Hello All,
I am a first time poster but a potentially second time Dodge Ram 1500 buyer. I am just getting ready to head into the dealership and pickup a 2009 Laramie 1500 4x4 Crew Cab, but am interested to hear a couple opinions about the rear end (axle ratio). I have a boat that is ~7000lbs. (including trailer) and tongue weight is ~850lbs.
Does anyone think this might be a bit too much for this truck to haul? I plan to put the Air Lift1000 bags on it immediately, but am concerned with overall tow-abilty. Will the 3:92:1 make a significant difference over the 3:55:1? I don't plan to haul the boat all that often, maybe 1000 miles/year.
Any recommendations, thoughts, opinions?
Thanks,
cclaffey
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I put the Airlift 1000 bags in my truck and I hooked up a 24 foot enclosed trailer just to see what it would look like. It dropped the ass end about 3 inches and the trailer has a tongue weight of about 500. I towed an 18 foot car hauler with 3 full sized 4 wheelers and the back dropped down 1.5". I see a bigger difference in what weight does to these trucks becuase I put the ready lift leveling/lift kit on my truck. All in all, I am not happy with how these coils handle weight. I plan to go and see if a local spring shop can make heavier duty springs for the rear.
I wish i would have bought the 3:92 (I have the 3:55). I have towed similar weight and havent had an issue at all. Bags will def help the sag on the rear end, and 3:92 cant hurt. If you get 3:55 you could always get after market gears, for something better than 3:92. Depends on how often you are going to haul.
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2009 Dodge Ram 1500 CC SLT Big Horn. Airaid Intake, 15% tint, Truck Champ Steps, Magnaflow 18" muffler, De-Badged.... lift soon to come.
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.
Ya I wasn't impressed with the towing quality of the new ram. For towing I wish I still had my 06. I have the 3.92 rear end and I pull a 26 ft toy hauler about 5,000 pounds and pulls no problem except gas mileage is terrible. It is 4-5 less than my 06 with less horsepower??? My .02 cents is I think the rear sways more with coil springs then with leaf springs and I run a stabliazer.
My recomendation would be to adjust the axle position. 850lbs tounge weight on a 7K trailer seems high. You will also need to run a load distributing hitch.
A laramie will likely have 20" rims, with the 3.55 gears you would be over your combined rating. 3.92 would probably clear it, but it would be close. Even with the 3.92, you would probably be over gvw depending on how many people/gear you have in the truck.
I would not buy an '09 Ram 1500 for towing the boat you have described. The coil springs cannot handle that much tongue weight without serious squattage (is that a word?), and there will be too much swaying and wallowing. The 1/2 ton Dodge with coils does not tow as well as other 1/2 ton trucks, and in reality, you should have a 3/4 ton truck for what you are towing.
Power isn't the problem, the Ram 1500 will scoot up any hill faster than almost any other truck, and doesn't overheat doing it. Fuel mileage is poor though. I towed an 18' aluminum auto transport trailer loaded with three full size ATVs and a dirt bike that weighed a total of 3500 lbs this last weeked, and got 8.5 mpg for the whole trip. I have the 5.7 Hemi, with 3.92 gears, and 35" tires.
MOPWR2U
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2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8: May 2009 Vehicle of the Month Winner
2004 Jeep Wrangler Sport: July 2009 Vehicle of the Month Winner
Towing
