moving up

reynoldsfam3 · 12-02-2011, 11:14 AM

I am ready to move up to a 1 ton diesel. I could use some information on good and not so good points of any trucks you all have experience with.

It will carry me, my wife, our 8 year old son, and 2 larger dogs(110lbs and 65lbs). I know there is a lot of brand loyalty out there,but I have none. I want a 4 door, 4x4, dually. It will be pulling our 32 foot, 10,500 pound travel trailer. We are going to be on the road for quite a while so comfort and reliability is very important.

Thanks for any advice
Bill

Big Bobby · 12-02-2011, 11:31 AM

Well they are all good but go by any rodeo arena in the country and 90 percent are pulling with Dodges we used to pull a 45 foot living qt horse trailer all over the country with a 3500 four door dodge never let us down have friends still rodeoing with over 400,000 on their trucks

RichR · 12-02-2011, 11:32 AM

That is what I have,f-3504x4 Crew cab Dually.Pulls my Montana just fine and it has been a great truck.

Cat320 · 12-02-2011, 01:45 PM

Any of the big three can do the job. The only caution I would offer is that Ford has had problems, off and on, for the last 10 or so years. They went from a 7.3 to a 6.0, to a 6.4, to a 6.7. I'd get a Dodge or GM/Chevy.

reynoldsfam3 · 12-02-2011, 03:22 PM

Thanks for the replies so far. We have Dodge currently and love it. I am a fan of the Cummins engine but I wasn't sure about the trannys they put behind it.

RustyJC · 12-02-2011, 04:30 PM

The new 68RFE 6-speed automatic transmission used behind the 6.7L Cummins is an absolute winner!

Both 5th and 6th gear are overdrives, so towing with a 4.10 axle ratio is quite comfortable (1612 RPM @ 60 MPH in 6th) in tow/haul mode. It's a great towing transmission as it's integrated with the exhaust brake and the other computers and works seamlessly when left in Drive, but has a manual range +/- switch on the shift lever to downshift or upshift manually if desired.

Our 2011 Dodge has never been in the shop for anything other than routine maintenance. We had great service from our 1996 and 2002 Dodge duallies as well. If you haven't driven a 4th generation (2010 up) Dodge Ram, you're in for a real pleasant shock - if you're not ready to buy one, don't take your checkbook.

Rusty

Cat320 · 12-02-2011, 04:50 PM

GM/Chevy have a six speed Allison 1000 series transmission.

jimcumminsw · 12-03-2011, 08:57 AM

Hi,
I like Rusty, am a user of the Dodge 6.7L with the 68RFE 6 speed auto.
My son talk me into this truck, when I started looking to replace my 2001 Chevy 3/4 ton pick-up truck. He was a diehard Ford user since his 1979 Ford Bronco, he bought used. In fact he still has the truck in storage. He then went to a 1999 Ford 1 ton SRW 7.3L, truck bought used.
One day he showed up at my house on announced driving a brand new 2006 Ram 3/4 ton 5.9L Cummins. Never thought I would see the day he would switch to another brand of truck. He stated the Cummins is the best engine on the market today with a good Auto Trans is modified slightly, this is the 48RFE. So my point is the Cummins is the main engine to own in the diesel pick-up market.

I would also look at this PDF booklet from Turbo Diesel Register.
Turbo Diesel Buyers Guide
Jim W.

Coma · 12-03-2011, 09:24 AM

Drive them all!

I used to pull an 8k TT with my 2007 3/4 ton 4x4 CC SB Duramax/Allison. Stock truck with TT pulled Vail pass EB at 67 mph, in sept, oat ~ 70f with temps in normal range. Went down same speed. We grossed 16672lbs on the scale.

Good Luck!

TravelingJ · 12-03-2011, 10:57 AM

I'm a huge dog fan. Towed a 10,000 lb TT for 5 years with a 2500 hemi megacab. Just traded it for a 3500 quad cab cummins. The Cummins sure hauls better, but I miss that megacab more than words can describe. With the kid and the pups, I'd seriously consider the extra space that the megacab would give you-our dog alone misses his backseat.