Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone out there has had any experience towing with a 2003 Dodge 2500 w/6 speed, Cummins, 3.73 4x4.  I'm thinking about purchasing a trailer for my boat, which is a 30' Wellcraft with at 10'6"beam that weighs around 11k lbs.  I'm pretty sure the class IV hitch on the Dodge is rated to 12k lbs with a WD hitch and the vehicle is rated to 13.2k lbs.  Does anyone out there have any experiences with a similiar configuration that they would like to share?  My guess would be that boat on trailer would be 13k minimum.  I don't plan on doing a lot of trailering, but I would like to make 1 or 2 road trips a year, probably 70 miles each way.   Any thoughts?

I'm not an expert but I have a Ram 1500. A 26' Boat around8500. The same ClassIV hitch. I have no problem towing, most of the highway I use is flat but there are a couple of good hills and have yet had to down shift.

"By Chance" 73 Marauder

You should be fine, but you'll likely need a wide load permit which should be available through your state.  Just make sure you have good brakes on the trailer.  I tow our boat (13,500 lbs) with a '04 F-250 powerstroke & auto tranny with no problems.  --Garrett

I tow a 12,000 lb boat trailer with a 98 Ram 2500 with ISB Cummins, 5-speed, camper package, and Rancho adjustable shocks.  Works quite well, all over the mountains out here in the West.  Upwards of 33,000 miles towing the boat by now.

Your rig should have no trouble in the low altitude flatlands.  A 3500 SRW would be even better - more like my 2500 with camper package.  You might be able to change the rear springs to make yours equivalent.  If you have not towed anything that heavy, leave lots of room ahead of you, and take it real easy until you get used to it.  Inflate the rear tires and trailer tires to the max.

According to my dealer, no Dodge-installed hitch is rated above Class III, but obviously they could be wrong.  I installed my own.  Make sure you have what you think you do.

I have a 2005 Ram 2500 with the auto trans.  My boat is 28' and a hair under 10k.  It does just fine with that load.

Maybe this info will help, I'm in the process of buying a 2006 Dodge Quad cab, 4x2, 5spd Auto...the option code for a class IV hitch is XFHP, the class IV is an option, and most come with a class III hitch, I don't know if these specs will help, but, regular cab 2500, 4x4, Cummins Diesel, manual transmission is rated at 13200 Maximum, Quad Cab is 12850 for short bed and 12800 for long bed...

I hoped this helped, If you go to the dealer with you VIN number, they might run a VIP Summary Report for your truck, which will list every option your truck came with from the factory..

..if you have a truck stop with scales nearby, you could always stop by when fully loaded and verify your weight also...

By the way, I was towing my Wellcraft 240 Coastal, loaded up and ready to go it weighed in at 5950#, approximately 225 miles round trip with my 2002 Dodge Quad Cab, 4.7L, Auto trans...surprisingly the 4.7L barely strained...but I decided not to kill it so I'm buying a 2500 to be sure I'm not left on the side of the road...

Also be sure the Ball for the hitch is the right weight class. Most of the ones in the stores only go up to one inch shaft. Some auto parts carry the 1 1/8 or 1 3/16.

And that your tongue weight is at least 8%, maybe better 10% or more of total trailer weight.

Thanks for the tips everybody.  Anyone know if there is a 15k rated class V hitch available?  Any opinions on whether or not it is worth the time to upgrade from the Class IV to the Class V?  Any opinions on WD hitches and where to buy them?

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

Having just bought the 06 Ram 2500 quad cab, the brochure claims a class V hitch as 5th wheel or goosneck ball only...

If anybody has any other info, please help here...if you can, run to the Dodge Dealer and get the info first hand, but they didn't seem too imformed when I was buying mine, had to do most of the investigation myself...I think the Dodge webpage has towing info there too...Good luck in your search....have you thought about having the Boat & trailer wieghed at a weighscale yet? That way you will have NO Doubt!

Rob

 

 

Class V doesn't really exist according to the standards, so it means whatever the seller wants it to mean.  Class IV is loosely defined, so you need to do some careful shopping.  I did a lot of research and finally found a "true Class IV" hitch from Valley.  Many places called a hitch "Class IV" because it could support 10k with weight distribution, which is really just a Class III with WD then.  Some places even said there is no such thing as a real class IV and that just means Class III with WD.

I bought a Class IV from Valley which is rated 10k/1k dead weight and 12k/1.2k with weight distribution.  I found one other that was 14k rated, I think even for dead weight, but it was VERY expensive.  Mine was around $150 at a local 4x4 shop.  I've been using it on my 2005 2500 TD with a load just under 10k dead weight, with excellent results.

Do you have surge or electric brakes?  With surge, your WD setup has to be adjusted exactly right or you will lose braking effectiveness.