Would you attempt this?

Ok so I have a 2003 dodge ram 2500 4x4 quad cab 5.7 hemi. This is my daily driver/work truck, I own a lawncare business so I tug around a trailer all day around town that probably weighs about 4-5k lbs. Handles it no problem of course, well anyways I'm from Sw oklahoma and I do lots of boating so this is my tow vehicle, now you may think I'm crazy but once a year I tow my boat all the way down to Miami Florida for some fun, about 1500 miles and a 25 hour drive. I have gotten a much much larger boat now, it's about 30 feet and sits on a triple axle aluminum trailer, all fueled up and loaded down it weighs somewhere in the 10-11k range. I personally think the truck handles it great, i measured the tongue weight and it's about 850 lbs which barely even makes the back end of the truck sag, if you've ridden in one you know how rough and stiff they are. it cruises 60 mph at about 2500 rpm getting 8mpg, I have made a couple long hauls with it about 100 miles each way with some steep grades and it had plenty of power to stay at speed and even accelerate if I wanted to, on some of those 110 degree days the temp gauge might read a little bit warm but nothing drastic. So my question is if this was your truck assuming you had fresh fluids(I run synthetic oil) would you attempt to haul this heavy of a load 1500 miles during the heat of the summer? Is the hemi as bullet proof as they make it out to be? Could it run at 2500+ rpms for 30+hours? Would I need to take breaks and let it cool down or can it handle it? I have never had any trouble with this truck it's got 120k miles and I maintained it really good, I never hesitate to hop in and haul it 100 miles to a lake but I'm just curious about 1500 miles.

Here is a picture of the rig

I would not have a problem if its my truck and scales legal in case you get pulled over as for heat you can try water wetter from red line or any number of coolant additives that increase heat transfer rate and add a lubricant or add a new extra core rad and definately a extra trans cooler for the added weight and heat

Ok thanks that's the kind of input I'm looking for. I have a cold air intake and magna flow muffler, don't know if those make much of a difference. I already have one trans cooler that came on the truck, so are you saying I should get another one or should I just get a bigger one, I wish these trucks had a trans temp gauge, I have never seem the trans temp light come on before but I'm sure it gets a little warm.

I think I would be looking to trade for a 2500 or 3500 with the diesel engine. More towing power, better towing MPG's, and less wear on the truck.

I would add a second trans cooler as for a trans temp you could add an aftermarket one and I do think some of the tuners that have display will show the temp and even run a towing program that will help with shifting and keeping slippage down.

As Trenton mentioned, getting a transmission temp gauge to monitor the tranny and prevent any issues ahead of time like you are doing on the engine is a definite must in your case.

However I do agree with Harley that you should be getting a Diesel for such heavy duty uses. you'll save the extra $$ in longevity and fuel saving over a gasser. In the case of a Diesel over and above the monitoring of the Engine temp and Tranny temp, you need to monitor exhaust gas temp (EGT). They are critical to keeping a diesel in good order and are the cause of many costly failures (head gaskets being the most common).

That's a LOT of weight...

At first glance, I am leery.

But, the truck/boat combo looks like it sits good.

How does it brake? Straight? Firm? No shifting, pulling, pushing feeling?

If I could get a diesel I would in a heartbeat trust me. I made sure and balanced the boat on the trailer perfectly so it's not too far back and feels like it's tipping backward or too far forward and weighing down the rear end. Braking is pretty good, it has surge brakes, I wish it had electric, but I feel completely in control when stopping, it is not too much worse than hauling around my 5k lb lawn trailer with no brakes. Just my only concern is the engine, I just feel like that is the weak link of this truck while hauling this kind of weight for a long time. If I were to get a extra trans cooler where would be the best place for it? If I remember correctly there's not too much more room up front

Your diff and trans will probably be hurting a lot more than the motor. My 2010 with 4.7 hauled around 5k from florida to buffalo but we stopped overnight to rest. If that thing didnt overheat running over 2000rpm for 12 hours nearly straight (only stopped for gas and food) then id say the hemi will have no issues. Id be more worried about your tranny and differential.

mount it in front of all the other rads and make sure it is the last cooler before returning to trans for your best results. If you have the cash install a good shift kit or program for towing and bring the line pressure up to keep it from slipping under load. Also I would slow down towing that weight with size of boat crosswinds could toss you about real good I have driven class 8 oversized load all over where you travel and seen lots of nice small rigs like yours upside down in the ditch and big rigs too where a crosswind and 60 plus MPH cause a wiggle and flip. I always pull 55 or lower in high wind situations. There is a reason most interstate have 2 speed limits one for truck trailer and one for cars or trucks with no trailer.

This trans cooler is for an '03 3500 and will bolt right up. Ive read that you can also go with a larger transmission pan. I would be concerned about towing that much weight in the summer heat as well.

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Mopar Repair Parts #52029089AB - COOLER-TRANSMISSION OIL

I would be worried about law enforcement amongst other things. Happy motoring.

I already have the trans cooler that is in front of the radiator, would it be possible to get another and put it on the front of the existing one? Or how would I go about installing another if that wouldn't work, I am not too worried about the law, I am slightly over width but it's less than a foot, it's not even noticeable, and I may be a tad overweight, but if I haul it empty it will be a lot lighter, it holds 100 gals of gas and 40 gals of water. So that's at least a thousand pounds right there

RamHD said:

I already have the trans cooler that is in front of the radiator, would it be possible to get another and put it on the front of the existing one? Or how would I go about installing another if that wouldn't work, I am not too worried about the law, I am slightly over width but it's less than a foot, it's not even noticeable, and I may be a tad overweight, but if I haul it empty it will be a lot lighter, it holds 100 gals of gas and 40 gals of water. So that's at least a thousand pounds right there

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if your over width don't be a **** and get the permits of over width load they are cheap and you will not like what happens if you get caught. DOT can tell by looking at the boat if your over width because of all the permits they issue every day. Your talking about thousands in fines impounding the boat having to pay for commercial oversize emergency removal even court costs.

Yeah I hear ya, I have looked into all the permitting and made some phone calls. I would probably do it as I wouldn't want to ruin my vacation, I guess I just haven't ever had too many worries pulling close to home as I know everybody and it's a farm and lake town, people haul 10 11 12 foot wide all the time. Mine we're talking about 9 feet, which is 6 inches too wide, that's why I said I wasn't too worried about it, but can somebody help me out with the trans cooler? If I stick it in front of the radiator and trans cooler that is already there would that restrict too much airflow to them?

RamHD said:

Yeah I hear ya, I have looked into all the permitting and made some phone calls. I would probably do it as I wouldn't want to ruin my vacation, I guess I just haven't ever had too many worries pulling close to home as I know everybody and it's a farm and lake town, people haul 10 11 12 foot wide all the time. Mine we're talking about 9 feet, which is 6 inches too wide, that's why I said I wasn't too worried about it, but can somebody help me out with the trans cooler? If I stick it in front of the radiator and trans cooler that is already there would that restrict too much airflow to them?

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In front and it will not restrict to much I do like the 1 ton unit upgrade that ron shows it should fit in factory position and is designed to cool the trans pulling 30,000 lbs all day long behind the cummins power plant

RamHD said:

I already have the trans cooler that is in front of the radiator, would it be possible to get another and put it on the front of the existing one? Or how would I go about installing another if that wouldn't work, I am not too worried about the law, I am slightly over width but it's less than a foot, it's not even noticeable, and I may be a tad overweight, but if I haul it empty it will be a lot lighter, it holds 100 gals of gas and 40 gals of water. So that's at least a thousand pounds right there

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No.
You should be worried about it. You think your a good driver but you have no idea when an accident will happen and the moment it does you'll ruin the rest of your life.
Insurance will drop your claim as soon as they hear there was a triple axle trailer behind your half ton and you will be liable for any expenses, God forbid someone is hurt or killed.
Police wouldn't hesitate to pull that combination over behind anything but a 1 ton dually.

Don't be selfish and consider other people use the same road you do.

Hes got a 3/4 ton lol

But...if OP only has 3.73 gears the gcvwr is only 15000# thus being under what his actual gcvwr will be easily. If its 4.10s it will be close at 18k. Your tow rating with 3.73s is quite a bit below what you say you'll be towing at 9300# but 11,300# with 4.10s which isnt too bad.

regularcab2500 said:

Hes got a 3/4 ton lol

But...if OP only has 3.73 gears the gcvwr is only 15000# thus being under what his actual gcvwr will be easily. If its 4.10s it will be close at 18k. Your tow rating with 3.73s is quite a bit below what you say you'll be towing at 9300# but 11,300# with 4.10s which isnt too bad.

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I'm not sure why but I completely missed the 3/4 part I thought I was a 1500.

If he meets is gvcwr the is no issue here. I towed 8k with my halfton we are talking 2-3k more for a 3/4 I really don't think its to far out there hope op has 4.10 other wise he's pushing it close... My advice is empty the fuel tank hit the scales and see what it comes too.