My dad has a 2009 5.7 HEMI, how is the towing with this truck? He is looking to buy a 30 foot travel trailer that weighs 8,800 pounds, can his truck handle it?

 

Need more info. 1500 or 2500, Rear end gears, cab size, tire/wheel size, etc.

Even at the high end for the 1500, I would think 8800lbs is pushing the limits past where I would feel comfortable.

 

1500, 4 door and I don't know the other info you asked for...tire size or rear end gearing.

 

You need to know those pieces of information before the question can be answered. And is the trailer 8800lbs empty or fully loaded? Either way he's pushing into 3/4 territory.

 

depends on how far and much hes pulling it. I pull a 30ft with my 1500, 3.92 gears hemi (of course!) I pull it maybe 300kms a year and its pretty even land, but some major hills. I don't have a problem...Some people claim to have sag problems and sway problems, but I have the WDH hitch set proper and its a very new truck so that could be why. I have the regular stock 20" tires as well. What most guys do is buy a set of air bags, and put load rated E tires on and that usually solves their problems.

If he is going to use it and tow it a lot during the year, its going to put more strain on the 1500 vs how it would on a 2500. However the truck is capable, just will wear out much quicker then a 2500. Specs on these trucks say they are capable of pulling 10500lbs. I think the biggest issue is the payload weight and the fact that the truck has coil suspension. But like I said above there are solutions to that.

 

A properly equipped truck can tow that much but we dont know exactly what he has yet.

 

Thats at the upper end of the tow range for one of these properly equiped trucks as you have other factors. Passengers and anything else your putting in the truck with you. At that weight and the 'other factors' you need a 2500 really. It also needs the right rear gear also. Bet that trailer with clothing,food,water,waste water is more then a 'advertised' 8800LBS. You need more truck!

 

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?

 

Just crawl under it and look at rear axle tagn mine is located between right tire and diff, should have ratio on it as well as on front diff cover if 4x4.

 

To your answer on the gear ratio. YES they would. Tow is not much on a Dodge. Mirrors and hitch and thats about it. It could be a 3.55 geared truck. Thats rated about 1000 lbs less then 3.92. 20 inch tires are not the preferred tow size. 17 is. The 20s make the effective gear even higher. I think 20s make a 3.92 effectively a 3.71? So he has a bunch of facts to find out. First is the real weight of the trailer.