Towing

[dmspohn]

I have the fully loaded Laramie with 3.92 axle and it's a 4x4 and I have a chart from my dealership that says I can pull 8,500 pounds with my set up. This is different then the link that was posted by another person. I pull a Sea Ray Sundeck 240 when fully loaded is approx. 6,500 - 6,700 pounds and I don't have any problems pulling it, sagging is minimal, and all around is pleasant to pull. Definately would NOT get the 3.55s though. Just my 2 cents.

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[qicvick]

Originally Posted by tombogue09

The gears aren't much of an issue, that engine will have no problem pulling that much weight with either ratio. The suspension won't hold up well with that much tongue weight. The airbags will help some but I've read several threads about the disappontment of how much they help.

I did a search on airbag 1000 and this was the only thread it pulled up, I plan on getting some but was wondering what people were dissapointed about with the airbags?

[70GS455]

Remember with the 3.55's you still have the electronic limited slip.

[Inbred]

Your capacities are what they are, no matter what airbags you add to it. They don't increase ratings, just provide better handling within them.

I think you said your boat was 6100 dry; add the weight of your gear you have in it, the weight of your fuel, the weight of your trailer, the weight of a weight distributing hitch, etc, etc. 50 pounds here and there really adds up quick. Best suggestion is to take your boat all rigged up exactly the way you will run it and scale the whole thing. Also scale just the tongue as well.

You need to look at both the combined rating, and the gvwr. It doesn't matter if you're under the combined if your over your payload. Payload includes passengers, fuel, anything you carry in your truck, and especially tongue weight.

The other thing to consider is that the ratings are calculated with a bare minimum load. The max gvwr and combined are what they are. subtract your curb weight from them, and you get your capacities. But, your actual curb weight will be much more than what they publish and use to calculate. They base their curb weights for the calculation on like just a 150 lb. driver and a minimum fuel load. Add a passenger and a full tank of fuel, and you've already knocked 300-400 lbs. off your payload capacity.

They play numbers games to make the legal capacities look larger than they really are. At least dodge is not as bad as Ford; they market the heck out of that 11,000 pound tow rating (which most of their trucks don't even have) and many people buy into it, until you do the math and realize that if you have a normal 10-15% tongue weight, payload capacity would limit your trailer to about 7-8 thousand pounds on average. The only way the f150 with that rating could ever legally tow that 11,000 pounds is if it were a 4 wheeled farm trailer with zero tongue weight.

Stuff that heavy is really the domain of heavier trucks. If you're currently running that rig with a 1500, it wouldn't surprise me at all if you are over gross in your current truck as it is. Sure, it may pull and handle fine, but god help you if you ever get in an accident. Even if it isn't your fault, it will be.

[HEMI_ROM]

Just returned from my vacation, towed a 22ft RV that weighs 5500lbs loaded up to destination at 11,000ft in Colorado. One pass I took it over was 12000ft and my 09 pulled it EFFORTLESSLY. I never once had to floor it, I do think the 3.92's make a big difference. Also the tranny never hunted around like my 04 Hemi Ram did with the same RV, mileage was much better too.

[tombogue09]

Originally Posted by qicvick

I did a search on airbag 1000 and this was the only thread it pulled up, I plan on getting some but was wondering what people were dissapointed about with the airbags?

I think I read it on another forum but someone had the airbags and they said that it didn't make much difference as far as sagging went

As for the weight ratings and airbags. No they don't change the "legal limit" but it increases the amount you can safely tow. I've never paid attention to these ratings, mainly because its not enforced where I live. If the truck can tow it then I'll tow it and slow enough to be safe according to the load.
I'm sure I'll get burned for saying that

[RamFreak]

I wonder if Dodge or maybe an after market company will at some point offer a set of beefed up springs for the new 09's. Maybe something just heavy duty enough to help with the sag some of you are talking about. I have not towed anything with mine yet so I am not sure what to expect other than what I have read.

[qicvick]

I am not worried about weight overloading , have a 22 ft travel trailer weighs @ 4500 lbs, I just would like for truck to sit level pulling it, hitch weight is @ 650 lbs I believe

[oldjeep]

Originally Posted by qicvick

I am not worried about weight overloading , have a 22 ft travel trailer weighs @ 4500 lbs, I just would like for truck to sit level pulling it, hitch weight is @ 650 lbs I believe

650lb tounge weight? Some of you guys really like to load front heavy. Are you running a weight distributing hitch, since that is over the allowable tounge weight for a class 4 receiver?

[Sobomaster]

Originally Posted by dmspohn

I have the fully loaded Laramie with 3.92 axle and it's a 4x4 and I have a chart from my dealership that says I can pull 8,500 pounds with my set up. This is different then the link that was posted by another person.

I pull a Sea Ray Sundeck 240 when fully loaded is approx. 6,500 - 6,700 pounds and I don't have any problems pulling it, sagging is minimal, and all around is pleasant to pull. Definately would NOT get the 3.55s though.

Just my 2 cents.

I can guarantee that whatever chart they gave you, if it says a 4x4 laramie CC can pull 8,500 pounds, is incorrect.