v10 tow a 15,000 lb 5th wheel?

[stu Merr]

Hello,

I was wondering if my 1999 v10 dodge ram 2500/3500 is capable of towing a 15,000 lb 5th wheel a few times a year on all dead flat terrain (North Carolina costal) at sub 50mph speeds with super slow acceleration. ( It has the leaf springs of a 2500 in front & 3500 in the rear). The engine might be capable, but what about the transmission?

I know its way beyond ratings, but I've done a lot of heavy towing, so I know how to minimize strain. As said, dead flat and super slow speed and acceleration.

Thoughts?

Thank you!

stu

 

[Rach12397]

So I have 2 of these trucks a 2500 and a 3500 both are 95 my 2500 is srw and 3500 drw the 2500 has been through a lot and I'm the 3rd owner it has 1.2mil for miles and her trans has been replaced 2x never had much needing to be done with the engine besides valve cover gaskets and regular maintenance. My dad has pulled probably 15,000 with it when he used to tow his trailer loaded with various heavy machinery including a full sized backhoe. Now it also depends on if your doing bumper, 5th wheel or gooseneck towing. He did 5th wheel. My 3500 drw I have pulled easily 24,000 with it (I moved a completely finished single wide mobile home.) It was a little strenuous doing so up one of the mountain roads but it was still a good 245 mile heavy tow, going up the mountain she struggled very little minus of course keeping speed wasn't the easiest. She also burned about 1/2 a qt of oil on this trip and was maybe 8mpg. However pulling my regular 4 horse trailer with a full 16ft living quarters and 4 pretty good sized horses loaded with tack in the tack room and about a ton of hay between the bed and the cargo rack on the trailer and about 500lbs worth of fencing on the side of the trailer I averaged about 10mpg and for a 600 mile trip I'd use probably 2qts of oil. So I would put good money on your truck being capable of 15,000 all day especially over decently flat land. The longest I have towed with my 3500 was 2,278 miles from Missouri to Washington state with the bed completely full of furniture, towing a 1,700 lb car trailer with a 2017 Ford fusion (4,400lbs roughly) loaded down with even more house hold items, and it didn't use too much oil but gas was fun to say the least I averaged almost 300 miles to a full 36gal tank. I do strongly suggest these trucks for towing and to take the tow rating with a grain of salt as I have surpassed it with almost everything I tow. With that being said though the issues and things to watch for with these trucks are your U joints, transmission and your radiator they seem to be my common enemies more so on the 2500 than the 3500. My 3500 I may add has an aftermarket torque converter, an aftermarket transmission cooling fan, and heavier duty springs in the back