Dodge ecoboost

[265bhx]

I have friend wanting to buy a trailer what are you guys towing with these things.
He is looking at towing a dryweight trailer at 5415
Dry hitch weight 610lbs

His payload stickers leave next to nothing for my liking.

The way I look at it by the time he hooks a loaded trailer up he is over. Am I being to anal with him or should he stick to something smaller.

[bikendan]

That's a HORRIBLE payload capacity for a 1/2 ton!
I agree with you.
My current TT has a similar dry hitch weight and my truck has a payload of almost 1400lbs and I'm not happy with how it handles it.

[quicky06]

Heavy diesel takes a way from an already poor payload.

[bikendan]

I have yet to see one with decent payload capacity.

[The_Rhino]

My DW's minivan has more payload than a Ram 1500 TD crew cab...

A year ago I was considering trading-in my 2500 w/5.7 Hemi for something that gets better MPG on my daily commute... The heavier diesel, crew cab (needed for family) & trim upgrades really cut-into the payload on the 1500. I'm sure the TD pulls like crazy but even our 6,500 (empty)/8,000 (loaded) TT has a payload of 1200 once it's loaded w/gear.

For better MPG commuting w/decent payload I narrowed my choices to the F150 EB WITH pricey payload upgrade or a diesel 1 ton (even pricier). After running the numbers I decided to keep my 2500 w/payload of 3,000 & 16-17 mpg commuting (empty). It's paid-off, so not having a monthly payment pays for a LOT of gas... It also allows us to upgrade to a MH sooner...

[tragusa3]

What's with your title? Dodge Ecoboost?

[265bhx]

Originally Posted by tragusa3

What's with your title? Dodge Ecoboost?

Title is baked meant ecodiesel not ecoboost and for some reason it won't let me edit it.

[emm-dee]

Hasn't been Dodge for a long time. It's Ram.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by bikendan

I have yet to see one with decent payload capacity.

The Ram ED is marketed toward soccer dads and air haulers. It's smooth, quiet and economical. The hemi has more power and tow ability.

My hemi Express model has 1490 payload AFTER filling it with fuel and with me sitting in the driver seat (CAT scale #).

[325BH]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

Hasn't been Dodge for a long time. It's Ram.

It's Fiat! LOL.

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

Hasn't been Dodge for a long time. It's Ram.

Dodge, RAM, FCA, all the same. Just a name, same company, same UAW employees, same locations. Different head honcho. Same poor QC I might add....

[265bhx]

Any advice per say I am swinging that he may get a way with something with a 450lb dry hitch weight. Guessing it would approach around 600lbs loaded and keep the cargo to nothing and kids and Wife skinny. Max trailer weight of about 6500 loaded.
Power wise I am guessing it will be okay.

[VernDiesel]

Stacking up weight guestimates from dry tongue weight brochures, occupants, and cargo, toward a payload sticker is an ill & convoluted method to estimate what a TV can safely tow no matter how many people parrot it in these forums. It does not seem to be what engineers intended but unfortunately is now often accepted as a viable method.

A simpler more accurate method is to make sure the TTs GVWR is less than the tow rating of the TV AND then to set up the camp ready TT/TV per mfgs requirements of useing a WDH at preferably a CAT or other triple scale.

Level TV level TT weight placement & redistribution, sets your tongue weight at approximately 12.5 percent of TT weight and will not be above receiver rating, nor will your axles be above rating, nor will your CVWR. Last GVW, actual payload will be seen and is usually the first to be exceeded the key being you will actually know. If you plan to heavily load the TV such as with an ATV in the bed then you will be better suited with a HD.

Note in picking your no sway WDH choose distribution bars that are greater than the max tongue weight. ie a 7,000 wet TT would have a tongue of 875ish you would want at least 1,000 pound bars.

BTW I deliver Airstreams & Forrest River TTs commerically from the manufacturers to dealerships nationwide with an Ecodiesel. I didn't buy the truck initially with this business in mind but since I primarily do Airstreams it has worked well. I have over 300,000 miles on it doing this.

The Avatar and pic are of a 33" Wildcat Maxx that had 3 slides and weighed 9,086. With no sway WDH, axle to frame air bags, load tires & a tune that includes a software driven turbo brake. That TT went 965 miles over the grades up the grapevine and through moderate winds of the high desert safely with no issues.

Like any 1/2 ton properly specked and set up at a scale its more than capable. In fact with good axles weight distribution is often safer than the bub in a 3/4 ton with the same trailer with no WDH who is flying blind ie never seen a scale. People who have "white knuckle" rides were over ratings AND improperly set up often with no scale work and then blame the truck.

Its normally a one time event take your TV & camp ready TT the scales adjust it till you get max weight off the drives and back onto the steers and TT axles and you are done. No need to return unless you radically change your load. And your familys safety has been put first as you will be best setup to survive an accident avoidance maneuver.

[265bhx]

Thanks for the response like I stated earlier the vehicle is not mine nor my choice of tow vehicle. I am running with stickers because I can't scale his truck and or hook it up to the trailer. I am just looking for people with similar setups that have pulled safely and what they are pulling. I want to be able to help a friend make a $34000 purchase that makes sense and he doesn't regret in the future. If it is to much trailer I would want him to swing towards something lighter and safer. I understand setup is half the battle but at one point we shouldn't be pushing things to the limit either.

Once again thanks for your response.

[VernDiesel]

Stickers bad. Reading reply to question good. He has or you can look up his tow capacity online. My ED is 8,800. You can take the TT model in question and the GVWR is listed under specs on the internet.

Follow the simplest possible method to make sure your friend doesn't make a $34,000 error. Or not. BTW Great reliable fuel efficient enjoyable to drive tow vehicle for say GENERALLY a 7,000 pound wet TT and family.




Its always easier & quicker to do it right the first time than to shortcut it and do it over.

[ronheater70]

I'll just say it before someone else does.. he needs a 1 ton Dually diesel..Preferably a 2017 model with at least a tuner and delete done..

In reality, the Eco diesel is good, but is limited by its numbers.. Now if your fine going over those numbers, then no issue.. However there are 1/2 tons out there with nearly 1000K more of available payload, which is typically the deciding factor on a 1/2 ton well before its towing limit.

The engine would also be a deciding factor for me, as I do not own one, but did have the privilege of being in one while hauling a nice big boat to the lake.

420 pounds of torque is nice, but 240 HP isn't these days and trying to speed up to get up an on ramp, especially up hill was partially scary..

[VernDiesel]

Ron I appreciate the humor as some think you need a dually diesel for anything bigger than a golf caddy.

That said you have shown in several threads on several forums that you are not far from that camp. You have admitted on other threads that you have never set up a load on a scale with a WDH even though you own one. That makes all the advise you try to give people in these threads like the blind leading the blind. Not trying to bust your balls but myself and others have tried to put you on the right path before and you always fail to understand.

If you had bothered to take an hour or so at the scale with hitch manufacturer instructions and learn about proper weight redistribution and compare axle weights you would not have had to buy a new truck to compensate for your determination to fly blind.

Your old truck same trailer set up well would do as well at contending with wind gust, semi bow wave, swerving to avoid an accident as your new truck with no anti sway WDH and flying blind so to speak.

Ron a payload sticker does not determine how well a truck can handle a load safely. Axle ratings and CVWR are far more important not that any should be skipped and if you bothered to read and comprehend my above post you would quickly see and prove that to yourself.

HP doesn't take you up a ramp TQ does but more HP with the same torque will climb it faster. You are correct about one thing you don't own and tow with one of these but I do as referenced in the above post which you must not be able to read. And if you didn't read over it you would see the OP specifically asked for advise from someone with experience with this truck.

BTW you can see picture proof in my album. Now I'm off to upstate NY with a Gulfstream then down to AZ with an Airsteam. No I won't break any land towing speed records just 65 comfortably safely and with outstanding economy.

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by VernDiesel

Ron I appreciate the humor as some think you need a dually diesel for anything bigger than a golf caddy.

That said you have shown in several threads on several forums that you are not far from that camp. You have admitted on other threads that you have never set up a load on a scale with a WDH even though you own one. That makes all the advise you try to give people in these threads like the blind leading the blind. Not trying to bust your balls but myself and others have tried to put you on the right path before and you always fail to understand.

If you had bothered to take an hour or so at the scale with hitch manufacturer instructions and learn about proper weight redistribution and compare axle weights you would not have had to buy a new truck to compensate for your determination to fly blind.

Your old truck same trailer set up well would do as well at contending with wind gust, semi bow wave, swerving to avoid an accident as your new truck with no anti sway WDH and flying blind so to speak.

Ron a payload sticker does not determine how well a truck can handle a load safely. Axle ratings and CVWR are far more important not that any should be skipped and if you bothered to read and comprehend my above post you would quickly see and prove that to yourself.

HP doesn't take you up a ramp TQ does but more HP with the same torque will climb it faster. You are correct about one thing you don't own and tow with one of these but I do as referenced in the above post which you must not be able to read. And if you didn't read over it you would see the OP specifically asked for advise from someone with experience with this truck.

BTW you can see picture proof in my album. Now I'm off to upstate NY with a Gulfstream then down to AZ with an Airsteam. No I won't break any land towing speed records just 65 comfortably safely and with outstanding economy.

Ah hell bust away, my feelings dont get hurt on an internet forum!

Scales, scales, scales, that's all everyone says, but for me it was MUCH more simple.. I know the tongue weight of my trailer (weighed that)
Know the weight of the 4 occupants, and know the weight of my hitch setup and accessories (also weighed) .. Subtract all of that from available payload, and I was Over.Now, I can move weight for and aft all over the truck, but the constants remain.I'm Over. Cant pack any different, could take less stuff, but really the only perks going with us was 4 bicyles for the 4 of us and an Axe for splitting wood and a tool kit..Said it Over and over (and 34 times over again) that this was My particular truck.. My Ecoboost had a fairly dismal payload at 1480 lbs..It was optioned up kinda nice, was a crew cab 4x4, etc and did not have any heavy duty towing or payload packages. Now I know other 1/2 tons have payloads in the 1900-2200 range..But Mine didn't.. If it had, I would have certainly kept it, cause I liked the motor a whole hell of a lot more than this 6.4 Hemi I can tell you that!

Again, if someone doesn't mind the limits being over, then it's all a moot point, carry on! There are plenty 1/2 tons with a whole hell of a lot more towing and payload limits than that eco diesel, however if someone is set on the eco diesel, than by all means make it work, get a lighter trailer, etc.. whatever it takes. It's a hell of a truck, comfy quiet, and great on fuel mileage..

BTW, you are correct I don't own one, but have ridden in one with I think about 27K miles or so on it occasionally, so as such the only thing I DID notice was a lack of acceleration where it needed to have it.. I mean sure you can tow a lot of stuff if you add performance upgrades, air bags etc.. But I mean, WHY? ANd For what its worth, you never drove MY truck either with MY camper, funny how your an expert on it though aren't you? And how am I flying blind again? I use a WDH setup and anti sway on the 3/4 ton as well! Clueless much? LOL

FTR, I'd like to know these "SEVERAL" forums i'm on, because if so, someone must be stealing my credentials my good friend, as far as I knew, I was on here, and a ram forum. And in Neither of those where i posted my experience towing did I state for ANYONE to take the rout I did and abandon their 1/2 ton, Actually the opposite was stated if you had, as you say, bothered to read.. I stated that I knew 1/2 tons work well with some folks and loads and by all means if it works for you then carry on! So 2 is several now days huh?? No wonder I am so bad at Math.. And I'm an engineer.. Glad nothing has collapsed yet!

Nice picture though, I remember seeing a Tundra attached to a Space Shuttle.. Yup, sure are some optimistic folks out there!

[Hersbird]

Most average ecodiesel owners get better mpg than the epa sticker, most Hemi owners get worse. I traded my Hemi for a Cummins but what I want is an ecodiesel, they are just over what I want to spend still. Thankfully the Cummins resale is so good I can drive it a few years till the used ecodiesels come down and also prove themselves a little more. My Cummins isn't a magic bulletproof machine as their reputation would lead you to believe but it does have 275000 on it and running strong. Just be ready to drop over $3000 on something like 6 new injectors. For comparison a set of 8 new Hemi injectors will cost less than $1000 but I never hear of them ever needing them. Probably because the rest of the motor gives up before the injectors. Oh and when a common rail Cummins injector does fail it can take out the whole motor pretty quickly if you aren't paying attention.

[VernDiesel]

Back from NY. Ron I'm glad you are using a WDH & with your new truck. Here is what is wrong with what you just described. Lets say your level wet trailer tongue measures a weight of 800 pounds. Now hook up & set your WDH and say it transfers 200 pounds to the front axle & 100 pounds back to the trailer axles. Now only 700 of that 800 pound tongue weight is seen by your truck to count toward your actual GVW (real payload). And far more importantly for both safety & equipment reliability you are not overloading an axle and restoring weight to the steers for better braking & safe handling for accident avoidance etc.

Often people's stacked guesstimates (your method) estimates for them a bigger number than the payload sticker number and they assume they are overweight when they are not. Following the manufacturers numbers method leaves less margin for error and is much more concrete.

The other part often unseen is this. Ok you say the payload sticker on your truck was 1,480 but if the GVWR was say 7,000 and your unloaded truck weighed say 5,450 you actually had 1,550 (naturally that can work the other way as well) and if you relocated the spare to behind the trailer say another 75 without what placing it there would remove from the seen tongue weight. Not saying one always wants to do this merely making the point that he can. Best of luck and enjoy your fam and summer travels.

Hersbird I never thought about the difference in injector price before but like the Hemi, injectors for powering up my Buick Grand National were relatively cheap. Wonder if ED injectors are high like Cummins injectors. At 307k now only diesel related things I've done to my truck was a glow plug & a clogged catalytic converter if that counts.

I do know if the motor failed I would not rebuild it as it's more cost effective to buy a low mileage wreck off car-parts.com. There is usually 20 to 30 to pick from. They just ship it to your shop for a relatively quick day or two swap and it's business as usual.