Recommendations to Improve Towing Experience with 2003 Ram

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Question:

me and the wife plan on getting lost in the usa, raised our kids now its our time, I have a 03 ram 5.7l hemi 4wd quad cab, 5sp automatic/over drive, factory tow pkg, with a 3 in body lift, it also has after market kandn intake, 180 degree thermostat, jet stage 2 chip,with 130 thousand miles, I dont want to worry about pulling a 5000-6000 lb travel trailer, my budget is 5 grand, not a lot I know, so do I throw it all at tuning up the tranny or half at trans and half at the motor, suspension, cooling system? I hope that you get what Im wanting to do, guidance mainly. thank you in advance, any and all advice/suggestions/opinions are greatly appreciated..

asked by: Jim C

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

It sounds like your truck is pretty well equipped to handle you and your wife's upcoming adventures. To enhance your towing experience and ensure your 2003 Ram has as much fun as you I recommend starting with an aftermarket transmission cooler.

This is a great idea especially on an older truck like yours to not only prolong the life of the transmission but also improve its overall performance when it's pulling a heavy load. The Derale Series 8000 # D13503 is a great option that uses 3/4 inch wide turbulator plates for efficient cooling. The unit measures 11 inches wide, 8-3/4 inches tall, and 7/8 inches deep so it is a good idea to measure the space between your truck's grille and AC condenser core to make sure you have enough room to mount it.

Then to enhance your towing experience and ensure that you and your wife are comfortable in between US landmarks I recommend adding a rear suspension kit. For your Ram and application I really like the Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System # TDR2500CA. These durable jounce-style springs will support the rear axle of your truck to increase stability and level everything out when hooked up to the trailer. These will simply replace the factory bump stops on your Ram and after the initial installation this is a maintenance-free setup.

I have attached an installation video on the 2003 Ram that you can use for reference.

Just these couple items will make a big difference in your towing setup. With any truck I do just recommend taking a look at your copy of the owner's manual to verify that it can handle the weight of your trailer. If you have any other questions along the way please don't hesitate to ask. Happy travels!

expert reply by: Chris R

1

Answer 1

You are on the right track. Since your vehicle had a factory 4-way and you installed a 7-way the brake output circuit has been partially ran on your vehicle. It stops at the connector that is located under the driver's side wheel well. In order…

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Answer 2

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 3

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 4

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 5

According to Blue Ox, it'll take an experienced installer about 4 to 5 hours to complete the installation of their #BX1128 Base Plate Kit on a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The install isn't what I'd call super-difficult, but the installation…

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Answer 6

The #84 spindle is just a common way to identify the spindle dimensions typically used for 3,500 lb axles. So instead of listing out the parts, people can just say they have #84 spindles and it's easier to know what fits it. The CE Smith Trailer…

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Answer 7

It sounds like you are speaking of the wires for the brake magnets. If this is correct, you will need to connect one of the wires to the brake controller output wire on your trailer connector and the other wire will need to be grounded to a clean…

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Answer 8

Hey Andrew! Yes, Furrion does have a Chill Cube model with a heat pump. This was actually just released for aftermarket sale. You will need a complete system to make the switch, new R32 units aren't backwards compatible with old R410A systems.…

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Answer 9

That's a very good question, we tend to be extra cautious and say to use 10 gauge wire because that would be more than enough. When you get into longer trailers that will end up using a lot of wire the heavier gauge wire becomes more necessary.…

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Answer 10

Even though I cannot comment specifically on the grease you used because I am not familiar with it, I can tell you the best grease for trailer bearings is a a grease with a rating of GC-LB, which just means it is made to withstand very high…

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Answer 11

To determine the size of the brake assemblies you need you have to measure the depth and width of the hub drum on the axle like what you see in the picture I attached. The most common size is 2-1/4 inch wide like the #T4071600-500 that you…

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Answer 12

Hi Paul, you’re definitely on the right track here, and I can help you narrow this down with confidence. With your tandem 3,500 lb Dexter axles and 33 inch spacing, both the Dexter EZ Flex part #K71-652-00 and the Lippert Road Armor part #LC53CK are…

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