EcoDiesel Max Tow

Quote :

PRESS RELEASE

Ram Announces New EcoDiesel Max Towing Number

2014 Ram 1500 Achieves New Best-in-class Tow Rating for V-6 Gasoline Pickups

- 2014 Ram 1500 with 305 horsepower Pentastar V-6 tows 7,450 lbs., topping all base V-6 engines in the segment

- More robust parking system components inside the exclusive 8-speed transmission allow for greater tow rating

- 3.0-liter EcoDiesel towing capacity rated at 9,200 lbs. - approaching large V-8 capability

- No direct competitor for new Ram 1500 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel with best-in-class fuel economy that will exceed the current title holder, Ram's 3.6-liter V-6 gas engine at 25 MPG

The capability race is far from over. The 2014 Ram 1500 takes top spot in V-6 towing capacity at 7,450 lbs. To reach the best-in-class number, Ram powertrain engineers added a more robust parking gear to the exclusive 8-speed TorqueFlite 8 for a higher capacity rating.

"There was more towing capacity in the V-6 Ram 1500 but we needed to upgrade the transmission to hold the truck and trailer when parked on steep grades," said Mike Cairns - Chief Engineer, Ram Truck. "Now that we're building the transmissions ourselves, the improvements are included in the new assembly. "

Ram also finalized the maximum towing number for the exclusive Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. In a 2WD, two-door, long bed configuration, the new EcoDiesel will tow up to 9,200 lbs. The new diesel engine approaches much larger displacement V-8 towing capability with a small but powerful 3.0-liter V-6 and best-in-class fuel efficiency of better than 25 MPG on the highway.

Source: RAM

That is more than what GM rated my 1 ton with 6.5L TD to tow.

Thats decent. I'd love to see the half ton tow off.

I still think there will be a trade off in the feeling of confidence in how well a half ton handles a load versus any three quarter or one ton. It's hard to qualify the difference with metrics, but more so a feeling traveling at speed and able to still be nimble while towing.

No doubt the Dodge diesel is a major benefit to the half tons powertrain capability for towing and hauling heavy with a half ton.

I am not a 'believer' in the half ton tow ratings from any manufacture. They are generated by the marketing department not the engineering department. My Ram 1500 is rated for 10.5k lbs if I recall. I have a boat that loaded for sea with trailer weights about 7.5k lbs. I towed it from Dallas to Houston last October. The truck didn't overheat, etc. If I where to tow more than the few miles from my bay house to the launch, I would have a 2500.

Charlie in TX wrote:

I am not a 'believer' in the half ton tow ratings from any manufacture. They are generated by the marketing department not the engineering department. My Ram 1500 is rated for 10.5k lbs if I recall. I have a boat that loaded for sea with trailer weights about 7.5k lbs. I towed it from Dallas to Houston last October. The truck didn't overheat, etc. If I where to tow more than the few miles from my bay house to the launch, I would have a 2500.

I agree.

Toyota is probably the closest since they comply with the new standard.

for me, in my mind, anything over 7500, needs more truck. I like a lot of reserve with anything I do

I think the same thought applies for today's 3/4 and 1 ton pickups. The specs have become ridiculous.

Diseasel wrote:

I think the same thought applies for today's 3/4 and 1 ton pickups. The specs have become ridiculous.

Yes, and often the specs change on paper with very little change to the trucks. Just a simple game of 'one-upping' by the manufacturers. Eventually something drastic will happen, a lawsuit will probably follow, and reality will finally hit the spec sheets.

Diseasel wrote:

I think the same thought applies for today's 3/4 and 1 ton pickups. The specs have become ridiculous.

You can get a 1 ton with a gcvw of 33k if you option it out correctly. I have a GCVW of 20k and GVW of 11,500. To me that's basically where a 1 ton should be, with brake, engine, axle, and transmission improvements maybe under 30k... But anymore buy a class 6 truck and do it right.