06 dodge mega cab

[tuffnutz70]

My trailer is a 26ft gooseneck. Should I be ok with a halfton??? It sure would be easier on wallet for gas when not towing!!! The truck I am looking at is an 06 Mega Cab Dodge 4x4 with the 5.7 Hemi. Says its a 1500 on door, but has 8 lug axles??? Never seen 8 lugs on halfton!! Would I be ok with my gooneck on this rig??? Here is a pic of it.

[FreemansXJ]

Tommy, there is no way that is a 1500. I had an 06 Quad cab 1500 with the Hemi...and it didn't sit like that. 06 was the year they went to the IFS front on the 1500's.

As far as the one I had goes, I used it to pull a large trailer, 4 full size ATV's, 4 adults, and several "beverage" coolers to Little Sahara with no problems at all. We even averaged 12 to 14 mpg on one tank.

Here is a pic of my 06 4x4 with the off road package, for height reference..



John

[tuffnutz70]

thats what I thought to as Darrin's halfton looks totally different. But title and door emblems say RAM 1500??? I am Cornfused to say the least!!!!! You would think that a GN trailer would put the weight over the axle...making it easier on truck to pull it VS. having weight on bumper. I know it would probably work as Glen and others use halftons to pull their rigs....I just don't want to mess up a nice truck with owing that much!

[Guest]

I don't know. but I also didn't think that the Hemi had dual exhaust. If so could the previos owner made some mods

[rjh]

I've pulled with a half ton (Trailblazer EXT with 5.3L V8) and 3/4 ton (Suburban with 6.0L V8). They're night and day. The only way I'd pull with the Trailblazer again is if I had no other choice.

The 1/2 ton I own is rated for 7,000 lb with 4.10 gears. I have 3.73 gears, so it's rated for like 5,600 lb. I added a tranny cooler and drive it like a stick, to force the shift points. It works, but it doesn't like to stop so good.

The 3/4 ton Suburban is rated for 9,600 lbs with the 4.10 gears I've got in it, and has a tow mode that widens the shift points and prevents the motor from up-shifting when you've applied the brakes (great for the mountains - lets the engine do a lot of the work on the down-hills).

The Suburban stops on a dime. With the 1/2 ton I feel like I'm being pushed around by the load a fair bit; it needs a LOT more room to stop and I usually have to crank up the brake controller. I have to have the load within about 2" of perfect or the tongue weight is off and it doesn't "feel" right back there.

With the 3/4 ton, I just have to have the Jeep on the trailer and strapped. Doesn't matter if it's all the way forward or all the way in the back - I can't feel a difference, and once you get out on the road you forget it's back there.

If you're looking for something to tow a goosneck (which probably has 7,000# axles), I wouldn't be looking at anything smaller than a 3/4 ton personally.

My little 16' bumper pull is okay on a 1/2 ton, but I doubt yours is rated high enough to pull a 28' goosneck with that much weight (that thing can haul 2 Jeeps)..... I guess if you pulled just the 1 Jeep, but even then you'd be pushing the limits of what the truck is rated for.

[Guest]

You already have a nice tow vehicle. Have you looked into the cost be to put in a Cummins?

I'm looking to do this swap in my Excursion and say see-ya to my V-10.

[Guest]

Sell me your trailer cheap, problem solved.

[Guest]

The 1/2 ton Megacab has the same mechanics as a 3/4 ton truck. I'm not sure why, but my guess is that it was cheaper to use a 3/4 ton truck and call it a 1/2 ton than it was to build a 1/2 ton chassis for the megacab. The 4x4s even got the solid front axle verses the IFS. I saw a thing in JP or some other mag a while back about it.

http://www.allpar.com/reviews/2006/ram-megacab.html

According to this it has an 8,300 lb towing capacity. I don't know what your goose weighs, but my guess is that you're very close to that limit. I know that you "can" set the truck up for a goose ball, but I don't know that I would.

It's probably cheaper to get rid of your goose and use a bumper pull trailer.

[jagular7]

Didn't realize Dodge was mixing different weight designated vehicles together. Would this be sort of a heavy 1/2 ton similar to GMs (mid 80s)?
Check the VIN at a local Dodge dealership as well as the door jam. Is there a carfax on the truck? Was there a straight axle under the front or a independent with a-arms?

Hey, we talked about my 05 F350!! Oh, I guess you would have to trade in the your V10 Ford.

[Guest]

Tommy :timeout: the reason my half ton looks different is because it's a 3/4 CTD!



Even though I am looking for a trailer about twice that length, if your interested we can swap trailers...

[Guest]

Oh and BTW... You lost three cylinders running out of gas? Typical Ford I suppose. :twisted:

[MudinyeriOffroad]

Several things:

1. You will most likely NOT save money on fuel daily driving a 1/2 ton gasser. I get anywhere from 16-18 MPG driving around town on 35" tires. I used to get 17-19 on the original tires. Find me a gasser that can do that ... or even get close enough to make up the relatively small difference in fuel prices these days ... and comfortably tow a heavy gooseneck in stock form.

2. Those may or may not be 8 lug axles on that Dodge. Did you remove the center caps from the wheels? It could just have the 8 lug center caps.

3. If you only tow 3-6 times a year, you might want to do the math to see if it makes sense to rent a tow vehicle and drive an economy car.

[rjh]

...do the math to see if it makes sense to rent a tow vehicle and drive an economy car.

I just had a mental image of Tommy toolin' around in one of those little "smart" cars! :)

[audioguy1]

It's basically the same as the 1500HD offered by GMC and Chevy up to 2004, but I'm with the other guys, you have too much trailer. you'll never get two on there now that you have that XJ with the front bumper hoop coming out so far. Remember what we had to do with your YJ and my XJ and it barely fit. I would say find a diesel so you can pull when you need to, gets better mileage around town, and gives you room to grow in the future so you can actually keep a vehicle longer than two weeks.

[Missourian]

Tommy, if you are going to spend the money... buy the Diesel.

Most "chipped" Dodge Cummings Turbo Diesels are realizing 19-20 MPG. Remember this, you can alway tow less with a diesel but you can never tow MORE (than a diesel) with a gasser.