Easy Tow Capacity- Ram 2500/Cummins

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Chauncey Gardiner - 28 Jun 2006 20:41 GMT

I bought an '06 Ram 2500 Bighorn with the Cummins engine because my
1500 was struggling with a 5500 lb trailer. (Thanks to advice from
many of you on this NG.) With the 2500 I can accelerate on 7% grades
while pulling this trailer. This is very cool. What a beautiful
truck.

Of course, now I want a bigger trailer.

I'm looking at a 30' fifth wheel. Dry weight is 7500- I should be able
to keep it well under 9000 loaded. My tow capacity is supposed to be
about 12,800.

Does anyone tow such a load with this truck? I want to be able to do
those 7% grades *easily.* I've been told one shouldn't go over about
75% of tow capacity so I would still be under that.

I have the 3.73 axle ratio.

Thanks for your help!

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Mike Simmons - 29 Jun 2006 01:14 GMT

> I bought an '06 Ram 2500 Bighorn with the Cummins engine because my
> 1500 was struggling with a 5500 lb trailer. (Thanks to advice from
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Thanks for your help!

Chauncey, the RV you are considering is about the size of my rig. My CTD
hauls it around like it is not even there. Don't sweat it, just hook up and
git 'er done.

Mike

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Greg Surratt - 30 Jun 2006 11:03 GMT

>I bought an '06 Ram 2500 Bighorn with the Cummins engine because my
>1500 was struggling with a 5500 lb trailer. (Thanks to advice from
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
>Thanks for your help!

I just completed a trip from Virginia to Illinois and back. Outbound
route was I-64 across Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky, I-71 up to
I-74 into Illinois.
Return route was I-70 across Indiana and Ohio, I-79 down to I-68 in
Pennsylvania and Maryland to I-95 and I-64 in Virginia.

I-68 had some pretty impressive pulls 6 and 7% for 5 or 6 miles at a
stretch.

The lowest speed I saw was 47 mph.

Tow vehicle is a stock 98.5 24 valve CTD with 3.54 rears and an
automatic, 235 hp.

Trailer is a 1989 34.5 foot Nu-Wa Hitchiker fiver.

Scaled weight this trip with full water and fuel was 18,890 lbs., so I
figure the trailer was somewhere around 12,200.

Fuel mileage averaged 11.5 at 60 mph.

Your '06 with 9K shouldn't have too much of a problem doing what you
ask.

Greg

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