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.

Cmasterson

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Posts
8
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
2014 ram 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Hey guys ,I have a 2014 ram 1500 5.7 Hemi with 3.21 gears. The ram fact specs say I can tow 8100lbs. The dealer says 8500. I'm gonna be towing a 6300 lb travel trailer dry weight. Any thought? Thanks for you help
 

14hemiexpress

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Posts
3,654
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Texas
Ram Year
2019
Engine
6.4l
That leaves you 1700 lbs to load up the trailer. What size is the water tank? What is your passenger situation? And what's a est of weight in food supplys are you bringing bikes Fire wood that type of stuff.
 

NYCruiser

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Posts
2,565
Reaction score
808
Location
Yonkers, NY
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I think you'll be fine. Just take it nice and easy. Remember to calculate your tongue weight and gear/passengers to figure out where you are on payload. If the rear is saggy, get some airbags or upgrade the rear coils.
 

gofishn

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Posts
5,082
Reaction score
10,144
Location
Iowa
Ram Year
2022 Ram 1500 5th Gen, Big Horn, 4X4, Crew Cab, 6'4" Box
Engine
hemi 5.7L, 345 cu in
Keep your rate of acceleration, slow. When climbing hills, losing top speed is preferably to mechanical issues down the line. Good Trailer hitch anti-sway bar helps a ton. If the trailer tongue weight, along with all the other weight inside your truck, puts the truck on its axle "Stops", add variable rate springs, or if money is tight, airbags.

Do not overheat your disc brakes, you will notice a grabbing-studdering, when you brake , if they are getting hot. If that happens, just stop, wherever you are, and let them cool down.

Trailer brakes are essential, anytime you are getting close to max towing and, just plain nice, at all times. Make sure the trailer brakes are functioning and add some positive trailer braking, from the cab with your brake control, if you think you may be working the trucks brakes, just a bit too much.

If you notice your rear end swaying, when passing or being passed by semi trucks or due to winds, stop and adjust the weight, in the trailer, to remove some tongue weight.

If excessive truck rear end sway continues, turn around and head home, not worth your life.

Bottom line, you need to feel you, and you truck, are in control of the weight, at all times. If not, stop, adjust or return to home. At any time, if you feel it is not safe to continue on, stop, drop the trailer and find another means to get it.

Pulling the weight is not the thing, controlling it and stopping it, when you want it, is most important.

If you have no experience towing, I do not recommend starting out at anything over 50% of MAX limits. Like with anything , new, start out small and work your way up.

Dave
 

PippinAin'tEasy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Posts
702
Reaction score
339
Ram Year
2016
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Check out the "3.21 gears anyone actually towing..." thread. All the tips you'll need.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk
 

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
2,304
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Pushing it for a 1/2 ton truck. By the time you load up the trailer and your truck you're almost sure to be over one or more weights. Not that it can't be done but the best tool for the job would be a 3/4 ton truck.
 

loveracing1988

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Posts
3,505
Reaction score
913
Location
Clarkston, MI
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7 Cummins
Hey guys ,I have a 2014 ram 1500 5.7 Hemi with 3.21 gears. The ram fact specs say I can tow 8100lbs. The dealer says 8500. I'm gonna be towing a 6300 lb travel trailer dry weight. Any thought? Thanks for you help

Are you positive of that rating? In the past people saying they had 3.21 gears said their ratings were in the 6000 pound range.
 

clh1220

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2014
Posts
1,242
Reaction score
442
Location
st Louis
Ram Year
2016
Engine
hemi 5.7
You will be fine and your not pushing it for a 1500. I'm waiting for the guys with the 3.92 to tell you that you can't tow that with the 3.21. I don't know where someone on here got 6k max towing. I'm sure it's someone that doesn't have a truck like yours. The wd hitch is a good idea.
 

loveracing1988

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2013
Posts
3,505
Reaction score
913
Location
Clarkston, MI
Ram Year
2020
Engine
6.7 Cummins
You will be fine and your not pushing it for a 1500. I'm waiting for the guys with the 3.92 to tell you that you can't tow that with the 3.21. I don't know where someone on here got 6k max towing. I'm sure it's someone that doesn't have a truck like yours. The wd hitch is a good idea.

For 2013 a crew cab 5.7 hemi with the 8 speed and 3.21 gears has a tow Capacity of 6500 pounds. That is the same truck as a 2014 and 2015, that is why that number is stuck in my head. My 8 speed with 3.55's was rated to tow 8800 pounds so the fact that a truck with 3.21 gears can tow almost as much means they severely underrated them for 2013 and even 2014.
 

14hemiexpress

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2014
Posts
3,654
Reaction score
1,197
Location
Texas
Ram Year
2019
Engine
6.4l
For 2013 a crew cab 5.7 hemi with the 8 speed and 3.21 gears has a tow Capacity of 6500 pounds. That is the same truck as a 2014 and 2015, that is why that number is stuck in my head. My 8 speed with 3.55's was rated to tow 8800 pounds so the fact that a truck with 3.21 gears can tow almost as much means they severely underrated them for 2013 and even 2014.

In 13 they were underrated they brought it up in 14. I was shocked the see nearly 1500lbs difference.
 

PippinAin'tEasy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Posts
702
Reaction score
339
Ram Year
2016
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Also bear in mind that they don't want you to smoke the guts in the pumpkin. Proud owner of 3.92's that would haul 8k with 3.21's any day. That 5.7 is a beast. Be gentle on the skinny pedal til you get into 3rd and 4th gear and worry about something other than your payload. Like did you bring enough jerky, or whatever.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk
 

CabinDweller

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Posts
42
Reaction score
15
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Cummins 6.7L
I recently traded a 14 with the 3.21 gears. I used it to tow our 6400lbs. travel trailer. With a WD hitch and anti-sway bar, you should have no issues other than a little sag in the rear. The truck should handle it just fine. Tow capacity on mine was just under 7900lbs.
 
OP
OP
C

Cmasterson

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Posts
8
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
2014 ram 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Are you positive of that rating? In the past people saying they had 3.21 gears said their ratings were in the 6000 pound range.

I'm going off of ram website says I can tow 7,900lbs. Dealer is telling me 8,500
 

PippinAin'tEasy

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Posts
702
Reaction score
339
Ram Year
2016
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Are you getting that #7900 from your VIN? If so ask the dealer whose ass, if not his own, he's pulling the #8500 out of.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk
 

smurfs_of_war

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Posts
2,116
Reaction score
1,263
Location
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Ram Year
2020
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Are you getting that #7900 from your VIN? If so ask the dealer whose ass, if not his own, he's pulling the #8500 out of.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

Yup ^^ because you're warranty depends on it (kind of). if the dealer is overselling, and your buying into it and it somehow comes out you are over your ratings when (if) you have driveline problems, it's not going to be the salesmans wallet that gets lighter... he won't give a ****.
 

Cthulhu

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Posts
833
Reaction score
99
Location
Calgary, AB
Ram Year
2006
Engine
Cummins 5.9
Great notes on the tips up above...

I'll add my couple tips here...

1) Don't drive the trailer.. drive the truck... If you start getting sway, let the pull of the truck steady the trailer.

2) If your trailer sways bad, look at replacing the tires with quality trailer tires. I had a set of crappy oem tires and they bulged under the stock weight of the trailer... the new ones have a firm sidewall and two much better.
 
Top