Parts Needed to Flat Tow 1998 Dodge Ram Diesel 3500 Dully

Question:

What parts are needed to tow my 1998.5 Dodge diesel RAM 3500 automatic transmission dully which weighs 12,000 pounds. I have already purchased BX7520p trion. Thank you

asked by: Jaime H

Expert Reply:

In addition to the tow bar you have already purchased, the Blue Ox # BX7520p, you will need base plates, safety chains, tow wiring, and a supplemental braking system. I highly recommend checking your owner's manual for the requirements to recreationally tow, or flat tow, your vehicle.

The base plates we have to fit your Dodge Ram 3500 Sport are the Blue Ox Base Plates # BX1949. These base plate have been determined to work with the Blue Ox Trion tow bar.

It is required by law for your tow vehicle and towed vehicle to also be connected by safety chains, such as the Blue Ox 7 foot Safety Cables # BX88197. These Blue Ox cables will work as long as your vehicle weighs less than 10,000 pounds. 12,000 pounds sounds pretty heavy for your truck, I would verify the total weight before purchasing safety cables. If your vehicle weighs over 10,000 pounds, we do not carry a safety chain long enough and rated for enough weight to work with your truck. I recommend checking with your local hardware store for a heavy duty chain.

For a supplemental braking system, I recommend the SMI Stay-IN-Play Duo # SM99251. This braking system will stay in your Ram 3500 and allows the vehicle to be driven normally when not in tow.

In order to have tow lights on your vehicle, I recommend using magnetic tow lights, like the Optronics Heavy Duty Magnetic Tow Lights # TL21RK. These lights will bypass your vehicle's wiring and comply with the legal requirements for tow lighting. I have attached a link to all of our magnetic tow lights.

For your tow lighting on the towed vehicle to reach the connector on your tow vehicle, you may need an extension. An extension can help to connect the wires when the wires at too short to connect directly and it can also function as an adapter between to different style connectors. I have attached a link to all of our wiring extensions for you.

I have attached a link to a flat towing overview help article for you.