Hello Folks, just found the fourm and had a few questions. I have a 79 D150 Custom with a newly rebuilt 318, (ho oil pump, ballanced crank, RV cam) , Mopar "Orange" ingation, Accel high output coil, upgraded chargeing system, removed melt **** amp meter, still has 2bl carb, it has the NP435 granny trans, and the posi 9 3/4 dodge rear end"(not shure what ratio), 32in tires, 3in exgaust with high flow cat and muffler.
I would like to use truck to pull a 15ft travel trailer, Im not shure of the trailers weight yet it is being given to me and havent picked it up yet. What if any mods should I look at doing to my truck to pull a trailer of this size and a fully loaded truck bed(ATC, tools, extra fuel) I currently have a heavy duty bumper mounted ball, and stock rear leafs. Should I look at upgradeing to a class 3 frame mounted hitch? Helper springs ( I have had over 3000lbs of roofing material in bed with no issues)? Lastly how good are the stock rear drum brakes and front disks for towing? I found the site searching for a rear disk upgrade as I need to replace most of the breaking parts on driver side currently(spring broke destroying drum, piston, pads exct.....)

Thanks for any help, and sorry for so many questions on first post

 

Payload on your 1/2 ton is probably in the 1600-2000 pound range, so with the 3000 lbs of roofing materials in there I'm betting that you're over loaded, unless somebody swapped 3/4 ton springs under there. The payload on my 86 heavy duty 3/4-ton (8510 gross) is about 3500 lbs.

Figure out how much that trailer weighs. You're probably safe to about 6000 lbs, but certainly not with a bumper mount ball. Definitely get a frame mount receiver hitch. While you're at it, get an electric brake controller and make sure your trailer has working brakes.

What size drums do you have? I've got 12x3" on my Ram and they're fine. Drums are better for emergency brake holding power (parking on hills?).

 

I have the 11x2.5 reardrums on my truck and for the weight its a odd-ball, Its a 5/8ton. The truck is a D150 Custom camper package so it has a mix of 1/2 and 3/4ton parts, and it also came from arizona so I have fed emisions, thats a pain in the butt here in CA since I had to replace a one grove pully with a 2 grove and the smog guy alwase asks about the smog pump and why its not there after seeing a grove on the pully, yet they never see the tag that says federal emissions.......
Any How I think I have the 3/4ton leafs on the back and Iknow I have 1 ton coils on the front as I broke a stock spring and replaced them with 1 ton for a little lift.

I dident think about adding electric brakes on the trailer, that would be a good idea anyhow incase the trailer came loose as dont the electric brake units apply the breaks if the pull away cable is pulled? And the fact that it would take the breaking load off the truck. Thanks Again, Steve

 

Trailer brakes are a great invention. You can also energize just the trailer brakes if it should start swaying, causing the trailer to get back in line.

Try going through smog or getting exhaust work done without a Cat. Since mine's a "Heavy Duty" it didn't come with one from the factory, even though it's an 86.