2019 classic with 3.6 and 3:21 gear?

[kvrc]

I have a 2019 classic 4wd with the 3.6 and 3:21 gears. My truck specs out to only be able to haul 4400 pounds total. That exact truck with 3: 55 gears can haul 7490. I'm finding it hard to believe there should be such a huge difference from those 2 ratios. I'd like to get a camper that weighs between 3500 and 4000 dry. Of course with 2 people and camping stuff I'll easily add another 1000 plus to that. Has anyone towed around 5000 pounds with a truck like mine? I won't be doing any mountain hauling.

 

[OC455]

Plug your VIN into this site so you can see what your cargo & tow rating are. Then check your Cargo/Tire sticker on the inside of your door jamb to see if the cargo rating is the same.

Ram Towing | Find the Best Truck for Your Towing Needs

Find everything you need to know about Ram towing capacity, payload & more here. Discover the best Ram truck or van that fits your towing needs today.

www.ramtrucks.com

Use this little guide to figure out what you need.

Payload and Towing, Information and Where to Find It

Maybe this can become a sticky, not going to give any opinions or conjecture. Just a start where to look stuff up to find cargo & towing information. This is the location of the cargo capacity sticker on the driver's side door jamb. This is what it looks like and has the cargo capacity...

www.ramforum.com

 

[kvrc]

I got the info from plugging in my vin. That and many other sources confirm that type of capacity. However just going to the 3.55 gear adds almost 3100 pounds to the capacity. It seems like too big of a difference. I'm mainly looking to see if anyone has hauled around 5000 pounds with a 3.6 and 3:21 gears.

 

[ramffml]

Be careful with the towing specs. Only 900 pounds separates the v6 with 3.92 vs the hemi with 3.21, and I can guarantee that everybody who has compared those 2 trucks would say there is a ton of difference, more than just the 900 pounds would suggest.

That said, for the v6 the 3.21 is probably to tall. Just don't go around thinking your truck will feel "3000 pounds worth" stronger just by changing the gear ratio, because it won't.

 

[kvrc]

I agree that small of a ratio change shouldn't be a 3000 pound difference. I can see my truck having a slightly lower rating than the 3:55 gear but not from 7500 to 4400. Maybe around 6500 sounds reasonable. It sounds ridiculous that with a couple people I can only haul about 4000 pounds of trailer and cargo.

 

[ramffml]

I agree that small of a ratio change shouldn't be a 3000 pound difference. I can see my truck having a slightly lower rating than the 3:55 gear but not from 7500 to 4400. Maybe around 6500 sounds reasonable. It sounds ridiculous that with a couple people I can only haul about 4000 pounds of trailer and cargo.

As long as you're not over your payload/RAWR then tow what you want, just go slowly from a dead stop. Once you're moving an in second/third gear, the advantage of the short rear axle rating is lost anyway and there is no real difference between the trucks because the transmission does the gearing at that point.

 

[star_deceiver]

It sound ridiculous but it’s there. Notice that in the 5th gen, the v6 3.21 has a much higher towing weight. Dollars to donuts the classics v6 3.21 is a physically weaker differential. https://s3.amazonaws.com/chryslerme...RAM_1500_Towingbua1e6piok25592o597knb5k16.pdf

 

[GsRAM]

Personally, with your combo I'd be looking at traiiers less than 5k loaded trailer weight. I think 6500 is going to be asking too much from the v6/3.21 combo, again just me personally. As said, staying under your payload rating is important, or at least your GRAWR at minimum, loaded, ready to camp. These numbers can be verified via a CAT scale at a truck stop, typically. Good luck

 

[CamperMike]

It sound ridiculous but it’s there. Notice that in the 5th gen, the v6 3.21 has a much higher towing weight. Dollars to donuts the classics v6 3.21 is a physically weaker differential. https://s3.amazonaws.com/chryslerme...RAM_1500_Towingbua1e6piok25592o597knb5k16.pdf

That would seem weird since I think the v8 3.21 is the same part number and that combo is good for nearly 8k lbs.

 

[clay282]

I had a gen4 with 3.21's and now have a 5th gen with 3'55's. I have towed with both and can tell you, there is a big difference. Even when I'm not towing, on the interstate, the truck stays higher in the RPM band and doesn't downshift to 7th. I towed the same camper with both. I do understand they are different body's and my 5th gen has etorque but... the lower gearing gets me moving faster. It doesn't struggle so much, just to get up hills. I think they both stay in 5th gear when cruising but the 3.55's don't need to downshift and scream in 4th. I'm not saying the 3.55's make it effortless, but I do notice a difference all around, even in town.

The one huge thing I think you missed it wind resistance. Camper = giant parachute. The 3.21's WILL tow past their rated limit. On the highway at highway speeds = you're going to be riding the struggle bus and you better hope for tailwinds.

 

[PoMansRam]

@kvrc I hear you. Why such a difference in recommendations between the 3.21 and 3.55 has been a topic of discussion here seemingly since the beginning of time.

I don't think you'll find any threads on the 3.6, 3.21 gear combo failing on anyone from towing ~1000lbs over the 4400 recommendation.

There isn't anything inherently weak about the 3.21's and no difference between them and the 3.55 trucks other than the gear set. If if feels like ~5400lbs is too much for the truck for a given condition, you be smart about it, take it easy and hold it in 6th or 7th and don't let it advance into 8th.

I owned a 2017 Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4, pentastar w/ 3.21s, but I never towed a thing with it. My brother has the same truck, but a 2019 that he bought with the 3.55 option that was something ridiculously small, like a $75 option per the sticker for the 3.55's. He tows his ~20 foot power boats all over with it, but that's a different animal than a travel trailer. Boats that size are relatively aerodynamic and not like towing a billboard as a TT is.

 

[Juice17]

I have a 2019 bighorn 3.6. E tourque by doing the vin match it says 6390lbs towing. We are around 5500 lbs total with our t.t., gear and passengers. Truck pulls it fine small hills flat ground. We keep it around 60 mph. When it start pulling through mountains definitely makes engine work we just don't push it. Truck does job but I do miss my 2013 hemi

 

[Irishthreeper]

I suppose if you’re careful the 3.6/3.21’s can tow well enough to get the job done.
But just like the Ecodiesel with 3.21’s, that combination was primarily designed for fuel economy. That doesn’t mean they can’t tow, it was simply a MPG setup. Just another opinion but I’m a proponent of lower gearing for towing.

 

[2003F350]

Is it possible that OP's truck was purchased with lower-rated springs, which would drastically reduce the payload/towing specs? I'll admit to not knowing a TON about 1500 suspensions, but it's commonly done in 2500+ trucks all the time.

 

[Escotch]

Little late to this thread but wanted to post my input in case you’re still trying to decide on a setup. I’ve got a 2014 3.6 with the 3.21. Recently “inherited” my parents Hi-Lo trailer (they didn’t want to store it anymore and I’ve got room for it). UVW is supposed to be about 4000 lbs and it’s supposedly 6000 lbs fully loaded. I’ve added the factory trailer brake controller as well as the Airlift bags. It was already setup for a WD hitch.

So far I’ve only been towing to the beach and back (about 200 mi round trip) but we do have to come up the Cajon Pass (4000ish ft elevation).

The truck is definitely working coming up the pass but I haven’t seen any concerning temps yet. The ride is fairly comfortable with the airlift at about 35-40 psi. Would I rather have a lighter trailer? Of course. Not in the cards though. I try to tow it as unloaded as possible. Round trip to the beach I’m getting about 16-17 mpg at 65 mph.

I’ve definitely overworked trucks in the past (young, broke and stupid I had a full size cab over camper hanging off the back of a ‘72 Ford Courier mini truck…), but this does not feel like an overloaded/unsafe situation.