Can You Flat Tow A Ram 1500?

The Ram 1500 is a practical large-sized pickup truck with a good amount of power and torque, along with ample space for your friends and family and their cargo. It's a great choice to take along with your motorhome on a trip as a second vehicle to visit a nearby place. But, the question remains, can it be flat towed? We have provided a detailed answer below to help you out in this situation.

The ability for the Ram 1500 to be flat towed depends on whether you own the two-wheel or the four-wheel-drive model. According to Ram, you can only flat tow the four-wheel-drive models safely without damaging any components. The two-wheel-drive model can only be dolly-towed with its rear wheels off the ground. You can also flatbed tow both of these trucks safely.  

Flat towing is the preferable choice by most people due to its ease of deployment and its stability on the road. You can deploy a flat tow configuration in as little as 5 minutes if all the necessary hardware installation is on the vehicle. However, if you are specifically looking for a vehicle that can be flat towed behind a motorhome, then the four-wheel-drive model is the way to go. Read on as we discuss the different ways on how to tow the Ram 1500.

Can You Flat Tow A Ram 1500?

The Ram 1500 is a popular vehicle because of its smooth ride and powerful performance. It is precisely why motorhome owners like to bring it along on their trips for those reasons alone. However, there are certain specifications when it comes to towing the Ram 1500. That's why we have laid out the different ways you can tow the popular half-ton truck.

Flat Towing

What is flat towing? Flat towing is the method of towing a vehicle with all four of its wheels on the ground. It is also sometimes called dinghy towing.

Flat towing is possible and an easy way to tow the Ram 1500 4wd models, but it requires installing some towing equipment first to help attach your truck to the motorhome. You will need a strong base plate for your truck that attaches to your truck's chassis on the front end that mounts to a suitable tow bar attached to the rear of your motor home.

In addition, it is wise to consider attaching safety chains to secure the connection between the two vehicles. You would also need some electronic equipment to control the brake lamps of your truck and make them in sync with the motor home. Finally, a supplemental braking system would also require the truck to apply the truck's brake as the motorhome brakes in proportion.

After installing the necessary equipment for towing, you would need to follow the correct procedure to flat tow your truck:

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop on level ground, with the engine running. Apply the parking brake.
2. Press and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. The driver's door must be closed (or the driver's seat belt buckled) so that the transmission will remain in NEUTRAL when the brake pedal is released. NOTE: If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
4. Using a ballpoint pen or similar object, push and hold the recessed transfer case N (Neutral) button (at the center of the transfer case switches). The N (Neutral) indicator light will illuminate and remain lit when the N (Neutral) shift is complete. After the shift is completed and the N (Neutral) light stays on, release the N (Neutral) button.
5. Release the parking brake.
6. Shift the transmission into REVERSE.
7. Release the brake pedal for five seconds and ensure that there is no vehicle movement.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the transmission in DRIVE.
9. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL. Apply the parking brake. Turn off the engine. For vehicles with Keyless Enter-N-Go, push and hold the ENGINE START/STOP button until the engine shuts off. The transmission will automatically select PARK when the engine is turned off.
10. Turn the ignition off.
11. Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle using a suitable tow bar.
12. Turn the ignition to the ON/RUN mode, but do not start the engine.
13. Release the parking brake.
14. Turn the ignition OFF.

Dolly Towing

Dolly towing is the method of lifting your vehicle's front or rear two wheels on a dolly platform, which is hard mounted to the towing vehicle.

You can only dolly tow the 2wd model of the Ram truck only with the rear wheels off the ground. Therefore, you would need a wide enough dolly that would be able to take the rear two wheels of your truck and secure them safely. Also, make sure the Dolly is capable of carrying the weight of your big truck, whose curb weight ranges from 4800-5200 lbs. You would also need to ensure that the Dolly configures with the brakes that connect to your primary vehicle's brakes.

After securing all the necessary equipment, you would need to follow the following steps to securely Dolly tow your 2wd RAM 1500:

1. If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
2. Properly secure the Dolly to the tow vehicle, following the dolly manufacturer's instructions.
3. Drive the rear wheels onto the tow dolly.
4. Apply the parking brake. Place the transmission in PARK.
5. Properly secure the rear wheels to the Dolly, following the dolly manufacturer's instructions.
6. Turn the ignition OFF.
7. Install a suitable clamping device designed for towing to secure the front wheels in the straight position.

Flat Bed Towing

Flatbed towing is the procedure of towing your vehicle with all four wheels on a trailer that is being pulled by the towing vehicle.

Both the two and four-wheel drive models of the RAM 1500 can be flatbed towed safely. It requires a wide enough flatbed trailer to accommodate your truck's dimension and weight. Here are the instructions to safely flatbed tow your Ram truck:

1. If the vehicle is equipped with air suspension, ensure the vehicle is set to Normal Ride Height.
2. Properly secure the flat trailer to the tow vehicle, following the trailer manufacturer's instructions.
3. Drive the truck onto the trailer by lowering it down, according to the instructions from the trailer manufacturer.
4. Apply the parking brake and place the transmission in PARK.
5. Properly secure all four wheels to the trailer, following the dolly manufacturer's instructions.
6. Turn the ignition OFF.

Can You Tow A Ram 1500 Behind A Motorhome?

Yes, you can flat two a RAM 1500 behind a motorhome. Three different configurations are depending on the configuration of your truck. Four-wheel drive RAM 1500 can only be flat towed or flatbed towed behind a motorhome. The two-wheel-drive RAM 1500 can only be Dolly towed with the rear wheels off the ground or flatbed towing.

Can A 2018 Ram 1500 Be Flat Towed?

Only the four-wheel-drive model of the 2018 RAM 1500 can be flat towed for the vehicle. A detailed procedure to flat-tow a four-wheel-drive RAM 1500 is mentioned above.

What's The Best Vehicle To Tow Behind A Motorhome?

There is no single vehicle that is best to tow behind a motorhome for everyone. It depends on whether the vehicle serves your purpose and is safe for towing behind the motorhome. So as long as your concerned vehicle can be safely towed and does the job, it is the best vehicle for you to tow behind your motorhome.

In Closing

Only the four-wheel-drive models of the RAM 1500 truck can be flat towed behind a motorhome, whereas the two-wheel-drive models can only be Dolly or flatbed towed. Before towing any vehicle, you should refer to the vehicles owner manual to get detailed instructions regarding the topic. If flat towing is possible, you should prefer it, as it offers the most stability and allows easy installation than the rest solutions.

If you enjoyed this article on how to tow a Ram 1500, you might also like:

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