2013 Ram 3500

V-Dub · 04-10-2013, 11:58 PM

I have a general question and it's bugging the heck outta me. In doing my research on which dually I want to purchase, I came across the updated page on the Ram website. They state the 3500 is available with the 5.7L Hemi. I'm assuming this is the same engine in my 2011 Laramie.

Why would anyone want this engine in a 3500 srw?

The answer may be obvious so excuse my ignorance. I'm just not understanding the application.

V-Dub

Oaklevel · 04-11-2013, 04:55 AM

Why wouldn't they???? Ram has been putting the 5.7 Hemi in the 3500 since it came out in the early 2000s. It a great engine............ Personally I like the Cummins diesel but many don't want a diesel........

Oaklevel · 04-11-2013, 05:18 AM

Good luck on you decision all 3 have good & bad .... then you have the choice of gas or diesel..... lot of posts to search too...... I personally went with the Ram because of the Cummins. ( & DW now hates Fords since we have had to replace sooooo many transmissions over the years

very long story)

Good Luck

Cajun Po-Boy · 04-11-2013, 07:44 AM

IMO...I'd hold out to see what the new Dodge 3500 dually is all about that will boast a GVWR of 30K lbs, that would be a RV'ers dream tow vehicle

V-Dub · 04-11-2013, 08:33 AM

Oak,
I agree with what you're saying I just don't understand what application it would be useful as that platform seems to be focused on weight and ability. Kind of like a 4 banger in a Corvette. Hence my question.

RC,
That's exactly what sparked my interest. I'm brand agnostic but I'm really impressed with my Ram (my 1st Chrysler product). I'd thought a venture into F450 territory would be necessary to achieve the numbers their touting. On the Laramie Longhorn Mega...they're stating ~5200lbs payload/~28,500lbs tow.

With those numbers plus the fact I'm hearing these new DRW vehicles ride comparable to the 1500/150, I'm leaning heavily toward that extreme jump then I'm done talking about TV. Turn over to the next page and get whatever TH I want. Instead of a 27hfs-ep...I my just jump up to a Thunderbolt or Raptor 5'er.

V-Dub

Dave_Monica · 04-11-2013, 08:54 AM

I would seriously doubt that you'd ever find a 5.7L powered 3500 dually on any dealer lot. May be an odd exception where a contractor would want a high payload and wouldn't be towing anything.

Dave

Oaklevel · 04-11-2013, 12:28 PM

Not really the 5.7Hemi duellys are all over the place, very common........ It more like the old Ford 351s 460s in duellys not rare at all .........

Not at all like a 4 cyl in a Corvette........(Actually I have a 100% stock factory 4 cyl Mustang that will put a stock 5.0 Mustang in its place.) The 5.7 is a very capalble engine ........ with a 4.10 gear & the 3500 duelly can easily tow 13,000+ lbs. with the 5.7L...... according to the Dodge sites........

jeeplj8 · 04-11-2013, 12:43 PM

I know that Olathe Dodge had a bunch of 5.7 DRW 3500's a few months ago. They sell more of the stripped down models like that to local lawn guys who want a DRW but not diesel. When you think about it, the 5.7 Hemi now has similar hp and torque to the V-10 Dodge sold years ago.

Go drive one and see what you think. It will pull it around without problem. The diesel is still huge step up as soon as the road gets hilly, but the 5.7 will pull pretty well.

joelek · 04-11-2013, 05:54 PM

Being a Ford guy myself, I found a BUNCH of F350 SRW and DRW with the V10 gasser engine. The Dodge Hemi 5.7 gas is comparable performance. Lots of people simply don't like diesel. Fuel cost, stinky exhaust, noisy, higher maintenance costs, etc. Some people are willing to trade off worse gas mileage when towing with gas vs. diesel. Wasn't that big of a deal a few years ago when gas was cheap compared to nowadays.

Myself, I like the smell of diesel in the morning. It means your making money or spending it!

V-Dub · 04-13-2013, 12:26 PM

I'm going to go look at them, along with the 350/450's. I'm not going to do a trade. Once I compare the ride to my 1500 Laramie then I'll decide if I keep both or sell the Laramie on my own. I'm seeing tons of 12' Rams on lots but no 13's yet. I'm definitely going 4x4/mega/drw/diesel. I'll consider the GMC's also but need to do a lot more diligence on those to even scratch the surface.

V-Dub

dustman_stx · 04-18-2013, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelek

Being a Ford guy myself, I found a BUNCH of F350 SRW and DRW with the V10 gasser engine. The Dodge Hemi 5.7 gas is comparable performance. Lots of people simply don't like diesel. Fuel cost, stinky exhaust, noisy, higher maintenance costs, etc. Some people are willing to trade off worse gas mileage when towing with gas vs. diesel. Wasn't that big of a deal a few years ago when gas was cheap compared to nowadays.

Myself, I like the smell of diesel in the morning. It means your making money or spending it!

Best I can tell, the Hemi produces 410 foot pounds in the neighborhood of 4000 RPM. IIRC, the Ford V10 produced 457 foot pounds at 3250ish RPMs. That's 11.5% more power at ~19% lower RPM. This translates to better towing performance in the real world. I would suggest that the ONLY reason to get a 1 ton with a V8 gas engine would be for the additional payload. I see this regularly in service trucks that have massive steel beds used in the plumbing industry. For towing applications, you will max out the engine long before you max out the trucks capacity.

Amcmachine70 · 04-18-2013, 10:59 AM

Well funny you should mention it.I actually ordered a 2013 ram 3500 srw with the hemi,I have a 1500 now and love it but I am picking up a new wildwood and its just over the 1500 ratings.So I am trading up and looking at the 2500 and 3500 there's only $1000 difference and the 3500 is all new frame etc.Now I only tow about 5 times a year so far and the cost of the diesel upgrade and fuel won't pay off for me.Plus the truck makes short trips around town the rest of the time so I really won't work the diesel and will have potential problems I believe.The hemi will pull fine less mpg pulling but around town I don't believe it will be that much worse on fuel than an empty diesel.So that's why I am getting it,if I traveled more I would consider the diesel.

whj77372 · 04-18-2013, 11:30 AM

My 2011 F250 diesel CC longbed RWD is not noisy and there is no stinky exhaust. Go drive one. When you change oil at 7,500 to 10,000 miles the extra maintenance cost is harldy a factor. The DEF is about $10 for 2.5 gallons which I use per 5,000 miles. I had always wanted a diesel pickup but thought I never would get one because of the price. But at 63 years I got one and have never been happier.
The Ram Hemi does not get good MPG and I could just think what it would be in a dually 3500. It matters to me, the RAMs 2500-3500 are made in Mexico. I live in SE Texas were almost one-half of all registrations are pickups, off hand I don't think that I know any man who doesn't drive one. Also I have NEVER had anyone tell me that they would perfer a gasser over a diesel. Some have settled on gas because of the cost.

2011 F250 diesel CC longbed RWD
2012 V-Cross 275

jeeplj8 · 04-18-2013, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whj77372

My 2011 F250 diesel CC longbed RWD is not noisy and there is no stinky exhaust. Go drive one. When you change oil at 7,500 to 10,000 miles the extra maintenance cost is harldy a factor. The DEF is about $10 for 2.5 gallons which I use per 5,000 miles. I had always wanted a diesel pickup but thought I never would get one because of the price. But at 63 years I got one and have never been happier.
The Ram Hemi does not get good MPG and I could just think what it would be in a dually 3500. It matters to me, the RAMs 2500-3500 are made in Mexico. I live in SE Texas were almost one-half of all registrations are pickups, off hand I don't think that I know any man who doesn't drive one. Also I have NEVER had anyone tell me that they would perfer a gasser over a diesel. Some have settled on gas because of the cost.

2011 F250 diesel CC longbed RWD
2012 V-Cross 275

your comment about HEMI MPG seems off the mark. The last couple we have owned all got at least 20mpg normal highway driving. The Durango we had even got 14 towing my 7500 boat. My Ford diesel only does slightly better.

And I am pretty sure no gas engine gets "good" MPG in a dually. That is not the point.

SabreDoc · 04-18-2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelek

Myself, I like the smell of diesel in the morning. It means your making money or spending it!

Doc

dustman_stx · 04-18-2013, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeplj8

your comment about HEMI MPG seems off the mark. The last couple we have owned all got at least 20mpg normal highway driving. The Durango we had even got 14 towing my 7500 boat. My Ford diesel only does slightly better.

And I am pretty sure no gas engine gets "good" MPG in a dually. That is not the point.

I would expect around 12 avg from the Hemi in a 3500. Towing more like 7-8. If you get any more than that, consider it a bonus. I'll call BS on any naturally aspirated gas vehicle pulling 7500 pounds and consistently getting 14 mpg. Maybe with a 30mph tailwind on a drive with a significant elevation drop. Even taking into account the fact that a boat is WAY more aerodynamic than a camper, I still don't buy that it'll consistently do that.

whj77372 · 04-18-2013, 04:00 PM

I agree, I can count no less then ten Ram/Dodge pickup ownwers that I know, who got the Ram because 1. it was cheaper then Fords or Chev/GMCs and 2. without exception they complain about MPG with the 5.7 Hemi. There are two 3500 Chev duallies gassers right up the street from me and both owners got them because they didn't want to or couldn't afford to get a diesel.

V-Dub · 06-30-2013, 01:02 PM

After looking at several brands, I decided to go back to Ram and just go all out with the 3500/Mega/Dually/Cummins/Aisin/4.10/Longhorn. By their specs, this would give me over 28k tow and 5k payload. Obviously, there was nothing found that met what I wanted so build was the way I was gonna go. Well, that is where the deal fell apart. Not enough on my 11' Laramie trade (18k miles) and not enough of a discount on my build. I was even gonna have them add in a 300 srt8 since I'm not willing to have a dually as my dd.

So long story short, I'm going to just wait a couple years and get the dually with the Thunderbolt 380amp. I don't want to deal with all this buying and trading in crap. I thought about just getting the 19HFS but I can't bring myself to settle for less than I want and that 27hfs is just too much weight for this TV the way I want to load it. I simply don't want to be worried about weight every time I want to do something. I'll pay off this truck before I get the next one that way I don't have to drive a diesel 9 miles each way to work and monkey around with parking it in the parking garage.

For now, I'm going to find a box trailer and trick it out with whatever I need so it'll carry both bikes. My 1500 5.7L should be more than ample for a 12-14 footer or whatever.

I appreciate the wealth of information on this site and all those that have contributed information to help me navigate through the selection process.

V-Dub

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