A Capable Truck ?

[ChooChooMan74]

Truck threads suck. People get crucified for being on the edge of their ratings, but don't know the situation that they are in.

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by jtesta1

I will just keep pulling my fifth wheel with my old VW pickup.

For the last time....A Datsun 520 will out-tow a VW. Rear wheel drive vs front wheel drive.....RWD will win every time!

[CurtPutnam]

Should I throw the VW van with rear, air-cooled engine into the mix?

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by CurtPutnam

Should I throw the VW van with rear, air-cooled engine into the mix?

Only if you are using it to pull a 5er!

Larry

[BigRockr]

Originally Posted by clarkbre

MPG is such an insignificant number....

Whats the actual cost per mile of a diesel vs gas? Not fuel...actual cost.

They may get better mileage than an equivalent gas fueled truck; however, they are more costly in every other way:

1. Purchase price
2. Fuel (Gas is 2.69 gal, Diesel is 2.99 gal currently in WA)
3. General maintenance: Diesels take more oil, bigger oil filters, fuel filters, DEF
4. Repair

While they may get better MPG, its very easy to argue that for 250k miles, a gasser is overall the lower cost truck.

Don't forget trade-in value. My $43K 2013 Ram was worth $30K last February on truck trader. The Ford dealer gave me $32k. Four years for 11k? Not bad. Also, remember when the diesel is passing you with the 5'er attached getting 10 mpg, your gasser is getting 7mpg. That's THIRTY %! (I added that cuz folks on this forum are math adverse)

Keep on Truckin'

[primo20]

I personally wish I had gone to a 3500 CTD when I bought my ram in 2017 but I didn’t have a 5er then either. In fact never thought I would.

What I can say, is my 5er empty is 10,500 with a 2300 tongue weight. My payload is 2400 so yes I’m absolutely over.

In my case I was scared to death when I bought the new fiver and didn’t have a DRW or a 3500. But I must say I have no issues towing with my set up. I’m within my overall row rating, I have no concerns stopping, I’m over in the payload, but I added Airlift 5000 to assist me in the sag and payload department.

Truth be told I only run with 17 psi in the bags and it is nice and solid and level. Without the bags I had about 2 inches of sag.

I’m sure at some point I’ll be moving to the 3500, and likely a DRW, but after pulling from Niagara Falls to TN, to FL to GA to DC back home to Niagara then to WI and home since August I feel much better about my set up.

It sure beats the feel of the 35 foot 8 K bumper pull I traded in!

Oh and for what it’s worth, yes my oil changes are more money. But I have a 10k interval with synthetic oil. For me it was a no brainer, the Diesel engine was FREE when I bought the ram. So the 10k option for free was well worth it for me if I get the advertised longevity of the Cummins engine. It’s the rest of the dodge I’m worried about! Lol. And I can say it. It’s my 5th Ram!

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by BigRockr

Don't forget trade-in value. My $43K 2013 Ram was worth $30K last February on truck trader. The Ford dealer gave me $32k. Four years for 11k? Not bad. Also, remember when the diesel is passing you with the 5'er attached getting 10 mpg, your gasser is getting 7mpg. That's THIRTY %! (I added that cuz folks on this forum are math adverse)

Keep on Truckin'

You're right. For sake of an apples to apples comparison, I used the truck in my signature.

For a 2016 F250, the local average retail value is:
Gas: $36,318
Diesel: $42,645
A $6,327 difference

Going back to the first year of that truck (2011) to compare the 6.2 gas and 6.7 diesel, the private party resale value (what to expect when selling it):
Gas: $22,085
Diesel: $28,688

A $6,603 difference with a $276 gain from the diesel.

This is calculated over 100,000 miles for 6 years.

And, while the diesel does yield an additional $276 at resale, the over all cost of additional oil, oil filters, fuel filters and DEF needed by the diesel negates the financial resale gain.

[Walholler]

I had a 2001 GMC extended cab 3/4 ton gasser which was a great truck, if I drove at 55mph on flat ground I could squeeze 11 mpg out of it when towing our 30 ft. 5th wheel. I wanted something that I could drive between 63 & 65 mph and still get the fuel mileage. I also wanted a vehicle that I could legally install an auxiliary fuel tank in the truck bed. I purchased a 2015 Chevrolet 2500HD crew cab, 4 x 4, 8 ft. bed, Duramax diesel and upgraded our 5th wheel to a new 32 ft. model. I now tow at my desired speed, my fuel mileage is 12 mpg, I installed a 60 gal. auxiliary bed mounted tank in addition to the 36 gal. tank on the truck. Yes , I know, no one wants to drive all day without stopping, neither do I. The great thing about that auxiliary tank is, I do not have fuel up at truck stops where I know I can get the rig in & out easily. When I need diesel, I usually refill with the trailer in a campground. Another great feature with the diesel engine trucks is that exhaust brake, I love that in the mountains when towing, never have to touch my foot brake. Fuel filter changes are every 21,000 miles, oil filter & oil change is every 6000 miles on blended oil or I can extend that to 12,000 miles on full synthetic oil with a filter change at 6,000 miles. Instead of buying filters at a jacked up price at local parts stores, I order in bulk online, get much better prices. DEF cost around $12.00 for 2 1/2 gals., truck holds 5 gals. and burns a gallon per 1000 miles. Tow rating on my truck is 18,200 lbs., our 5th wheel loaded comes in around 9600 lbs. Not sure what the exact cargo capacity is, but believe it is around 3000 lbs.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by primo20

I’m over in the payload, but I added Airlift 5000 to assist me in the sag and payload department.

Airbags do not increase payload capacity. They only help with sag and ride quality.

[primo20]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Airbags do not increase payload capacity. They only help with sag and ride quality.

Correct. That’s why I did it. Excess payload in the bed causes sag.

[Maxwell D Pratt]

I think it is ( My truck “ fill in the blank” can out pull yours. I think when purchasing a truck . You should consider what it will be used for. Don’t buy something that you will be white knuckled pulling a TT that is too large for the truck to pull . When I buy a truck I want one that will pull at least 1/3 more than what my TT weights leave some headway. If you like your truck you will not load it to the max. The brand is your choice.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Ejs4029

So your basically saying there is no practical purpose for a 3/4 ton with a diesel because of payload constraints thus regulating it to a heavy duty 1/2 ton so to speak....I personally preferred the diesel option over the increased payload of the 3/4 gasser for a variety of reasons

Not the least of which is the ease with which they drive in hilly or mountainous country and the ability to add an aux tank to extend ur range before having to stop for fuel.

I would not take even a 1 ton DRW gasser in place of my truck.

One thing neglected in the cost comparison is the longevity of diesels vs gassers. If you aer constantly trading trucks that may not be an issue but if you, like me, keep a truck a long time the diesel is not that much more expensive, and it has a MUCH higher resale value.

I also find that those who have diesels are Much More into their trucks than those who drive gassers. So we tend to maintain them better. This is not an absolute but just my observations

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

One thing neglected in the cost comparison is the longevity of diesels vs gassers. If you aer constantly trading trucks that may not be an issue but if you, like me, keep a truck a long time the diesel is not that much more expensive, and it has a MUCH higher resale value.

All true statements for trucks built before the latest batch of emissions equipment was introduced. We need to wait and see how the newer trucks hold up. Seems more and more people are reporting engine issues on the newer ones. I expect that manufacturers are going to make it harder to delete the emissions by expanding the computer controls on the engine. Also impacting the resale value is the current difference in fuel costs, assuming it is a long term issue. Still a $0.75 premium for diesel near me.

[stephndudb]

I actually think I bought TOO MUCH truck. Our last combo was a short bed F350 CC DRW diesel with a Titanium 5th wheel. The Titanium design was unique with extra bedroom space up over the CAB of the truck, so it had a relatively heavy pin weight. That combo drove/handled like a dream.

When we bought our current small-ish 8289WS, which is a couple feet longer than the Titanium overall, I figured I'd go with a similar setup. We bought a long bed GMC 3500 CC DRW gasser. Not a great choice, I think. Not because of the gas, though. No complaints there.

The first problem was bed height. The 8289 can't be raised per Dexter, so the GMC had to be lowered. There's no spacer blocks on the GMC, so I had to use drop shackles. That compressed the springs almost onto the helper springs when unloaded. With the trailer on, the ride is STIFF. So stiff I think it adds to trailer bounce on rough pavement. We've had some downright scary moments on concrete highway when the trailer and truck got into an oscillating bounce.

I actually like this truck as my daily driver but I think it would've been a better match to a heavier and/or taller trailer. But, hindsight is 20/20 and we had limited options when we bought the truck. The Ford had left us on the side of the road once too many and we had a big trip coming up, so we were pretty limited to what dealers had on the lot at the time. C'est la vie.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

All true statements for trucks built before the latest batch of emissions equipment was introduced. We need to wait and see how the newer trucks hold up. Seems more and more people are reporting engine issues on the newer ones. I expect that manufacturers are going to make it harder to delete the emissions by expanding the computer controls on the engine. Also impacting the resale value is the current difference in fuel costs, assuming it is a long term issue. Still a $0.75 premium for diesel near me.

The additional cost of diesel here is right at .50 and my truck is the first Duramax version they put a DPF on, No DEF to deal with. That and the EGR fell off though

But he newest version, the L5P, is so locked up nothing can fall off or it will go immediately into Limp mode.

Im very happy with my current, older truck adn do not have any plans or desire to ever change.

[JohnD10]

When I bought my 3/4-ton gasser, I had a TT that was no match for the new truck.

However, after some big issues with that TT I decided to dump it for a 5'ver.

Now...here is the unheard of clencher...

I actually shopped for a 5'ver that was well within the tow specs of the new truck!

Yes...it is true!

Not barely on the edge of what the new truck was capable of, but I have room to spare!

It was at 9900 pounds loaded, but after doing a six month full time stint in it I shedded some weight (and dumped the wife of 35 years ) and it now is around 9500 pounds fully loaded.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Walholler

... I also wanted a vehicle that I could legally install an auxiliary fuel tank in the truck bed....

I purchased a 2015 Chevrolet 2500HD crew cab, 4 x 4, 8 ft. bed, Duramax diesel and upgraded our 5th wheel to a new 32 ft. model. Tow rating on my truck is 18,200 lbs., our 5th wheel loaded comes in around 9600 lbs. Not sure what the exact cargo capacity is, but believe it is around 3000 lbs.

A guy at work has that truck in a 2016, his payload is 19xx. I have a similar truck with the gas motor and it doesn't have 3000lbs of payload. You can look on the inside of your door to determine the payload for your truck...I hope your auxiliary tank is a small one or you might not be as legal as you think.

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

All true statements for trucks built before the latest batch of emissions equipment was introduced. We need to wait and see how the newer trucks hold up. Seems more and more people are reporting engine issues on the newer ones. I expect that manufacturers are going to make it harder to delete the emissions by expanding the computer controls on the engine. Also impacting the resale value is the current difference in fuel costs, assuming it is a long term issue. Still a $0.75 premium for diesel near me.

They're not holding up well enough to keep fleets from switching to gas motors around here.

[pdqparalegal1]

Is America great or what??😁😁

[clarkbre]

Originally Posted by BigH

....They're not holding up well enough to keep fleets from switching to gas motors around here.

Looks like Glacier National Park's Red Jammers are being retro fitted with Ford's gasser 6.2L and making it into a hybrid.

Here's the articile: Glacier National Park’s Iconic Red Buses Are Getting A Hybrid Upgrade



I'm curious why the Big 3 (5 with Toyota and Nissan) couldn't/hasn't made a hybrid similar to these rigs (gas or diesel). Fuel going up hill with electric assist and charge the batteries as you go down hill.

Wonder what the next decade or two will bring....

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by clarkbre

I'm curious why the Big 3 (5 with Toyota and Nissan) couldn't/hasn't made a hybrid similar to these rigs (gas or diesel). Fuel going up hill with electric assist and charge the batteries as you go down hill.

Wonder what the next decade or two will bring....

There's a limited number of capable engineers and limited $ to pay for the development. Though the companies are partnering with 3rd parties to do some of the work. Saw the attached for a currently available plug-in hybrid uplift for F-150 and others trucks. Unfortunately, the company does not sell to individual consumers, only fleets.

https://www.hybridcars.com/xl-hybrid...0-plug-hybrid/
This version reportedly does not impact any Ford warranty and has a pretty substantial warranty of its own.