Ram 1500 3.6 lower tow capacity than mid size - what gives?

[avacado11]

Looking at a couple of 2016-2019 Ram 1500 and 1500 Classics with the 3.6 Pentastar. Can get a relatively low mileage truck for $20k.

I was mistaken thinking the 3.6 equipped with factory tow package came with 3.55 axle ratio. Apparently it’s a standalone option and it has been near impossible to find a used 3.6 truck with 3.55

Now a Nissan Frontier with 3.31(4wd) and 3.13(2wd) both are rated for a little over 6000lb.
A Ram 1500 Hemi with 3.21 is rated for 8000lb.
Pentastar 3.21 is rated for 4400lb.
Pentastar with 3.55 is rated for 7300lb.
What gives? Is it strictly from a longevity standpoint?

From my understanding the 3.6 trucks are exactly the same(brakes, transmission, suspension, chassis) it’s just the gears that allow it to pull nearly double the weight.

99% of my towing is under 4400lb so I’m good there. I just want the ability to pull a car hauler 6-7k tops. Few hours distance or less. Not gonna be a normal occurrence maybe once every couple years when I decide I want a project car.

I’d really like a 3.6 Pentastar for the fuel economy around town. Don’t mind going with a V8 if I have to. Ford 2.7 and 3.5 are on the list too but they cost more.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

Not sure if I'd prefer the Pentastar, look at the cost of doing simple stuff like serpentine belt or spark plug replacement. I have a '13 JKU with the Pentastar and I'm likely going to pony up and pay a shop to do this maintenance.

 

[JTK]

It's a good question and it's been kicked around for years.

My brother owns a 2019 Ram 1500 quad cab 4x4 pentastar with the 3.55 gears. I forget the exact number, but the 3.55 option was about $100 on the window sticker. The dealer he bought it from just happened to have 2-3 of them on the lot at the time.

I owned a 2017 with the 3.21s at the time. The million dollar question has always been why the ~4400lbs vs ~7300 difference. There's no difference in hardware between the two. Just the axle gearing.

 

[demarpaint]

I wonder why they don't offer it with a 3.73. IMO a 3.73 would be a better option for towing than a 3.55, and still get decent mpg when not towing.

 

[nwjones18]

Axle ratio was the difference between 7k and 10k rating with the hemi in 2016. I don't think you'll have any problems pulling the occasional car trailer must keep it in 6th gear or so. I always thought the huge differences between ratio's were interesting, especially with the 8spd auto that essentially has a granny 1st gear.

My 2016 Hemi with 3.92 gears pulls my tractor/22ft equipment trailer with ease and that's roughly 7-8k lbs. I've only driven a Ram with the 3.6 for a week as a rental and I thought it had plenty of power, but I'm sure you'd notice on hills with a trailer.

 

[JTK]

I wonder why they don't offer it with a 3.73. IMO a 3.73 would be a better option for towing than a 3.55, and still get decent mpg when not towing.

It is pretty odd. Fuel economy is so close between the two, it difficult to see a difference. I've driven my brother's with the 3.55s and it felt no different than mine with the 3.21s. I don't own my 2017 anymore. I think he's got about 80K miles on his 2019. All he's had to do was a ball joint at this point other than tires, brakes and normal maintenance. His oil filter/cooler is still OEM yet. A pentastar Ram 1500 classic really is a gem IMO.

 

[supton]

Seemed odd to me also. I'm 93% sure that the Hemi would be preventing full torque in 1st gear; the much less torque Pentastar might not have torque limiting but perhaps there was a fear of the smaller ring not handling the torque thrown at it? but 3.21 to 3.55, I can't imagine there being that much more metal... I could be wrong, maybe there is a much bigger difference in pinion size, and more importantly, ring thickness. If the diff carrier is not the same part, perhaps the ring gear really is that much stronger. But if that swag is true, then the Hemi with 3.21's would have the same tow limit too. Unless if the rear end is different altogether... need a parts catalog here.

I'm kinda of the mind that, unless if brakes and springs are different, then you're unlikely to kill a bussload full of nuns going a bit over the rating.

 

[Dr_Dr3i]

My EcoD has the 3.21 ratio rear axle as well, and it's for fuel economy purposes basically. You can better towing capacity with higher rear ratio but as others have stated, you could also just use a lower gear if need be.

Don't forget that tow and payload ratings depend also on the level of equipment in the truck; the nicer the materials and more options loaded on, the lower your tow and payload ratings.

For comparison purposes, my Big Horn has max tow rating of 8,113 lbs and 1,745 lbs payload.

 

[cptbarkey]

Probably marketing asked for the de-rating if what you say is true. Its probably still cursed with the dodge droopy butt when towing so take that into account with a weight distribution hitch,an electric brake controller and a lightweight engine doesn't do you favors with front end ballast. Get something to monitor your transmission temps if there are pids available.

 

[Slick3914]

I wish they offered the Hemi with 3.55s in 2018 when I bought mine.

 

[Danno]

FWIW, I went through 2 Ram Classic factory builds. One with 3.21 axle and one with 3.55 axle. Only difference was the 3.21 had a Class III bumper mount hitch, the 3.55 had a Class IV hitch - no detail on mounting method. Same transmission option code, same oil cooler, same transmission cooler.

 

[panthermike]

I've always found that odd as well. I understand the 3.55 being rated higher, but it is very significant. From what I've read though, the Rams w/ the Pentastar are a bit anemic with some weight behind them. But if you're under that 4400 pounds mostly, should be just fine.

 

[02SE]

It's rated the way it is, because that is the weight it can handle, while meeting the SAE J2807 towing standard.

 

[avacado11]

My EcoD has the 3.21 ratio rear axle as well, and it's for fuel economy purposes basically. You can better towing capacity with higher rear ratio but as others have stated, you could also just use a lower gear if need be.

Don't forget that tow and payload ratings depend also on the level of equipment in the truck; the nicer the materials and more options loaded on, the lower your tow and payload ratings.

For comparison purposes, my Big Horn has max tow rating of 8,113 lbs and 1,745 lbs payload.

I’m looking at Big Horn quad cab 4x4s nothing too crazy in features. Brochure listing 1700 payload and 4400 tow with 3.21. It’s crazy how high it is relative to my 14 F150 extended cab 5.0 V8 with 3.55 gears. A 3.55 Pentastar combo is within 200-300 of my F150. All that with 2 less cylinders and down about 80 or so HP/torque.

 

[avacado11]

FWIW, I went through 2 Ram Classic factory builds. One with 3.21 axle and one with 3.55 axle. Only difference was the 3.21 had a Class III bumper mount hitch, the 3.55 had a Class IV hitch - no detail on mounting method. Same transmission option code, same oil cooler, same transmission cooler.

Maybe the low rating due to the bumper mount hitch that comes standard on the trucks and FCA never bothered to note it on the spec sheet. There doesn’t seem to be any literature saying it is or isn’t.

tongue eating on 4400# would likely be 440lb which seems about max for a bumper hitch? Or is that too being generous?

 

[avacado11]

I've always found that odd as well. I understand the 3.55 being rated higher, but it is very significant. From what I've read though, the Rams w/ the Pentastar are a bit anemic with some weight behind them. But if you're under that 4400 pounds mostly, should be just fine.

Occasionally I drive a Ram 1500 Classic 3.6 at work. It’s got about 1300lb loaded in the back and yes the truck is anemic. It does move alright once you are up near redline, but stop n go traffic is torture. If it had a more responsive pedal it’d be ok just seems like it requires a lot of throttle input to get going. Plus the rear coils are abit soft under load so lots of body movement on the ride. More so than a traditional leaf spring set up.

Despite the short comings I think it’s a decent rig for the money. Don’t really care for the GM 8 speeds so lot of the $20k Silverados are out of the picture. May go for an Aluminum F150 if I can get the 3.5 Eco.

 

[meep]

I thought the tow rating was due to the coil sprung rear suspension. The RAM leads the pack in ride quality due to the rear axle suspension setup but as a result is too soft or compliant for handling a load. Nothing beats the leaf springs wagon ride for heavier loads or towing stability. But the rest of the time when the bed is mostly empty, leafs aren’t as compliant as coils.

 

[hemioiler]

The J2807 standard has tests for acceleration. 0 to 15 or 0 to 30 etc. This is the only reason a pentastar has less tow rating than a hemi, because the engine makes less torque therefore takes longer to hit 30 mph.

The rest of the truck is the same in terms of suspension, braking, wheelbase etc.

Does the Frontier you're looking at rate their trucks using J2807? If not, then the tow ratings are just "throwing darts at a wall" and you can't compare the Frontier vs the Ram.

Only trucks rated using J2807 can be directly compared.

The pentastar in a heavy half ton with a 3.21 is not going to be no speed demon vs a lighter/smaller Frontier.

 

[hemioiler]

I thought the tow rating was due to the coil sprung rear suspension. The RAM leads the pack in ride quality due to the rear axle suspension setup but as a result is too soft or compliant for handling a load. Nothing beats the leaf springs wagon ride for heavier loads or towing stability. But the rest of the time when the bed is mostly empty, leafs aren’t as compliant as coils.

The coil suspension is widely misunderstood, and has no bearing whatsoever on tow rating. In the current gen rams, they are progressive springs, meaning, they compress fast at the beginning, but as you compress they get harder and harder to do that. This gives you that supple ride unloaded, while giving you the firm suspension while towing.

If you check out Truck King on YT, they have done weight tests. Drop 1000 pounds in the bed of a Ram vs a Ford/Chevy, they all squat the same amount (about 2 inches).

 

[nwjones18]

I thought the tow rating was due to the coil sprung rear suspension. The RAM leads the pack in ride quality due to the rear axle suspension setup but as a result is too soft or compliant for handling a load. Nothing beats the leaf springs wagon ride for heavier loads or towing stability. But the rest of the time when the bed is mostly empty, leafs aren’t as compliant as coils.

My truck has same coil springs and is rated to tow over 10k.. payload rating is only 1150 though. I’ve got a set of airlift 1000 bags and that keeps it from squatting