Highest towing capacity for the 5.7

[suicideking]

I'm considering a RAM 1500. It would be a crew cab, short bed, 5.7 V8 engine.

The most common gear ratio is the 3.21 which will be 8120lbs. I would need 3.92 gears to get the higher capacity of 11,220.

The only model I've found that consistently comes with the 3.92 gears is the Rebel. Are there any other models that usually come with the 3.92 gears? It's been frustrating searching online because you can't specify the gears, just have to view the window sticker.

 

[Jerrybob]

My Tradesman has the 3.92......towing capacity is great for a 1/2 tone.

 

[Jas34]

The rear axle ratio ratio difference won't do a thing for you concerning towing capacity in a half ton Ram. The reason is both trucks will have the same payload capacity (if everything else is the same). The truck will be payload limited regardless of what the manufacturer lists as towing capacity, so your towing capacity is limited by how much tongue weight the truck can handle.

 

[Wallyb4]

I have a 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie that has the 3.92. You can look them up with the vin search tool at the Ram site.

 

[KeithP]

I'm considering a RAM 1500. It would be a crew cab, short bed, 5.7 V8 engine.

The most common gear ratio is the 3.21 which will be 8120lbs. I would need 3.92 gears to get the higher capacity of 11,220.

The only model I've found that consistently comes with the 3.92 gears is the Rebel. Are there any other models that usually come with the 3.92 gears? It's been frustrating searching online because you can't specify the gears, just have to view the window sticker.

Be sure to check the payload of the truck before buying. Payload varies on each truck. I have a 22 Laramie, Crew cab w/5.7 & 392 gears. My payload is listed at 1508lbs. Not sure I could ever hitch onto any trailer weighing close to 11,000lbs. I’m looking at a travel trailer w/a 6,995lbs gvwr. It’s pushing my limits on payload once I add it all up including my wife & I in the cab. I figure I’d have between 250 & 300 lbs payload cushion.

 

[Tulecreeper]

It is a consistent rule that you will almost assuredly run out of payload capacity before you reach you towing capacity. Unless you do like I did and buy way more truck than you know you will ever need.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Be sure to check the payload of the truck before buying. Payload varies on each truck. I have a 22 Laramie, Crew cab w/5.7 & 392 gears. My payload is listed at 1508lbs. Not sure I could ever hitch onto any trailer weighing close to 11,000lbs. I’m looking at a travel trailer w/a 6,995lbs gvwr. It’s pushing my limits on payload once I add it all up including my wife & I in the cab. I figure I’d have between 250 & 300 lbs payload cushion.

Then you will be looking at a tongue weight of 900#+. If you and the wife weigh 300#, you have ~300# left over for gear, cooler, tools/toolbox, tonneau cover, plus all the stuff we put behind the seat. It adds up real quick.

 

[Jas34]

To add to my post above, here's a link to a towing and payload chart for 2023's:

https://www.ramtrucks.com/BodyBuilder/service/Image?imageId=MtQrP%2FFqLY5r%2Fest8MtGjGgHzAHGUTU0WB3rWuqSY7YmQ2vEhuBWBCPJWcOaypPZ%0A

If you look at a 4wd spec'ed like what you want, both the .321 and .392 trucks have the same payload capacity at 1460 lbs.

If you figure that the worst case trailer tongue weight would be around 15% of the trailer, then a .321 truck with a "tow" rating of 8090 lbs might have a tongue weight of 1214 lbs, so only 246 lbs of the payload capacity is left for people, gear and fuel in the truck (and tonneau cover, mods, etc).

If you take the trailer "tow" rating of the .392 truck into consideration, the tongue weight of a 10270 lb trailer it could supposedly tow might be 1541 lbs or already 327 lbs over the gvwr of the truck before you even get in it. A weight distrbution hitch will send some of the tongue weight back to the trailer but not a whole lot.

 

[KeithP]

Then you will be looking at a tongue weight of 900#+. If you and the wife weight 300#, you have ~300# left over for gear, cooler, tools/toolbox, tonneau cover, plus all the stuff we put behind the seat. It adds up real quick.

Yup, it sure does!

 

[suicideking]

To add to my post above, here's a link to a towing and payload chart for 2023's:

https://www.ramtrucks.com/BodyBuilder/service/Image?imageId=MtQrP%2FFqLY5r%2Fest8MtGjGgHzAHGUTU0WB3rWuqSY7YmQ2vEhuBWBCPJWcOaypPZ%0A

If you look at a 4wd spec'ed like what you want, both the .321 and .392 trucks have the same payload capacity at 1460 lbs.

If you figure that the worst case trailer tongue weight would be around 15% of the trailer, then a .321 truck with a "tow" rating of 8090 lbs might have a tongue weight of 1214 lbs, so only 246 lbs of the payload capacity is left for people, gear and fuel in the truck (and tonneau cover, mods, etc).

If you take the trailer "tow" rating of the .392 truck into consideration, the tongue weight of a 10270 lb trailer it could supposedly tow might be 1541 lbs or already 327 lbs over the gvwr of the truck before you even get in it. A weight distrbution hitch will send some of the tongue weight back to the trailer but not a whole lot.

I guess I'm not understanding how to figure out payload then. Figure the only thing I would be towing is my Jeep on a flat bed trailer. So my Jeep probably weighs around 5500lbs, not sure how much the trailer would weigh because I don't have it yet. Probably 95% of the time, it would be just myself in the truck, the truck would be pretty empty.

 

[DILLIGAF]

1500s are grocery getters, if you're going to actually tow get a 2500 with a 6.4L.

 

[suicideking]

1500s are grocery getters, if you're going to actually tow get a 2500 with a 6.4L.

Not really an option. It's going to be a DD. Probably only towing a few times per year. Not going any larger than the 5.7. So basically saying a half ton can't/shouldn't tow a Jeep on a trailer?

 

[crash68]

I guess I'm not understanding how to figure out payload then.

A vehicle payload is the actual weight subtracted from the GVWR.
If you guestimate about 2/00 for a flatbed to haul the jeep, get the Jeep weighed but your probably in the high 7K range for trailer weight. Unless you have some significant heavy duty off road mods the actual weight is probably less than 5500 lbs.
When you add the truck weight to the trailer weight, that needs to be under your GCVWR.

 

[nlambert182]

One other consideration... what is the hitch rating on the truck? I believe it's likely a Class IV and those are rated at 1000 lbs tongue weight. You might run out of hitch before payload with that combination.

Like most said... whether you want to or not... if you intend to tow anything with any kind of weight, you're going to have to step up to a 3/4T. Even if it's only 2-3 times a year, it only takes once. Get the Jeep and trailer weighed and then determine if you'll have enough to handle it.

 

[rzr6-4]

Not really an option. It's going to be a DD. Probably only towing a few times per year. Not going any larger than the 5.7. So basically saying a half ton can't/shouldn't tow a Jeep on a trailer?

If only a few times a year, and just pulling a jeep, this will upset the safely police here but in your case I couldn't care less what the rating is. I've seen 1500s pull loads that a 3500 "technically" shouldn't even be doing. It's more about how good you are at getting your weight distribution correct and how far you have to go. Cross country trip? Ya I would go with the 2500 that dilligaf suggested, but shorter trips here and there I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[Jas34]

I guess I'm not understanding how to figure out payload then. Figure the only thing I would be towing is my Jeep on a flat bed trailer. So my Jeep probably weighs around 5500lbs, not sure how much the trailer would weigh because I don't have it yet. Probably 95% of the time, it would be just myself in the truck, the truck would be pretty empty.

Payload is pretty simple. It's the gvwr from the vehicle sticker minus whatever the truck weighs. That weight should include whatever gear you have, any mods, a full tank of gas, passengers etc. So that's what's left for whatever you want to carry, like a load of stone or the tongue weight of a trailer. The manufacturer's payload rating is the gvwr minus the unloaded truck weight they list. Reality is a little different after you put a tonneau cover on it, have some tools, pack the dog, etc. The truck never weighs what the manufacturer says it does. To know the exact #, take it to a scale and weigh it.

My guess is you'd be fine with a car hauler trailer jeep. Look into getting a weight distribution hitch. It will make towing a lot better. You just don't need to be hung up on axle ratio as it won't gain you what you think it does from the manufacturers info on towing capacity. It's doubtful it will make much of a difference.

Where it will make a difference is how the truck and trailer takes off from a stop, the .392 being more responsive. Once you're on the highway the 2 trucks may just be running 1 different gear to do the same thing when there's a load like a hill. In the meantime, the .321 geared truck will get a little better fuel mileage when it isn't loaded, but the .392 truck might be more fun to drive around town. That's my take on it, anyway. Either would make a nice truck and do what you need it to do.

I've overloaded a few trucks myself over the years and lived to tell about it. Just if you're spending the big bucks to get a new one you might as well get enough truck for what you think you will need.

 

[2wheelsor4]

Not really an option. It's going to be a DD. Probably only towing a few times per year. Not going any larger than the 5.7. So basically saying a half ton can't/shouldn't tow a Jeep on a trailer?

In that case, you will be fine with pretty much any Ram 1500. Keep in mind, the more options you have the less capacity you will have. I had a 2017 Limited with 3.92 gears and my towing capacity was only around 9300 lbs.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Every time I read these posts regarding towing capacity and payload capacity it makes my eyes water as to how much erroneous information is being handed out. Your gear ratio has zero to do with your cargo capacity. Your payload/cargo capacity is listed on your door pillar. It is determined by the weight of your vehicle as it rolls off the assembly line. That pillar number is the most that can be loaded into/onto your truck after you pick it up at the dealer. Tool boxes, running boards, tonneau covers, you, the wife, the dog, anything you put behind your seat - all of it is subtracted from that door pillar number. Then, when you drop a trailer onto your hitch THAT weight also get subtracted yet again.

 

[pacofortacos]

I guess I'm not understanding how to figure out payload then. Figure the only thing I would be towing is my Jeep on a flat bed trailer. So my Jeep probably weighs around 5500lbs, not sure how much the trailer would weigh because I don't have it yet. Probably 95% of the time, it would be just myself in the truck, the truck would be pretty empty.

You can't figure out payload until you have the truck - you can get close using the sticker on the door or door pillar of any given truck - BUT if you add anything you have to subtract that weight, so it's best to run it across a scale and then subtract that from the GVWR.

Mid Teens Outdoorsman's came stock with 3.92 gears. My 16 Outdoorsman payload before adding the running boards, tonneau, etc. was just under 1100 lbs.

Get an aluminum trailer, it will keep the weight down.

 

[suicideking]

Every time I read these posts regarding towing capacity and payload capacity it makes my eyes water as to how much erroneous information is being handed out. Your gear ratio has zero to do with your cargo capacity. Your payload/cargo capacity is listed on your door pillar. It is determined by the weight of your vehicle as it rolls off the assembly line. That pillar number is the most that can be loaded into/onto your truck after you pick it up at the dealer. Tool boxes, running boards, tonneau covers, you, the wife, the dog, anything you put behind your seat - all of it is subtracted from that door pillar number. Then, when you drop a trailer onto your hitch THAT weight also get subtracted yet again.

Is that info available online? I'm trying to figure these things out before I even test drive it. If the 'real' number is on the door, that makes research difficult.