1989-1993 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Bumper Hitches

Bumper-pull towing on the 1989-1993 RAM 5.9L Cummins

The first-gen 5.9L made 400 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm when GM's LF9 made 246 lb-ft and Ford's IDI made 345, and Dodge put it in D250, D350, W250 and W350 pickups and in chassis-cab trucks above 8,500 lb GVWR. These trucks were bought to work. A documented 1992 W350 dually tow rig runs a 2 in ball receiver hitch alongside its in-bed gooseneck: a gooseneck for the big trailer, a receiver for everything else. Everything in this collection lives at the back of the truck, in or on the receiver. For engine parts, start at our Cummins hub.

What goes wrong

The documented towing failures on a first-gen are in the transmission, not the hitch. Towing heat kills the G360 5-speed's input bearing, which you hear as whine after long tows, and it overheats the A518 automatic, which shows up as slipping or burnt fluid. Non-intercooled trucks built before mid-1991 also run higher EGT on grades. An auxiliary transmission cooler is the documented fix. On the hitch side, getting the setup right is the job: the wrong drop leaves the trailer nose-high or nose-low, and the wrong shank size will not go into the receiver at all.

Choosing a ball mount

Start with the shank. The B&W Tow & Stow adjustable ball mounts here come in 2, 2.5 and 3 inch shanks, and the shank has to match your receiver opening. Then pick the drop. With the truck and trailer parked level, measure from the ground to the top of the receiver opening and from the ground to the bottom of the trailer coupler; the difference is the drop you need. The Tow & Stow line runs from about 2.5 to 9 inches of drop and adjusts for height, so one mount can serve more than one trailer. Pick the style last: Standard, MultiPro/MultiFlex, or Pintle for trailers with a lunette ring. Big Hitch Products' adjustable pulling hitches are another way to set height. B&W's Triple Tow mount carries three balls on one mount, and the WDHK4500 is a weight distribution hitch for heavier bumper-pull trailers.

What we carry

B&W Trailer Hitches supplies the Tow & Stow adjustable ball mounts in Standard, MultiPro/MultiFlex and Pintle versions, the Triple Tow ball mount, heavy-duty ball mounts and the WDHK4500 weight distribution hitch. Big Hitch Products adds the BHP2000 and BHP2001 adjustable pulling hitches in 2 and 2.5 inch. Our hitches page lists every hitch brand we carry.

Fitment notes

These parts slide into a receiver, so the receiver on your truck decides fit, and receiver fitment follows the bed and frame rather than the engine. All first-gen Cummins pickups are long beds, in regular cab or, from 1990, Club Cab. Single rear wheel and dually trucks differ, and 250 trucks built from mid-1991 ride on the one-ton 350 frame. Before you hook up, match the ball mount's shank to the receiver and the ball to the coupler, and stay within the lowest rating of any part in the chain. If you are adding a receiver, verify by VIN or call us.

Frequently asked questions

What shank size do I need?

Match the shank to the receiver opening on your truck. The B&W Tow & Stow mounts here come in 2, 2.5 and 3 inch shanks, and the Big Hitch Products pulling hitches come in 2 and 2.5 inch. If you are not sure what receiver is on an older first-gen, measure the opening or call us.

How do I choose the right drop?

With the truck and trailer parked level, measure from the ground to the top of the receiver opening and from the ground to the bottom of the trailer coupler. The difference is the drop or rise you need. An adjustable mount like the Tow & Stow lets you fine-tune it for more than one trailer.

Will a receiver hitch fit my Club Cab or dually?

Hitch fitment on a first-gen follows the bed and frame, not the engine. Every first-gen Cummins pickup is a long bed, but single rear wheel and dually trucks differ, and 250 trucks built from mid-1991 use the one-ton frame. Verify by VIN before buying a receiver; the ball mounts here fit any receiver of the matching size.

Do I need a weight distribution hitch?

It depends on the trailer more than the truck. The B&W WDHK4500 is built for heavier bumper-pull trailers where you want tongue weight spread more evenly. For lighter trailers, a correctly sized adjustable ball mount is often all you need. If you tow heavy, remember the documented first-gen weak spot is transmission heat, so pair the hitch with an auxiliary cooler.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.