5.7 HEMI and towing
Professional
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Cumming, GA
For just occasional towing, that truck should be fine. I wouldn't purchase a 2500 or a
diesel just for an "occasional" need to tow the trailer. No need to drive an "overkill" truck everyday just because you tow every-now-and-then. That truck should be fine, as long as you use a trailer brake, WDH, and perhaps some type of load assist, like the Timbren load levelers (I'm getting some). Do the maintenance based upon the "towing/severe" schedule, and call it a day.
diesel just for an "occasional" need to tow the trailer. No need to drive an "overkill" truck everyday just because you tow every-now-and-then. That truck should be fine, as long as you use a trailer brake, WDH, and perhaps some type of load assist, like the Timbren load levelers (I'm getting some). Do the maintenance based upon the "towing/severe" schedule, and call it a day.
Captain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 605
Likes: 1
From: Canada
I tow every summer a 26' 8000pounds plus all the stuff in it and a quad in the box with no problem, that's usually 3000-4000km in 3 days, and i have 35" tires on a 6" lift. I also have airbags and WDH, 4.56 gears and an added tranny cooler. Before that i had 3.55 gears with the same setup and it wasn't that great, the truck would shift lots, but now with the 4.56 it's night and day, truck pulls no problem and i do about 400 kms a tank, which is still pretty horrible but it's a hemi, just gotta make sure i know where the next gas station is and carry some jerry cans in the box lol. For what you need it to do it shouldn't be that bad.
Record Breaker
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 0
From: Rockville, MD (right outside DC)
He has 20 inch tires and he isn't going to be towing it far and on some pretty flat land. That isn't the advertised weight, I actually took it to a truck stop and drove it across the scales. It combined with (don't shoot me) F250 Powerstroke Diesel weighed 14,060. I told him to call the dealer and give them his VIN number so we can get the gear setup, he has the tow package. Do you think they would put the higher gear ratio in with a tow package?
I think with the proper set up your fine. get a distribution hitch if need be. IF these trips are short or several times a year. I killed my 3rd gen 1500 hauling heavy loads (HEAVY LOADS)
Last edited by mdram43; Jan 18, 2012 at 10:26 PM.