You guys need to chill out. This forum should be about exchanging information. Honest information with enough detail will help lots of us with questions.

I have towed in OD without damage to the transmission in my trucks. Towing in OD depends on the load and conditions. Flat land with a tail wind is OK but with a head wind it is not. A little common sense is what it takes. Also, trailer height makes a BIG difference in terms of towing resistance. Even with little wind, at higher speeds, the resistance of a tall trailer feels like a strong head wind and you either slow down or downshift. So, 4000 LBS trailers are different and do not tow the same (pick the weight - holds for all).

What I have found is that the key is to have the tranny fluid changed regularly. My Ram does not have enough miles on it for that yet, but when I get to about 30K , I will have the fluid flushed. This has worked for me for the last 30 years and I have never been stranded for a blown tranny.

 

If your gas mileage is that horrible, then you must not have the 3.92 ratio. Also, are you using the tow/haul mode? It's not advisable to tow in o/d. I never thought that a 3.55 to 3.92 ratio would be that big of a difference, but it is. I test drove a hemi with 3.55s and 3.92s, both identical trucks besides that. The 3.55 equipped truck was a turd, my anemic 4cyl nissan pickup had a LOT more getup and go. Got in the 3.92 truck, and WOW... I'm sure the difference is even more profound when towing.

 

This is for those who have replied to my plug...This is my first gasser in years, so you are right. I am comparing this truck to my diesels. I find that the motor is a great motor, torque a little on the high RPM side, as diesels are at the very bottom. I do have 3.92 with 20" wheels. I probably need to learn how this truck tows as this was its first time, and we we're running 60-70 MPH, no over drive runs the RPMs through the roof...2800-3500. Still in learn mode as I tow more.

 

That was always my one beef with the hemi (other than that it is ridiculously difficult to do anything aftermarket to)... it seems to be better suited to a car than a truck. I guess if dodge would build a real six speed tranny with super low first and a nice tall OD it would be fine but the motor seems a little strained off the line in a quad cab...

That said it romps on the chevy 5.3 and the ford 5.4 and is a good match to the chevy 6.0 and 6.2...

 

Interesting...

What weight was the trailer & load?

Type of trailer -- RV...enclosed...flatbed???

Headwinds?

Octane rating used?

 

Interesting torque curve graph:

http://www.dodge.com/en/2010/ram_150...ty/powertrain/

The graph scrolls right and left for comparison of 5.7, 4.7

There it is in black and white...the 4.7 pulls better low end torque than the Hemi through 2600 RPM.

It just don't figger !!!!

Can any of you 4.7 guys weigh in with your towing experience?

 

Maybe on paper the 4.7 pulls more low end torque but I purchaed an 09 Ram Hemo with 392's after having a 07 4.7 HO Dakota. Absolutely no comparison when pulling our 28 foot travel trailer. Dakota lacked power at low end high end and every where in the middle compared to the HEMI in my ram. I love my Dakota but it is comparing apples to oranges. I will concede that my Dakota had 355 gears.
Pulling 5600 lb travel trailer I avg 11.6 on 300 mile trip. Coming back with headwind I averaged 9.3. Same trip a few weeks before with Dakota was 9.3 with tailwind.

 

I would say your comparsion is a bit off. I also drove both. A sport with 3.92 and Laramie with 3.55. While I would agree there is a difference it is hardly noticable except to gear heads like us. My wife liked the Laramie better. We tow infrequently. I do know that I have beat many cars and trucks that were much more powerful than your "anemic nissan P/U" in light to light romps. These trucks haul a**!!!

 

I have the Dakota 4.7 HO also: 275HP and 300Torque but with 3.92 gears.
I agree with your assessment of Dakota capability compared to the Hemi Ram but I'm curious how the Gen IV 4.7 at 310HP and 330Torque performs.

Not planning to dump the hemi in favor of a 4.7...just curious.

p.s. I put 4.10 gears in the Dak and it made a world of difference but still no comparison to the Hemi and it has 3.55 gears.