Increase towing capcity in Ram 1500 V6

[Mattalto]

I made a rookie truck buyers mistake and let the dealer tell me my 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 had a towing capacity over 7000 pounds. I purchased a 2016 Ram 1500 4x4 with the V6, but the problem is that it has the 3.21 axle ratio so it's rated at 4170 pounds, not the 3.55 which is rated at 7160 pounds.

I won't be towing often, and when I do I will rarely exceed that weight. I am planning a move and would like to tow my VW Golf behind it, which was one reason for purchasing the truck. It wasn't until I looked into it a little more that it looks like I'll exceed towing capacity with current configurations.

This isn't a deal breaker for me, and I still love the truck. Just a little disappointed that if I ever do want to tow my car I won't be able to.

Could I change the axle ratio to 3.55 and have an increased towing capacity? The engine seems like it will be fine, and from doing some research it looks like the transmission is the same in the 3.6 with 3.21 and 3.55 axel ratio. I'm new to this so I'm looking for suggestions and someone to tell me if I'm missing anything.

Thanks in advance!

 

[NewBlackDak]

You should be able to dolly tow a golf with no issues. Trailering it could be a problem.
Technically you could swap equipment(gears, transmission cooler, wheels, tires, hitch, etc) to match the other config and the truck would be capable. However, the weight police will tell you it doesn’t change what it’s rated for. You can’t swap the weight stickers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Craw]

You should be able to dolly tow a golf with no issues. Trailering it could be a problem.
Technically you could swap equipment(gears, transmission cooler, wheels, tires, hitch, etc) to match the other config and the truck would be capable. However, the weight police will tell you it doesn’t change what it’s rated for. You can’t swap the weight stickers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sir where is your weight stickier? " Whats that officer" lol. Maybe get a v8 badge and slap it on heheheh. Would a WDH help?

 

[clay282]

Some of your towing weakness is aerodynamic drag. Those big flat front box trailers are hell to pull. I think you can pull your VW as long as it's on a trailer with brakes. Albeit the trailer will add weight but the cargo won't catch wind like a box would.

For comparison sake... I had a 2016 Kia Sorento V6 AWD rated for 5000lbs towing. I could pull our 2 huge 3 person Polaris jet skis and trailer and it was so easy I would forget they were back there. I have a 20ft flat cargo trailer with a flip up loading ramp. I don't know the exact weight difference but I would guess the trailers at least 1000lbs lighter empty. That trailer ramp would catch so much wind that Sorento would spend all day in 4th or 5th gear but couldn't get to 6th. The jet skis don't have the drag and she would roll into 6th gear and stay there like nothing was behind her.

 

[MasonD21]

However, the weight police will tell you it doesn’t change what it’s rated for. You can’t swap the weight stickers.

Unfortunately, this is correct. And this is the only thing any company, insurer, or department of transportation rep. will look at if you happen to be stopped. Or, sadly, in an accident if you are overloaded, you take on full financial responsibility for damages.

If I were you, I'd be talking to a sales manager or call FCA directly. Tell them what you posted here, and see if they will do something for you. I'm trying to not jump on my soap box, because I deal with this all the time. Sales rep tells you something, sells you the vehicle, only to find out later it wasn't correct.

 

[Rader]

I made a rookie truck buyers mistake and let the dealer tell me my 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 had a towing capacity over 7000 pounds. I purchased a 2016 Ram 1500 4x4 with the V6, but the problem is that it has the 3.21 axle ratio so it's rated at 4170 pounds, not the 3.55 which is rated at 7160 pounds.

I won't be towing often, and when I do I will rarely exceed that weight. I am planning a move and would like to tow my VW Golf behind it, which was one reason for purchasing the truck. It wasn't until I looked into it a little more that it looks like I'll exceed towing capacity with current configurations.

This isn't a deal breaker for me, and I still love the truck. Just a little disappointed that if I ever do want to tow my car I won't be able to.

Could I change the axle ratio to 3.55 and have an increased towing capacity? The engine seems like it will be fine, and from doing some research it looks like the transmission is the same in the 3.6 with 3.21 and 3.55 axel ratio. I'm new to this so I'm looking for suggestions and someone to tell me if I'm missing anything.

Thanks in advance!

The trailer tow rating Mopar uses is a reference based on SAE J2807 test calculations, the tests are a manufacturers base line so they cant play fast and loose with numbers. I know the number for my 2015 1500 truck because I looked them up..... But I do not find any stickers on the truck that reference that information.There is axle load rates in the door jam and a payload sticker, that's it on my truck, if a person other than me wanted to know my gear ratio they would have to crawl under the truck and look for a tag on the differential.

Question....Is there any sticker ON your 2016 1500 that indicates the max recommended trailer weight for your gear ratio??.... Anyone??

 

[csuder99]

Right, there is no sticker stating the tow rating or GCWR, only a sticker with the payload and axle ratings. A car on a flatbed/car trailer does not have as much drag as a travel trailer or box trailer. I would not worry about being a little over, unless the trip includes steep grades, high altitude and such. That's what SAE J2807 is mostly concerned with.

 

[Rader]

Right, there is no sticker stating the tow rating or GCWR, only a sticker with the payload and axle ratings. A car on a flatbed/car trailer does not have as much drag as a travel trailer or box trailer. I would not worry about being a little over, unless the trip includes steep grades, high altitude and such. That's what SAE J2807 is mostly concerned with.

Exactly, the number is a yard stick not a rule, one metric in the calculations is acceleration so that metric changes when gear ratios are change.

 

[Rader]

I made a rookie truck buyers mistake and let the dealer tell me my 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 had a towing capacity over 7000 pounds. I purchased a 2016 Ram 1500 4x4 with the V6, but the problem is that it has the 3.21 axle ratio so it's rated at 4170 pounds, not the 3.55 which is rated at 7160 pounds.

I won't be towing often, and when I do I will rarely exceed that weight. I am planning a move and would like to tow my VW Golf behind it, which was one reason for purchasing the truck. It wasn't until I looked into it a little more that it looks like I'll exceed towing capacity with current configurations.

This isn't a deal breaker for me, and I still love the truck. Just a little disappointed that if I ever do want to tow my car I won't be able to.

Could I change the axle ratio to 3.55 and have an increased towing capacity? The engine seems like it will be fine, and from doing some research it looks like the transmission is the same in the 3.6 with 3.21 and 3.55 axle ratio. I'm new to this so I'm looking for suggestions and someone to tell me if I'm missing anything.

Thanks in advance!

My advise....Mopar says Max Trailer Weights are estimated values calculated as specified in SAE J2807. OK that testing basically establishes a known base line so when manufactures publish an estimated trailer tow rating they are all playing on a level field. SAE J2807 test procedures are designed to level the playing field in trailer tow ratings for all vehicles model year 2013 or later

Looking at the test factors everything should test the same for your truck and the 3.55 gear ratio truck except for one thing. And one thing is a 3.21 gear truck will not test out (accelerate) as quickly off the line as the 3.55 gear ratio truck. One is a test that measures the 0-to-30-mph time, with single-rear-wheel trucks needing to reach that speed in 12.0 seconds

IMO The salesman may not have know about gear ratio issue, or he may have know about it and knew it was not a hard rule or an actual limit. The only reason I know the" estimated " trailer tow weight recommended by Mopar for my particular engine gear ratio package is because I looked up the PDF.

Back in the real world....When I look up YOUR Truck and the 3.55 geared V/6 4X4 the F/R axle GAWR is 3,900 on both trucks and both trucks have the same payload at 1,640. By simple deduction we know your trucks payload, hitch weight, or axle ratings are fine. In practice the issue boils down to this...your truck with the taller gears will be slightly slower off the line, the transmission will shift down quicker on a grade and it will likely be in one step lower gear climbing the grade or towing into a stiff wind.

Bottom line I do not believe your trucks gear ratio is a problem for either your engine or transmission or actually anyone's business but yours.

 

[VernDiesel]

Newblakdak nailed it. Put your Golf on a tow dolly preferably one with brakes and the 8 speed 3.21 geared 3.6 will tow it handily. The Golf plus a 500 pound dolly will still be well within your tow rating.

Honestly a 2,500 pound Golf on a light 1,500 pound aluminum flat car hauler trailer should still make the 4,170 not that even a DOT officer would care if your scale receipt said 4180. Oh and yes the 8 speed 3.6 would still move it well.

If you put it on a more common steel car hauler you would be 500 to 1,500 over your max tow rating as they can vary a lot depending on design sizing axles & options. It would still tow it but would likely stay in 4th if you have to climb a grade. Nothing the 3.6 or the 8 speed would not do but you would be getting out of its comfortable long term reliable range. DOT wouldn’t notice you but you would be at the practical limit of your truck.

 

[Mpgrimm2]

13 Ram 1500 CC 4x4, v6/8spd/3.21

Here's a recent post where I towed my 2700lb 68 mustang on a 2100 lb Auto trailer from uhaul.
http://www.ramforum.com/index.php?posts/1691533

Last two posters nailed it as I was about 900 lbs over and the truck handled it (but it took more time to get up to speed/stop and i spent time manually limiting the truck down to 4th/5th, and 6th gear as expected). And I was coming over the Appalachian mountains