Update on some of my towing through the summer.

[ftrupe]

I too tow with a 1/2 ton F150. But my trailer only weighs about 5500 pounds. After thinking about a new trailer, I decided that any future trailer would be near the same length and weight, I am limited by the storage space next to my house, plus I like the power my truck has towing that weight. I have the 3.5 ecoboost with max tow and equalizer hitch. For a 23rb it is plenty adequate. I guess you just have to know your weights. Payload us 1659.

[Rubicon100]

Hi all. Quick question for you guys. I've looked at a couple of low miles used 2015 and 2016 Rams and most of what I'm finding seem to be around 2100lb payload, I'm looking for a 4 door crew cab 4x4 with the Cummins. Is that about the normal payload on the 2500's ? I'm gonna stop and look at a few 4x4 crew cab Silverado's this week. I've owned four dodge diesels but never a duramax so I'll check them out and see what kind of payload they have. I might end up just getting a new one but low miles used doesn't bother me. Thanks, Dan

[RedRocket]

Hey, Dan I'd be interested in hearing about your decision. We were in the same boat, we had a 2015 Chevy 1500 Cc Z71 great truck that we loved, but after towing to Gulf shores this spring we decided we needed something else. Yes the truck had enough power and everything but towing a camper that acts as a sail, I really wanted a different tow vehicle.
Ended up with a new Ram 2500 Cc Ctd. Have yet to tow the camper with it. I have a horse trailer that I've towed a little, now and the power is great, the added stability is great. I feel safe letting my wife and daughter go with it.
Good luck

[Rubicon100]

Hey all, I finally got a chance to take my father in laws truck on a hunting trip. I wasn't real impressed with the 6.0 gas but I really liked the added stability, my truck is modded but I still expected a little bit better performance. The 4.10's definitely helped but I'm going to check out a Ram 2500 gasser and see how it feels.
If it's not much better I'll probably take my time and find a diesel. It was nice being able to take everything I wanted and not worry about it, I didn't weigh the two together but cruising on the highway was nice and smooth. I almost ran out of gas on the way down but I luckily had plenty for the generator so it worked out ok. That thing is a gas hog big time, I'm not knocking on the 6.0 but it really needs to be revving pretty good to make any power. Anyway I've only got a couple more hunting trips planned for the year and I can make due with my truck for a couple more trips. I'll check in once in a while and let you know what I think about the ram after I check them out. Dan

[sourdough]

Hey Dan,

As you have found a 3/4 ton diesel doesn't have a very large payload compared to what we perceive as a "big truck". I chose to go with the Ram 2500 6.4 and have been very happy. My trailer gvw is 10k and loaded it's usually 92-9300 lbs. It's a crew cab Lone Star with lots of bells and whistles, including the $1200 option for 20" fancy wheels - they look good and tow good as well (I like taller sidewalls but I think the shorter sidewalls may cut down on movement - but they can be HARSH at 80psi). My payload is 3191 if I recall, a diesel won't come near that (Ram 3/4 ton CC).

As far as the 6.0 it will have substantially less power than the 6.4. Mine has 3.73s (4x4) and they have proven to be about the most optimal axle ratios I've found for what I do (tow 20%, non-tow 80% or so). As far as added stability there just isn't any comparison to pulling with a 1/2 ton......and carrying whatever you want!! Great!

If you want a diesel and think there are upgrades to the RV in the future go straight to the 1 ton. I'm thinking about another trailer, and not even a huge one, but the gvw is over 10k and if I'm going to a diesel I'm not stopping at the 3/4 level to get a significantly reduced payload. Just some thoughts.

Good luck on your hunt for the "right truck".

[busterbrown]

I agree with Sourdough as I now own a gas powered 2500 series Ram. My trailer is almost 2,000 lbs less when loaded than his and the Hemi 6.4 (mated to 3.73 gearing) is strong and competent under 99% of the conditions I have run it through.

I had the option of buying one of GM's equivalent HD trucks (Sierra or Silverado). Purchase incentives are good as my father is a retired GM employee. I test drove two of these trucks prior to purchasing the RAM. Each had the 3.73 gearing too. Never towed with a 6.0L but full acceleration on my test drive wasn't impressive. I did came out of a 6.2L, 400+ HP aluminum block Yukon Denali so I knew the power band would change. On the other hand, when I test drove the RAM, throttle response was better and it felt more comparable to my Yukon. The difference in HP and torque plays a big part in that.

I love my RAM as it's the only line up that offers a Mega Cab version. After driving the RAM, Chevy's and GMC's just seem small inside. IMO, the interior on the RAMs are so much nicer and more ergonomical for the driver. I do have around 2990 lbs of payload to play with, a major step up from my 1/2 Yukon with 1560 lbs. If you do choose the Cummins motor, just remember the diesel powerplant weights about 500 lbs more than the Hemi, directly taking away from the payload.

You'll never win any races to the top of the mountain with any gasser (compared to a diesel). But what's great about these RAM trucks with the 3.73 rear end is they can return 18 mpg Hwy when empty, as cylinder deactivation is standard on the Hemi. Daily driver friendly, 1/2 ton efficiency, and a ton of available payload to tow a trailer of your choice (within specs and reason of course)...everything I needed.

If I was looking at a trailer heaver than 10,000 lbs loaded which included frequent mountain passes, I would look only at a 1 ton diesel truck. However, if a trailer is under 10,000 lbs, camping trips are limited through the season, and the TV will be used more often as a "daily use" vehicle, the RAM 6.4 hemi would be a great match.

As a side note, it's next to impossible to find 4.10 gearing in a 3/4 ton RAM Mega Cab on a dealer's lot. I know this as I looked over multiple states. I'm extremely happy with the performance of my RAMs powertrain.

[Rubicon100]

Thanks guys, I'm looking forward to checking out the Ram. I like the mega cab also. I've owned quite a few dodge trucks over the years and I agree about the payload, the Cummins eats up a lot. Gas engines with the new transmissions have came a long way and as of now we don't plan on changing tt's so I'm sure I'll be happy no matter what compared to the half ton. I'm not a big fan of Ford products so it's really between the Ram and a Silverado and I didn't care for the 6.0 at all, gas mileage was terrible even running empty. Anything over 15mpg solo in a 2500 is awesome heck that's pretty close to the half ton. I'll probably try and stick with 3.73 gears , it seems to be about the sweet spot with the new transmission options. I have been kinda surprised by the price, a two year old 2500 seems to be cheaper than the half ton in some cases. Thanks for the info on the mega cab I'm going to check some out and see how it goes. Thanks again Dan

[busterbrown]

Originally Posted by Rubicon100

I have been kinda surprised by the price, a two year old 2500 seems to be cheaper than the half ton in some cases.

Originally, I looked at GM 1/2 ton max trailering packages on Sierra's/Silverado's. But it seemed that after all the bells and whistles were added, payload dropped to 2,000 lbs and the pricing was higher than nicely equipped 3/4 gassers from RAM. I did test drive a "Fix Or Repair Daily" truck as they have the highest payload in the 1/2 market. But, again, pricing was higher than my Laramie 4x4 Megacab.

If you do decide on a new or slightly used RAM product, steer away from the Power Wagons as payload is considerably reduced by its softly sprung suspension and higher stance. If I remember correctly, payload capacity comes in at around 1,400 lbs.

[linux3]

Originally Posted by theasphaltrv'er

A little different take on towing with a 1/2 ton.
We now tow with a 1/2 ton and have put well over 10,000 miles towing with it. The truck is well under all its capacities and tows our 5er with ease. We feel no burn out and are not stressed out from towing. Probably cuz we don't over do it. We travel between 60-65 mph and only travel between 250 & 350 miles a day and stop bout every 100 miles to stretch and walk the doggie.

I have to agree. I pull a lot less weight but 4 hours is a max day and 65 MPH is the speed I like and my 1500 is great.
We don't have a dog but after about 100 miles my wife starts getting antsy.

We have a little over 9,000 miles this year as we use the rig for road trips through the mid West. I like US roads rather than interstates as they are a lot more interesting and the speed limit is seldom over 65. Ever seen the Y bridge in Zanesville OHIO? Disney Hometown Museum in Marceline Mo? Jesse James farm? Relax, lots of interesting things to see if you slow down and look.

PS: If you ever see a woman hula hooping at a truck stop while a guy is gassing their TV, chances are it's us.

[Gegrad]

Also ask yourself if you really need 4WD. That adds 200-300 lbs to your truck's weight, directly taking away from payload as well. I didn't and my setup works extremely well for my use; my unit is extremely stable.