So I got a buddy who’s looking into a Dodge and potentially a 3rd gen. He’s looking to get somethin to tow his boat, which is 15k. I suggested he get a dually since he’ll be bumper pulling that much weight the extra stability and load bearing would help. 

 

Mainly looking for the commonly known issues on the 3rd gens if that’s the route he ends up going. He’s also considering a 2nd gen but I should have that covered pretty well.

 

Anything in particular I should check or look at with him looking to tow that much? 

I heard fuel lines break for no reason, then the whole injectors problem if not caught on time causes a serious damage to engine. They seem to rust away faster than second gen. Nice having four doors and beefier axles. I myself like single rear wheel and would probably skip over 3rd gen and get a 4th. How big is the boat I tow a pretty good size boat few times a year with no problems at all, a lot of it has to do with the trailer how its setup.

 

The boat is around 30 foot and he said it weighed 15k.

An old member here, @cajflynn, towed boats all over the country with his 2nd gen 2500. Some as big you describe. Weight I am not sure of, but he put 1.3 million miles on that truck until somebody hit him and totaled it. @Mopar1973Man has a picture or two somewhere. I pull 15k with mine, but in a 5th wheel set up.

 

 

 

That would be the one.

So what would be the recommendation as far as bumper pulling that much weight? I'm sure the tounge weight is well over the max recommended for the stock hitch on a 2nd or 3rd gen. 

The bumper is not carrying the weight, the receiver hitch mounted to the frame is. I don't know what the stock receiver is rated for, the stickers on mine are long gone. Might be engraved on it some where. There are different classes of receivers with different weight ratings, I don't know much about them however.

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-hitchclasses.aspx

 

Here is a little info on it.

I think the hitch is rated to 10k and tounge weight is 1k but that's off the top of my head so could be off. Either way, 15k is over the weight for that stock hitch if it really is 10k and I'm sure a 15k boat is going to have a pretty heafty tounge weight.

According to the link a class V rated at 20k would do it. 

Yea I've been looking through that link you sent and it looks like theres hitchs that'll go up past the weight!

The tag on my factory hitch looks like this

hitch type                               trailer weight             tongue weight

weight distributing                  10,000 lb.                    1,000 lb.  

weight carrying                         5.000 lb.                      500 lb.

https://www.torklift.com/rv/superhitch/superhitch-magnum

Should just about do it.  As much towing capacity off the bumper as a gooseneck offers.  Airbags recommended.  lol.

Edited April 13, 20187 yr by trreed

You can just hang your truck on the tree after you done power washing it to let the water drip off with that hitch

1 hour ago, trreed said:

https://www.torklift.com/rv/superhitch/superhitch-magnum

Should just about do it.  As much towing capacity off the bumper as a gooseneck offers.  Airbags recommended.  lol.

 

Jesus H! Specs are impressive but $650?! 

Gotta pay to play!

Good thing it’s not my money!

I went through this when looking for a new truck. My criteria was 2006 or older non emissions trucks. 

 

These are my observations from the hunt. 

 

You can get a tonner single rear wheel in 3rd gens. IMO, the 2nd gen 3/4 ton with the camper package is essentially this. You have to find it or a dually.

 

The 3rd gen has the g56.  Swoopy like a 4500 but strong like 5600. 

 

A friend brought his friend over over who was selling his 06 3500 SRW with a G56. I liked it. It had 110,000 on the clock. The 3rd gen seats suck compared to 2nd gens. These were hashed out already for someone who weighs 70lbs less than me. Neighbors truck is the exact same way.

 

CR injectors are way more expensive than 2nd gen. You're looking at 3 grand minimum for stock replacements. And the above posted about injector issues leading to trashed motor, the neighbor is going through this with his 2006 dually with 118k. He let a hard start, crappy idle issue go too long. Which is now a blow by issue that blows the oil cap out of your hand when removing with motor running.  Not good Mav.

 

CP3 pump is cheaper and easier to replace than a vp44. 

 

400 rwhp can be had on a stock 3rd gen truck with a mild tuner. A little more is required with 2nd gen. Although 300+ rear wheel horse and you can tow the world with minimal issues. I did it for a long time with 20k on a gooseneck deck. 

 

Everything needs an upgraded fuel system and filtration.

 

My biggest hangup was that I know the 2nd gen. Its quirks and needs until I started reading here about alternator issues wrecking everything. 

 

But injectors are still cheaper, fuel pump is a wash, the nv4500 has its own issues but doable, NV5600 is good but has it own quirks,  quad v2 will have you set, injectors and chargers are reasonable. 

 

Common rail injectors are expensive. 

 

Just my ramblings.

 

ETA - 2nd gen 3/4 ton lines are timeless. 

Edited April 27, 20186 yr by Ben

It seems you and I think along the same lines @Ben! If I were him I’d go with a 2nd gen as well, I think he wants something more turn key not that the 3rd gens don’t have their issues as you mentioned. We’ll see what happened, I haven’t heard back from him in a while so I think he’s still lookin.

1 minute ago, notlimah said:

It seems you and I think along the same lines @Ben! If I were him I’d go with a 2nd gen as well, I think he wants something more turn key not that the 3rd gens don’t have their issues as you mentioned. We’ll see what happened, I haven’t heard back from him in a while so I think he’s still lookin.

 

Good!

 

It took me 3 months of searching to find the current truck that I paid way too much for. But it was what I wanted and knew. I was home.

 

I almost pulled the trigger on that 3rd gen but my compass/keep from me torching things down neighbor made the comment of "is that what you really want." "Is this miss right or miss right now? " "I think you need to step back and you'll find what you want. You are more comfortable in your old truck."

 

The good thing about where you live is rust freer models than my salt pit state. 

 

Maybe offer to hook up to your buddy's boat with your truck and show him how it does. 

 

Yea I offered but he was reluctant. Maybe he’ll change his mind. While we don’t have the salt worry up here, prices has gone through the roof which is what makes buying these older trucks harder to justify.