Community Forums

wah864 · 11-13-2011, 03:54 PM

Has anyone had experience towing a Ram 1500? 4X4 with the electric neutral switch. The book says you can do it, but before I trade my HHR let me know what to expect.

macnkat · 11-14-2011, 07:29 PM

I haven't done it, but my neighbor does. No problem.

MDPD · 11-18-2011, 09:23 AM

I tow a 2011 Dodge Dakota, 4x4, 4.7 v-8, with a Harley Electraglide on a sport loader in the bed. It is basically the same truck on a slightly smaller scale but with the load I carry the weight is probably about the same. I have had no negative issues and do not feel any difference from anything else I have towed over the years. The neutral light in my truck is hard to see especially in bright sunlight so I make sure I hear the transfer case shift. The only issue I have is there is no fuse to remove when towing so I must disconnect the negative battery cable after all other proceedures accomplished.

M2HB · 11-18-2011, 09:51 AM

I have been flat-towing a 2011 Ram 1500 crew cab 4x4 with no problems. I thoroughly checked to see if it was acceptable by the manufacturer to be flat-towed. It is. You must follow the directions in the owner's manual exactly.

wah864 · 11-19-2011, 10:55 AM

M2HB; do you have to disconnect the battery? My 2010 Quad Cab 4X4 doesn't have the big owners manual. The dealer is ordering me one, and i have a blue ox base plate coming. Will use my ready brake surge brake unless the Ram is too heavy, then will investigate M&G. What brake system do you use?

jdoc · 11-19-2011, 12:25 PM

Yes, you have to disconnect the negative battery cable. The ignition key is left in the on position so the front wheels will turn. Doing this leaves the dash lights on and they run down the battery real quick. I learned the hard way.

Jerry

M2HB · 11-20-2011, 07:15 AM

The following is from the online guide. It leaves out one important step: the last thing you should do is to turn the key to the on position so that the front wheels turn. If you're going to be towing for a long time you should either disconnect the battery or have a charging line installed from the MH to keep the toad battery charged.
================================

4WD Models With Electronic Transfer Case
Note:
The electronic shift transfer case must be shifted into NEUTRAL for recreational towing. Automatic transmissions must be shifted into the PARK position for recreational towing. Refer to the following procedure for the proper transfer case NEUTRAL shifting procedure for your vehicle.

Preparation For Recreational Towing – Electronic Shift Transfer Case
Use the following procedure to prepare your vehicle for recreational towing:

Bring the vehicle to a complete stop, turn the ignition key to the ON/RUN position, but do not start the engine.

Press the brake pedal and shift the transmission into NEUTRAL.

Press and hold the transfer case switch NEUTRAL button for four seconds.

After the shift is completed and the NEUTRAL light turns on, release the NEUTRAL button.

Start the engine and shift the transmission into REVERSE.

Release the brake pedal for five seconds and ensure that there is no vehicle movement.

Repeat the previous two steps with the transmission in DRIVE.

Remove the key fob from the ignition switch.

Shift the transmission into PARK and apply the parking brake.

Attach the vehicle to the tow vehicle with the tow bar and release the parking brake.

Note:
The first two steps are requirements that must be met prior to depressing the NEUTRAL button, and must continue to be met until the four seconds elapse and the shift has been completed. If any of these requirements (with the exception of Key ON) are not met prior to depressing the NEUTRAL button or are no longer met during the four second timer, then the NEUTRAL indicator light will flash continuously until all requirements are met or until the NEUTRAL button is released.

The flashing NEUTRAL indicator light indicates that shift requirements have not been met.

Refer to your Owner's Manual on the DVD for further details.

CAUTION:
Failure to follow these requirements can cause severe damage to the transmission and/or transfer case.

W8RLM · 11-20-2011, 04:27 PM

Does the RAM have a steering wheel lock? If it doesn't, why remove the negative battery cable? My 2008 Jeep Liberty said to remove the negative cable. I found out that there wasn't any steering wheel lock, so I shift the transfer case to neutral per the manual, run the transmission for a short time in Reverse and Drive (confirms that the transfer case is really in Neutral), leave the transmission in Park per the manual, leave the switch in the lock position, remove the key and go. I've towed the Jeep for over 20,000 miles with no problems.

Sure is easier than removing the negative cable or installing a battery disconnect switch.

W8RLM - Bob

jdoc · 11-20-2011, 09:03 PM

My Dakota has a steering wheel lock.

Jerry

a1263w · 09-02-2015, 08:19 PM

I towed a 2007 Dakota for years no issue. Just set this one up and no help from manual at all. The DEMCO wiring harness was installed by an RV shop and added a battery charge line. This truck has no steering lock and I didn't read or here about any battery draw while being towed. Not sure it even needs battery charge line. My issue right now is when hooked to Motorhome it won't shut off. Ya have to unhook wiring connector. Feedback somewhere in the wiring. Only towed it a couple times short distance, just now trying to nail it down. Hoping to find some knowledge, not looking good here though with all these post I see, 4 yrs old. Well if anybody stumbles on this with some hot scoop???? Would be appreciated, Thanks much.

Cudda · 08-29-2017, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1263w

I towed a 2007 Dakota for years no issue. Just set this one up and no help from manual at all. The DEMCO wiring harness was installed by an RV shop and added a battery charge line. This truck has no steering lock and I didn't read or here about any battery draw while being towed. Not sure it even needs battery charge line. My issue right now is when hooked to Motorhome it won't shut off. Ya have to unhook wiring connector. Feedback somewhere in the wiring. Only towed it a couple times short distance, just now trying to nail it down. Hoping to find some knowledge, not looking good here though with all these post I see, 4 yrs old. Well if anybody stumbles on this with some hot scoop???? Would be appreciated, Thanks much.

Hold in the brake and press the neutral button until the light turns off to bring the Transfer back into gear. Hope this helps.

We're having issues getting the truck into neutral when it's in 4WD. All electric so can't just lever shift out of park when the engine isn't turned over. Very maddening even using the manual.

rpasetto · 09-27-2017, 02:03 PM

There have recently been some posts about the 2016+ Jeep Grand Cherokee experiencing wobble problems and I thought this thread may reach some RAM 1500 owners who tow their RAM.
Aparently Jeep Grand Cherokees built since 2016 have been experiencing severe wobble under certain rare occasions. This has been noted on some forums here and elsewhere. I'm talking about the "WK2" Grand Cherokee not the "KL" Cherokee, the latter having had a known wobble issue, and a fix, for years.

I learned that in 2016, WK2 Grand Cherokees were changed from an Electric-Hydraulic power steering system to an All-Electric one, similar to the KL Cherokee with servo type motors to provide the assist. For reasons I cannot get into it appears the cause of the wobble condition on the WK2 may be due to the differences between the older Electric-Hydraulic system and the newer All-Electric; both of these steering systems are referred to as "EPS".

So the question for us RAM 1500 owners is, which type of EPS do we have? Is our EPS is of the Electric-Hydraulic type we may be unaffected, but if it's similar to the designe of the EPS on the Grand Cherokee we may have an issue. I see references to EPS for the RAMs going back to MY 2013, so for us its important to know.

My thought is that the Grand Cherokee, unlike the Cherokee shares many components with the RAM 1500, the V6 and V8 engines and 8-speed ZF transmission for example. Could we be facing the same problem?

lass · 09-27-2017, 02:12 PM

Rpasetto another excellent. Since I'm accumulation the list of 2016 - 2017 Grand Cherokee owners who have experienced the death wobble, it'll be interesting to see if the Ram may have the same issues.

rpasetto · 09-27-2017, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lass

Rpasetto another excellent. Since I'm accumulation the list of 2016 - 2017 Grand Cherokee owners who have experienced the death wobble, it'll be interesting to see if the Ram may have the same issues.

The difficulty is, I do not know if the EPS my 2015 RAM is of the Electric-Hydraulic type, like pre 2016 Grand Cherokees, or the All Electric like your 2016. I've looked and do not see the traditional belt driven pump and reservoir but I think there E-H system may be a sealed system with no apparent reservoir... and I do not know where an electric pump might be.

I hope you WK2 folks are successful with FMCA help. I'd encourage members to also file reports with NHTSA as well as keeping after Jeep. The KL Cherokee, although very popular in the market are also popular with those towing behind MH. Yet the numbers of all of us are small compared to the general public.