Hi kids -
I'm thinking of getting a Dodge Ram 1500 Rumble Bee shortbed regularcab with towing package, 4x4, auto trans, and 5.7 hemi (of course). According to web info, that little guy can drag 8700 lbs! I can't really believe that, but.... Would that thing safely pull a Cuda on a trailer without being squirrelly? Or do they only intend for you to pull jetskis and stuff behind shortbox-shortcab trucks? Look how stubby it is! Would it swap ends on me with 4000lbs worth of Hamtramck steel dragging behind?
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/charlieclouser/charger%20pics/rumblebee.jpg
I know that a 2500 quad cab would do the trick, but geez that thing is so huge...
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/charlieclouser/charger%20pics/yellow2500.jpg
It's not like I'm planning on trailering my car (never!) but it would be a shame to buy a truck and have it be too small to pull the Cuda shell to and from media blasting etc... Or drag home another project...
So how small a truck can I get away with? What do y'all use for tugging mopars around?
The pulling power for a Hemi truck is fine, I have no complaints about mine at all. I have a 2004 Ram 1500, Quad Cab, 4x4 with an 8 foot bed, 5.7 Hemi & a 3.92 rear. Up until last year, I had used my 1995 Ford F-150, 4x2, extended cab with a shortbed & a 5.8 Motor with a 3.55 rear. There was no problem pulling with this either, it's a couple of feet shorter, & there was little or no difference with the way the car trailer towed behind it. Maybe with an even shorter wheelbase it would be very noticable.
The Ford has almost 130,000 miles on it & has never let me down. No leaks, no motor or transmission repairs, & unless I'm on a flat highway doing one constant speed, I don't use the overdrive. Same goes with the Dodge. If the transmission is searching for the right gear all the time, take it out of OD. I've pulled different cars on my trailer, complete ones, including 1971 Barracuda & a 1970 Road Runner & both towed with ease. The Dodge has less than 8000 miles & pulls better than the Ford does, but then the Ford is much older, has many more miles, & never had the same HP as the Dodge.
I've also towed a 24 foot camping trailer with both trucks & hardly felt a difference other than the power the Dodge has over the Ford. I use a weight distribution set up with the camping trailer which makes a considerable, & very noticable difference in handling. (It transfers weight from the hitch point to the frames.) I haven't felt the need to use this on the car trailer since it's balanced much differently & has a lower center of Gravity. I may try it at some point, but it'll be a PITA to set up because of the differences in coupler sizes.
EDIT:
One last note, I did tow a much smaller camping trailer with a Nissan Pathfinder years ago. Aside from the V6 struggling a bit on hills, the short wheelbase made for a very bumpy & unstable ride. I would never consider using a small vehicle to tow a heavy load with ever. Both of the pick ups I have, have factory equipped tow packages & not just a receiver bolted to the frame.