I just purchased a new truck Ram Eco-Diesel 2wd with LSD, the problem I have experienced is that the truck lacks grip on steeper wet/mossy ramps when the boat has launched, the tires spin less when pulling boat up ramp but zero grip with trailer only. I use even steeper ramps and I'm currently afraid to visit those lakes due to this issue. Do I need different tires or different truck?

I previously had a Tacoma that never gave me any ramp issues, the Ram transmission is an 8 speed and wondering if 1st gear is to high??

Need help in analyzing issue, thanks.

Have had same issues when vegetation etc washes up on ramp. I doubt that different tires would help. I really don't have a good solution. I usually try to push the vegetation out of the way of my tires and that helps some. You might try carrying a bag of sand for the mossy ramps. b

Solution = sell two wheel drive truck, buy 4 wheel drive truck.

Here is the cheap and easy solution... don't hammer the gas!!! The ecodiesel has a good amount of torque and the first gear ratio is very low, making it really easy to break them loose and loose traction.

The slower you get on the gas the less chance of spinning/loosing traction.

Spinning is your enemy on a ramp or pavement, all spinning is, is your loss of traction. Ease on the gas a little at a time until you start moving up the ramp once you start moving you can give it some more gas.

Also a good set of AT tires will help. My Silverado has a locker on the rear end and has no problem on ramps. When I had the first stock set of street tires I would spin both tires on the slicker ramps.

You could also add a little weight in the bed of your truck, like two bags of sand or something. Also, if your vehicle will let you manually select 2nd or third to take off, it will stall the convertor a little and help reduce wheel spin.

Starting with the parking brake on and slowly releasing it as the truck starts rolling can reduce wheel spin. It puts drag on the wheel, reducing torque available to break traction. It also prevents rolling back.

In my 2wd Tacoma I work the foot parking brake like you would a clutch.

add weight to bed of truck

You don't need to add weight, use the brake, or anything easy on the gas and you will be fine. I'm in San Antonio just like you probably fish a lot of the same lakes and use an ecodiesel to pull our 5,000 lb 24' long boat. Yes my truck is 4x4, but I have and probably will never put it in 4x4 on a boat ramp plain and simple because it isn't needed. Throttle control is what you need.

Pretend there is a rotten egg between your foot and the accelerator pedal.

While I agree about throttle contacts trolling and torque, esp if your not used to a diesel, pushing the e-brake down a couple of clicks will usually help get you started off the ramp.

or a Toyota

One trick is to ride the brake pedal just a bit as you pull up the ramp. An open differential (what most vehicles have in them) will transfer power to the wheel with the least amount of traction. Meaning the tire that spins gets all of the torque. Yes, it's a stupid way to do it, but it is safer on the road. Dragging the brake just a bit applies some brake pressure to the spinning wheel side and transfers some of that power to the other side that is not spinning. I've seen it work time and again, and had to do it with my old chevy pickup when it had street tires on it.

Some decent AT tires will help a lot.

Letting a bit of air out of the drive tires might help too.

It is truly amazing how any of us ever went boating before everyone else came to the conclusion that you need a 3/4 ton diesel 4wd to tow a fishing boat to and from the lake.

Saw a guy lose his new RAM Cummings diesel at Ray Hubbard trying to launch 2 jet skis several months ago. Meanwhile I see guys in older 2wd Silveradoes all the time launching huge cc boats.

I, like you have a 2WD RAM, mine is 2015 with the Hemi. Here is my thought process around launching and I've never had any issues sending off or hauling out my 18' bass boat:

- First off, pick a good ramp. Paid ramps are usually a bit better as they tend to be maintained and watched over (as in someone is there to make sure your truck doesn't get easily broken into, or call for help if you start losing your truck in the water)

- Secondly, go slow. What I do whether launching or retrieving is Lower the driver side window, not use a seatbelt, and back slowly up til the boat starts to float. I then engage the parking brake (on our trucks is the foot pedal with pull release). Get out and shove the boat off, moor it on a dock or tree, etc etc. then I hop back in the truck and with the parking brake on, I move the transmission to drive, slowly raise the RPMs, then pop the parking brake off. She starts climbing out smoothly every time.


- if all else fails, and you live or fish areas with absolutely too steep or unmaintained boat ramps, you can get a trailer extension. One of those pieces that extends the reach from your trailer to the back of the truck. I have seen people use them to launch long boats in Galveston from a normal ramp, or normal cc boats at low tide.

That said, keeping some sand bags in your truck bed is another decent idea as it sounds like the problem you are having for sure. Try and dampen that torque with the brakes as others have said and you should be fine. People have launched boats for decades without 4wd trucks just being smart about it.

Agree with above, except. With the parking brake on, get the rpm's up a little truck in drive. Put your foot on the emergency brake. Release the the brake and use your foot on the emergency brake like a clutch. As the truck starts to move release the brake slowly. Don't get on the gas, steady pressure on the pedal and it should walk to the top of the ramp.