Will be first time towing 5th wheel. Advise on final drive ratio and capacity

[Tom Robinson]

So, I currently have a 2015 1500 Laramie Longhorn which we'll be upgrading to a 3500 (2015 - 2018) as the 5th wheel we're looking at has a GVWR of 15,500 lbs. I'm wondering if it would less expensive if I found one with a lower final drive and had it upgraded to a 4.10. I'm also curious about finding one with an air suspension or just adding air bags for stability. Thoughts?

 

[rule18]

@Tom Robinson You didn't mention whether the 3500 will be the 6.4 gasser or Cummins? Also, SRW or DRW?

Here's a good place to start, it's got all the flavors: https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/towing_guide/pdf/2016_ram_3500_towing_charts.pdf

 

[Moose2]

I would look for the truck that already had the 4:10‘s. The air bags would be your choice. Might be better off looking for a new 3500 or ordering with crazy high used prices.

 

[Tom Robinson]

@Tom Robinson You didn't mention whether the 3500 will be the 6.4 gasser or Cummins? Also, SRW or DRW?

Here's a good place to start, it's got all the flavors: https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/towing_guide/pdf/2016_ram_3500_towing_charts.pdf

I'm looking at the Cummins and DRW (seems to be what you must have for the towing capacity we need). I'll check out the link. Thanks.

 

[Tom Robinson]

I would look for the truck that already had the 4:10‘s. The air bags would be your choice. Might be better off looking for a new 3500 or ordering with crazy high used prices.

Yeah, I know the used prices are crazy, but we'll sell/trade our 1500 and we won't have time to wait for a new one nor the budget. We're selling our house (taking advantage of the current market and it's not our forever home) and will live in the 5th wheel for awhile.

 

[2003F350]

So, I currently have a 2015 1500 Laramie Longhorn which we'll be upgrading to a 3500 (2015 - 2018) as the 5th wheel we're looking at has a GVWR of 15,500 lbs. I'm wondering if it would less expensive if I found one with a lower final drive and had it upgraded to a 4.10. I'm also curious about finding one with an air suspension or just adding air bags for stability. Thoughts?

Have you ever towed a fifth wheel before? One at that weight is going to be a pretty good size. You could get away with a newer SRW 3500, but for stability you can't beat a DRW.

I would look for one with a final drive somewhere around 4.10, though the Cummins should be fine with something as low as a 3.55 gear for that trailer.

If you pick up a Dually, I honestly wouldn't worry about airbags. I pulled a 42 foot front-living Jayco Pinnacle with my old '04 F350 (we're talking almost, possibly over, 2k pin weight) and while it did set it down on the overload springs (helper springs), it didn't go lower than that, and it didn't feel unstable.

 

[2018_ram]

i towed a 42' 5th wheel roughly 15,000 or so lbs. loaded with a 3500 6.4 it did fine but gas mileage sucked so this late fall I upgraded to a cummins haven't been able to tow with sense its winter and i have to install the 5th wheel oem puck system.

 

[Tom Robinson]

To answer 2003F350, no I have not towed a 5th wheel before. This is why I'm asking about it here and doing as much research as I can think of. I found this truck near where I live ram 3500 w/o 5th wheel pucks and wonder if the rails pictured in the bed work for any of the Demco slide hitches. Also, the details spec the 3.73 std final drive, but also mention the 3.42. If it has the 3.42, can it be changed to the 3.73 or 4.10? I'd like it to be limited slip as well if possible. I want the towing capacity to be well above the GVWR of the trailer for a good safety cushion.

 

[Irishthreeper]

Just another opinion, I pull my 5th wheel with a 2500 Hemi but with that weight you’re looking at you should do the diesel.
Hitch weight will be an important factor as to whether you go dually or not. Lots of threads on here you’ll find helpful with
payload, axle ratings, combined weights, etc. Good luck, we’ve been in our 34’ 5W for over a year now and thoroughly enjoy it.

 

[chopperman1]

Gorgeous truck! It has 3.73's in it, standard was the 3.42's. Here is the window sticker for it.

https://www.chrysler.com/hostd/windowsticker/getWindowStickerPdf.do?vin=%203C63RRJL8JG311275

 

[mtofell]

I've towed a lot of trailers with various truck and spent a ton of time on here learning of other experiences. IMO, a small change like from 3.42 to 3.73 just isn't worth it. Maybe going from 3.42 to 4.10 would be worth it but even that I'd say drive your setup first and decide. The diesel just has such great low end power that I think you'd be fine with 3.42s. Without looking at the towing charts I'm guessing you still have quite a bit of pulling capacity left with this setup.

As for the SRW v. DRW debate. This will go on until the end of time. Of course, a DRW will be more stable, etc. But that's not to say a SRW is dangerous or the wrong truck. A 5th wheel with a GVWR of 15,500# is well within the capability of a modern SRW... assuming you're not a traveling anvil salesman (meaning you don't have some abnormal weight in the truck to max out your payload). +/- 3000# on the pin from the wet trailer should leave you +/- 1000# of payload for passengers, etc.

 

[62Blazer]

You are unlikely to get a significant better deal on a truck strictly because of the gear ratio. If you go the Ramtrucks website and build a new 2022 3500 it is only a $145 option for the different gears. If you found a really good deal on a truck and it just happened to have the 3.42 or 3.73 gears it might be worth the cost to change to 4.10. However I would find a shop you would plan on using and verify the costs as you could be approaching $2,000 to change gears on a 4wd version, and this work isn't just something I would trust any shop to do. But also as mentioned above I'm not sure you would even need gears. If anything I would buy the truck and try it out for awhile and decide if you really needed gears. Questions to consider are how often, how many miles, and what type of terrain (driving through the mountains?) during towing. Along with the overall use of the truck. If you are going to be driving it empty to work everyday down the freeway and only towing a few times a year it might be worth sacrificing a small amount of towing performance to better empty driving and MPG.

 

[Tom Robinson]

I've towed a lot of trailers with various truck and spent a ton of time on here learning of other experiences. IMO, a small change like from 3.42 to 3.73 just isn't worth it. Maybe going from 3.42 to 4.10 would be worth it but even that I'd say drive your setup first and decide. The diesel just has such great low end power that I think you'd be fine with 3.42s. Without looking at the towing charts I'm guessing you still have quite a bit of pulling capacity left with this setup.

As for the SRW v. DRW debate. This will go on until the end of time. Of course, a DRW will be more stable, etc. But that's not to say a SRW is dangerous or the wrong truck. A 5th wheel with a GVWR of 15,500# is well within the capability of a modern SRW... assuming you're not a traveling anvil salesman (meaning you don't have some abnormal weight in the truck to max out your payload). +/- 3000# on the pin from the wet trailer should leave you +/- 1000# of payload for passengers, etc.

From the Ram towing chart the SRW has a max of 17,350. For a 15,500# trailer I need 19,700# capacity. All good input, and good to see the sticker for the one I linked. Gonna keep looking for duallies.

 

[VectorUzi]

From the Ram towing chart the SRW has a max of 17,350. For a 15,500# trailer I need 19,700# capacity. All good input, and good to see the sticker for the one I linked. Gonna keep looking for duallies.

Hi Tom,
I have pulled my 15K fiver with a RAM 3500 CTD SRW using a Demco auto slider. While the truck did well pulling the trailer, I decided to upgrade to a RAM 3500 CTD DRW.

The difference in towing is significantly better. I noticed increased stability especially in the mountains and on wide open interstate with significant winds. Also, The SRW squatted too much so it needed air bags. The DRW squats to the overload spring but no further. The bed still has a rake and the trailer is perfectly level.

Regarding the Demco, with a long bed, you do not need it as there is plenty of distance from the trailer nose to the cab. The Demco is very heavy, it can be difficult to hitch and unhitch especially if you’re unhitching at somewhat of an angle. Demco says you can unhitch up to 15 degrees but I’ve found through experience that anything more than 5 degrees is nearly impossible to re-hitch.

Another problem I noticed with the Demco is that when the hitch traverses along the slide when you’re making a turn, the geometry of the trailer is different from a standard 5th wheel hitch. The geometry change causes the trailer to respond more slowly to turns. This makes parking the trailer more difficult when you’re putting the trailer in tight spots. However, once you get used to the hitch it becomes easier to manage but it is still a pain to use.

When I got my dually I bought a B&W Companion. I love this hitch and I bet you will too.

I hope this helps in your decision making process.

 

[Ronald E Shelton]

From the Ram towing chart the SRW has a max of 17,350. For a 15,500# trailer I need 19,700# capacity. All good input, and good to see the sticker for the one I linked. Gonna keep looking for duallies.

I just looked up (RAM Tow Site by VIN) a 2022 RAM 3500 SRW and it has a tow capacity of 25,375 pounds with a 3.73 axle ratio.
Where do you get your numbers from?

 

[Danny Phillips]

If you're going to tow a lot, get the diesel. I bought a 2015 2500 HD with 3.42's and I tow a 32 fifth wheel about 15000 lbs. Dually's are pretty much useless if you're not towing all the time.

 

[uddyboy54]

I have a2016 3500 drw with the 373 rear and tow a loaded 15000 lb 5 th wheel with no problems,the Cummins is a beast and having a dually makes for a very stable towing platform. I also have the companion hitch and love it. My truck is the crew cab with the 8 ft box.

 

[tom0329]

The 4:11 comes with the aisin transmission. That also gets you the high output 6.7. I'll tell you it's a chunk of change. If you order it I believe you will need the 14000 . I'll say I have it all in my truck, and it's a dream. I set the cruise and let the truck do the work.

 

[Tom Robinson]

So, we drove a 3500 HD yesterday. Unfortunately it wasn't the best example as it had a really wide tint band on the windshield and had the blue DEF defeated as well as a tune. Somehow the PO also had the seat heaters/vents disabled. Anyway, while I don't expect a sedan smooth ride this one was bone jarring. It might be better with a load, but my wife will be driving it most of the time w/o trailer and it would just ruin her back and neck. We also drove an F350 and that ride was as good as if not better than our Ram 1500. Continuing the hunt....

 

[Tom Robinson]

I have a2016 3500 drw with the 373 rear and tow a loaded 15000 lb 5 th wheel with no problems,the Cummins is a beast and having a dually makes for a very stable towing platform. I also have the companion hitch and love it. My truck is the crew cab with the 8 ft box.

The 3.73 is at least what I'm looking for. Per the towing charts I've read the 3.55 will not do it safely. Thanks for the input.