I have a 05 Ram 1500 Quad Cabwith the 4.7 engine. The towing capacity is 6300 pounds with the 3.55 axel, according to Dodge. I am wanting to buy a light weight travel trailer camper that weighs 5800 lbs loaded. This leaves me 500 lbs to spare. Does anyone know if my 4.7 will actually be able to pull this camper ? I willbe usinga weight distribution hitch. I will be pulling the camper about 8 times a year within a 100 mile radius.Thanks..

 

The 3.55 gears are a sorry towing ratio. You'll be OK, but you'll soon look at towing that much weight as a very cumbersome chore. Putting a set of at least 4.10 gears would not only make it quite a bit easier to tow, but will get the rpm's up enough so that your tranny won't constantly be switching gears on you. This mod will not effect mpg's when not towing much (may actually increase around town) and would extend the life of the engine and tranny if you tow a good bit.
If your a 4x2, gears for just the rear are not terribly expensive...

 

dont forget about your fat *** and the wife, plus gas and all the other stuff youll be taking, it adds up, i bring 200-400 pounds of ice down to the coast for just a few days, not to mention how much the beer weighs. while dealer listed limits are always low (lessen risk of lawsuits) youre still gonna be at the limits.

dont know if you really need airbags, what size tire do you currently have?
whens your next tranny change? you ought to put syn in it as well as the next time you do your diff/diffs.
3.55 is a bad gearing, ive driven my buddys 02 and when its on cruise control just about any increase in incline <5% grade will cause it to downshift, i even was drafting behind an 18 wheeler and then went over in the left and it downshifted, i still say it was the wind that caused it. the 4.7 is a weak motor for towing, add in 355's and its just not a good combo. how did you find out they are 3.55? what the seller said or build sheet or did ya count the teeth?

since youre not towing that far a deeper tranny pan and dif cover arent really needed, i dont think a tranny temp sensor is worth it either.

one thing i tell everyone is to look into an E fan, itll free up a lil bit of HP, ive heard up to 20 hp but think thats way too much, but itll keep your engine cooler as well, esp for when you get off the highway and start driving slow just before you turn it off.

Hammer any way to (im sure it can be rigged, just dont know if there are any kits) put in a switch to run your efan for a few minutes after you shut the truck off, i know my moms turbo bug did that automatically, like how our lights can stay on for a few min and then shut off. that way you dont have this hot *** engine that then all of a sudden doesnt get any air flow to it.

 

+1
i tow all the time with my 4.7 w/ 3.55 gears and its a chore but i haven't had the time or money to change to 4.10's

 

Hey Ramitone..My tire size is 245/70/17. Camper dealer told me it does not matter how much weight is in the bed, because the weight is on the axles. My sticker says 3.55 gear/ratio.
Thanks..

zndad

 

I am towing a 6100 lb trailer with the 4.7 & 3.92 gears. The gears bump the capacity to 7300 lbs. The truck is working hard, but getting the job done. MPG is 7-8 with the trailer. The weight distributing hitch, sway bar, and brake controller are a must. Physically, the truck will handle the trailer. The drive line will be abused because of the gear. If you are only camping 8 times per year, switch to the 3.92 gear and buy the camper. Some say the 4.56 gear is a good option. You might ask about that option.

Have fun with the trailer. They are memory makers!

 

well it does matter, you dont want to go over your GVWR Weight limit of your truck, truck weight + all the crap in it + tongue weight from trailer. Does the camper dealer know about how much weight that trailer puts on the tongue?

 

dwoods..what do you tow and how much does it weigh ?

 

Well guys..I just got back from towing my travel trailer 400 miles home with my 4.7L 3.55 gears and it was AWESOME !! My trailer weighes 5.500 # . It got 11 MPG and crusied at 60 MPH turning only 1800 RPM. I am very pleased with my 3.55 gears. I think alot of sh#@ you hear on hear is overkill. The 4.7 is awesome. I had a 5.9L 360 with 4.10 gears before this 4.7Land it SUCKED the gas. I sold it after 3 months. I will take my 4.7L w/3.55 anyday. I LOVE this truck.

zndad..

 

not sure how you accomplished that. i pull my 14x7 enclosed trailer at about 3500lbs with 3.92s and at about 60mph i'm turning 2700 rpm (truck stays in 3rd) and gets 9.5 mpg.