need to do to a 24-valve Cummins, the original is inadequate and won't provide enough fuel pressure to keep your injector pump cool.

You need an exhaust brake. The diesel provides barely any engine braking without one.

I can tell you a LOT about how to set up that truck to tow heavy but first I need to know exactly what you have.

Oh... and do you know about the dreaded "53" block in those early 24-valve trucks?

[Kayteg1]

Don't know what HP your Cummins has, but my 440HP Powerstroke, 3.50 differential did pull over 20,000lb combo on long California grades without dropping from overdrive.
Went empty on 20% grade. Did it on 4th gear.

[Harleybullet]

Good info...older now towing at the speed limit... no rush... I was most concerned about the 3:55 rear as opposed to the stock 4:10

Dave

[Bedlam]

You should get good performance up to your GCWR. Beyond that, component wear will be more severe and performance for slowing and accelerating will decrease. My F250 was about 19,500 lbs GCW with 12,500 lbs of GVW when I was carrying my camper and towing the trailer at the same time - I was around 11,500 lbs GVW without the trailer.

[Hemi_Joel]

I agree with Grit,
the camper breaks the wind, you barely notice the trailer load. BTW, my truck has been upgraded with a dana 80 rear axle same as the OP has, and the cummins has been tweeked to double the horsepower.

[Grit_dog]

Different trucks = different pulling power. Even yours. Is it stock or built?
In general, hauling a similar camper. AF860, little lighter than yours, feels like the equivalent of towing a 6-8klb enclosed trailer, mainly due to wind resistance. Hooking a 6-8000lb trailer behind the camper does not feel like it adds that much due to no additional wind resistance.
Hope this helps, otherwise it’s a vague answer to a vague question. What, where and how fast you want to tow is as much a factor as what you’re towing it with, IMO.
IE you’ll do better running 55mph across the Midwest than 75mph through the Rockies.

[Hemi_Joel]

I pull a 28' enclosed at #8000 - #10000 depending on what I load. It has an extended tongue to reach the hitch. I position the vehicle in the trailer rearward to keep the tongue weight to a minimum. The old 10% rule of thumb for tongue weight doesn't apply with this long of a trailer, 300 - 400# is plenty. It tows like a dream.


click for a bigger picture

[Kayteg1]

My F350 is rated for 22,000lb pull.
But it is the weight distribution that will be your limit with long camper
The members who pull 10k lb trailers had to go to heavy trucks just to get suspension who could carry the tongue weight on stinger.

[kohldad]

Pulling wise, you can pull a bunch, but the limiting factor is the rear axle.
First thing you will need to do is weight the truck loaded for a trip and see how much additional weight you can put on the rear axle. Without knowing that, would only be wildly guessing at how much you can tow with the camper.

[Harleybullet]

I should add I have an AF 1150 on the truck