It's 7k lbs man! Especially if your hill climbing your going to have to rap it up a bit if you ever want to get anywhere. If you don't want to push a couple RPM's and are towing some weight you have the wrong engine in your truck. The only way to get these things out of the hole with that kind of weight is rapping them up to the sweet spot.

 

I need gears, but i'm not to worried about turning the 360 up when needed. Where is the best place to get a bigger trans pan?

 

There are lots of options out there, just kinda depends on what you want. Mag-Hytec makes a great pan, but it is pricey. I have this PML pan and am very happy with it.

http://www.yourcovers.com/transpan_9393.php

If you rock crawl, you will not want an aluminum pan though. Aluminum doesn't bend when a rock hits it, it breaks. Not what you want in a pan in that situation. For towing applications though, alum pans are great because they disperse heat much faster then a steel pan.

Others seem to like the Derale pan that has air cooling tubes running through it (air flows through the tubes as you drive). I think they are cheaper then most alum pans. Mopar actually makes a larger capacity pan too, but i've read over and over again about fitment issues with it.

 

My first thought...upgrade to a smaller camper

Seriously, 7000 lbs is the upper end of practical towing for a 360 gas truck. It is a gasser right? Notice I said practical. Dodge rates 'em for more. Dodge also hopes you'll bring your truck to them for repairs.
Oh you can do...I mean, I've done it. Works great going through the Texas panhandle with a tailwind. Pure unadulterated hell from Phoenix to Albuqerque. Tranny didn't overheat either. It just kept eating gears, starting with the TC lockup, then 2nd, then O.d. But I degress. BTW, my trans didn't overheat until OKC.
I upgraded to an aluminum pan when I had the tranny redone. I already had a shift kit and huge aftermarket cooler with guage.

My tranny still gets warm trying to take off from a dead stop with a U-haul dual axle full of wood. Warm is anything over 180. A/C off. Knuckles turned white. Accelerates like an anemic snail on valium.

If I were to continue the towing big loads madness I would want lower gears to start with. I have all the basic engine bolt ons, and they don't help. It's torque/traction that breaks the load loose and our gas trucks lack it.
SO the only things left are gears, stroker, or Cummins. Some people dream in black and white, others color. I dream in Cummins.

 

Maximum Tow Ratings (trailer weights) from dodgeram.info:

Ram 1500 4x2 Regular Cab
5.2-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,950 lbs
5.9-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,950 lbs

Ram 1500 4x2 Club Cab/Quad Cab
5.2-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,500 lbs
5.9-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,500 lbs

Ram 1500 4x4 Regular Cab
5.2-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,600 lbs
5.9-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,600 lbs

Ram 1500 4x4 Club Cab/Quad Cab
5.2-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,200 lbs
5.9-liter Magnum V8 ---> 7,200 lbs

 

Thanks Jason, and my owners manual concurs.

 

Yeah I thought of that, but the wife said I can't get my new truck until I get her durango. So I am hoping to get it within the next year when we find the one she wants. Then it will be time for my upgrade. Looking at the 2500 4x4 in around the 05' model. I love my body style but the newer one seems to have a little more room. That is why I am looking at a camper close to my max load limit. I just don't want to have to upgrade the camper later. We were going to hold off, but she wants to stay in a camper at some local bike rally's rather than the tent. The pulls are within an hour of my house until I can upgrade the truck. I did get load leveler and sway bars for my truck and have had brakes for a few years now.I pulled one already with the load level and brake controller so I know I am really pushing my limits thats why I am trying to see what I can do to help as much as possible in the next year or two.

 

if you do go sct route dont do 93 or 91 ,under load like that it will most likley ping, unless your geared for it !

also make sure your plenum is good with fresh tune up and a 180 t-stat.

 

I wouldn't spend any money on your truck if you're planning on replacing it. You're throwing money away you can save/spend on an upgraded vehicle.
My suggestions would be to tow in the cooler hours of the day or evening to save your tranny and when traffic is lightest. Don't load down the rig with extra weight. Use a second vehicle to carry that.

 

nevermind