Best Towing Rigs For This Trailer - Page 4

aaron_huber · 03-21-2018, 11:37 PM

Also a couple of other cool links for Ram trucks, this is the build sheet, lists everything on the truck when it left the factory, which is handy to check stuff off to make sure everything is still there and working when buying used:

https://www.jeep.com/webselfservice/...RR7GT0ES367523

And here is a direct link to the original window sticker:

https://www.chrysler.com/hostd/windo...RR7GT0ES367523

MarcS · 03-22-2018, 01:47 AM

Nice looking Ram!

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Pbtman · 03-22-2018, 02:03 AM

My 2016 Jeep Wrangler JKU (4-door) is only rated at around 3500#. Of course, that’s with like 370 to say 4.10 gearing. My has 3.36 (I think) which drops it to around 3000#. That ain’t much. Also, it would require an aux trans cooler and a brake controller. Most Wranglers don’t come with any trailer towing packages.
Even with my 18ft flat bed trailer and 4-door Polaris Rzr, I’m right at all that Jeep wants. I tow my travel trailer (5200# dry) with a 2012 Dodge crew cab 4x4 with the 5.9 V-8 Hemi. It has the trailer tow package with built in brake controller. It does great.
If she’s dead set on an suv, I would look at Ford Expedition or something like a Tahoe in the GM like.

**JRTJH** · 03-22-2018, 02:36 AM

Congratulations on the potential for a "new to you" truck. Hopefully your mechanic will find everything as it should be and your search will be over.

Tinner12002 · 03-22-2018, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack65

Decided to go with the Cherry Red 2014 RAM 1500 SLT 4X4 with a 5.7L HEMI, rear ratio of 3.92 and 49K miles on truck. Drove really nice, a LOT of power, looked even better! I'll close the deal after my mechanic goes through it Friday. If there is anything wrong, he will find it. I put a refundable thousand down to hold it depending on my mechanic inspection. If I get it, I'll post lots of pics.

Again, thanks for all your help!

Looks good and should serve your towing needs quite nicely!

jack65 · 03-22-2018, 03:42 AM

Few more pics. One with my wife and I with the trailer we just got and why we needed a bigger rig.
Can't wait to see what my mechanic says.
I trust him totally, if he says move on, I do. He has saved me from grief many times the past 18 years he's been my mechanic.

I would not have looked for a truck like this had it not been for all the help and info I got from you folks. Campers stick together!

My favorite place of all that I camp at every year and what this rig is for:
http://1-4u-computer-graphics.com/Mt...hLake-2017.htm
If your ever in the NW, you MUST go here at least once!

jeff57 · 03-22-2018, 04:44 AM

Nice looking truck! Just an observation and maybe you are going to address this after purchase, but the truck doesn't look like it has a hitch on it. Is that correct or am I missing something?
If there is no hitch, is there a 7-pin wiring harness/receptacle?

jack65 · 03-22-2018, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff57

Nice looking truck! Just an observation and maybe you are going to address this after purchase, but the truck doesn't look like it has a hitch on it. Is that correct or am I missing something?
If there is no hitch, is there a 7-pin wiring harness/receptacle?

Your right. On the options list that is on it, is the wiring hookup for the electric brakes, 7-pin wiring harness/receptacle, Towing package such as tranny oil cooler, towing suspension etc. But no hitch. Part of the deal they're going to put a class IV hitch on it. I forgot to mention that. Nice to know that it wasn't used for any towing wear and tear yet, just pleasure I guess.

jeff57 · 03-22-2018, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack65

Your right. On the options list that is on it, is the wiring hookup for the electric brakes, 7-pin wiring harness/receptacle, Towing package such as tranny oil cooler, towing suspension etc. But no hitch. Part of the deal they're going to put a class IV hitch on it. I forgot to mention that. Nice to know that it wasn't used for any towing wear and tear yet, just pleasure I guess.

Good to hear that you weren't surprised by the no hitch and that you have plans to get a Class IV hitch installed.
Bonus for no hitch, as you said, is that nothing has been towed by this truck yet!

notanlines · 03-22-2018, 06:03 AM

Tell me, does Dodge actually put an option on their truck of "towing package" and not include at least some semblance of a hitch? I would find that peculiar.

MarcS · 03-22-2018, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notanlines

Tell me, does Dodge actually put an option on their truck of "towing package" and not include at least some semblance of a hitch? I would find that peculiar.

+1

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ChuckS · 03-22-2018, 08:24 AM

Really like the red truck a lot. Should be in very good shape with amount of mileage on it.. I also would not be without 4x4 ... but that’s me.. the one time you need it boon docking somewhere and it rains, etc and forest roads get lousy it’s sure nice to have..

Good weigh distribution hitch and that should be a nicely balanced setup that will last a long time..

Really nice pic of the area you mainly go camping at...

If I were to suggest one thing to do with that truck ... if you get it... is to drain the rear differential oil and refill with amsol HD synthetic gear lube.. and I’d have to drain and refill transfer case and front differential as well.. if it were mine..

Lastly with 56K on it a transmission filter and fluid change would be a wise investment toward longevity of the drive train..

jack65 · 03-22-2018, 08:25 AM

Apparently this dealer isn't very honest even though BBB has them at A-
Before having my mechanic look at the truck, I got the carfax (attached) and here is what my mechanic said:

Hello Jack; I am so glad you did a carfax, with the information provided you
can take this truck off your list. With a rebuilt title the value of the truck is
greatly depreciated. When you would go to sell this truck yourself you would
find out how much a branded title affects the value. Rich and I won't even
consider buying a vehicle with a branded title, no resale value. Dick

Besides having a collision, it is rebranded. I'm so disappointed.

When I confronted the owner what my mechanic said, he replied:

Hi Jack,

This is Trent, Larry is out of the office today. I see your concern however you are reading it wrong. Those check marks on the right hand side mean that the vehicle is free of any of those items. I understand how that can look decieving, but 100% that truck has non of those issues.

Thank you,

Trent

**sourdough** · 03-22-2018, 08:47 AM

I was reading the thread and was hoping you had found you a good vehicle and then read the Carfax. I'm sorry about that.

I don't know where they got the rebranded (unless I missed it) but it does say it had a collision.

I don't buy used vehicles so I don't ever see a Carfax but when I traded my 17 Explorer in the dealer pulled a Carfax on it...I guess they suspected I was getting rid of it due to an accident or something although I told them it was literally new. They said it was "clean" and showed me the report. It looked similar to the one in the attachment but nothing at all was on it that I recall.

I hope you find a truck that fits your needs. The 5.7 and 3.92 is a great combo for your trailer. It should have all the power you need. Good luck.

vampress_me · 03-22-2018, 09:07 AM

That really bites to find out, but wow was that a good idea to pull the Carfax. I'm with your mechanic. Walk away from it.

One other thing that I find interesting is that the truck is originally from Canada, and yet they brought it down here to the States to sell. I know I'm a little cynical, but first thought for me what that they were hoping no one could follow what has happened to the truck. We lived in Missoula and Kalispell MT for years, made trips to Seattle, etc. and bought a few used cars during that time. Not a single one that we looked at was brought from Canada. Maybe not so odd, just struck me as weird since I know from experience that sometimes you can re-title a car in a different state to get rid of a salvage title, or at least you used to be able to. That happened well before carfax and we only found out by getting a letter in the mail from Michigan DMV wanting to inform us the car had been totalled in that state. Our state's title said nothing about that.

jack65 · 03-22-2018, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

I was reading the thread and was hoping you had found you a good vehicle and then read the Carfax. I'm sorry about that.

I don't know where they got the rebranded (unless I missed it) but it does say it had a collision.

I don't buy used vehicles so I don't ever see a Carfax but when I traded my 17 Explorer in the dealer pulled a Carfax on it...I guess they suspected I was getting rid of it due to an accident or something although I told them it was literally new. They said it was "clean" and showed me the report. It looked similar to the one in the attachment but nothing at all was on it that I recall.

I hope you find a truck that fits your needs. The 5.7 and 3.92 is a great combo for your trailer. It should have all the power you need. Good luck.

Second paragraph down is the issue, see attached pic, enlarge it.

My Mechanic always gets a carfax first and yesterday when I text to make an appointment for him to look at the truck, he said get the carfax first. So I did. He probably saved me a lot of grief... he has in the past. I trust him.

Gegrad · 03-22-2018, 10:47 AM

Wow, good thing you checked that out first! Since you will be walking from this one, check if you really need 4WD. Not sure of your specific situation or needs, but a 2WD truck will have between a 200-400lb higher payload capacity than an identically equipped 4WD model. Just something to think about.

notanlines · 03-22-2018, 01:01 PM

What Degrad said concerning 4WD. "Just something to think about" The option is not for everyone. We have not been without 4WD on our vehicles in more than 30 years, but that doesn't make it right for every family. Slightly cheaper to buy, slightly higher in trade. Mainly just think about it.

(Am I allowed to gloat here about the trailer hitch?)

jack65 · 03-22-2018, 03:22 PM

OK... what a switch... it's on again! My mechanic read the carfax wrong as he had read the carfax attachment I sent him on his tiny phone and couldn't really see it. The dealer was upset as he had his perfect reputation about to be tarnished, (it's in a small town where everybody, knows everybody) and wanted to clear it up. They had a long talk on the phone, sent some info back and forth via email and then Dick looked at truck and said it was perfect. To clear it up, the Dealer had sent both my mechanic and I a carfax copy of both the Truck and my Ford Edge Limited and they both were the same, (see attachment). I know my Ford had a perfect record. As for the collision listed on truck, there was no detail like most carfax's show and that's because it was minor. Dick, my mechanic could find no trace of any accidents or repaints when he put it on the rack. So, more than likely it was some kind of a parking lot incident.

As for it not having a tow hitch but has the towing package (suspension, engine & trans oil cooling), 7-pin wiring harness/receptacle etc, just missing the hitch. I've notice while looking at other trucks the same thing and maybe the reason for that is the buyer wants to pick his own type of hitch as there are many kinds. Anyways they're putting on a Class IV Hitch for me.

**JRTJH** · 03-22-2018, 04:19 PM

Just a quick explanation of "collision damage and CarFax"....

Our 2015 F250 was less than 3 weeks old, we were camped in the UP on a fishing trip. My DW took the truck to run down the road to pick up some more crickets. When she got back, she tried to back the truck into the space in front of the fifth wheel. She "tapped" the tail gate on the pin box and put a "dime sized dent" in the tail gate. Of course she was "devastated, crying and upset" about denting our new truck. Once we got back home, I went to a collision shop to get an estimate for the repairs. If the insurance had been notified, the CarFax would have shown "collision repair". The cost for the repair was $100 (same as our deductible) so I elected not to file an insurance claim. The repair was completed by inserting a steel bar inside the tail gate and pushing the dent back out to normal location. No paint, no sanding, no "collision repair". but, non the less, a dent repair....

So, our CarFax will show "no collision damage" but had I filed with the insurance, the CarFax would have been required to show "collision repair".

So, even though there may be a "dent or scratch" on that truck, it may be so insignificant that it isn't "really collision repair" rather "parking lot rash repair". If the previous owner filed an insurance claim, then it's required to be annotated on the CarFax. It sounds like that may be the kind of situation that is reflected on your new truck. (just guessing, but.....)

If your mechanic can't find any repair damage, it could easily be one of those "dent repairs" where the insurance company pays to have someone use a set of steel rods to remove parking lot dents from the inside out. It sounds like the deal is back on.

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