Ideal RAM 1500 configurations for towing Escape 5.0TA

[Steveanson]

I'm with David Murphy with his 'ideal' Ram for the 5.0. A Ram Quad Cab with 6'4" bed, 5.7 etorq V8, 33gal tank, 3.21 rear diff, tow package and tow mirrors. This is not to say that other configurations do not work well, because I know that can be quite serviceable. We towed with a crew cab Ram with 25 gal tank for many years with aftermarket extended mirrorw. In my opinion, "ideal" is all in all a more comfortable and relaxed TV. We have the same configuration David described with the addition of 4x4 for sloppy boat ramps and sandy beach travel we encounter. I've had aftermarket extended tow mirrors, and with the incurable vibration they produce, rear vision is marginal at best. The seven or eight gallons of extra fuel is comforting when towing through long empty stretches of our western states. (west Texas can be a grind) The 3.21 diff tows flawlessly, and is more economical. When traveling, for us, it's about room and more room; as a towing owner with the 5'7", our current 6'4" bed has welcome extra space, and as we rarely have anyone but our two small dogs in the back seat, the lost space is not noticed. The factory tow package is well worth the small price they charged. Anyway, just wanted to add my opinion to the discussion. Matt & Pat

[JohnBFlat]

Originally Posted by jhampel

I tow my 2020 5.0 with a 2019 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Crewcab and 5.7 bed. I use a 16K standard 5th wheel hitch. I have the basic Tradesman model with few options but has the tow package with integrated brake controller. Total cargo carrying capacity is 1,560 and trailer towing is 8,600. I personally don't feel you need airbags. I'm not sure if my mirrors are the trailer mirrors or not but I can easily see traffic on both sides of the camper. The truck tows the camper effortlessly and we just finished a 9,000 mile trip. You should consider the EcoDiesel given exceptional gas mileage and range (17 -19 towing and 27 - 29 not towing - both highway). The new Gen 3 diesel in the 2020 models gets even better mileage and more power. Escape told me the 5.0 was designed to be towed by a 1500 series truck. I have plently of turning radius with this set-up.

The diesel gas mileage did catch my eye but read there is more maintenance required. Something about another tank you need to fill up when you gas up, and filters that need to be serviced more often, plus diesel is higher at the pumps. I wondered if it all adds up as a savings if you don’t keep the mileage traveled very high. Perhaps it’s just the unknown that bothers me. I’m looking at a Laramie 3.6L V6. What kind of mileage do those generally get with a 5.0 TA. Wife has to have the power memory seat & wants the rear seat room so its an optioned out version. Eyeing their diesel in this case and Hemi is a code word for “stop & get gas”

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by JohnBFlat

The diesel gas mileage did catch my eye but read there is more maintenance required. Something about another tank you need to fill up when you gas up, and filters that need to be serviced more often, plus diesel is higher at the pumps. I wondered if it all adds up as a savings if you don’t keep the mileage traveled very high. Perhaps it’s just the unknown that bothers me. I’m looking at a Laramie 3.6L V6. What kind of mileage do those generally get with a 5.0 TA. Wife has to have the power memory seat & wants the rear seat room so its an optioned out version. Eyeing their diesel in this case and Hemi is a code word for “stop & get gas”

We own a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie quad cab with the 5.7 liter hemi engine , the 3.92 locking rear end.and a 33 gallon fuel tank . The fuel mileage is more than acceptable and with the 33 gallon fuel tank it’s a long distance between fuel stops . If I fill up in the morning by the time the tank gets low in the afternoon I’ve driven all I want for the day
Ram Forum Z offers a lot of good info on Ram performance
I’ll be honest , I can’t tell you my exact mileage towing or non towing cause I am too lazy to check it and if we are traveling / towing , a 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 MPGs loss isn’t going to make us stay home and park our trailer.

PS ; Ford , Chevy and GMC also make great trucks with competitive fuel numbers

[JohnBFlat]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We own a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie quad cab with the 5.7 liter hemi engine , the 3.92 locking rear end.and a 33 gallon fuel tank . The fuel mileage is more than acceptable and with the 33 gallon fuel tank it’s a long distance between fuel stops . If I fill up in the morning by the time the tank gets low in the afternoon I’ve driven all I want for the day
Ram Forum Z offers a lot of good info on Ram performance
I’ll be honest , I can’t tell you my exact mileage towing or non towing cause I am too lazy to check it and if we are traveling / towing , a 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 MPGs loss isn’t going to make us stay home and park our trailer.

PS ; Ford , Chevy and GMC also make great trucks with competitive fuel numbers

That's the truth. Gas doesn't stop the ride. I'm shopping so that's the time to be looking at best case.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by JohnBFlat

That's the truth. Gas doesn't stop the ride. I'm shopping so that's the time to be looking at best case.

Finding a Ram 1500 in the upper trim levels with a V6 engine on a dealers lot is an impossible task from my experience , so be prepared to factory order and wait
If you want a Ram 1500 with the so called “ Tow Package “ plan on getting the V8 engine , factory brake controller , larger fuel tank , factory receiver hitch , 3.92 locking rear end and some other options I can’t remember.

If I was looking to buy a truck with a V6 engine my first choice would be the Ford F150 with the 3.5 liter eco boost engine

[JohnBFlat]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Finding a Ram 1500 in the upper trim levels with a V6 engine on a dealers lot is an impossible task from my experience , so be prepared to factory order and wait
If you want a Ram 1500 with the so called “ Tow Package “ plan on getting the V8 engine , factory brake controller , larger fuel tank , factory receiver hitch , 3.92 locking rear end and some other options I can’t remember.

Things might be different today. I was able to do a new build with a 3.5L Six Cyclinder, 3.55 axle. add towing & controller with many nice options and a 6'4" bed. That should do the job, but very curious about the new diesel, jhampel mentioned at the top of this thread. It looks quite fantastic but I don't know much about diesel.
Coincidentally last night I found pretty much the same truck I was building new, pre-owned in Jacksonville, 2017 with 19K miles in mint condition asking $31k. Its loaded with options, same power train, & 6'4" bed, so waiting on salesman to text me the door stickers to make sure it has enough payload. Its kind of a no brainer, based on the new cost for essentially the same truck. I can likely get it for $29k

Times may be hard for some people & dealers. There may be more available & flexibility at the dealers. Sales guy says he can do the whole deal over the phone and meet me halfway to test drive. Jacksonville is east coast & I'm west coast.

[cpaharley2008]

I am pleased with my Ram set up, 5.7 hemi with the 3:21 rear, quad cab 4 door 4x4. I also added a ram air hood and CAI which helps the motor breathe better. I can cruise all day around 2000-2500 rpms towing. But I do use mid grade gas.

[JohnBFlat]

Not too shabby towing & payload it seems for a 2017 Laramie, 3.6, 6 Cyl,with 19K miles, mint condition & loaded with most options I can get at around $29-$31K. New one, same options, is $48k-$51k. It doesn't have a trailer bake controller but that's not a tricky add & no heavy duty towing package but this truck looks like enough to handle a 5.0 TA & Anderson aluminum hitch setup. Guessing that I have this right...


Max tow.......................7763
Max Pay Load..............1666
GVWR............................12,900

300 lbs people + 600 lbs gear + 750 lbs tongue wt = 1650lbs

Truck Payload plus Maxed out 5.0 TA= 6,650 lbs with 12,900 GVWR

Anyone go heavier than this or did I miss anything significant here? Looks like this truck can carry plenty for us. We won't load 5.0 to max wt.

[Cogswheel]

These are some views of the 5.0, Andersen Tool Box model and a UWS Fifth Wheel Toolbox mounted to the factory cargo slides.
No problem with cab or tailgate collisions at even 6o degrees

[JohnBFlat]

Thanks 4 pics. Is that a 5.7 bed? I saw similar pics for a 6.5 bed. Great to see the difference.

[Cogswheel]

Yes, it’s a 5’7” bed

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by JohnBFlat

... this truck looks like enough to handle a 5.0 TA & Anderson aluminum hitch setup. Guessing that I have this right...


Max tow.......................7763
Max Pay Load..............1666
GVWR............................12,900

300 lbs people + 600 lbs gear + 750 lbs tongue wt = 1650lbs

... did I miss anything significant here?

Did you include the weight of the Andersen hitch and either rails or under bed ball ("gooseneck") mount, perhaps in "gear"?

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by JohnBFlat

Not too shabby towing & payload it seems for a 2017 Laramie, 3.6, 6 Cyl,with 19K miles, mint condition & loaded with most options I can get at around $29-$31K. New one, same options, is $48k-$51k. It doesn't have a trailer bake controller but that's not a tricky add & no heavy duty towing package but this truck looks like enough to handle a 5.0 TA & Anderson aluminum hitch setup. Guessing that I have this right...


Max tow.......................7763
Max Pay Load..............1666
GVWR............................12,900

300 lbs people + 600 lbs gear + 750 lbs tongue wt = 1650lbs

Truck Payload plus Maxed out 5.0 TA= 6,650 lbs with 12,900 GVWR

Anyone go heavier than this or did I miss anything significant here? Looks like this truck can carry plenty for us. We won't load 5.0 to max wt.

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Did you include the weight of the Andersen hitch and either rails or under bed ball ("gooseneck") mount, perhaps in "gear"?

John, I weighed my rig for payload this past summer, here are my numbers (fyi -we do load fairly heavy in the truck bed)

Pin 806 lbs
Hitch and rails 100 Lbs,
gear in bed of truck 380 lbs
passenger 300 lbs
Total 1586 lbs.

[JohnBFlat]

Are you towing with a V8 or V6?

[glsails]

I'm not sure how relevant this post will be for you but here goes: Downsizing from a 7000# 1999 Airstream Safari and a '99 3/4 ton Ram with Cummins diesel to a 21C Escape. Our new truck, for towing our Escape, is a 1/2 ton Ram.

Initially, I was looking at the Hemi V-8's but I ended up going with the Eco Diesel with 3.21 rear end. If I'd had my choice, I'd have opted for a 3.55 but couldn't find one. I'm not worried about acceleration, even with the 3.21, the truck has plenty of kick. The relatively small 3.0 diesel makes 480 ft/lb of torque and gets unbelievable fuel economy. Diesel maintenance costs are higher - oil and fuel filters alone will cost around $140 USD, plus oil (around $45 worth). I do the oil changes myself so at least I'm not paying for that part. But I think the dealer gets about $250 for an oil change. The interval is 10,000 miles or annually.

This is my first diesel to use Diesel Exhaust Fluid, that 'other' tank that you have to fill. However, it is really not a big deal, you have to fill it once in about 5000 to 8000 miles. The DEF tank capacity is 8 gallons and currently, DEF is about $3.00/gallon if you get it at a pump. Anyway, I've had quite a few diesel vehicles over the years and have learned to appreciate their qualities, especially the torque curves. Diesels are fantastic for towing. Another perk is that I have a commercial fuel card for diesel and can purchase fuel for a bit of a discount (from retail) at any commercial fuel station, adding to the attraction for diesel. I think with a trailer that weighs less than 6000#, this motor should be very good for towing from both power and economy standpoints. I also like that I can use a Biodiesel blend of fuel. This truck and the motor are really smooth and quiet, there is not much clatter from the motor. Definitely one of the more luxurious feeling vehicles I've been in, especially for a truck.

We went with the short bed, 5'7" and the four-door crew cab and love the space in the back seat area. Our dog has plenty of seating ;-) But there is also a lot of room to stow stuff under the rear seat and on the floor and it's the roomiest backseat for passengers I've ever had on any vehicle. I'm looking forward to less truck in tight campgrounds, our previous 3/4 ton had an 8 foot bed plus an extended cab. It was huge and added stress to maneuvering.

I did not want to order a truck and get beat up badly on pricing, so I shopped hard on the internet for a truck in dealer inventory that would have most of what I wanted. I was willing to travel to get something close to my 'dream' truck. With the Bighorn 2 group, we got heated seats and steering wheel and a luxurious (to me) interior. It's not leather but the cloth is actually pretty nice. It came with a class IV receiver and factory trailer brake. The mirrors are heated and electric folding but if I could have, I would have gotten the factory tow mirrors. My experience was that they are tough to find on trucks in dealer inventory. I got a set of Longview mirrors that slip over the factory ones and extend your field of view. I'd rather have factory towing mirrors but the slip on's should be ok.

As others have pointed out, these trucks don't come with a full size spare, although one fits with no mods. I picked up a wheel and tire on ebay. They also don't come with rear wheel well liners(!!) but they are available either mopar or aftermarket. I also added Timbergrove manual airbags, just for a little more bottom out assurance than for hauling too much. Not sure if it was really necessary but I like that if we're getting too much squat, and we're not overloaded, that I can add a little air to get a better stance for the truck. I'm a big fan of paying attention to weight limits and downsizing from the 3/4 ton means being more careful with that. The truck rides incredibly well with the factory coils. We won't get our Escape until March so jury still out on towing with this setup.

I ended up driving almost 200 miles each way to get the truck. The dealer I bought from was in a small city far from a big urban area and had pretty much a no haggle sales program, but the truck was hugely discounted from sticker. I've continued to look casually and haven't found anything even close since I bought. That makes the pain of purchase a little easier to take. I'm really looking forward to having this smaller, less truck-y truck for our new Escape. Anything that makes the towing a bit less stressful should encourage more trips. Good luck with your decision!

[jnfrombigt]

I have a 2015 RAM 1500 crew cab ECODIESEL with the short bed. I use an Andersen hitch with a 4 inch offset ball. I haven't tried a full 90 degree but so far no clearance issues. Got back from Moab a couple of weeks ago and the trailer was attached the entire return trip. I'll try to attach a picture of the trip computer taken when I arrived at my driveway.

[cpaharley2008]

Here is my stats on my last trip to Chilliwack to get my 2019 Escape

[dragontale]

Just got my Ram 1500 truck a couple of days ago, I did a custom build and ordered it from factory, I plan to use the truck to tow Escape 5.0 (expected delivery in March 2021) and drive it for daily commute as well. I ordered Laramie Crew 4x4 with 6'4" bed, 5.7L V8 Hemi engine, with trailer tow group, 3.92 axle, 33 gallon tank, chrome appearance group, bed utility group, Laramie level 1 group. So far I've been very happy with the truck.

The truck has a payload of 1423# and towing capacity of 11,323#. Payload came in a bit lower than I expected, but should be OK. I carefully avoided some options which will reduce payload significantly, I guess those chrome appearance and bedliner added extra 100-200#.

[lojoma4]

Originally Posted by jnfrombigt

I have a 2015 RAM 1500 crew cab ECODIESEL with the short bed. I use an Andersen hitch with a 4 inch offset ball. I haven't tried a full 90 degree but so far no clearance issues. Got back from Moab a couple of weeks ago and the trailer was attached the entire return trip. I'll try to attach a picture of the trip computer taken when I arrived at my driveway.

Are you using the Andersen hitch on rails? If so, did you use a custom bracket kit (like Draw-Tite 58386) to attach to the truck frame? The custom bracket rail kit says to put the rear edge of the rear rail 28 5/8" from the back edge of the truck box...would like to confirm that's a good place for it and that clearances are good in that location. Thanks!

[Jack!]

Originally Posted by dragontale

Just got my Ram 1500 truck a couple of days ago, I did a custom build and ordered it from factory, I plan to use the truck to tow Escape 5.0 (expected delivery in March 2021) and drive it for daily commute as well. I ordered Laramie Crew 4x4 with 6'4" bed, 5.7L V8 Hemi engine, with trailer tow group, 3.92 axle, 33 gallon tank, chrome appearance group, bed utility group, Laramie level 1 group. So far I've been very happy with the truck.

The truck has a payload of 1423# and towing capacity of 11,323#. Payload came in a bit lower than I expected, but should be OK. I carefully avoided some options which will reduce payload significantly, I guess those chrome appearance and bedliner added extra 100-200#.

Suspect it's the 4x4 & crew cab adding the weight. I got the same truck, same options but 4x2, quad cab. Payload is 1786, tow cap 11,610.