Safe towing limits for Ram 1500 3.6L v6

[wildwildwest61]

We have a Ram 1500 quad cab 3.6L v6 with GVWR of 6950. We currently have a 19' TT with GVWR of 4200 lbs, dry weight of 2660, hitch weight of 250. Exterior height is 8' 10". All is well as far as towing.

We are hoping to upgrade this year to a 26' TT, GVWR 6000, dry 4320, hitch 530. Exterior height 10' 8".

Is this a reasonable, safe tow vehicle for this bigger size TT? Anyone here have a similar combination with feedback to share?

We will eventually be getting a bigger truck, but that'll be a few years and I don't want to buy a TT now only to find we are under-powered. Camper dealership says we're fine...but they're trying to sell campers so I don't totally trust them. 😉

[Grit_dog]

PDX.Zs wrote:
🙂

Lol! Cmon man....(funny though!)

[rjstractor]

I copied and pasted when I watched it but here's a clickable link.

[VernDiesel]

Were you able to make the link work? Yeah lot better towing mileage especially. He actually also owns a HD for towing. I have the Ecodiesel per my signature. 371k it's been a great truck. Even have a scale slip of 15,800 CVW.

[rjstractor]

VernDiesel wrote:
This guy towed a 12,380 CVW TT with his 17 Ram 1500 3.6 with a good tow report scale slips etc. The difference between the Ill spaced old 4,5,6 speed 545RFE and the outstanding 8 speed is Day & night. Also the 3.6 is far better than the other gasser V6s that came before it.

http://www.ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=242678

Some people think you can't tow anything with 1500 but with the right size WDH with good weight distribution, some air bags, factory trailer brake you can tow some and weight with safety & stability. It's about setting it up by cat scale results.


Sorry can't make the link work.

Looks like the truck handled it well, and he was under his max axle ratings by several hundred pounds. Mileage and gear usage (4,5 and 6) at freeway speed are about what I would predict. I think the diesel would offer better performance and mileage and the Hemi much better performance but the little V6 seemed up to the task.

[VernDiesel]

This guy towed a 12,380 CVW TT with his 17 Ram 1500 3.6 with a good tow report scale slips etc. The difference between the Ill spaced old 4,5,6 speed 545RFE and the outstanding 8 speed is Day & night. Also the 3.6 is far better than the other gasser V6s that came before it.

http://www.ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=242678

Some people think you can't tow anything with 1500 but with the right size WDH with good weight distribution, some air bags, factory trailer brake you can tow some weight with safety & stability. It's about setting it up by cat scale results.


Sorry can't make the link work.

[PDX_Zs]

🙂

[blt2ski]

rjstractor wrote:

blt2ski wrote:
My swag, if it has a 300HP motor, an 8 sp trans, you are willing to let the motor rev to where it is making the HP to move the setup. you will be good to around 6000 lbs of trailer. 12-13K total lbs would be my max for your rig.

Looks like your swag is right on since the GCWR of the 3.6/3.55 with the 8 speed is 12,900. That's right about the same towing specs the small block V8s of 20 years ago had. The V6 would probably offer similar performance to a mid-90s 5.9 Magnum V8, although with very different characteristics, like revving MUCH higher. The super deep gearing of the 8 speed transmission would make up for the relative lack of torque when launching.

Thats about the max I would put behind any typical 15 series. I use a max trailer per chassis at the GRAWR times 2. Max GCWR time 2 of GVWR.....That is how it was down back in the really old days before current engineer ratings. Then one would have to setup the drivetrain based on how you would use the setup. So with that in mind.....I swag'd as good as them "En Ga Neers" in Deetroit.......Are there any left there?

Marty

[rjstractor]

blt2ski wrote:
My swag, if it has a 300HP motor, an 8 sp trans, you are willing to let the motor rev to where it is making the HP to move the setup. you will be good to around 6000 lbs of trailer. 12-13K total lbs would be my max for your rig.

Looks like your swag is right on since the GCWR of the 3.6/3.55 with the 8 speed is 12,900. That's right about the same towing specs the small block V8s of 20 years ago had. The V6 would probably offer similar performance to a mid-90s 5.9 Magnum V8, although with very different characteristics, like revving MUCH higher. The super deep gearing of the 8 speed transmission would make up for the relative lack of torque when launching.

[Camper_G]

What year is your ram? What years are in it? Do you have the 8 speed trans?
what is your payload limit? Honestly, we need more info about your truck before we can give you good advice.

My 2015 1500 Silverado 5.3/3.42 years pulled my 6k gvwr camper just fine, but it did have over 1700 lbs of payload. Good luck

[Grit_dog]

Safe? Yes.
Slow? Yes.

[blt2ski]

Safe and can it do it are two different meanings in my book.

Safe is the trailer not swaying, able to go at least minimum posted speeds on interstates in mountain area's. NOTE< the new JSEA tow specs put that minimum speed 5-10 mph BELOW most states minimums! Meeting the new tow ratings barely, means you may be unsafe based on MY safe feelings........yours may vary! Stopping per field tests the SP may put your thru if they choose to see if your brakes work etc. All my lights are working etc.

Can it do it......that is ALL per the drivers butt! What is doing it per me, might be different per the folks that make up the towing specs, vs BenK's minimum it can do it performance wise, vs any other poster on here.

My swag, if it has a 300HP motor, an 8 sp trans, you are willing to let the motor rev to where it is making the HP to move the setup. you will be good to around 6000 lbs of trailer. 12-13K total lbs would be my max for your rig.

Of course, if you have a large family as I have, or did. When I had 4 adult size teenagers, we weighed in the 1200-1300 lbs range. MANY of not MOST 15 series trucks, have barely 1300-1500 lbs of total payload. so said truck is at GVWR with out a trailer behind it. SO its REAL tow capacity for my family is ZILCH! NADA! NOTHING! , said in my best Sgt Shultz "NOTHING" voice!

Your mileage may vary!

Marty

[BenK]

RAM's info page and all you need now do is actually weigh your set, axle by axle. Both empty and fully loaded....if want to save time...weigh it fully laded axle by axle

Direct link to get a better image
RAM 1500 tow guide

[VernDiesel]

What Jim said your most definitive answer is in finding your CVWR. Adding 1,000 pounds to the dry weight of 4,230 for your best wet estimate of be safe and call it 5,300. Add 5,500 for your truck for a CVW of 10,300. Compare that to your CVWR. Again that's your best by the numbers by the book answer.

Generally if the the truck is an 8 speed 3.92 you will likely be pleased towing it. If it's an older 6 speed with 3.55s probably not.

No need to switch to E loads and the bags are certainly nice but should not be needed towing 5,300 unless you plan to load the bed heavy. Getting a WDH and initially setting it up according to a cat scale is still always best.

[Lessmore]

I think those Dodge truck V6's are rated around 305 hp, also have a ZF 8 speed transmission. Wasn't that long ago that the Dodge truck 4.7 liter V8 was rated @ 235 hp and the 'big' Dodge 5.9 liter V8 was rated @ 245 hp. The '97 Dodge 488 cube V10 was rated @ 310 hp. They all had 4 speed automatics for the most part.

Yeah, they out torqued the current Dodge 3.6 liter truck V6...but that 8 speed automatic must make some difference compared to the 4 speed automatic.

The 4.7 liter V8 was good for 295 lbs. ft. of torque vs 269 pounds/ft. of torque for the 3.6 V6. Around 25 lbs./ft. difference and that at maximum torque. Modern engines tend to have flat torque bands with their max torque...not rising and falling as much over a narrow rpm band, as per older engines.

A lot of times these modern engines, with the help of sophisticated engine management systems, etc., are delivering near max torque from approx. 1000 rpm to approx. 4500-5500 rpm.

Older engines have had to 'build' up to their max torque as the rpm increases. Don't know if this is the case with all these different...new and older...Dodge Ram engines.

When you look at the 3.6 Ram truck V6, 8 speed transmission, 305 hp, decent torque...it's not a 100 hp, 170 lbs. ft. of torque slant six with a 3 on the tree.

Just saying...modern engines, modern multi speed transmissions, modern engine management, OHC, variable valve timing, direct fuel injection...makes a huge difference.