towed with my 17 first time

[nekkidhillbilly]

so i towed with my ram really for the first time minus some deck boards i had a few months back just a short distanct. had a pretty heavy car on my open trailer. truck did extremely wells got about 14 mpg and never had a issue. the only thing is i think i want helper bags. the coils do squat pretty good. didnt affect it any way though.

 

[Loudram]

Either bags or upgrades the springs. That's what I did on my old truck and that's what I might do on my new truck depending on how it tows. I like upgrading springs better because once you're done installing them you're done. No inflating/deflating or worrying about how much pressure to put in. They really didn't change the ride much except for it cornered better. Far less body roll.

I used TufTruck 1211 springs.

TTC-1211 - TufTruck heavy-duty rear coil spring suspension

TUFTRUCK TTC-1211 Professional heavy-duty rear coil spring suspension kit for RAM 1500, designed with TOWING IN MIND.

www.tuftruck.com

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

i saw the springs idk if they would change ride the bags are a bit cheaper. my brother in law uses bags. 90% of the time im unloaded.

 

[JF19Longhorn]

A Weight Distribution Hitch would probably be better / safer than adding bags.

It'll reduce the squat and add some of that weight to your steer wheels.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

A Weight Distribution Hitch would probably be better / safer than adding bags.

It'll reduce the squat and add some of that weight to your steer wheels.

truck never felt unstable at all. just squatted more than i like.

 

[ramffml]

A little squat is perfectly OK. Due to the progressive coils, the first inch squats faster then the next inches. As mentioned, WDH is the first choice over air bags or other suspension helpers, and if your truck is badly squatting still after using a WDH then either it's not setup correctly or you're over your payload.

I tried both airbags and sumo springs and both of them changed the unloaded ride quality noticeably, which to me was unacceptable. Best in class ride quality was something I loved when buying the Ram, not going to give that up.

My truck tows 6000 pounds level, a little more weight in the bed causes it to dip down a tiny bit, again not a concern as trucks are designed to tow like this.

Air bags and springs can make a bad problem worse because they tighten the pivot point over your rear axle, which means the tighter your rear suspension the quicker your front lifts off the ground and causes steering/handling issues.

You can use bags to correct a visual problem (if you just want to drive around with 8000 pounds with a rake and make your truck look tougher; "look ma, no sag!!"), but using it to correct an actual suspension problem.... definitely wouldn't be my recommendation.

 

[tron67j]

truck never felt unstable at all. just squatted more than i like.

It is probable that squat is from overloading. With a flat trailer and a car on it, assumption is that it is parked facing forward so that front wheels are in front of trailer axle. This would put about 2k pounds of a 2022 Camaro close to the trailer tongue. Assuming you have a 1500, odds are you are at, but probably over, payload capacity. Only weighing on scales would tell, but WDH is clearly needed to get weight back to front of your truck; bags won't help. You're losing braking and steering control.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

It is probable that squat is from overloading. With a flat trailer and a car on it, assumption is that it is parked facing forward so that front wheels are in front of trailer axle. This would put about 2k pounds of a 2022 Camaro close to the trailer tongue. Assuming you have a 1500, odds are you are at, but probably over, payload capacity. Only weighing on scales would tell, but WDH is clearly needed to get weight back to front of your truck; bags won't help. You're losing braking and steering control.

a 22 camaro is actually heavier than this 72 buick of mine at 4050 lbs. ive also towed the same car and a heavier pickup with a half ton chevy and never had the squat i had from the ram which i can only figure is the coil springs vs leafs. i cant see a 11 silverado being any more capable. i think my ram is rated higher tow rating even. that was the only complaint i had on the ram. brother had same issue with his travel trailer he added the bags with his wd hitch. not had a issue since. as for the ride i cant tell a difference in his and mine unloaded. his truck is a sport mine is a express but other than having leather buckets and a different hood they are virtually the same truck. his are air lift 1k iirc. both trucks had some rear end squat even with no load on the car trailer. my trailer isnt very heavy 1800 lbs total.

 

[2003F350]

a 22 camaro is actually heavier than this 72 buick of mine at 4050 lbs. ive also towed the same car and a heavier pickup with a half ton chevy and never had the squat i had from the ram which i can only figure is the coil springs vs leafs. i cant see a 11 silverado being any more capable. i think my ram is rated higher tow rating even. that was the only complaint i had on the ram. brother had same issue with his travel trailer he added the bags with his wd hitch. not had a issue since. as for the ride i cant tell a difference in his and mine unloaded. his truck is a sport mine is a express but other than having leather buckets and a different hood they are virtually the same truck. his are air lift 1k iirc. both trucks had some rear end squat even with no load on the car trailer. my trailer isnt very heavy 1800 lbs total.

Tron was saying that roughly half the weight of the car was near the hitch, adding to the hitch weight instead of being over the axles. If you had that much squat, you probably should have loaded the car backwards or moved it back to put more weight on the axles.

That said, the Ram has progressive rate springs, which does allow for more squat right off, but after a couple inches the spring rate picks up and squat doesn't happen as fast.

Regardless, you were likely at or over your rated tongue weight, and had too much weight off the front axle. Air Bags do NOT transfer the weight back to the steer axle, but a WDH does.

Yes, bags are cheap. So are band-aids. If you have a big enough problem, you need to solve the problem, not add a band-aid to it. Bags are a band-aid, WDH is an actual solution.

And if WDH doesn't solve the problem, then it's likely that your truck is too small for the job.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

Tron was saying that roughly half the weight of the car was near the hitch, adding to the hitch weight instead of being over the axles. If you had that much squat, you probably should have loaded the car backwards or moved it back to put more weight on the axles.

That said, the Ram has progressive rate springs, which does allow for more squat right off, but after a couple inches the spring rate picks up and squat doesn't happen as fast.

Regardless, you were likely at or over your rated tongue weight, and had too much weight off the front axle. Air Bags do NOT transfer the weight back to the steer axle, but a WDH does.

Yes, bags are cheap. So are band-aids. If you have a big enough problem, you need to solve the problem, not add a band-aid to it. Bags are a band-aid, WDH is an actual solution.

And if WDH doesn't solve the problem, then it's likely that your truck is too small for the job.

then i guess i should have bought a chevy that didnt have this problem? not like you can put a 15 foot wheelbase car anywhere else on a 16 foot trailer. rear heavy would have been a disaster as well. as i said same car same trailer but a 11 silverado crew. never had that issue with it. ill go ahead and add bags since i have the same truck setting beside it with them and it seems to correct it.

 

[2003F350]

then i guess i should have bought a chevy that didnt have this problem? not like you can put a 15 foot wheelbase car anywhere else on a 16 foot trailer. rear heavy would have been a disaster as well. as i said same car same trailer but a 11 silverado crew. never had that issue with it. ill go ahead and add bags since i have the same truck setting beside it with them and it seems to correct it.

Again, bags are not 'correcting' the problem. Sure, they're lifting the back of the truck up, but that's a band-aid on the issue - and your Chevy had the issue as well, even if you couldn't see it.

The issue is you're putting probably 1200-1500 lbs on the back of the truck, which is more than your hitch receiver is rated for without a WDH. It is likely rated to something closer to 500-600, maybe 700, without WDH. Stiffer springs or bags don't redistribute that weight back to the front of your truck, they just stiffen up the fulcrum point - your rear axle. You've still unloaded the front axle/tires, which means your ability to steer properly is compromised. How much? I can't say without running the rig over a scale. But it HAS happened.

A WDH setup properly will likewise get rid of squat, while ALSO transferring the weight back to your steer axle, giving you better control over the entire rig. A cheap (but still quality) setup, without sway control, costs about $300-350, and when you're unhooked, you still get the same stock ride you had before. It takes an additional 5 minutes to hook up the bars and chains.

I mean...you do you, man. If you're comfortable with what you're doing, that's on you. But from experience, bags are a band-aid at best.

 

[PolarisCobra]

I think the other posters are trying to tell you that you are misdiagnosing the problem. The problem is not the squat, it is too much weight on the hitch. Does not matter which truck you use. When you put more weight on the back bumper (or frame), there will be less on the front, which can effect braking and steering.

The Ram will squat a bit more because of the coil springs, but that really does not hurt the truck or your ability to tow. You may not like the way it looks, but you really are not hurting anything with the squat.

You may have a problem in the event that you need to stop or turn quickly, same with the Ram or the Chevy.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

the truck does it with just the trailer alone. both trucks do the same lol. the truck feels soft in the back. my trailer weighs 2k. from everything i can see online max tongue weight is 1100 lbs. if the weight is supposed to be 11% of the load means i should have had 666 pounds of tongue weight which im sure i wasnt over. i never had any issues other than it squatted like i was carolina fan. it had no problems handeling or stopping. i drove 80 mph back with this thing and through 3 rather larger cities. i never had an issue.

 

[2003F350]

the truck does it with just the trailer alone. both trucks do the same lol. the truck feels soft in the back. my trailer weighs 2k. from everything i can see online max tongue weight is 1100 lbs. if the weight is supposed to be 11% of the load means i should have had 666 pounds of tongue weight which im sure i wasnt over. i never had any issues other than it squatted like i was carolina fan. it had no problems handeling or stopping. i drove 80 mph back with this thing and through 3 rather larger cities. i never had an issue.

You are misunderstanding the numbers you're researching. That max tongue weight is WITH A WEIGHT DISTRIBUTING HITCH. Without it you're at about half that, which would be 550 lbs. So even if you had your 600+ lbs (which because it was a car with most of the weight up near the hitch, it's likely you were HIGHER on your tongue weight), you were over your standard hitch rating. Maybe not by much, but enough that you'd be much better served with a WDH.

Because a Camaro is a front-heavy car, you were likely much closer to 800-900 lbs of tongue weight. Had you backed the car on, you might have been closer to your 600 lbs and would have seen a lot less squat. It also would have handled better riding down the road.

I guess my point is, count your blessings that nothing happened, and that it sounds like you don't do this kind of stuff often. If you did, I would be considering either more truck or a WDH setup. Otherwise you would be risking other problems.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

i tow cars about every month just first time with this truck. idk where we keep getting camaro out of this? i dont have camaro.

 

[06 Dodge]

i drove 80 mph back with this thing and through 3 rather larger cities. i never had an issue.

Are you saying you drove 80 mph with a loaded trailer?

 

[gofishn]

Sounds like everyone is stuck on a narrow path or view.
Ram Trucks squat, with hardly any weight added to them, either in the box or on a hitch.
It is how they get that awesomely smooth ride. 5th Gens are worse, than 4th Gens but ride better.
IMO.
Smoother without being floating. 5th Gens feel more planted yet still as smooth over bumps, ridges and uneven surfaces.

But, ya get squat.
Did not know Ram OEM Springs were progressive. Could be, thought OEM Springs were a Constant rate of compression but, again, not sure.
I am sure that a set of tuftruck progressive rate springs will keep that OEM ride, give you about the same squat with 3 to 400 lbs but firm up nicely with any weight beyond that. Figure 2 inch squat. I also know that a set of tuftruck Constant rate springs will reduce that squat to practically nil, same 400lb load but your ride will suffer. it will feel even more planted and not nearly as smooth.

I went with the COnstant rate, on myh 2014 4th gen but if I do upgrade springs, on this 5th Gen, it will probably be Progressive rate springs. as I liek this trucks ride.

I recommend upgrading springs, first. Rarely fail upgrade option, if progressive rate, no unloaded ride changes.

NExt upgrade wold be shocks. Will later ride by stiffening up the the bumps but most will not notice nor complain about it.


Lastly, if needed or if makes one feel more comfortable by having the added option, adding air bags.
Go with best you can find.Do not obther with the compressor and all that. Buddy had it, went through them about every 3 years. under warranty but still.
Just get teh bags, themselves, run seperate lines to each bag and have a portable Air pump handy. Pick one for under $50 that will run off A/C or D/C and do the job nicely.

many have gone with just air bags and been quite content.
Depends on situation, load, driver, driving habits and terrain conditions.

No matter what though, hard to beat a new set of big **** springs. Specially if OEM ride doe snot suffer.
No Down side other than cost and cost is less than $300 or close to it.

 

[Fediej]

i tow cars about every month just first time with this truck. idk where we keep getting camaro out of this? i dont have camaro.

Another poster compared a Camaro to your Buick.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

Are you saying you drove 80 mph with a loaded trailer?

yeah do all the time on the interstates lol. you will get run over if you dont.

 

[nekkidhillbilly]

Another poster compared a Camaro to your Buick.

they are alot different though. i was prob more well balanced than a camaro is seeing the car had more behind the wheels than in front on the trailer.