2005 DODGE RAM 1500 TOWING CAPACITY

[69charger2002]

Hey Guys, i need a little help. i don't prefer a bashing about braking capacities of the truck etc. This is my question:
a normal 1500 quad cab hemi ram, i just bought a 2 car hauler bumper pull that weighs roughly 3000 pounds. the 2 cars that would be towed are chargers weighing roughly 3600 pounds each. so just a touch over 10000 lbs total. Is the mopar factory tow hitch receiver setup for this kind of weight? are they class III or class IV? i would rarely ever use this setup, obviously the trailer has electric brakes on every axle and i'd only be going short interstate distances for car shows.
1. is the ram 1500 capable of pulling 10000 lbs?
2. is the factory tow receiver hitch capable of handling 10000 lbs on the 2" ball?

[Todd Wilson]

F*ck no it wont!  You'll be every bit of 1000-1500lbs overloaded.  Probably has a class 3 hitch. Way to much to wiggle with on a 1500 suspension.



Todd

[BBKNARF]

It all depends on the specs of your truck, short/long wheel base, 4x2, 4x4, gear ratio, but you should not have a problem towing 10,000 lbs on a healthy hemi ram, but remember the cargo weight in your truck is also included. Class III hitch is only good up to 5000 lbs, class IV hitch up to 12,000 lbs gross trailer weight and up to 1200 tonque weight.

[UFO]

I have a '07 brochure handy,Shouldn't be much different than '05.
With quad cab hemi 4x2 has max trailer weight as 8750.
Of course the small print says when properly equipped.

[elacruze]

Your owner's manual should have all the information you need, and the hitch itself should have a sticker or more likely stampings with weight ratings.

[BBKNARF]

Your owner's manual should have all the information you need, and the hitch itself should have a sticker or more likely stampings with weight ratings.

Thats right 

[RD]

well if it is any consolation, I just got done towing a 2 axle, 1 car trailer with a 73 RR on it 600 miles with my '05 hemi quad cab 4x4 short bed.  had no issues whatsoever and pulled like a dream (passed several HD chevy's along the route ).  now it isnt a 2 car trailer but a 4k RR plus a 1K trailer (or thereabouts) all on a class III hitch so I was where I needed to be. I have a set of coilovers on my rear axle that help with the level of the bed when all is hitched up though.

not sure how helpful this is, but another car on the ass end would be a tad too much if you ask me.  I think i would be more comfortable with a 3/4T then to put all that stress on my 1/2T.  But that is just me.

[69charger2002]

I have a '07 brochure handy,Shouldn't be much different than '05.
With quad cab hemi 4x2 has max trailer weight as 8750.
Of course the small print says when properly equipped.

this is kind of the info i was looking for, as i don't have the truck in my possession yet, and i need to make a decision on the 2 car hauler by tonight.. i couldn't find specs through yahoo.com and didn't have an owner's manual. if it's rated for 8750 it may pull the extra 1300 pounds if loaded right. i may have to change the factory receiver to a class IV if the factory one is in fact class III.  i've pulled single trailers with loaded chargers and even a bed full of parts before

(approx 7k pounds) with a lot of it sitting in the bed and it did fine. i've also pulled a quad cab 1/2 ton dodge ram before on the back of a dodge ram 1500.. lol. those trucks weigh 6600 pounds, plus my single trailer weighed 1500 pounds or so. it handled that 8000 lbs with no problem, now for my trailer it was a bit of a struggle. i just figured adding 2k pounds of weight, with none of that being on the tongue, should be ok with the weight better distributed. maybe i  am crazy and just talking myself into it, i was just thinking the truck could handle it, especially after pulling an identical truck and trailer behind one at a total of 8000+ pounds.
trav

[moparguy01]

Even if it would haul it, it would not be a good ride and I would be seriously doubting the trucks braking ability. It's just too much weight for that truck IMHO.

[69 OUR/TEA]

Travis here are the specs for a 2004 Hemi ram 1500 and 2500,which is probably the same for 05 also.1500 QC Hemi 2 wheel drive is 8900lbs.,2500 QC Hemi 2 wheel drive is 11,250lbs.Don't know where I read it but the 1500 specs are for when it has 3:92's,and the 2500 when it has 4:10's.Some food for thought,the engine/tranny is exactly the same in both so at least there is nothing different in the transmissions to worry about.So IMO they both have the same "pulling power" with the only diff being in the rear suspension(leafs,8 lugs,and brakes).As far as I'm concerned,I went with the 1500 myself as for the rest of the time I'm not towing I did not want the rougher ride(I did test drive the 2500's).
I did buy a 24' enclosed trailor with a dry weight of 3360lbs. and was not concerned with the smaller rear,brakes, etc on the 1500,because I DID put on a sway control,and a weight distribution hitch so the load was spread thru out the truck anyway.And as far as the brakes were concerned,the trailor I bought is a 10,000lb GVW with the 12'' brakes so the stopping power of the trailor is more than adequite.The truck pulls it ,handles and stops like a dream.So needing a 2500,not for me.Just wasting more gas and extra reg,taxes.
Now,jumping up to the deisel is a whole different story.
As far as the two diff ratings of the trucks(8900 vs. 11,250) , the diff from 3:92's to 4:10's in pulling power, don't think it's worth 2,350 lbs.IMO.Most likey in the payload you would notice.

[Todd Wilson]

What happened to your 1 ton?


Todd

[Troy]

You'll most likely want/need a weight distributing hitch. I think you've seen mine. That should increase the towing capacity of the factory hitch to something acceptable. It will also improve the braking and steering.

Troy

[69charger2002]

What happened to your 1 ton?


Todd

i sold it a few weeks back, i hated driving a dually every day, can't go through a car wash with it, can't go through a bank drive through, harder to park, and honestly i just didn't need a 1 ton very often enough to justify it.

Thanks Troy for the advice i was just looking at weight distributing hitches yesterday. How much did your setup run and is it easy to install?

69 Our/tea thanks for the specs. I think the truck will be able to handle it, especially since it is a triple axle trailer with brakes on every axle. my biggest concern was having the stock tow hitch not be able to handle 10k on a "bumper pull" setup. maybe the weight distributing hitch will be enough to safely tow with this setup.  i'm certain the hemi/transmission would handle it, as, like you said, esame setup as the 2500. ideally i wouldn't have minded a 2500, but i bought a wrecked 2005 hemi ram QC with 11k miles on it for $3400, so i am fixing it, it will be like a brand new truck, so a 1500 is what i'll have. 
thanks for the input guys keep it coming..

[Todd Wilson]

I just think you are asking for a disaster to pull that much with a half ton. You are clearly over the wieght of the truck. The suspension will be soft and make handling much tougher. You probably dont have tires with the proper weight rating. Your wheels and or rear axle arent designed for it. All it takes is one SUV tire blow out or an axle to come shooting out the rear end and you are in trouble fast.  Just a disaster waiting to happen I think. That trailer I am sure would have a lot more leverage then a short trailer. If it starts to sway or wiggle some  that half ton is gonna be all over the place. You will be putting the public in danger,yourself in danger and your Chargers on the back in danger. If you have a bad wreck and they find out you are over the weight limit of the trucks design the lawyers will be all over you. Towing is not all about the engine. Its the rest of the truck that makes the difference. I have not kept up with the new body style specs completely but the last Ram generation had different transmissions between half ton and 3/4 ton.


Todd

[Aero426]

I think you are asking for trouble.   As you know, pulling is not the problem.  Handling and stopping is -  I don't care how good the trailer brakes are.    I understand all about pushing the envelope, but a loaded two car trailer is simply too much for even a "heavy half" ton to handle.    

[Go Hogs Go]

We use to tractor pull and used half-tons with overload springs and weight distribution hitches to handle the extra weight of the tractor. We were pulling about 12000lbs, but were only 16 ft long. We made it ok, but there was always some pucker factor. After going to 2500/3500 I realized we were taking our lives in our own hands overloading the half tons. I would be more worried about the extra length of the bumper pull trailer than the weight. The tail will be wagging the dog as they say. Be careful and buy some overloads for the truck too.

[chargerboy69]

I just think you are asking for a disaster to pull that much with a half ton. You are clearly over the wieght of the truck. The suspension will be soft and make handling much tougher. You probably dont have tires with the proper weight rating. Your wheels and or rear axle arent designed for it. All it takes is one SUV tire blow out or an axle to come shooting out the rear end and you are in trouble fast.  Just a disaster waiting to happen I think. That trailer I am sure would have a lot more leverage then a short trailer. If it starts to sway or wiggle some  that half ton is gonna be all over the place. You will be putting the public in danger,yourself in danger and your Chargers on the back in danger. If you have a bad wreck and they find out you are over the weight limit of the trucks design the lawyers will be all over you. Towing is not all about the engine. Its the rest of the truck that makes the difference. I have not kept up with the new body style specs completely but the last Ram generation had different transmissions between half ton and 3/4 ton.


Todd

Travis,  Todd is absolutely correct.  I would not pull that trailer around the block with that truck.

[694spdRT]

Not exactly the same but a good friend of mine had a '99 Chevy 1500 4 x 4 quad cab that he tried to pull a 30 ft bumper hitch camper with. I think it weighed in around 10,000 lbs. The dealer that sold the trailer told him just to add a load equailizing hitch and it would be fine. After the first white knuckle trip out he traded it for a 2500HD and has had no problem since. Powerwise it would pull fine but the truck was all over the place with that long trailer back there.

We did pull our 24' enclosed trailer once with a 2004 Ram 1500 Quad cab 4 x 4 Hemi with 3.91's. We didn't have a equalizing hitch because the trailer only had some furniture and a mower in it. Plently of power but it was very hard to handle and the rear end blew out after 400 miles. I don't know if it was just a fluke or if that is what caused it but that is the only rear end we have ever broke pulling that trailer. My '01 Dodge 2500 V10 and now my '05 Dodge 2500 diesel have pulled it effortlessly for many miles loaded up with my Charger and other cars and I just use the stock hitch.

We also have a two car 5th wheel hauler and I don't like using anything but a dually with that. I pulled two cars one time with our old '91 Dodge W250 and it was just to much for my liking. More weight may be on the truck with a 5th wheel setup like that though.

[gtx6970]

No
and NO
way to much load on a 1500 chassis

[69charger2002]

thanks for all opinions guys i decided not to go this route. Not worth the risk.

[Todd Wilson]

thanks for all opinions guys i decided not to go this route. Not worth the risk.

Good for you! I think you made the best decision! Now if you had kept your 1 ton it would have been an awesome way to get 2 cars to a show although a bit of a pain to turn! HAHA!


Todd

[69charger2002]

once i got used to this i think a 2 car would be  a breeze.. lol