Towing Question

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Rambling

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Hey guys, got a question regarding towing with my '03 Ram 1500 QC SLT 4x4. What's the maximum weight that I can safely tow with my truck..? The truck has the 4.7 Litre Magnum engine with 3.55 rear gears.
 
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Nobody have any information to share on this..?
 
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Rambling

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Thanks for the chart. So if I'm understanding it correctly it says I can only tow 4,150 lbs..? Is that correct..? Because that rating seems rather low for that size truck. I'm hoping that's wrong because I tow a 5500 lb camper trailer with it and it tows it with relative ease using Tow/Haul mode.
 

NYCruiser

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That's how I read it too


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Rambling

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Yeah, that's what I thought I read. Nice to know I'm not losing it. And for some reason I'm not entirely convinced that's the actual rating. I've looked around on various web sites and that rating seems to vary from site to site. I've seen one rating at 6650 lbs and another at 9150 lbs, (Doubtful On The Last One). The average rating I've come across however seems to be somewhere within the 6000 lb range.
 

14hemiexpress

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What I would like to point out when I read that chart is that it doesn't show a quad cab 4c4 with 3.55 other than with the manual Trans. All the auto Trans options only show a 3.92 avilable. Are you positive it's 3.55? You might double check that, or do you have the manual trans?
 

RonJon '06

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Try this.

Dodge Mobile | Contact US

Click on the link and then under the "your vehicle" tab select equipment listing. If you type in your vin# it will give you your build sheet with the GVWR. I agree 4150 lbs seems kinda low.
 
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Rambling

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This may sound like a noob question, but is the (GVWR) the rating I'm looking for..? If it is, my (GVWR) rating is 6650 lbs according to the Build Sheet.
 

NYCruiser

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Gross vehicle weight rating is the max weight of the truck with full payload


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RonJon '06

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Its the tongue weight of the trailer that needs to be figured into the GVWR. Using an equalizer or weight distribution hitch can reduce the tongue weight.

This article explains it all pretty well.

Tow Vehicle Sizing
 
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Rambling

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That's the thing, I have no idea how much tongue weight my camper actually exerts on the hitch. According to my camper's owners manual I can figure it out by using a standard bathroom scale and some fancy wood rigging to figure out the actual weight. But that process kind of worries me in the sense that the tongue weight my camper exerts will probably crush my measly bathroom scale. Then again this procedure is from 1978, probably when bathroom scales were better made. Anyhow, I'm mostly looking for an general estimate on the maximum weight you guys think that year and type of truck can handle. And I do have an equalizer hitch, but I've never used it.
 

RonJon '06

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If you go to the last website that I listed there is link that will give you your GCVWR and calculate your Maximum Trailer Weight.

Truck Ratings for RV Towing

I tried plugging your truck info in but it only listed 3.92 gears. Maybe it's a typo? Anyway it looks like your MTW is 6050 lbs.
 

NYCruiser

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No way can he put 6050lbs on the tongue. Should be 10-15% of the trailer weight on the tongue. A lot of things go into a trucks towing capacity. Like the ability to stop and turn, for example, and frame rigidity. I would think that any 1500 truck from that era should be able to handle up to a 6k lb trailer properly adjusted for tongue weight. What's the condition of the truck tho. Springs tired? Brakes good? Front end tight?


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Rambling

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The truck is in great shape. Frame is solid, brakes are new, new ball joints left/right. Also had a front end alignment done last week. The springs on the truck seem strong as well, not weak or anything. With my camper on it the back end barely squats down. If I add my 630 lb atv to the mix the back end squats down about half way. Still fair bit of suspension travel left.
 
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