Those looking for a Ram dealer near Kingston will find no place more knowledgeable and friendly than Ruge's Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Not only do we have the very best selection of only the very best vehicles, but we're also a bastion of automotive wisdom. Our decades of service mean we can easily handle all questions and concerns—and today, we want to share some of this institutional knowledge with you.
Our diverse inventory of Ram trucks ranges from light-duty to midsize to heavy-duty. Customers are always impressed by how these vehicles handle on the road, but few are able to experience the full potential of the Ram lineup during the test drive phase. Thus, we've noticed that, while a lot of people are attracted to our Rams' profiles and performance numbers, they sometimes know little to nothing about their towing capabilities.
They might have a general idea that these trucks can tow, but the details beyond that remain shady. We're here to change that because we want our customers to be able to take advantage of all their purchase has to offer. That's why we're in this business: to make life easier for those who walk through our doors.
Why Tow to Begin With?
If you're someone who tows for work, then you already know all about the glories of hitching and hauling. However, far too many people assume towing is only for labor—but that's far from the case. Towing has many uses, and the ability to tow can improve a person's life by opening up all kinds of new opportunities.
It's rare for someone to move to a vehicle that tows only to go back to one that doesn't. Once you have this capability, you tend not to want to shed it. It sweetens your life and the lives of those around you, many of whom will be grateful for your new capabilities and may soon drop a text asking if you could bring your truck over for "just, like, a half a day."
Towing for Pleasure
Towing can make your life a lot more enjoyable. For one, your vacation destinations skyrocket. You can tow a camper into the outback so you can camp without feeling like you're forgoing all the comforts of home. The ability to bring along a few extra items can make camping go from sounding dreadful to sizzling with intrigue.
Campers are one of the most popular items truck owners tow for this very reason. Some of them are quite large, requiring a heavy-duty truck, but there are plenty of smaller campers that you can opt for, too, that will let you travel with what you need without adding too much weight to your GCWR.
If you want to traverse the outback on two wheels, towing can be a big help. Motorcycling, dirt biking, and mountain biking are popular off-road sports, and a good truck will have the towing ability to get those two-wheelers where you want them so you can experience some high-adrenaline fun. If you're really intense, you might even consider an ATV or snowmobile so you can plow over sand, soil, and snow. No reason you can't tow those to your favorite wilderness destination!
Athletes, in general, get a lot out of having towing ability. The amount of athletic activities at your fingertips once you have a hitch on the back of your ride goes up quite a bit. From a kayak conveyor to a mobile gym relocator, athletes have flocked to Rams to bring the equipment they need wherever they're going.
And if you want more luxurious leisure time, how about boating? If your truck has a high towing limit, then you can strap a boat onto the hitch and head down to the water. We're right near the Hudson River and only a couple of hours away from the Long Island Sound; if you want, you can take your boat to these nearby waters and enjoy a sunny spring afternoon. A boat might sound like a hefty item to tow, but your average Ram 1500 can get that job done without breaking a sweat.
Whether you're an athlete or someone who just wants to have more leisure options, towing will add a lot of quality to your free time.
Towing for Work
We're not talking about towing because it's your job. You can tow for work without it involving your profession. What do we mean?Well, moving for one. Surely no one would call the moving process pleasurable; it's work, no doubt about it. From taping up boxes to deciding what to toss, moving is an arduous procedure that most people dread. Then, you have the movers; you have to hope they handle your stuff right while also not charging you an arm or a leg—but the latter you may as well give up on in the age of inflation.
Enter towing. You can use a trailer to store your stuff and tow it to your new home or apartment. Even if you're not doing all the moving, you can at least move a bit of it on your own—especially your most valued or fragile possessions—thus reducing the cost of the move and your worries.
Another benefit of having towing capability is that you can tackle the unexpected. If you have a friend or relative undergoing a move, you can lend an invaluable amount of help. You could even feasibly tow a broken-down vehicle. Towing opens your world, but sometimes—even years into owning a truck—you'll discover that it does so in ways you still haven't fully appreciated.
Jumping Into the World of Towing
For first-time towers, there's plenty to learn. For example, you don't want to tow more than 80% of your truck's towing limit. Why? Because that gives you some wiggle room in case you miscalculated just how much you're towing. Going beyond your limit could lead to disaster for you, for what you're towing, and for others on the road. If you need help calculating, we at your local Ram dealership can always help.
Depending on how much towing power you want, you'll also have to consider your truck's size. A longer bed or bigger cab will lead to less towing power as the truck will also have to handle its own larger curb weight. Your wheel drive choice will also impact towing; all-wheel drive means less towing power but more control, while front-wheel drive means more towing power but less control. The former might be the best option for a truck newbie.
Something as seemingly minor as axle ratio can play its part. The higher your axle is set, the more towing power you get—and vice versa. Depending on your plan, you'll have to make a call on your axle positioning. Lest you think this translates to frustration, the fact that you get to make these decisions is empowering as it gives you more knowledge of and command over your vehicle.
The actual nitty-gritty of towing—i.e. attaching a trailer, the process of which changes depending on what you're towing—will require a learning curve. However, once you have it down, it's easy to do it again and again (although careful attention is required every time).
For towing newbies, the amount of knowledge needed can seem overwhelming. That's okay. Dipping your toe into the waters of towing might be a smart idea: slowly but surely become acquainted with the different procedures, so you don't stress yourself too much all at once. You won't be alone, either. There's a plethora of information on towing out there, but there are also social groups of pickup truck drivers who live and breathe this stuff. Drivers who tow have a tendency to find one another and bond, which adds yet another positive to this capability.
Let's Get You Hitched!
If towing is starting to sound like something you'd be interested in, then swing by Ruge's CDJR to get keyed in! Our sales and service experts are extremely knowledgeable about trucks and the towing process, and we're always pleased to answer questions and address the concerns of drivers contemplating hauling and trailering. Our massive used and new selection of trucks means there'll be one that is exactly right for your purposes, so don't hesitate any longer: contact us or get down to Ruge's CDJR and get hitched!