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Old 02-23-2017, 06:08 PM   #1
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Ram 1500 Owners - What r u pulling with your truck

Looking to buy a new 1500 crew cab. So wanting to hear from you ram owners to see what you are pulling and how well the truck performs.

Thanks.

Steve
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Old 02-23-2017, 07:16 PM   #2
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Pulling a Jayflight 28 RLS.
Plenty of power. The 8 speed transmission is awesome.
Factory brake control works great for me.
I'm pushing the limits, if not slightly over.
WDH setup is probably more critical than any combination I've had.
I'm anxious to get an equalizer and see if it works as well as my past rigs.
The tall and long trailer will let you know it's there.
No real pucker moments to report, but staying aware of traffic and winds is paramount.
Towing mileage runs right at 10 mpg.
Unhitched, it's a real joy to drive.
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Old 02-23-2017, 07:50 PM   #3
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I have a 1500 Crew Cab Limited. Love the truck! Just picked up my first ever camper this weekend, a WhiteHawk 28DSBH. Have a WD hitch and it towed perfectly for the 100 mile trip home.
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Old 02-23-2017, 08:58 PM   #4
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I have a Jay flight 27BHS and I know it's there. I'm over on my payload and I'm looking for a 3/4 ton. Lots of power, but it burns the gas to make it.


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Old 02-23-2017, 09:04 PM   #5
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I have a 2013 Ram Crew Cab towing a 2015 X23B. I figure the trailer is right at or slightly below 5000lbs when we're all loaded up for a trip. We have an equalizer WDH which I've been completely happy with. Like Vaquero said, plenty of power and the transmission works beautifully. I love the steering wheel mounted + & - gear selector buttons to keep the trans from hunting up a long grade and for controlling speed down a hill. If I keep my foot off the gas I can also get 10 mpg while towing, but it's usually closer to 9. While they ride nice unloaded (arguably the best but let's not start a truck thread) that comes at a price of payload. Make sure to look at the door sticker for the payload and verify it'll work with what you want tow.
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Old 02-23-2017, 09:15 PM   #6
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Does either of you guys have the air suspension option on your Rams?

Steve
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Old 02-23-2017, 09:29 PM   #7
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Does either of you guys have the air suspension option on your Rams?

Steve
I do not.
I've purchased an aftermarket set of air bags, but haven't installed them yet.
The LT rated tires I recently had installed made a marked difference though.
The factory Wranglers have a soft sidewall. Real nice for unloaded touring.
A little soft for towing. In my opinion.
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Old 02-23-2017, 09:41 PM   #8
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No air suspension and no LT tires for me but both are probably in my future (Vaquero, what tires did you go with?).
Again, the things that make the truck ride great while empty are the same things that hurt the payload and towing experience. For me this was an easy trade off since we tow maybe 14 times year (figure 6 round trips and transport to and from the winter storage shed) while the truck gets driven unloaded at least a couple times a week. I'd go with the factory air suspension option if possible or at least plan on adding an aftermarket system. What are you going to be towing with the Ram?
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Old 02-23-2017, 10:08 PM   #9
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I had Cooper Discoverer HT plus installed.
While not technically an LT tire, the load range and sidewall firmness equal most any LT tire offered. They stiffened up the unloaded ride a bit, but run quieter than the Wranglers and didn't cost me a lot on the pocketbook nor at the gas pump.
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Old 02-23-2017, 11:35 PM   #10
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Does either of you guys have the air suspension option on your Rams?

Steve
I have the air suspension and so far it is working out very well. Just passed 30K on the truck - about 10K of those are towing the trailer. This is my daily driver and we also fill the cab on occasion so everybody appreciates the nice ride. It's easier to load/unload the bed when lowered to the entry-exit mode too. I did have to adjust the hitch height and the procedure for hooking the trailer up to avoid ending up with the trailer slightly nose-high due to the auto-leveling feature. Once I made the necessary adjustments it's a smooth tow.

It is my understanding that the air suspension does not increase or decrease available payload compared to the regular suspension. I do think there is a perception that it may decrease it because it is often added to the higher trim levels which already have lower payloads to begin with due to all the extra options. It is a closed, nitrogen-filled system designed to auto-level the truck. So you don't have any control over the system other than to select one of the optional ride heights or to temporarily disable the system for tire changing or hitching up a trailer, etc.

The RAM 1500's tend to have lower payloads so make sure to check the door sticker on any potential rigs to make sure they meet your payload needs.
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Old 02-25-2017, 07:56 AM   #11
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When I had my 1500, I pulled our 2016 28BHBE. It weigh 6400lb dry. With our RAM power wasn't an issue, payload was. Over the coarse of 2 years, we put on 3000 miles. I never had to white knuckle it, but bouncing was annoying. Upgraded to a HD Ram 3500.
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Old 02-25-2017, 09:12 AM   #12
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I have a 2013 RAM 1500 Crew Cab. I tow a 2017 28BHBE.

I do know it's back there, but I have no issues with towing. (YET) I have the Fastway E2 WDH (trunnion style) with sway control. Aftermarket electric brake controller. I just bought some Timbren's for the truck this past fall. I haven't got to see if it helps with towing yet? I'm hoping it might help with going around turns.

Most of my camping trips are about 60 miles away. However, I do have 3 trips planned that are over 6hrs away this year. I forget the mileage? I'll be traveling over the mountains in WV for one of them. That'll test the RAM out!

I love my RAM. I bought it used about 2 years ago. It only has 28,000 miles on it now. I hate replacing things until they need it, but I would like to get some LT tires for it. I still have several miles to go on the original Wranglers.
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Old 02-25-2017, 10:24 AM   #13
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J had air bags, and D rated tires. As mention it wasn't awful, but over loaded for sure. Don't get stopped or in an accident. You are over payload.
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Old 02-25-2017, 10:33 AM   #14
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J had air bags, and D rated tires. As mention it wasn't awful, but over loaded for sure. Don't get stopped or in an accident. You are over payload.


It is not illegal to be overweight in a non-commercial vehicle.


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Old 02-25-2017, 11:19 AM   #15
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It is not illegal to be overweight in a non-commercial vehicle.


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I am not sure where you are from but in British Columbia it is illegal to be overloaded.
If you are involved in an accident and overloaded it can jeopardize your insurance.
Also if the M.O.T. has portable scales set up you can be stopped.
It does not happen often but a friend in the M.O.T. told me they have pulled over obviously overloaded R.V.s

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Old 02-25-2017, 11:25 AM   #16
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It's not illegal in any state in the US... I have no idea about Canada.


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Old 02-25-2017, 03:30 PM   #17
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I have a 14 Ram quad cab 4x4 5.7 Hemi, 8 speed and 3.21 gears (unfortunately). We pull a 17 jay feather 25bh. Not over in weights but I am close. Would love a 2500 but it is not in the budget right now. This is my daily driver as well. We only do about 5 trips a year due to my work schedule all less than 200 miles. I have no problems towing but I definitely know it is there. Also, depending on where we are going, I average 11 to 14 mpg. Love this truck.

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Old 03-03-2017, 07:41 AM   #18
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Bondo, why do you say "unfortunately" regarding the 3.21 gears? I understand the new 8 speed transmission, combined with 3.21 rear provides a lower starting gear than the previous 6 speed Ram transmission running 3.92 gears.

I'm shying away from the 3.92 gears as I weigh my purchase of a 2017 Ram 1500, to tow a Jay Flight 21QB (5,500 lbs loaded). I previously towed a 6,000 lb Outback trailer with a 6.0L Avalanche (4.10 gears). That truck had so much low-end grunt that it felt touchy as a daily driver and gas mileage, of course, was horrible.

It seems that the new Ram 8 speed coupled with a 3.21 rear strikes a good balance between driveability and towing capacity. Thanks for your real-world insight (and anyone else who drives a 5.7 Hemi with 8 speed and 3.21 or 3.92 gears).
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Old 03-03-2017, 10:54 AM   #19
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I have a 2012 Ram Quad 5.7 Hemi 6 speed with 3.55 gears. It pulls my 5000-5500 21 ft. boat with ease. I get 12-14 mpg towing the boat, depending on the terrain. Looking to get the Jayco 212 SLX once the boat is sold so I think we are set with the Ram.
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Old 03-03-2017, 12:02 PM   #20
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Thank you. For 2017 Rams, the 3.55 gears are no longer an option with the 5.7 Hemi. For some reason, only the Ecodiesel and Pentastar motors are now matched with 3.55 gears.
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