I need help from someone who knows his in and outs on a ram truck.. I have a auto business i just opened up about 6 months ago and i been using a 83 ram with 3 speed to pull around 1 car and a trailer. But im getting busy and buying a lot more cars and i now need a 2 car trailer and some more ***** to pull it. My price range is no more than $4500, I dont really want a diesel unless i really really need it cause i will still be using a single car trailer more than a 2 car. My idea was to mod this old truck to do so, Box the frame off heavy leaf springs ect ect.. 360 with some mods i figure i need around 350-400hp to pull 8500-10000 lbs, But i would like to ask a expert if my idea is a good one? im thinking i can find a newer EFI ram with a 360 and swap all that out.. i can get wrecked trucks all day so i would save a ton of money if i can mod my 83 ram. Or the 2nt idea, if i cant mod this ram ill sell it and get a 2nt gen ram with EFI but what is the towing cap on that truck. the 5.8 model. And would this truck handle 8-10000 lbs? with some mods?

 

i don't think it would be possible to put a deck on the back of your truck to haul a car. the standard length of most truck boxes is 8 feet and your average car has to be about at least 16 feet. a 360 would be a good engine to put it and keeping it carburated would make it easier to find a good engine out of an old RV which would be already built for dragging something big down the highway. you don't need 350 horse power you need torque or it will feel gutless like some trucks do.

 

Is your Ram a 1/2, 3/4, or 1 ton? Towing is a lot more than the engine really. I'd just buy an early 90s diesel personally. That would be plenty of ***** with no mods. I'd really be careful with frame mods. Not only is towing over your weight illegal, its just not safe, with the brakes and suspension not designed for the extra weight. You can't change your legal weight unless you are a certified rebuilder, which I assume you are not. And in most cases, your insurance will fight covering you if you are far over weight. Its really hard to say what your truck is capable of without knowing what it is, other than the engine. I'd tow 9,000 for sure with a 1 ton that is that old, maybe do it with a 3/4 ton, and definitely not a 1/2 ton.

You are really going to spend a lot of money trying to get the power, and structure up to spec on your truck. You would definitely save a lot of money, and possibly lots of legal fees, just buying a one ton with a 360 (preferably a 1993+ magnum), or with a diesel. And the diesel gets much better fuel mileage, I've heard.