I've got a 2000 Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4X4. I've added a brake controller and a light set of helper springs. How much weight can I tow with a Gooseneck trailer. It'll mostly be local (less than 50 miles one way). I'm not opposed to adding a tranny cooler or air bags. The truck has 93,xxx miles on it. I'm trying to get away from having to make two trips to haul my antique tractors to the shows, they weigh about 4,500lbs each. I think I may be peeing in the wind here, but I can't/don't wanna have to buy a bigger truck.

 

My truck is 19,000lbs ram2500
but I have the camper suspension, V-10, cooler, hd tranny, dana70 rear etc.
9000 + a 1000 lb trailer I think you will be putting a strain on a 1500 in general.

I don't think I've seen a 1500 or any 1/2 ton with a 5th wheel before..

EDIT...
After readig mercs list I guess I'm down around 12,700....

 

towing and transmission is not these trucks strong points, but you might get by with some occasional towing if you keep the temps down.

your 2000 has the better brakes, so that's one plus. assuming you have an auto, your biggest weak point will be the trans. do you have the tow package with trans cooler? if not you need to put on the biggest cooler you can find.

a buddy of mine bought a 99 1500 that had a gooseneck ball in the bed and had been doing some heavy towing. everything was shot, including wheel bearings, pinion bearing, and transmission.

 

my old man bought his 99 1500 4X2 as a package deal with a 27' fifth wheel travel trailer. Bought it from an older guy who pretty much only used the truck to pull the trailer from here to florida every couple years. The truck still works and drives like a brand new one, only like 120000 KMS on it too. Honestly, you wouldn't know the truck ever pulled a 5th wheeler, it's in that good of shape

 

One area I like to point out to people who want to do a lot of heavy towing with thier 1/2 ton trucks is the rear axle. a major benefit to buying a 3/4 or 1 ton is a full-floating axle... something a 1/2 ton doesnt have.

With the 9.25" axle that is in your truck, all the weight in the bed is resting directly on the axle shafts, then riding on the smaller axle bearings. That can create alot of stress that translates into axle deflection and heat which will eventually cause the bearing to fail, or the axle to fracture.

The "Full-floating" axle, like the Dana 60, 70, 80, etc. that you would find in a 3/4 and 1 ton truck, have a much larger bearing that is mounted on the axle housing. This bearing supports a hub on which the brake drum/rotor and wheel is mounted to. The axle simply transferes power from the differential to the outer hub. No weight is placed on the axle.

This is just one of the many things that seperate 1/2 tons from their Heavy Duty counterparts. Not to mention The frame, Brakes, etc.

All That being said, Many people do successfully tow fifth wheels with a 1/2 ton. I beleive the trick is to just slow down and take it easy. try not to over stress the vehicles vital components

 

You can add all the stuff to the rear of the truck, AAL, Air bags and so on but you must NEVER exceed the vehicles GCVRW (gross combined vehicle weight rating) here is a link that covers all vehicles from 1999 to 2008. www.trailerlife.com/output.cfm?ID=42175

Ram Trucks:
1500 3.9 V-6 3,300b,d
1500 5.2 V-8 5,000d,g
1500 4WD 5.2 V-8 4,650d,g
1500 5.2/5.9 V-8 7,950a/d,b
1500 4WD 5.2 V-8 5,150a,g
1500 4WD 5.2 V-8 7,600a/d,b
1500 4WD 5.9 V-8 7,450a,b,d
1500 Club & Quad Cab 5.2 V-8 4,650g,j
1500 Club & Quad Cab 5.2/5.9 V-8 7,650b,j
1500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.2 V-8 4,300d,g
1500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.2 V-8 4,800a,g
1500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.2/5.9 V-8 7,250b,j
2500 5.9 V-8 8,800f,g
2500 5.9 V-8 8,900b,f
2500 5.9 TD 14,150f,i
2500 5.9 TD 10,200b,d
2500 5.9 TD 12,200b,e
2500 8.0 V-10 13,350f,g
2500 8.0 V-10 13,400b,f
2500 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,350f,g
2500 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,400b,f
2500 4WD 5.9 TD 13,700f,i
2500 4WD 5.9 TD 9,750b,d
2500 4WD 5.9 TD 11,750b,e
2500 4WD 8.0 V-10 12,950f,g
2500 4WD 8.0 V-10 13,000b,f
2500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 V-8 8,500g,f
2500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 V-8 8,600b,f
2500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 TD 13,850f,i
2500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 TD 9,900b,d
2500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 TD 11,900b,e
2500 Club & Quad Cab 8.0 V-10 13,150f,g
2500 Club & Quad Cab 8.0 V-10 13,200b,f
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,050f,g
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,150b,f
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 9,400d,i
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 11,400e,i
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 9,450b,d
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 11,450b,e
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 8.0 V-10 12,650g,f
2500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 8.0 V-10 12,700b,f
3500 5.9 V-8 9,400f,g
3500 5.9 V-8 9,450b,f
3500 5.9 TD 13,900f,i
3500 5.9 TD 9,950b,d
3500 5.9 TD 11,950b,e
3500 8.0 V-10 13,100f,g
3500 8.0 V-10 13,150b,f
3500 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,950f,g
3500 4WD 5.9 V-8 9,000b,f
3500 4WD 5.9 TD 13,450f,i
3500 4WD 5.9 TD 9,450b,d
3500 4WD 5.9 TD 11,450b,e
3500 4WD 8.0 V-10 12,700b/g,f
3500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 V-8 9,100g,f
3500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 V-8 9,200b,f
3500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 TD 13,450f,i
3500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 TD 9,500b,d
3500 Club & Quad Cab 5.9 TD 11,500b,e
3500 Club & Quad Cab 8.0 V-10 12,700f,g
3500 Club & Quad Cab 8.0 V-10 12,750b,f
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,650f,g
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 V-8 8,750b,f
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 13,000d,i
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 12,900e,i
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 9,050b,d
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 5.9 TD 11,050b,e
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 8.0 V-10 12,200g,f
3500 Club & Quad Cab 4WD 8.0 V-10 12,300b

NOTE: Tow ratings over 10,000 pounds are for fifth-wheels
(except vans).
TD = Turbodiesel.
aRequires 3.9:1 axle ratio.
bRequires four-speed automatic overdrive transmission.
cRequires three-speed automatic transmission.
dRequires 3.55:1 axle ratio.
eRequires 4.09/4.10:1 axle ratio.
fRequires either 3.5/3.9/4.09/4.10:1 axle ratio.
gRequires five-speed manual transmission.

 

With out breaking down the stats, 1500 will not hold a 5th wheel, i have two 5th wheel trailers and i have a 89 Ford f350 to pull it. 5th wheels put ALOT more stress on your rearend and suspenion than the typical tongue trailer. if you're hauling horses around then you might get away with it for a short period of time, but anything such as a bobcat or tractor/frontend loader with will break your frame and snap your axle

not to mention your tranny wont handle it for very long.

 

Yeah I'm going to go with the majority here and say that the 1/2 tons are just simply not made for that much stress. If you want to tow 10,000lbs, you'll need to get another truck. It isn't worth dumping all that money into this truck to get it to attempt to be able to pull that well. That's my opinion anyway.

 

did your buddy sell or trade this truck? i ask this question, as I bought a 2000 1500 with a gooseneck ball, two months later the rear end started howling and I had to replace it. had what looked like saw dust in it when i took it part (with 4.56s mind you) just curious if the person/dealer i bought this from new before hand it had problems.

 

The whole point of a 5 wheel/gooseneck is that they put less stress on a truck compared to a bumper pull if they are both the same weight. The bumper pull at the back of the truck makes a lever hence exagerating the effects of the weight while a bed pull puts the weight directly or slightly ahead of the rear axle eliminating the effects of the lever on a bumper pull.

To the OP, I would suggest upgrading to a V10 or diesel 2500 especially if you have hills. The half ton will tow one of those tractors no problem but two is pushing it.