Some previous posts on our Long-Term 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 had people commenting on how much it is supposedly sagging in the back with the car trailer attached.
I looked through the photos from my trip between Denver and L.A. (a wrap-up of the trip coming soon), and I honestly don't think it's an issue. First, in terms of actual sag, I feel it's barely perceptible. Certainly it wasn't a dominant aspect of this truck/trailer combo whenever I looked at it during the trip.
More importantly, the amount of supposed sag had no effect on the truck's driving dynamics. Light front-end feel? Nope. Excessive or uncontrolled bounce over bumps? Nope (coil springs were not an issue here). Reduced braking force from lack of weight transfer to the front tires during braking? Not that I could tell. The Ram stopped right now whenever I needed it to.
I'm thinking there's a psychological element here. It's like the super-big wheels on too many cars these days. Do they really improve performance? After a certain point, no, they actually compromise performance even if they supposedly look better.
Same thing here; it might not look as cool as a completely, 100% level truck would look. But is it actually affecting performance? Not as far as I can tell.
Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief
adavis2493 says:
07:42 PM, 07/17/09
The car that I think tends to sag the most is the old Ford Taurus'. I always see them with like 4 people in the backseat with the rear bumper practically touching the ground.
cwc1 says:
07:49 PM, 07/17/09
It is good to see a nice pickup doing what it was designed to do - working.
mopar424 says:
07:51 PM, 07/17/09
most pickups have an upward slope looking jacked up in the back. The Ram is pretty level when unloaded, so of course it will sag some. But do the coils contribute? Saw one towing a large yard equipment trailer, sagging.
cruiserhead1 says:
08:34 PM, 07/17/09
coils are just a different type of spring than leaf. The load rating of the spring is what will effect sag, not type of spring.
of course it will sag a little- it's towing a car! it can be fixed w/ airbags but I totally agree it's 100% pointless and is perfectly fine as is.
That's the bonus of a big pu like this- it can do it all without complaint.
hybris says:
08:40 PM, 07/17/09
As a U-haul employee I hook up a lot trailers to just about everything under the sun. And to be honest it does seem to sag quite a bit maybe not as much as some other trucks I have seen but still considerable.
Then again with the auto transport trailer at empty weighs in 2210 lbs + the weight of the GTO you could say it does have probably the upper limit of what the truck is rated for.
Just thought I put my first two cents here.
ktinsd says:
09:45 PM, 07/17/09
Someone who reads this can't tell the difference between a Pontiac & a Plymouth?
Oh the humanity.....!
It's a GTX ;)
uncanny_man says:
09:55 PM, 07/17/09
It's kinda like body lean on a sports car in the corners: it may not actually affect performance, but the car that handles the twists flat is clearly the one that was meant to be driven in the twisties. Same deal here: it looks like your ram wasn't actually built to tow, even if it is doing just fine.
slickersdrip says:
01:01 AM, 07/18/09
Just me, or does the "face" of the Ram look really downtrodden in this picture?
Considering that this truck will mostly see daily driving and not towing, I'm quite comfortable with the idea that it's rocking the coils for more comfort rather than towing prowess-- so the sag doesn't mean a lot to me. Otherwise I'd be seeking out a 2500 or 3500 for day to day heavy lifting.
dalaw says:
02:57 AM, 07/18/09
I know nothing about towing, but is it possible that the Plymouth be reversed into the trailer? Seems to me that would not sag the Ram as much as you will be moving the Plymouth's front end weight behind the trailer axle.
nomercy346 says:
03:41 AM, 07/18/09
If you reverse the car onto the trailer you may reduce the sagging while at the same time making the whole thing a lot more prone to swaying.
dalaw says:
03:56 AM, 07/18/09
Ah, I get it, makes sense. Thanks.
firstwagon says:
10:33 AM, 07/18/09
If you towed something that heavy often you'd be better off with a 3/4 tonne. As it is though the only problem with a little sag is your headlights are now aiming high. You'll get lots of people flashing their high beams at you.
ahightower says:
07:03 PM, 07/18/09
Well, even if it does still drive fine, it bugs me to see it sag like that. What is the tongue weight on that rig, about 400 lbs? And this is what, only about half of its rated capacity? How would this thing look with a bed full of mulch, or a few heavy pieces of furniture in the bed? Sounds like this is the perfect truck for people who don't really need one. I look forward to more tests throughout the year.
hybris says:
08:27 PM, 07/18/09
"Someone who reads this can't tell the difference between a Pontiac & a Plymouth?
Oh the humanity.....!
It's a GTX ;)"
Forgive me I'm just a starting car guy :)
"Sounds like this is the perfect truck for people who don't really need one. I look forward to more tests throughout the year."
From other reviews and car blogs this seems to be the case with Dodge trucks in general with their more leather than steel approach I'd call it.
firstwagon says:
09:48 AM, 07/19/09
ahightower
The tongue weight should always be at least 10% and I'll bet it's running more here with the nose heavy Mopar.
I'd guess a minimum of 650 lbs and likely more then 800 lbs.
Also remember any weight on the hitch is acting like a level as it's all several feet aft of the rear axle.
canddmeyer says:
01:44 PM, 07/19/09
Many 2009 Ram 1500 owners are adding airbags for heavy towing. It solves the sag and trailer sway.
dodgeboy6 says:
06:33 AM, 07/20/09
If you compare an unloaded ram to the silverado, sierra or f-150, you'll notice that the other three trucks all have the angled to the front look, where the bed is tilted up a little bit higher so its not sitting level as the ram is. on one of the videos ralph gilles said they did this on purpose. when you add weight it'll only sag so much, then after a certain amount of weight, once you add more, it won't sag anymore then it already will
greenpony says:
03:33 PM, 07/20/09
It looks over-burdened. It may not be in actuality, but that's how it looks.