Too much truck

[Mountndream]

Went looking to upgrade my 14 year old low mileage truck. Was looking at 2014 Ram 1500 with the 5.7, but I am concerned about payload. 1440 lbs. Passengers with pups are at 550 lbs, tongue weight, firewood, a generator, a cooler or two, plus various tools etc.

I saw a 2014 Ram 2500 with a 6.4 for about 3k more. It bumps the payload to 3250 and towing to 12580 with the 3.73 ratio.

With my microlite, I am 4500 lbs and a low tongue weight. I am not really looking to upgrade in the next few years, so do I really need to 2500 or
Do I just want a big boy toy?


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[Salt Shaker]

For the last 30 or so years I never saw a need for a 1/2 ton. All I have had is 3/4 and 1 to s. check with insurance and do your homework on mpg. I love the 6.4 but a gas miser it is not.

After initial purchase up keep cost should be very similar. I am pulling a Silverback 29RE at I estimate close to 14k with 3:73s and airbags with zero issues. It should pull your micro like its not even there.

One thing to note it truck height. It's probable a good 3 inches higher in and out of the bed than earlier trucks. Loading could be an issue on some items.

Salt

[Evo2700]

I have a 13 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 and it is the best vehicle I've ever owned. Our trailer has a dry weight of about 6800lbs and I've had no issues getting over mountains or stopping. We load the bed of the truck with firewood, a grill, and other odds and ends with no issues with payload.

[fast murray]

Just make sure you buy enough truck for the trailer you're going to have and not just the one you have now.

[BooBoo23]

There may be no such thing as too much truck, kind of like a girl too pretty and having too much money.

[dannyabear]

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

There may be no such thing as too much truck, kind of like a girl too pretty and having too much money.

Ding Ding We have a winner

[searay245se]

I have a 13 ram 1500 5.7/6 speed with 3:55 gears and the thing tows like a beast BUT the payload on the ram is low because of rear coil springs instead of the old leaf springs.My TT is around 5,000 lbs base weight with a hitch weight of 620 lbs and once you load it up and load up the bed you get a lot of squat out of the rear.This has been discussed many many times on the Ram forums and the fix which was cheap and easy was to put air bags in the rear springs and they do the trick.Here is 2 pics of my set up first is without bags,second is with the bag.You will see a big difference.

[rsscully]

Originally Posted by searay245se

I have a 13 ram 1500 5.7/6 speed with 3:55 gears and the thing tows like a beast BUT the payload on the ram is low because of rear coil springs instead of the old leaf springs.

Just fyi. The newer 2500 rams also have the coil spring setup.

http://www.dieselpowermag.com/news/1...ar_suspension/

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

There may be no such thing as too much truck, kind of like a girl too pretty and having too much money.

That's funny I have to admit...

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

Went looking to upgrade my 14 year old low mileage truck. Was looking at 2014 Ram 1500 with the 5.7, but I am concerned about payload. 1440 lbs. Passengers with pups are at 550 lbs, tongue weight, firewood, a generator, a cooler or two, plus various tools etc.

I saw a 2014 Ram 2500 with a 6.4 for about 3k more. It bumps the payload to 3250 and towing to 12580 with the 3.73 ratio.

With my microlite, I am 4500 lbs and a low tongue weight. I am not really looking to upgrade in the next few years, so do I really need to 2500 or
Do I just want a big boy toy?


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

You're pulling a MicroLite!!!! The 1500 will do just fine. Worst case scenario, you add bags like someone else stated. Expect to lose ~ 5 or 6mpg combined (non-towing) going with the 6.4 in a 3/4 ton. Compare gear ratios with the 5.7 and make sure you are getting "towing gears" and not "highway gears." With the newer 6 and 8 speed trannys, gear ratio isn't AS critical as the old 3 and 4 speed days, but it does still help to have a numerically higher gear ratio with naturally aspirated engines that need higher RPM to produce power.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

There may be no such thing as too much truck, kind of like a girl too pretty and having too much money.

Therefore, the OP needs to be in the commercial section of the dealer looking at the 4500 trucks with the Cummins.

[Mattpopp]

All pay load numbers assume 150lbs for the driver. So you can add 150lbs to that if it helps.

But if you end up with a Ram 1500. Look at the Eco Diesel, awesome engines.

[Mountndream]

Originally Posted by BooBoo23

There may be no such thing as too much truck, kind of like a girl too pretty and having too much money.

Yes, but Having that truck and the Prettiest DW in the campground would cause many people to hate me out of sheer jealousy.

[fx2]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

Yes, but Having that truck and the Prettiest DW in the campground would cause many people to hate me out of sheer jealousy.

Maybe it's just me but I'd be OK with that :-)


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[Great Laker]

X2!

[Mountndream]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

You're pulling a MicroLite!!!! The 1500 will do just fine. Worst case scenario, you add bags like someone else stated. Expect to lose ~ 5 or 6mpg combined (non-towing) going with the 6.4 in a 3/4 ton. Compare gear ratios with the 5.7 and make sure you are getting "towing gears" and not "highway gears." With the newer 6 and 8 speed trannys, gear ratio isn't AS critical as the old 3 and 4 speed days, but it does still help to have a numerically higher gear ratio with naturally aspirated engines that need higher RPM to produce power.

payload = 550 for passengers
675 = tongue weight (15% of 4500) 2 batteries/ full propane
=1225

things not added, we want a camper shell, Generator, gas can, tools, firewood and of course the cooler full of beer

most 1500 Ram Crew cabs only have payloads of 1440 and 1500. Hence the question about the 2500. At this point, I am wondering how people pull anything bigger with a 1/2 ton truck

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by rsscully

Just fyi. The newer 2500 rams also have the coil spring setup.

Correct......you have to go with the Ram 3500 to get leaf springs.

I had a Ram salesman state "look at train cars, they run coil springs". I said "yeah, but there are 3 per corner, they are massive, and a train runs on a smooth surface". I then reminded him that most tractor trailers run leaf springs.

It is had to "stage" coil springs for extra weight.

[GreenImp]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

At this point, I am wondering how people pull anything bigger with a 1/2 ton truck

Simple...by not caring or sometimes even knowing about the ratings. Or even worse, by trusting their salesman.

[SuicideSaints]

I would not worry about having too much truck in this situation. It will come down to weights and mileage that fits your set up. If you need the extra payload that the 2500 provides go with it, if you do not need the extra pounds then an air bag system may work with a half ton chassis.

Look at the price for bags and gas mileage difference and add that into this equation to see if it justifies the 3k more for the 2500.

For me personally I would rather have more truck then I need. Reason being I started out in an old Taurus/Terry trailer that was first pulled with a half ton. One one trip I was with my wife's dad who had a 2500 diesel and we pulled the trailer with that. I got a newer truck because I tow in the mountains and the half ton was sluggish compared to the 2500 of my father in laws, and I did not like the way it felt in general with the half ton. So I towed my old trailer with the newer truck (2006 2500 5.9 diesel). I towed this way for a few years and then my wife and I decided to get a newer truck because the 06 was starting to have some major issues we did not want to address. We then got a 2012 Dodge 2500 6.7 diesel and it towed like a dream, so much power compared to my older truck. Now we just upgraded to a new TT. We got the EVO 2850, the new TT is a little heavier and the tanks are twice the size. The EVOs are advertised as half ton towable but that doesn't tell the whole story. Once all of the weight is added to the TT it gets a little much for half tons (in my opinion).

Longer story kinda short, the 2500 chassis puts a safety factor in there for my personal liking, by going with the 2500 I do not even think twice about weights, I do not have to meticulously pack becasue I know the 2500 will handle the trailer loaded to its max and still carry the normal truck bed gear we carry. Some may say I do not need it but I have a sway control and WD hitch to further ease my mind about weights and loads.

Also as others have said you get a truck that fits your future needs as well. Buying a bigger truck now will set you up for upgrades in the future. If you go to a bigger trailer down the road you will only need to upgrade the TT instead of both the TT and TV. This factored into my thinking in getting another TV as well. Just some thoughts, my motto is I would rather be overkill than not having enough TV, my piece of mind and my families safety are the priorities on my list and I never want to be holding the short end of the stick in terms of safety, engine power and stopping while towing.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by GreenImp

Simple...by not caring or sometimes even knowing about the ratings. Or even worse, by trusting their salesman.

Or maybe they know those ratings are pulled from someone's orifice? A 1/2 ton truck can only carry the same load as a Honda minivan? Yeah, right.