Re: Towing with a 1500 RAM Hemi
I towed with a 2005 Hemi powered Ram 1500 for about 900 miles last March, the trailer was a 4877 pound enclosed car trailer. It was lightly loaded and properly balanced. The truck did fine as far as moving the weight, the problem was that there were several instances where I wasn't sure if I was going to make it to the next fuel stop. I ended up buying two 6 gallon gas cans and keeping them just in case in the back. I averaged just over 7 MPG but the milage in the hilly areas was far worse. The truck had about 8500 miles on it and was a 4 door cab, 4x4 with a short bed. I had been considering buying one till that trip.
It had plenty of power but felt a bit light pulling that weight. It did the job but it wasn't a comfortable tow. The truck belonged to a buddy that was moving there, I just drove his truck there for him. The trailer was equipped with dual axle brakes, torsional suspension and didn't wear any tires or give me any stopping problems, so I don't feel that the trailer had any problems that would have adversely affected the mileage.
I have to agree with SuperNova, that truck simply isn't a good choice for that kind of weight. It may do the job once in a while if you take you time and be careful, but it won't be a fun ride. When towing a boat like that, your at a weight disadvantage right away, not to mention the poor track record of the lighter trans. I would want at least a 3/4 ton of better truck to pull that with, especially if launching it from the trailer is what you have in mind.
I have pulled larger boats with smaller trucks, and it can be done without hurting the tow vehicle, but you simply have to know what you are doing and you have to make sure that you stay in control of the load at all times.
I towed a 6500lb SeaRay home with a 2.3L manual Ford Ranger a few months ago, it did the job, but I wouldn't recommend it. The fact that it was able to tow it and make it over the hour drive with more than double it's recommended towing capacity doesn't mean that it should or can tow that kind of weight. I think most manufacturers are a little optimistic on what they advertise lately. Also, being able to tow the weight is also dependent on having the right equipment installed on the truck. A weight distribution hitch, proper trailer brakes which are working and well adjusted, and a well balanced trailer are all part of the rating. When they say a vehicle can tow 10,000lbs, that don't mean that you can simply go to Walmart, buy a hitch and hang the 10K on the back. If you insist on making do with the 1500, be ready for future trans problems, and I would right away spend the money to install the largest possible trans cooler you can find too. (Don't go by what they recommend, go with the largest one you can find).
Also make sure that your tires are up to the added weight, no passenger type tires will do. How well that truck handles the weight will have a lot to do with how you drive with that kind of weight. No fast starts, no sudden moves, and buy all means keep an eye on your temp gauge and tire pressures.
