towing woes

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doggone

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Just got a 2003 Ram 2500..the VP44 in my 2001 ram 2500 (all 7 of them) haveme frustrated...anyhow..the 2003 tows like a ford LTD wagon. Trailers lightly loaded or empty are pushing the truck all over the road. Maybe it is just that the 2001 towed so well. the suspension is only 3 leafs in the rear of the 2003 the 2001 is built like a tank. Yes the 2003 is really great on the road and rides like a car but I wanted a truck... Anyone else find the 3rd generation trucks to be poor tow vehicles? By the way both trucks are diesels.
 

ramhunter9

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I had no issues towing with my 2001 CTD 5.9L
 

suzukiquadrider

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The 2000 at work tows anything 6 in a row built to tow, on stock vp44. honestly my 3rd gen 1500 was a dog and the 2000 cummins out tows it 50-1, my duramax does just fine as well.
 

Stangshcky12

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I've towed 14k lbs off the bumper of two different third gens confortably

Don't really notice the livestock trailer behind it weight wise around 5k, a little more noticeable around 7k
Alot better then my f350 dump but it also weighs 9,400 lbs empty
 

NWRQC

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I can't imagine them changing much between 03 and 07, but I have 4 leafs + the overload spring on my truck. If you only have 3 leafs it's possible that the previous owner removed a spring or two to level the rear with the front. I've heard of people doing that instead of bringing the front up. That would explain your towing woes. Does the rear end feel light?
 

NWRQC

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I had no issues towing with my 2001 CTD 5.9L

Same here with my 2002 Dodge... Tows my 8K trailer with zero problems. But the difference is I've got a towing package on my truck. 1zyvg5y.jpg



The problem is not with his 2001 " the 2001 is built like a tank" its the 2003 ram that he's having the towing problems with. As he put it " the 2003 tows like a ford LTD wagon" So he is looking for advice on the 2003, not the 2001.
 
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Stangshcky12

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The problem is not with his 2001 " the 2001 is built like a tank" its the 2003 ram that he's having the towing problems with. As he put it " the 2003 tows like a ford LTD wagon" So he is looking for advice on the 2003, not the 2001.

As far as I know the rear suspension didnt change

I will try to take a picture of the rear springs on an 05, might be a day or two till I get around to it though
 

NWRQC

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Gotcha, but isn't 2003 when the 2500/3500 changed body styles?
I'm just throwing stuff out there, but I have 4 leafs together + the overload spring under. It looks different than the pic posted above.
I guess I was going down the path of the rear suspension being altered from stock. He mentioned only 3 leafs in the rear and I don't know if he means 2 leafs + the overload to equal a total of 3, or 3 leafs with no overload to equal a total of 3, or 3 leafs + the overload to equal a total of 3..
 

Mopar1973Man

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Might be time to steal a 2001 spring set for your 2003... (LOL!)

Tows like a dream. 16,000-17,000 GCW# The RV weighs more than the truck now.

Question? are you using a Weight distribution hitch?
aw409s.jpg

287q2ys.jpg

Here is my hitch setup.
nnmng2.jpg
 
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doggone

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I only have three springs on my 2003 2500..... other models I have looked at have 4... the picture of the springs look like my 2001 2500....I was expecting better things with the common rail but the 2001 vp44 tows better and has more power... I am really confused as to why. Nothing moved the 2001 and I have towed up to 20K with the 2001...yea I know way to much weight...but the 2003 hardly moves with 4k total weight behind the truck. The same trailer pulls fine on the 2001 and on the 2003 anything over 40 I am going all over the road...this being said on the 2001 I have put bilstien shock the 2003 has some cheap replacement shock the 2001 came with a stock sway bar in the rear the 2003 has nothing......I like the new body style of the 2003 and I won't even begin with the vp44 issues but really .... what do I need? A sway bar, new springs, new shocks, overloads.... any help or feedback is greatly appreciated. I have weighed the trailer 12% of load on tongue...does not the 2003 have a stronger frame?
thanks for all the feedback
 

Mopar1973Man

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Tongue weight, tire inflation, weight distribution hitch setup, etc. All of these have a roll in how stability of the truck.

Like for example my RV has a 50 gallon water tank at the very rear of the trailer. That's a 430 pounds at the trailer bumper making the tongue lighter. With too much spring bar tension on the weight distribution hitch it can become very squirrelly. So just letting the distribution bars out 1 extra link and allowing the tongue to ride on the truck a bit heavier problem solved.

Tongue weight should always be 12% to 15% of the total trailer weight for stability reasons. Anything lighter will cause problems.

Is the trailer level while hitched up? If not this will also add to the stability problems too. 16,000 to 17,000# GCW and level between truck and trailer.

blackcanyon11.jpg


As for tire inflation I base mine solely off of axle weights. So using...
Mopar1973Man's Dodge Cummins Articles - 2000 Jayco Eagle 296 FBS

Front axle - 4040#
Rear Axle - 4280#

Tires - 3042# @ 80 PSI

so...

4040 pounds / 2 = 2020 pounds / 3042 pounds = 0.66 x 80 PSI = 53 PSI

4280 pounds / 2 = 2140 pounds / 3042 pounds = 0.70 x 80 PSI = 56 PSI

This give middle of the road inflation based on weight so if you want firmer ride add 5 PSI if you want softer ride -5 PSI really simple.
 
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doggone

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Okay, I measured the trailer hooked to both vehicles... It is level on the 2001. the 2003 it is low in the front by a couple of inches unloaded...The 2003 also sits level..the 2001 has a slight natural rake (front low) as I have been looking this seems normal for most RAM 2500's Will get a different reciever hitch and raise the front of the trailer for the next load. As to the 2001 springs they don't fit they are too short...already tried that as I was going to put a 3.55 rear under the 2003...the mileage on this truck is awful...thanks to all for the help
 

Stangshcky12

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Sounds to me that the previous owner a leaf to level the truck
I've never seen a 2500 sit without rake stock and 2003 are actually known to get the best fuel mileage of any model year Cummins (http://www.fuelly.com/car/dodge/ram 2500)
Alot of wierd things going on with that truck...
 
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Mopar1973Man

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Actually its all so common where people toss levelling kits, suspension changes, and oversized tires and expect the truck to perform just the same. Sorry it doesn't work that way. Every change you do to the truck changes geometry one way or another. Just the simple hitching up a trailer will change the geometry. Like my truck stands empty with a slight rake but hitched up and properly adjusted weight distribution bars both sit level.

So as for the 2003 I would go over that suspension closely and tune it properly for hauling that trailer.
 

CumminsCrazed

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sooo that means my trailer musta been a bit tongue heavy?

IMG_3429.jpg

at a weight of about....
IMG_3507.jpg

this was with under a half tank of diesel fuel

however, my truck is just shy of 8000 lbs and the chevy C10 is 3,700, which brings trailer weight to approx 4,000 lbs, which it IS a dual axle 8 lug trailer made for heavier equipment
 
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Stangshcky12

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Your truck was sitting a little bit far up on the trailer
Notice how it's back tire is almost right over the The rear trailer axle
Not to mention there's hardly any weight in the back of the truck
 

Mopar1973Man

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I would of turn the truck around on the trailer and put it on backwards putting most of the weight over the trailer axles. Truck squat is a sign that the trailer is overloaded or truck is overloaded.

Once again you want to have about 12-15% of gross trailer weight in the tongue.

Still fairly level with a 20,000 pound boat excluding the trailer...
o0pbw6.jpg
 

jlb

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Ya, but that trailer is specifically designed for that boat so you don't have to make adjustments... Also, please tell me you didn't actually haul that around... 20,000# +trailer on a bumper pull!?!?

I agree with stangshcky on this one. I had an 05, and an 03 CTD, granted they were both 3500, but both had stock rake, and towed rock solid regardless of what was back there. One of my buddies put a leveling kit on his 05 2500 so just another confirmation of stock rake as he originally bought the truck new. I would find someone to compare your rear suspension with. Don't blame the truck for sure, like you said in 03 when the body was revised, so was the frame, to the best in the industry, and the suspension was equally competent.
 
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