Easy Tow Capacity- Ram 2500/Cummins

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- Chauncey Gardiner
  
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posted
17 years ago

Wed, Jun 28, 2006 7:41 PM

I bought an '06 Ram 2500 Bighorn with the Cummins engine because my

1500 was struggling with a 5500 lb trailer. (Thanks to advice from many of you on this NG.) With the 2500 I can accelerate on 7% grades while pulling this trailer. This is very cool. What a beautiful truck.

Of course, now I want a bigger trailer.

I'm looking at a 30' fifth wheel. Dry weight is 7500- I should be able to keep it well under 9000 loaded. My tow capacity is supposed to be about 12,800.

Does anyone tow such a load with this truck? I want to be able to do those 7% grades *easily.* I've been told one shouldn't go over about

75% of tow capacity so I would still be under that.

I have the 3.73 axle ratio.

Thanks for your help!

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- Mike Simmons
  
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posted
17 years ago

Thu, Jun 29, 2006 12:14 AM

Chauncey, the RV you are considering is about the size of my rig. My CTD hauls it around like it is not even there. Don't sweat it, just hook up and git 'er done.

Mike

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- Greg Surratt
  
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posted
17 years ago

Fri, Jun 30, 2006 10:03 AM

I just completed a trip from Virginia to Illinois and back. Outbound route was I-64 across Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky, I-71 up to I-74 into Illinois. Return route was I-70 across Indiana and Ohio, I-79 down to I-68 in Pennsylvania and Maryland to I-95 and I-64 in Virginia.

I-68 had some pretty impressive pulls 6 and 7% for 5 or 6 miles at a stretch.

The lowest speed I saw was 47 mph.

Tow vehicle is a stock 98.5 24 valve CTD with 3.54 rears and an automatic, 235 hp.

Trailer is a 1989 34.5 foot Nu-Wa Hitchiker fiver.

Scaled weight this trip with full water and fuel was 18,890 lbs., so I figure the trailer was somewhere around 12,200.

Fuel mileage averaged 11.5 at 60 mph.

Your '06 with 9K shouldn't have too much of a problem doing what you ask.

Greg