Ram 2500 Towing Help!

[psurich]

I have a 2016 Ram 2500 with the 5.7 Hemi engine. I am looking to get a 32 ft fifth wheel with a weight of 8500 lbs and I want to make sure my truck will be able to tow it.I live in the Midwest. Any advice will be appreciated.

[MVH1]

I've got a 2013 Ram 2500 4x4 5.7L Hemi Tradesman with 3.73 and 17inch rims. The truck has 2,500 lbs of payload and 11,500 tow rating. I'm not sure what your pin weight will be with that fifth wheel, but it should pull it fine and be a stable platform. I would double check your payload numbers. I pull a 7,000 lb TT and haven't had any problems passing in the mountains or anywhere. The 5.7L Hemi is very powerful at 385 HP (2500/3500 HD) 400 lb/ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. The only other gas engine that compares to it, is the Ford 6.2 same HP and 5 lbs more torque, but at higher rpm. I believe Ford did increase their torque this year, 430 lbs at 3,800 rpm.

[camp-n-family]

4x4ord wrote:
Something doesn't add up with your passing the 20 mph semi story. At redline in first gear you should be doing about 45 mph. You would have no problem getting ahead of a semi that tops out at 20 mph.

You're right, speeds might be off a bit. It was 2 years ago and I was more concerned with being stuck in the wrong lane than I was with staring at the speedo so I was estimating. Plus, I'm not used to mph. Either way, it was slow and couldn't get out of 1st gear to pull the hill or pass the semi. I've encountered the hill pulling problem several times since. (Minus the traffic or passing attempt)

[4x4ord]

Something doesn't add up with your passing the 20 mph semi story. At redline in first gear you should be doing about 45 mph. You would have no problem getting ahead of a semi that tops out at 20 mph.

[camp-n-family]

After reading these responses I'm beginning to think there is something wrong with my truck. I have the same truck as the OP but a 2014. I wouldn't say it would tow that with no issues. My 31' tt only weighs 7600lbs loaded and my Ram doesn't pull as well as my old Tundra did. I wouldn't even consider pulling 10K+ with mine.

The issue I have isn't power, rather the 3.73 gearing and the transmission ratios and programming. Mainly 1st and 2nd gear. The flats are ok but always in 4th gear and a lot in 3rd with a slight headwind. I know it needs to rev and I'm not afraid to do so but my old Tundra would hold 5th all day long with the same tt.

Hill starts from 1st gear is where it struggles. It pulls hard in 1st up to redline but dies in the shift to 2nd. The drop in RPM is huge and falls well below the power band so it bogs down and can't accelerate. If you're at speed (above 3rd gear) or have a running start you may be ok.

A number of times I've had to manually hold it in 1st and crawl for miles at redline holding up traffic. The first time it happened scared the **** out of me and became a dangerous situation. I was used to towing with the Tundra and easily accelerating up hills so I expected similar or better performance from the new Ram. I was stopped at a light at the base of a long, fairly steep hill in northern New York behind a semi truck and a growing line of traffic behind me. The semi topped out at 20mph which was killing me. The road was clear ahead as far as the eye could see so I signalled, stepped on it, and pulled out to pass. All was good until we got beside the semi and it shifted to 2nd. My truck bogged down and slowed. I shifted manually back to first and it held speed but was redlined and couldn't outpace the semi. Of course the traffic behind me had closed the gap and I was now stuck in the oncoming traffic lane. No choice but to slow and let all the traffic pass so I could pull back in. It was an eye opener. I brought the truck back to Ram to have it checked out and they said it was normal. Highly disappointing.

[4x4ord]

Doesn't that 5.7 Hemi put out 395 HP? You should be able to pull your trailer up most any hill on the highways at 60 mph.

[Nicholsfamily05]

Hannibal wrote:

mtofell1 wrote:

Greene728 wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Nicholsfamily05 wrote:
We had a 2012 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 with the Hemi pulling a 11.5K 40 footer and never had an issue.
She did great. We live in New England so hills no matter where we went. Was around the 10 MPG but then we upgraded the intake exhaust and computer and were able to push it to 13 with trailer
We held speeds easily at 65 going up good sized grades and and she pullled amazingly. No issues. Just a leaky sunroof once the warranty went up.

You should have no issue with that trailer

You got 13mpg and towed 6 tons of high profile trailer amazingly with a new gasser yet upgraded to a diesel inside of 4 years?

Sorry, my bs meter is reading a little high here.....

I'm with you here Grit! Simply not accurate.

I'm lucky to get 13 with my 2500 gasser minus my 5th wheel. Must be that crisp New England air I've always heard about 🙂 🙂

If I drive it like a Prius, I can squeeze 14 city and 17 highway our of my 5.4L F250. FWIW, my Prius gives 53 city and 48 highway. Best mileage is not poking around peacing people off. Put the proverbial egg on the brake pedal, not the gas pedal. Get on up to speed, keep it steady and coast all you can.
I've never seen over 12mpg with my diesels or 9.5mpg with the gassers towing an RV.

Well we wanted a bigger trailer and the one the wife wanted our truck was not going to pull. We also have been on the curve of buying a new truck every three or four years.
Our trucks only get used to pull the trailer or the ATV trailer but when not used it just sits in the garage. There is the occasional Home Depot/ Lowe's run.
Last one was traded in with only 25,000 on it and the one before that had 30,000.
Guess I should say to that this is our third trailer since 2012 as well. First tt 2012 then a 2014 and now our 2017. Sorry we like our toys

I see you all have such a hard time with everything. As I said we upgraded most of it. The bulldog system really helped. Then adding the exhaust and intake helped as well. I enjoy my toys and tinkering with them when I can.

Sorry you all can't wrap your head around this new age fandangaled stuff. I guess new tech isn't your area.

No I don't drive around with an egg on the gas pedal but I also don't just mash it for the hell of it. Let the motor work the way it was designed. Depending on the on ramp length depends on how much gas. Use the hills to the advantage going down as well but as I said I sit at 65. No rush My family is more important than rushing to a destination. Keep it steady and easy going.

We haven't used the new diesel enough to get a reading on it. This spring and summer we should and depending how that goes we will see if upgrades there are needed.
Last longish trip was to Palasky, NY and it only had 1500 miles on it and was hanging around 13 to 13.5.

So believe whatever you want.

[Hannibal]

mtofell1 wrote:

Greene728 wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Nicholsfamily05 wrote:
We had a 2012 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 with the Hemi pulling a 11.5K 40 footer and never had an issue.
She did great. We live in New England so hills no matter where we went. Was around the 10 MPG but then we upgraded the intake exhaust and computer and were able to push it to 13 with trailer
We held speeds easily at 65 going up good sized grades and and she pullled amazingly. No issues. Just a leaky sunroof once the warranty went up.

You should have no issue with that trailer

You got 13mpg and towed 6 tons of high profile trailer amazingly with a new gasser yet upgraded to a diesel inside of 4 years?

Sorry, my bs meter is reading a little high here.....

I'm with you here Grit! Simply not accurate.

I'm lucky to get 13 with my 2500 gasser minus my 5th wheel. Must be that crisp New England air I've always heard about 🙂 🙂

If I drive it like a Prius, I can squeeze 14 city and 17 highway our of my 5.4L F250. FWIW, my Prius gives 53 city and 48 highway. Best mileage is not poking around peacing people off. Put the proverbial egg on the brake pedal, not the gas pedal. Get on up to speed, keep it steady and coast all you can.
I've never seen over 12mpg with my diesels or 9.5mpg with the gassers towing an RV.

[mtofell1]

Greene728 wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Nicholsfamily05 wrote:
We had a 2012 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 with the Hemi pulling a 11.5K 40 footer and never had an issue.
She did great. We live in New England so hills no matter where we went. Was around the 10 MPG but then we upgraded the intake exhaust and computer and were able to push it to 13 with trailer
We held speeds easily at 65 going up good sized grades and and she pullled amazingly. No issues. Just a leaky sunroof once the warranty went up.

You should have no issue with that trailer

You got 13mpg and towed 6 tons of high profile trailer amazingly with a new gasser yet upgraded to a diesel inside of 4 years?

Sorry, my bs meter is reading a little high here.....

I'm with you here Grit! Simply not accurate.

I'm lucky to get 13 with my 2500 gasser minus my 5th wheel. Must be that crisp New England air I've always heard about 🙂 🙂

[Greene728]

Grit dog wrote:

Nicholsfamily05 wrote:
We had a 2012 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 with the Hemi pulling a 11.5K 40 footer and never had an issue.
She did great. We live in New England so hills no matter where we went. Was around the 10 MPG but then we upgraded the intake exhaust and computer and were able to push it to 13 with trailer
We held speeds easily at 65 going up good sized grades and and she pullled amazingly. No issues. Just a leaky sunroof once the warranty went up.

You should have no issue with that trailer

You got 13mpg and towed 6 tons of high profile trailer amazingly with a new gasser yet upgraded to a diesel inside of 4 years?

Sorry, my bs meter is reading a little high here.....

I'm with you here Grit! Simply not accurate.

[blt2ski]

Even IF you decide to take a trip to higher country ie over 6000' to 10,000 elevation....for a single trip, take what you got. You will be slower due to 30% loss of HP due to elevation....BUT, you will get there and back safely. especially when as noted previously, you have a 2500 chassis vs the same engine in a 1500 chassis.

My opinion due to 500K miles of towing various and sundry trailers from RV's to utility to equipment trailers, better to have a slightly underpowered rig, with correct gearing in the trans and axels, enough payload, than an overpower HP wise with under chassi'd rig.

Marty

[markandkim]

I have the exact same truck. I tow 9500 lbs with no problem in new england. You should average 10 mpg too.

Enjoy!

[psurich]

My truck has LT27570R18 tires and the axle rating is 6000 lbs.

[Grit_dog]

Nicholsfamily05 wrote:
We had a 2012 2500 Mega Cab 4x4 with the Hemi pulling a 11.5K 40 footer and never had an issue.
She did great. We live in New England so hills no matter where we went. Was around the 10 MPG but then we upgraded the intake exhaust and computer and were able to push it to 13 with trailer
We held speeds easily at 65 going up good sized grades and and she pullled amazingly. No issues. Just a leaky sunroof once the warranty went up.

You should have no issue with that trailer

You got 13mpg and towed 6 tons of high profile trailer amazingly with a new gasser yet upgraded to a diesel inside of 4 years?

Sorry, my bs meter is reading a little high here.....

[Wills6_4_Hemi]

I know its not exactly the same but my new ram 3500 drw cc lb with the 6.4 hemi surprised me at how effortlessly it pulled our 8500lb TT and 1500 lb golf cart in the bed. It has the 3:73 gears.