Help with pick up choice

[navygrandparents]

I hope to get some replies on a pickup for towing. I also know that everyone has a preference but my choices are simple. I am looking at a Ram 2500 Big Horn 2WD 6.4 bed with 5.7L Hemi and 4.10 gears, a Ram 2500 Big Horn 2WD 6.4 bed with 6.4L Hemi and 4.10 gears and finally a Silverado 2500 LTZ 2WD 6.6 bed with 6.0L V-8 and 4.10 gears. I'm sure that all will do what is necessary but we are looking for the best mpg possible with and without the Flagstaff Super Light 5th wheel that weighs around 7550# empty in tow. We do not want a diesel for personal reasons and costs and we will be RVing parked in Florida for 6 months and then travel no further north than Harrisonburg, Va. and back for the winter. I appreciate any and all replies.

[EdJunior]

What are you towing? Or thinking about towing? I prefer Ford, but given the choices you have limited yourself to, I would probably opt for the 6.4L Hemi. I've really grown on the Hemi's. I've heard good things about the 6.4L in the 2500 Ram, but have no personal experience.

[h2onut58]

I pulled my 2016 8528 for 2 years with a 2012 Ram crew 1500 5.7 short bed and reveloution hitch and loved it. Got between 9 and 11 MPG. I am right now in Kansas on the way to Denver from Louisiana with my brand new 2017 2500 6.4 mega cab. Getting 7 MPG and today is the 1st time I saw it come out of 4th gear in tow haul running 65 -70. Running mid grade gets me 8 MPG. My good friend and mechanic steered me away from diesel because of maintenance expense and I kept the 2012 as a daily driver so this one will be mostly for camping trips. If I was to do it again I'd go diesel just because we want to tackle the Rockies. This thing kicks down into 3rd every time you think hill. There will be plenty of opinions about being near max weight, etc. But I would not hesitate to use my 1500 with 113000 miles to make your trip. I did put airbags for towing and my friend put 10 ply tires which I ran 80 psi towing and 65 psi when not. He calls it my 2/3 ton truck.

[CurtPutnam]

Check the door stickers on each of them to be certain that the trucks will work with your trailer and tongue wt. 3/4 ton trucks can have some iffy specs if you are pulling large.

IMO & YMWV

[BigH]

I just went through truck shopping and I'm not brand loyal...I've owned trucks from all of the big three. My last Ford experience was terrible and all the aluminum body trucks made prior to 2018 are under recall for the same problems I suffered. Ford handled me poorly. Because of my situation with the Ford I spent many months doing research.

Ram: I liked the storage ideas. I disliked the transmission...second gear is very tall. Empty, this gasser (6.4) feels quick. Pulling a trailer, the much weaker on paper Chevy outperforms it on a big grade. And the 6.4 needs premium fuel.

Ford: I really liked the truck/motor/transmission and the 4.30 gears but the last one I had (2016) left a very bad taste in my mouth...I just couldn't do it.

Chevy: weakest on paper. Tried and true powertrain. No premium gas requirement. No WDH needed on long box models up to 2000lbs TW.

Basically for me it came down to Ram or GM and the best deal. No regrets on the choice.

Good luck.

[doc73]

Like curt said, check out the door stickers on the vehicle that you want.. Not the online numbers. I am not to familiar with the ram lineups but if big horn is like ltz that eats payload fast having all the nice cushy sound systems, leather seats and such. But not having 4x4 might add that weight back on.

[mwdilday]

Use gross weight of the trailer when pairing a truck tow capacity, not empty weight. A short bed could get a little tight in the turns. My brother had a 5th wheel and a short bed F250 and put the trailer into the cab. Not a good day. Premium unleaded would be a deal breaker for me. Not too familiar with gassers pulling 5th wheels since I've had a Ford diesel since 2000 but either engine should do fine with a <10K fiver. I am not a fan of Dodge so if it were me it would be Ford or Chevy.

[Dave Lyon]

I upgraded to a GMC 2500 4X4 in March. I've been very happy with the truck. I've always been a GM guy and can't speak to Dodge.....either way you'll be happy.

[Jobecka1]

I had a 2013 RAM 1500, Crew Cab, 5.7 Hemi with 3.93 gears towing a Flagstaff 831 RESS weighing in at around 7800 lbs. I had absolutely NO issues with the truck other than slowing when pulling uphill grades. I recently traded for a 2017 RAM 2500, short bed, Crew Cab, Diesel with standard gearing and immediately noticed a world of difference...little to no squatting with the same WDH, better fuel mileage (12-13 vs 7-10) and, like I was told by others who tow: "You won't even know you are towing anything back there." Oh, and the standard exhaust brake is WONDERFUL when towing!

[Fishrsafe]

Originally Posted by navygrandparents

I hope to get some replies on a pickup for towing. I also know that everyone has a preference but my choices are simple. I am looking at a Ram 2500 Big Horn 2WD 6.4 bed with 5.7L Hemi and 4.10 gears, a Ram 2500 Big Horn 2WD 6.4 bed with 6.4L Hemi and 4.10 gears and finally a Silverado 2500 LTZ 2WD 6.6 bed with 6.0L V-8 and 4.10 gears. I'm sure that all will do what is necessary but we are looking for the best mpg possible with and without the Flagstaff Super Light 5th wheel that weighs around 7550# empty in tow. We do not want a diesel for personal reasons and costs and we will be RVing parked in Florida for 6 months and then travel no further north than Harrisonburg, Va. and back for the winter. I appreciate any and all replies.

We tow our 2858CKWS with a 2011 2500 Ram 2 WD with 5.7L Hemi and avg. 9 mpg at 65mph on our flat Florida hwy’s. Added Firestone air bags recently and they do a nice job of leveling the truck. As loaded we are at 9,150lbs.

Good luck with your search,

Pete

[Rookiewood]

I don’t want to start something here ( or continue ) with an argument but I NEVER had ANY issues with a Duramax with an Allison transmission !

[EdJunior]

Originally Posted by BigH

I just went through truck shopping and I'm not brand loyal...I've owned trucks from all of the big three. My last Ford experience was terrible and all the aluminum body trucks made prior to 2018 are under recall for the same problems I suffered. Ford handled me poorly. Because of my situation with the Ford I spent many months doing research.

BigH...I don't want to hijack the thread too much, but what are/were the issues that are under recall?

[EdJunior]

Originally Posted by Rookiewood

I don’t want to start something here ( or continue ) with an argument but I NEVER had ANY issues with a Duramax with an Allison transmission !

Remember, he did say no diesel "for personal reasons". So the DMax is out, no matter how good or bad it is.

[Jakieboy]

I do not understand why you would not consider a diesel. All the diesel pickups these days are great values, and you will get twice the miles per gallon compared to a gas engine.

[extxn]

Originally Posted by BigH

Ram: I liked the storage ideas. I disliked the transmission...second gear is very tall. Empty, this gasser (6.4) feels quick. Pulling a trailer, the much weaker on paper Chevy outperforms it on a big grade. And the 6.4 needs premium fuel.

Sorry BigH ~ don't to dispute your thinking but I just completed a 1,994.4 mile trip from Vermont to Texas driving my 2016 RAM 2500 Tradesman, crew cab, short bed, 6.4 hemi while dragging my 26RR with a Goldwing trike and much more loaded in the truck bed and inside the trailer. Entire trip, I used 87 octane, had no problems getting in or out of traffic, traveled many road surfaces both up and down grades through the mountains of Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas. Also, no problems gaining enough speed on short entrance ramps to merge into traffic. Road speeds anywhere from 60 to 70 mph with occasionally higher to get away from semi's when needed. My regular miles per gallon on this trip was from 9 to 11 at any given time and always used the tow/haul mode.

On average, I run 87 octane with occasional 89 octane even when empty, never have run premium.

[tuckerdog1]

The only thing I would add: No matter which you choose, why no 4x4? I'm not an avid off road guy. But twice I drove onto ground that "looked" just fine to drive on, and BAM, hopelessly stuck in mud. 4x4 got me out right away. Glad I wasn't pulling the TT either time. Don't know how that would have turned out.

Tuckerdog1

[BigH]

Originally Posted by EdJunior

BigH...I don't want to hijack the thread too much, but what are/were the issues that are under recall?

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ys-146692.html

In freezing weather, doors many not open and/or they may not unlock and/or they may not latch closed if they do open.

Originally Posted by extxn

Sorry BigH ~ don't to dispute your thinking but I just completed a 1,994.4 mile trip from Vermont to Texas driving my 2016 RAM 2500 Tradesman, crew cab, short bed, 6.4 hemi while dragging my 26RR with a Goldwing trike and much more loaded in the truck bed and inside the trailer. Entire trip, I used 87 octane, had no problems getting in or out of traffic, traveled many road surfaces both up and down grades through the mountains of Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas. Also, no problems gaining enough speed on short entrance ramps to merge into traffic. Road speeds anywhere from 60 to 70 mph with occasionally higher to get away from semi's when needed. My regular miles per gallon on this trip was from 9 to 11 at any given time and always used the tow/haul mode.

On average, I run 87 octane with occasional 89 octane even when empty, never have run premium.

If my facts are off, then my 'thinking' would certainly be wrong but I'm not sure what you're disputing? That your choice on fuel somehow changes what Ram says? Or that the GM 6.0 has proven to outperform the Ram 6.4 towing up a big grade? I never said the Ram wouldn't do what you just did...If the latter is a question: Go watch the Fast Lane Truck and look up their past videos...during the tests they complain about the transmission having to large of an RPM drop in the Chevy but have no explanation on why it outperformed the Ram going up the grade. The results were almost exactly the same the next time they ran the test with different trucks.

I have no issue with the Ram and think it's a fine truck, I liked my '11 just fine. As I said, I have no brand loyalty.

[BigH]

Originally Posted by Jakie-Boy

I do not understand why you would not consider a diesel. All the diesel pickups these days are great values, and you will get twice the miles per gallon compared to a gas engine.

They are not great values like they used to be and the value end of the equation is getting harder and harder to justify even for people who fit into the small niche of doing big loads and lots of miles a year. Fleet operators are switching to gas because the value isn't there like it used to be...

There are several reasons why it's easy to find diesel trucks from the big 3 for sale right as the warranty is about up. It used to be someone bought a diesel and used it for the life of the vehicle because that was how you got the value out of it.

The OP clearly has done some research and ruled out diesel for his use...ruling it out is getting easier and easier to do for folks doing some research.

[RSchleder]

More POPCORN please!!!

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by navygrandparents

I hope to get some replies on a pickup for towing. I also know that everyone has a preference but my choices are simple. I am looking at a Ram 2500 Big Horn 2WD 6.4 bed with 5.7L Hemi and 4.10 gears, a Ram 2500 Big Horn 2WD 6.4 bed with 6.4L Hemi and 4.10 gears and finally a Silverado 2500 LTZ 2WD 6.6 bed with 6.0L V-8 and 4.10 gears. I'm sure that all will do what is necessary but we are looking for the best mpg possible with and without the Flagstaff Super Light 5th wheel that weighs around 7550# empty in tow. We do not want a diesel for personal reasons and costs and we will be RVing parked in Florida for 6 months and then travel no further north than Harrisonburg, Va. and back for the winter. I appreciate any and all replies.

I have the 2500 Chevy with 4:10 gear and have no issues towing my 9000# camper. I just returned from a 2000 mile trip traveling flat roads and some with 6% grades no problems. Mileage will vary depending on grades and speed but over all I can get around 8.5mpg which for me is about norm. No more than you will tow yeas a diesel is defiantly out. Had the diesel posters read through your post they would have understood that your reason for not needing one was a clear choice.
Later RJD