dodge 1500 towing

[Cody]

I didn't read this whole thread but here is my 2 cents

1500 dodge w/ a 5.2 and a 5 speed. I think the engine has enough power for tow duties. If you're not towing very often, I bet it would be fine. I towed with a ZJ with that engine and the engine would tow the hell out of it, but the biggest issue is/was safety. I think if you get a load dist. hitch (I have one I'll sell ya ) and sway control and tow within your limits, the 1500 would be ok.

However, 3/4 ton 5.9's are cheap and easy to find. I guarentee you can find one for under 10k in good shape. You can also find CTD's for a good price too if you look long enough. I would put big sarge on speed dial, call him ever week or two and see what he has. I got mine from him and I'm pretty sure Caleb did too. Mine was a trade in that he was just going to sell off to another smaller dealer because of the mileage. I paid 13k for it--99 quad cab, short bed, with all the bells and whistles (except leather, yuk, and heated seats).

I bet you could find a reg cab long bed CTD for cheap--it seems to be the quad cab short beds that are hard to find.

Cody

Caleb, thanks again for the heads up. I didn't realize that was you at RL the other day or I would have chatted with ya.

 

[Hickey]

you are an idiot

I just want to pop in here to say that I agree.

 

[WayneXJ]

I had a 1/2 ton with 5.9 liter, new exaust, intake, and I could barely go 55 up Spanish fork canyon flat towing my Jeep. It's a night and day difference now that I have a 3/4 ton with the cummins to haul my junk with. Even if you do get a gasser I would at least go with a 3/4 ton truck.

 

[RockMonkey]

this thread is funny...
my issue is safety too... and gas mileage...
that spells D I E S E L to me, cummins to be exact.
but, we will see what happens ya know? i would love love love to have a cummins but if i can't find one when i need it i will settle for a 3/4 ton 5.9L auto. i think the 3/4 tons are great, just none of this v10 garbage!
also, i think my jeep will only weight 3500 lbs or less. that is an estimate.
stock 2 dr cherokees weigh in at like 3058 lbs... and that is a 4L... my 4 cyl has to be quite a bit lighter, so lets say it weighed 3000 at most in stock form.

well, i cut off everything except for the hood, some of the fenders, and i cut off the rockers and most of the floor next to the front seats... and i cut off the whole back end behind the front seats.. everything is gone practically!!!!

i need to get some recent pics posted... do i need imagestation to post? i know webshots won't host them.

nate

Are you gonna flat tow it? If not you need to add a couple thousand (?) pounds for your trailer.

 

[harkinoff]

I am currently towing with a 2000 Dodge Ram Sport Shortbed,4x4 318/ 5 speed, 3:92 gears, totally stock...
A couple weekends ago I went snow wheelin up around Park City, After I towed the tank up Parleys all I can say is, I NEED MORE TRUCK.....The slowest I got down to was 45 going up Parleys, and yes It was screaming for a MOMMY, 2nd gear almost redlined.
I was impressed by its ability to handle the Scout and a 1600 pnd trailer as well as it did, but I would not recommend this kind of towing to anyone, especially someone that is green towing trailers. Also I didn't like putting the little truck through that kind of abuse, especially since it is the wifes truck.. I sold my 84' 1 ton a few years back because it was taking up space in the drive way, what a Dumb Ass I was, I just was planning on towing with the motorhome....If I had a chance to do it over again I would go for a diesel with a manual.. That and I have a buddy who works for Cummins back home that would be more than willing to juice it up a little...

Save your money a little longer and go with a diesel...My old one ton was lucky if I pulled 8 mpg out of it

 

[Maverick]

I am currently towing with a 2000 Dodge Ram Sport Shortbed,4x4 318/ 5 speed, 3:92 gears, totally stock...
A couple weekends ago I went snow wheelin up around Park City, After I towed the tank up Parleys all I can say is, I NEED MORE TRUCK.....The slowest I got down to was 45 going up Parleys, and yes It was screaming for a MOMMY, 2nd gear almost redlined.
I was impressed by its ability to handle the Scout and a 1600 pnd trailer as well as it did, but I would not recommend this kind of towing to anyone, especially someone that is green towing trailers. Also I didn't like putting the little truck through that kind of abuse, especially since it is the wifes truck.. I sold my 84' 1 ton a few years back because it was taking up space in the drive way, what a Dumb Ass I was, I just was planning on towing with the motorhome....If I had a chance to do it over again I would go for a diesel with a manual.. That and I have a buddy who works for Cummins back home that would be more than willing to juice it up a little...

Save your money a little longer and go with a diesel...My old one ton was lucky if I pulled 8 mpg out of it

Ditto on the snow wheelin'

Parley's is a bitch. I get down to 37-39 in the summer w/AC. In the winter, I'm in the 50s. 2nd gear, puffin'. 7000lb burb, 5000lb jeep, ??lb trailer (1500? 2000?)

 

[tweakeyjeep]

Bah. If ya gotta go 90 for a few seconds to get outta the way of someone going faster, and your truck can handle it, do it.

Ya, I don't see a problem with that. The problem I have is when Diesels cruise towing something at 90 MPH the entire way!

Tweakey, your inexperience is glaring like the sun off MBryson's head. You get a few hours towing heavy trailers around and you'll understand why so many of us drive diesels. Take a look at the guys that tow a lot and check out what they are using. 90% are using diesels, and about 9% wish they were. The other 1% is just weird and prefer to burn gas at an incredible rate.

Well ya, If all you use your truck for is towing, then I agree get a diesel equipped to tow a 5th wheel. But if you use it for your daily commuter most like the 1500 gas engines better because they aren't "huge" they can be parked in 1 parking space without messing with reverse and drive and reverse 4 different times just to get it right. My Dad's Ram is awesome, it's a short bed single cab. Almost as easy to park as my Jeep!

Or Scott's , or ........

 

[bobdog]

I just want to say that if any of you are towing a trailer 90mph you a menace to society and should have your licence revoked. That thing about going 90 to get out of someones way makes no sense either.

Oh ya, Tweaky the other day I heard you were an idiot, is that true?

 

[tweakeyjeep]

Oh ya, Tweaky the other day I heard you were an idiot, is that true?

So if I'm an idiiot what does that make you? Redneck?

 

[Cody]

I was cruisin to AZ at about 85 mph on the speedo, and then foundout 8 hours later that my speedo is 7% off (GPS). So, I was going a little over 90. Guess, I'm an idiot. :-\

Just for reference, I felt more in control with the 3/4 at 90 than I did towing with the ZJ at 60.


Cody

 

[bobdog]

I was cruisin to AZ at about 85 mph on the speedo, and then foundout 8 hours later that my speedo is 7% off (GPS). So, I was going a little over 90. Guess, I'm an idiot. :-\

Just for reference, I felt more in control with the 3/4 at 90 than I did towing with the ZJ at 60.


Cody

I said menace not idiot.

 

[RockMonkey]

Well ya, If all you use your truck for is towing, then I agree get a diesel equipped to tow a 5th wheel. But if you use it for your daily commuter most like the 1500 gas engines better because they aren't "huge" they can be parked in 1 parking space without messing with reverse and drive and reverse 4 different times just to get it right. My Dad's Ram is awesome, it's a short bed single cab. Almost as easy to park as my Jeep!

WHA??? They're the SAME SIZE!!! A 1500 quad cab short bed is the same length and width as a 3500 Cummins quad cab short bed! Oh, and the diesel will get better mileage commuting and uses cheaper fuel!

 

[tweakeyjeep]

WHA??? They're the SAME SIZE!!! A 1500 quad cab short bed is the same length and width as a 3500 Cummins quad cab short bed! Oh, and the diesel will get better mileage commuting and uses cheaper fuel!

Dually's??? Sorry, forgot to add that a lot of diesels/V-10/ a lot of 3500's have dually's. I used to work at Hinckley Dodge, we had to park Dually's next to Dually's and the only way to do it was have them parked next to each other, alternating. So the fenders on the dually axle wouldn't be near each other, or so you could walk in between them. That was the worst trying to park those big things in a tiny spot next to other duallys.

Ya, I know, not everyone has a dually.

 

[RockMonkey]

I just want to say that if any of you are towing a trailer 90mph you a menace to society and should have your licence revoked. That thing about going 90 to get out of someones way makes no sense either.

Oh ya, Tweaky the other day I heard you were an idiot, is that true?

Why does it make no sense? I'm on a hill, cruising at 75 (does that make me a menace too?) in the passing lane, passing a vehicle going slower. I look back and see a vehicle coming up on me much faster (probably around 85 or 90, 10-15 over the posted limit). At this point I have three options.
1. I can continue to pass the vehicle at my cruising speed, which would eventually allow me to get back into the right lane, but not before the faster vehicle had caught up to me, and was forced to slow down to match my speed.
2. I can stomp on the brakes, to allow the vehicle I was passing to pass me, so I can get over and allow said faster vehicle to go by. Of course by the time I could get over, the faster vehicle again would have been forced to slow down to my now slower than 75 speed as I try to get over.
3. I can step on the turbo pedal, thus causing acceleration, and pass the vehicle at a quicker pace, so I can be back over in the right lane before the faster vehicle reaches me and is forced to slow down.

Obviously I chose option three. In my mind this option was the most courteous to all other drivers around me, as I didn't cause any of them to take any action because of me. So how does this make me a menace? What would you have had me do? I guess you don't get anxious for passing vehicles to get out of your way so you can continue? Please morse code "bobdog" to me with your headlights if you are ever the faster vehicle in this situation, so I know you are happy to slow down to my speed, and that there is no hurry for me to get over for you.

Please note that this is a debate, not an argument.

 

[RockMonkey]

Dually's??? Sorry, forgot to add that a lot of diesels/V-10/ a lot of 3500's have dually's. I used to work at Hinckley Dodge, we had to park Dually's next to Dually's and the only way to do it was have them parked next to each other, alternating. So the fenders on the dually axle wouldn't be near each other, or so you could walk in between them. That was the worst trying to park those big things in a tiny spot next to other duallys.

Ya, I know, not everyone has a dually.

UGH, no one ever said he had to get a dually... Face it dude, you made a statement that was not true. Like talking to a wall, man...

 

[Maverick]

WHA??? They're the SAME SIZE!!! A 1500 quad cab short bed is the same length and width as a 3500 Cummins quad cab short bed! Oh, and the diesel will get better mileage commuting and uses cheaper fuel!

hahahahaha ya I was laughing about that too.

Dude, we're not talking about a commuter or what will park easily...I thought we were talking about tow rigs.

bottom line: if you're buying it to tow, buy what will do the job. Buy it for the most heavy duty task that you will use it for. And leave some safety factor. We tow heavy stuff. Just about any rig/trailer combo, 'cept the lightest buggies, is gonna weigh around 5000-7000lbs. Folks that tow a lot recommend towing no more than about 70-75% of max. They've btdt. 1/2ton pickups are generally rated for 5000-6000lbs. I've seen some in the 7000-8000 range lately...and I don't buy it. Sure, they might have the power, but not the suspension to handle the load in an emergency.

Last year in Moab (or the year before) Earl towed his scrambler with his 1/2ton, and I trailered mine with my 3/4ton burb. At one point during the week, we happened to have his jeep on my trailer going to rescue someone else's rig. We were headed south out of moab and some arsehole pulled out right in front of us. I hit the brakes and Earl braced for impact (based on his experience towing with his 1/2ton)...and couldn't believe it when we stopped short of a collision. That's happened to me on a couple of occasions, (dickhead pull in front and slam on brakes) and I've been happy to have the rig that I have.

I'm familiar with the Phillip's red pickup, and while it's been a great truck, I wouldn't use it to justify a 1/2ton when the job clearly calls for a 3/4ton or better.

You've got options.

 

[James K]

UGH, no one ever said he had to get a dually... Face it dude, you made a statement that was not true. Like talking to a wall, man...

LOOK its not just me.

 

[Turbobob]

LOOK its not just me.

I agree! I (as do many others) DRIVE a quadcab long bed Dodge diesel EVERYDAY. What's the problem? I can park it anywhere I can park my wife's Subi. I also used to drive a 95 Chevy 1 ton dually everyday, again, with no problem. I guess you just have to know how to drive

 

[bobdog]

On the parking thing. I own two pickups a shortbed regular cab F150 and a long bed but still regular cab F350. When it comes to parking I find that the short bed really is quite a bit easier to get into small spaces. That foot and a half or so really makes a difference. It makes a big difference when towing also. What is a nice drive in the one ton is white knuckles in the half.

 

[Maverick]

On the parking thing. I own two pickups a shortbed regular cab F150 and a long bed but still regular cab F350. When it comes to parking I find that the short bed really is quite a bit easier to get into small spaces. That foot and a half or so really makes a difference. It makes a big difference when towing also. What is a nice drive in the one ton is white knuckles in the half.

wouldn't be white knuckles if you'd keep it under 90...



short to longbed, 1/2ton to 1 ton, it all adds up. My sentra parks easier than a 1/2ton shorty, but it's irrelevant since we're talking about towing