I am looking to replace a 2003 Ram with a 5.9 Cumins Diesel with 102K miles with a 2009 Ram with a 5.7 Hemi with 11K miles.
I pull a 27 foot travel trailer in Eastern Nebraska less than 2,000 miles a year average. The trailer weighs around 7,000 lbs., 500 lb tongue weight. I used to tow it with a 99 GMC Suburban with the 350 and it did pretty good. Pulled about 10K miles over 8 years until the rear end started causing problems and that's when I switched to the Diesel.
My question is will the 2009 Ram with a 5.7 Hemi do the job? Will I destroy the rear end?
You can see what truck I have, I tow a 20 ft boat without any problems. I also tow a car trailer, same--no problem. Recently I had a job where I had to haul a Genie Man lift around and that weighed about 7000 lbs, I had no problems. Thats a big load but the truck was great, punch the tow button when driving short distances and when on the highway take the tow off--no problem handling or passing or braking. It's a great truck.
Enjoy your new truck, they have impressed a lot of us.
My Hemi with a 3:55 and 20's pulls my 5300 pound 27 footer EASY! Plus I usually have a 800 pound Harley in the side garage with about 800 pnds. in tongue weight (it's a toy hauler travel trailer). With a proper hitch and stabilizer, it's really effortless.
Compared to your '99 Sub, you won't believe the diff!
For most of the driving I do which does not involve towing, the Hemi with the 3:55 makes most sense - engine is worthy of a sportscar with decent economy.
Well you can bet it will not tow like the diesel. I purchased mine off the lot when the fire sale was on otherwise I would have looked for a truck with lower gears. The 3.55 gear ratio is OK for my use, which is towing a 20’ boat but not sure how well it will tow a heaver load. My previous trucks were F250diesels, which were towing machines but I did not really need that much truck any longer. I really like the Ram with the Hemi – no complaints here.
I traded in my Ram 2500 5.9 diesel for the 2009 Hemi. Its a nice truck but I want my diesel back. Everyday use you will love the hemi. As soon as you hook up your trailer you will find out that you can kick yourself in the butt.
towing 7,000 pounds, get the 3.92 rear end, mileage between 3.55 & 3.92 is not much difference running without towing is close to the same, but, the 3.55 can't pull a hill like the 3.92 when weight is involved
We traded an 08 Hemi, with 3:92, for a 010 Hemi with 3:55. I love the 10, ride, POWER, comfort, but I hate the gears. If you live in Kansas, no hills, you'd be fine. Southern Iowa, has hills. Even out of overdrive, when our boat is hooked on, it shifts all the time. Good luck Doug
I have a 09 with the 3.55's plus a six inch lift and 35's. I pull a 24' cuddy cabin boat. I will agree the gears arent the best for towing. I just put it in auto-stick and dont let it out of 4th. Sucks for gas but pulls like a dream. Although I did used to pull this boat with a 99 Jepp Grand Cherokee with the V8 so I am known for overloading I guess
I have an 04 Hemi 4x4 3.92's I pull a 28' trailer in overdrive. NP about 4500 lbs but when I hook up my 5th wheel there is a big difference. 6800 lbs dry (probably over 75oo lbs loaded) 1200 lb tongue weight. 160 lb genny in the bed. Pulled it to Colorado from Michigan and back. 10MPG in Michigan but once I hit Iowa and the corn juice in the gas, the mileage went south. Didn't do the hills very well with all the downshifting etc. Truck has plenty of power but the 04 tranny has trouble getting into the gear I want. So, pulling a hill in 3rd, drops to 3000 rpm then downshifts to hi 2nd. Then to 1st and 5200 rpms. Gotta slow down and loose your momentum.
If you don't go long distance, and don't drive in mountains you should be fine.
Quick update. I purchased an 2011 Ram QC 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi 3.55 gears. Really happy with the truck, gets around on slick roads very well even without the 4wd turned on. Oh, by the way I kept the diesel for towing the camper ; ) Thanks for all the advice. I may try the Hemi pulling the camper on a couple of our short trips this year just to see how it does. If I don't like it then I only have to drive 25 miles home to get the diesel to pull the camper home!
Run home for the diesel, LOL I love it!! My Colorado trip was just over 2900 miles (up to 9000 feet) and we went to Mt. Rushmore on the way home. Didn't have to run get anything except trailer tires. LOL (Not funny at the time but that is another story) My 1/2 ton Ram is a winner. The 2011 has more Horse Power than mine so you will probably be fine with the 3:55's pulling your trailer.
The Hemi (and really any V-8 gas engine) simply does not have the torque of a Cummins or other diesels (probably around 400 lbs per foot for the Hemi and about 550+ lbs per foot the Cummins - not a small difference by any means). I forgot what the 2009 Hemi has for towing cabilities but if you are looking at the 2500, I am quite sure it would have the needed specs for your travel trailer (check the specs of your potential new truck to be sure). Since I have not read all the other threads closley, at the danger of being repetitive, the other big difference between a diesel and gas when it comes to medium to heavy towing is the MPG. The Hemi will gulp fuel going up hills and under other more strenuous situations at a much faster rate than the diesel (not sure what the average MPG is for the '03 Cummins).
I think you are fine with either truck although I personnaly prefer the diesels for a variety of reasons.
My 09 with 3.92 gears seems to impress me everytime I test it. I have hauled a covered car hauler with a car in it and it pulled REAL strong and many other lighter loads! I feel that the truck would tow anything I would need it to power wise but if I was to throw weight behind it on a regular basis, I would get some airbags to help it in the suspension department......
Just to be clear I have both! Lol I might sell the camper and diesel as a package and buy a smaller lighter camper that the Hemi could pull, but that's a couple of years off.
I have an 09 with the 3.92 gears and I pull a 7200 lb 33 foot bumper pull with about a 750 lb quad in the box. It pulls nice but I would recommend a set of airbags or a timbren kit. I am going to install the timbren kit in the spring as the truck sags pretty bad with all the weight.
I like my cummins, my last one 1995 had 3:5?s pulled great but limited to 65 mph loaded at 23,500# gross,my current ram 1998- -12v has 4:11s no limit on speed with a 35 foot fifthwheel camper at around 14,000#, i ran at both weights with overdrive on [not recomended by the owners manual] but i did it with no problems.
I didn't do this install myself but labor is about half a day. I ordered the parts then found an installer and the total was around $1100-1200 IIRC. The most expensive part was the true trac...$500 or so. You could save a few dollars if you have a different diff in mind. I'm going off memory but my cost estimates should be pretty close.
there is a lot to the install and you want the backlask perfect so the gears don't "whine" when you drive. you can prob Google the install procedures but if you haven't done it before I'd suggest getting someone who has to at least "help" you.
I'm 2wd and used G2 gears. The truetrac is what drove the price up the most but worth every penny. I then capped it all off with a mag hytec diff cover...it holds just over 4 qts now!
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