towing with a dodge ram 1500

[NYGiants]

http://www.automart.com/vehicledetail/adid-98490710/1998/dodge/ram-1500/kingston/pa/pkg-bronze
the truck is a 98 with an extended cab and 8' bed
i am planning on buying this truck soon (used) and i was wondering how much a towing kit costs?
Capacity would be around 2500 lbs for my sailboat but i only tow that twice a season or so. Mostly i am towing a rowboat and sunfish sailboat. which arent even 500lbs.
From what i've read i don't want to go with bumper mounted towing.

Also how do i carry canoes and kayaks with a pickup?

 

[APPALOOSA2]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

If you are buying new then ask for the tow package, most Dodges have them all ready on it. If the truck has the hitch under the bumper it has a tow package. I work at a Dodge dealer.
PS
Get the hemi it will give you better fuel economy than any other engine Dodge has.

 

[Polar_Bus]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

http://www.automart.com/vehicledetail/adid-98490710/1998/dodge/ram-1500/kingston/pa/pkg-bronze
the truck is a 98 with an extended cab and 8' bed
i am planning on buying this truck soon (used) and i was wondering how much a towing kit costs?
Capacity would be around 2500 lbs for my sailboat but i only tow that twice a season or so. Mostly i am towing a rowboat and sunfish sailboat. which arent even 500lbs.
From what i've read i don't want to go with bumper mounted towing.

Also how do i carry canoes and kayaks with a pickup?

Ask the dealer to fax you the factory "build sheet". This will tell you all the important towing info the truck has such as rear end gear ratio, if the truck has the "commercial tow pkg", and so on. My Dodge has the commercial tow pkg, which consists of the class IV hitch, high capacity cooling system, and an aux. tranny cooler. (you better have the tranny cooler if you are towing with a Dodge) !! I have the 5.9L and it pulls good, however Dodges get lousy fuel economy...

 

[redone4x4]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

all the above is true...the hemi gets better mpgs than the 5.9, but also costs a bit more since its not available until 2003. The 5.9 has alot of torque, but isnt known for good mileage. I used to have one, and if you dont mind the lower mileage, it was a great tow vehicle. And yes, get at least the class III hitch they are under 200 bucks i think at uhaul and they can install it.

 

[ne7800]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

well that is a 6.5 ft bed not a 8 ft bed. I would bet it already has a hitch on it . here is a shot of what you can do with a truck like that, mine is a 99' 4x4 with a 5.9 v8

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

A Ram with the 5.9 is going to tow what you are pulling and you wont even know its back there.

A 'tow package' means a hitch, wired for a trailer and a aux trans cooler.

Even if this truck doesnt have all that, you will be able to tow 2500 from the bumper with no need for a cooler.

You're getting more than enough truck for what you need so dont worry about "special equipment".

My dang 4wheeler is rated for 2500 lbs.

 

[NYGiants]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

i would be towing more
i just looked at my current hitch and it's a class 3 hitch
but i am not worried about that being too much.
thanks for all of the feedback
ne7800 nice pics

 

[Polar_Bus]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

A Ram with the 5.9 is going to tow what you are pulling and you wont even know its back there.

.

You are giving way too much credit to a truck that tow's "good" NOT "great".

Not to get into a GM/Dodge pi$$fest, but hook up the same towing weight to a GM Vortec 6000, and NOW you will pull and not even know it's back there.

I frequently spend time towing with both engines, and the Dodge 5.9L is a slug compared to equivalant GM Vortec's.....

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

You are giving way too much credit to a truck that tow's "good" NOT "great".

Not to get into a GM/Dodge pi$$fest, but hook up the same towing weight to a GM Vortec 6000, and NOW you will pull and not even know it's back there.

I frequently spend time towing with both engines, and the Dodge 5.9L is a slug compared to equivalant GM Vortec's.....

Personally I agree with you. I drive a Silverado and wouldnt have anything else.

However the key word in my statement was "you" meaning the OP who stated he will be towing 2500 lbs.

Considering a 2500 tow weight, a half ton dodge with a 5.9 will tow it without knowing its back there. I

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

You are giving way too much credit to a truck that tow's "good" NOT "great".

Not to get into a GM/Dodge pi$$fest, but hook up the same towing weight to a GM Vortec 6000, and NOW you will pull and not even know it's back there.

I frequently spend time towing with both engines, and the Dodge 5.9L is a slug compared to equivalant GM Vortec's.....

Ah sir you are being a bit disingenuous comparing that 1960's vintage mill (5.9 to the late model hot rod 6.0.

Why not compare that sweet little 6 Litre Chevy to Dodge's 09 5.7 hemi which is making 390 hp and 400 ft lbs. ?

Any pick up is going to tow this load well, a Ford Taurass pulls 2500 pounds well.
For a canoe or kayak you usually puit a rack mount on the cab and a leg on the back at the tailgate to support the back of the craft the leg mounts either in the receiver hitch or bumper mount.

 

[Polar_Bus]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

Why not compare that sweet little 6 Litre Chevy to Dodge's 09 5.7 hemi which is making 390 hp and 400 ft lbs. ?

.

My Dodge salesman also told me my 5.9L would get 16 mpg....

don't believe every mfg's fluffed hp and torque numbers..... even the Hemi's were "overrated" until true hands on opinions knocked down all the "hype". A snowmobiling buddy of mine has an '06 Hemi, and yes it tows great, but.... sorry still not up to GM vortec's pulling IMO... Many engine feel "snappy" and " balzy" until you slap 4000 lbs on the hitch....

If you want to feel the ultimate pulling and ride quality do some towing with a Duramax diesel..... amazing.

 

[Mr. Ross]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

OK, how about a 3/4 ton Dodge with a different 5.9 pulling my 11' beam Silverton? 5.9 gasser is an throwback to the 70's.

Personally I like the GM diesel and Allison transmission but the grill and front fenders on the new models look like the cheshire cat grin in Alice in Wonderland. Loved the body stlye a couple of generations ago!

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

^^^Now that's a 5.9'er.^^^

Cheshire cat, lol

 

[APPALOOSA2]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

People just amaze me, the man asked a simple question and people have to start the this way better than this thing. I think a Dakota with a 4.7 would have been fine for his 2500lbs , but that was not his question.

He will not need tow gears for this kind of weight. He is pulling low weight not moving house's.

No I do not sell cars just give true honest answers when I know them , if I don't know them I just listen.......

Thats why I don't like to post on these forums...

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: towing with a dodge ram 1500

I'm no dodge fan, but yes as was mentioned that's not what the OP asked. Yes that truck will do just fine for what you intend it for. As was said, anything short of a honda civic would do.


Ian