Do mechanical mods help with towing

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

ramflava

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Posts
427
Reaction score
135
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel
Hey everyone, I'm curious if mechanical mods such as CAI's, Ported TB's, Chips, etc. Help increase towing capacity or easy the strain on towing large (at full capacity) loads. Thanks for any help and advice.
 

charonblk07

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Posts
4,056
Reaction score
2,072
Location
Calgary, Ab
Ram Year
2009
Engine
F1-A forged 349ci
Nothing will change the legal towing capacity of the truck. Engine mods will make it easier on the engine to pull the load. Becareful with the engine mods though, many are designed for higher RPM performance but you need low RPM torque to tow. Suspension and tire mods will change the way the body squats when loaded.
 
OP
OP
ramflava

ramflava

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Posts
427
Reaction score
135
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel
Thanks. I had my 1500 assembled with the tow package, air suspension, tow mirrors, brake controller. and 3.91 gears. All I have on it now is just the CAI and catch can. Original rims, with slightly larger tires for just a little bit better grip off road.
 

TRCM

USN, Retired
Military
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Posts
3,238
Reaction score
5,359
Location
Newport News, VA
Ram Year
2012 1500 Laramie CC 4x4
Engine
5.7 Hemi
The larger tires are moving in the wrong direction for helping to tow tho...
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Just get a tunner with a custom tune and it will off set those slightly taller tires-
 

gofishn

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Posts
5,082
Reaction score
10,130
Location
Iowa
Ram Year
2022 Ram 1500 5th Gen, Big Horn, 4X4, Crew Cab, 6'4" Box
Engine
hemi 5.7L, 345 cu in
For a Tow rig, I would not bother with any type of Tune.
Cost - Benefit, not really there, for me. but to each, his own.

Think new rear springs, better shocks, would be far more noticeable improvements for a tow vehicle.
 

billyw

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Posts
359
Reaction score
149
Location
Northwest
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I have been more than satisfied with 5.7, 8 speed, and 3.92 gears for towing. I couldn't ask for more "get up and go". I learned a long time ago to leave the engine alone. In fact I ruined the engine on my last F150 while towing with a "tune".

I did upgrade my shocks and rear springs though.
 
OP
OP
ramflava

ramflava

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Posts
427
Reaction score
135
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel
Good info. I was looking into the possible benefit of the tuners. I guess for me it's a question of spending less money to make slight upgrade to easy the load or upgrade to a 2500 diesel. Obviously spending a couple thousand on upgrades would be cheaper, but only makes sense if there is enough of a benefit.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
ramflava

ramflava

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Posts
427
Reaction score
135
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel
Also I should specify that I'll likely only tow about 6 or 7 times per year, but I will meet towing capacity nearly every time.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
It's a daily driver half ton-
Mod the thing with in reason of ur budget - Enjoy it -
he's not towing 24/7- and it's a half ton lol- any performance mod u do to the truck will only slightly help it tow- But on the day to day factor is where it will shine.
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I have been more than satisfied with 5.7, 8 speed, and 3.92 gears for towing. I couldn't ask for more "get up and go". I learned a long time ago to leave the engine alone. In fact I ruined the engine on my last F150 while towing with a "tune".

I did upgrade my shocks and rear springs though.

So what motor in ur previous ford did u hurt towing with a tune?
 
OP
OP
ramflava

ramflava

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Posts
427
Reaction score
135
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7 Cummins Turbo Diesel
Thanks RatKet. That is my thought too. Since towing will be rare, why not mod. However, I don't want to mod it so much that it actually makes towing harder. A tuner seems like the best bet.
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
The above guy that ruined a Ford F-150 with a tune while towing .. it was prolly a ecoboost motor and the tunes on those truck turn the boost up. So you can't really compare his tuning and towing experience with what would be you're tunning and towing experience. One is a twin turbo v6 and the other a Na V8- Completly different animals.
 

Riccochet

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2013
Posts
1,796
Reaction score
1,618
Location
Somewhere around Charlotte
Ram Year
2020 2500 Laramie Longhorn
Engine
6.4
I run a Hemifever tune on my truck while towing. I have no other mods done. I told them my purposes for the truck and the tune. They delivered. I tow every weekend, whether my bass boat or 27' travel trailer. Is it hurting my engine? I doubt it. Tows much better with smoother power delivery, holds the correct gear longer.

YMMV
 

Moab_Rockstar

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2017
Posts
168
Reaction score
165
Location
Lake Orion, MI
Ram Year
2001 2500
Engine
5.9L
Towing capacity is based on your whole package (engine/trans/axle), and a big part is wheel base. Your truck has a max towing capacity determined by FCA (with the help of NHTSA and DOT) depending on your configuration. That said, swapping 3.21 gears for 3.92 gears will make towing the same load easier for the engine/trans and may theoretically bump up your capacity slightly. However, it's on the order of only 500-1000 pounds depending on the gear change and any other changes and your starting configuration. If you plan to tow regularly, and the amount you have to tow would be full capacity, then at that point you should just upgrade to a 2500 or 3500.

Still, only towing 6 or 7 times a year, if you are at 6000-6800 pounds, that's a strong case to go up to an HD. If you are mostly towing on flat surfaces and you take it easy, your 1500 as equipped should perform ok.
 
Last edited:

RubberFrog

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Posts
5,727
Reaction score
334
Location
Arizona
Ram Year
2019
Engine
6.4
The most important part of towing is stopping. Upgrade to some thicker rotors and better pads.
 

billyw

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Posts
359
Reaction score
149
Location
Northwest
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Hemi 5.7
The above guy that ruined a Ford F-150 with a tune while towing .. it was prolly a ecoboost motor and the tunes on those truck turn the boost up. So you can't really compare his tuning and towing experience with what would be you're tunning and towing experience. One is a twin turbo v6 and the other a Na V8- Completly different animals.
No, much older. It was a 4.6L V8. Burned a valve while making it work hard on a superchips tune. I ended up rebuilding it with hardened internals, supercharging, adding electric fans, making the tranny tougher, 4.10 gears, etc. My Ram with stock 5.7, 8 speed, and 3.92 gears can tow circles with the same trailer around that old F150. Why fix what ain't broke? I understand firming up the suspension and tires, but the rest is already so damned good. I'm not messing with it.
 

billyw

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Posts
359
Reaction score
149
Location
Northwest
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Hemi 5.7
LOL. Yes. It was gonna need quite a bit anyhow. I was talked into stuff. Long story. Part of it was that "she that wears the pants" refused a newer vehicle at the time, but was willing to let me throw money at that old truck. Throw money, I did. :crazy:
 

Ratket

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
3,571
Reaction score
1,300
Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
My bad for assuming - but I don't know if u could pin the motor failure on just the tune- just my thoughts -
 
Top