1/2 Ton for a 6,000 pound TT

[tuffr2]

Sounds like you need the bigger truck. With the bigger truck you get a bigger bed to carry all your families stuff.

It is to scary buying a used diesel. Not so much the diesel engine but the complex exhaust system. It is expensive to get the exchaust fixed if anything gets plugged up with soot from burning diesel. I had a 1st generation diesel for 6.5 years without any problems but felt I was driving a ticking time bomb. On the flip side the diesel power might be worth the expense.

If you could swing for a 2017 or newer F-250 6.2 Boss engine (gas) with a 6 speed transmission that is a pretty reliable truck. I drive this truck and like it. 2017 is the high strength steel boxed frame redesign truck.

Ram and GM - buy the newest truck you can because improvements were incremental for the most part. Like 2014 I think Ram introduced the 6.4 hemi gas engine.

Prior to 2017 GM and Ram had the better frame that was more solid and resisted twisting more than the Ford. My 2017 Ford Super Duty feels more solid than my 2012 Super Duty.

Used trucks are a seller's market now so you might get a better deal on a new truck with 0% financing for 6 years or so. To me a good deal is at least 10k off MSRP and 0% financing.

[Nutties]

Anyone have a Ram 2500 Mega Cab? I am intrigued by the extra cab space to get the three kids as far back as possible. I think I’d be willing to give up the bed space. I have an old Chevy if I need a full size bed for non camping related activities.

[Skip426]

Originally Posted by Nutties

Anyone have a Ram 2500 Mega Cab? I am intrigued by the extra cab space to get the three kids as far back as possible. I think I’d be willing to give up the bed space. I have an old Chevy if I need a full size bed for non camping related activities.

Again you have to get the numbers , the bigger cab & doors are of course heavier and if the suspension components aren't upgraded the Mega Cab will have less payload than the Quad Cab.

[nicky8668]

Originally Posted by Nutties

Anyone have a Ram 2500 Mega Cab? I am intrigued by the extra cab space to get the three kids as far back as possible. I think I’d be willing to give up the bed space. I have an old Chevy if I need a full size bed for non camping related activities.

Be careful with Ram mega cab. For example, the 2018 mega cab diesel only have about 2000 lbs payload, if you get higher trim, it could be as low as 1600 lbs. But 6.4 HEMI gets you about 2900 lbs. Generally, diesel motor is about 4-500 lbs heavier. The mega cab is about 600 lbs heavier than crewcab. IMO, a 3/4 ton with less than 2000 lbs payload is just ridiculous.

[tuffr2]

Not only is the diesel engine heavier but so is all the emission stuff they add to the diesel trucks. I bet their is another 200 - 300 lbs of emission stuff. The DEF system with full DEF is maybe 70lbs. The DPF is another heavy item hanging on the truck.

[Jay D.]

Originally Posted by 1st-tt2018

I would challenge the mpg a bit....hear me out.
I had a 2013 gmc sierra 1500...got 14 mpg unloaded, 6 towing.
I now have a 2019 Ram 2500...i get 15mpg unloaded and 11 towing the same setup and gear.

It all depends on options, wants, needs, and of course price. They are both gas V8. The gmc was a 5.3, the ram is a 6.4 hemi.

NOW HEAR ME OUT. I have a 2010 GMC 1500 crew with the 5.3 and 342 gears and regularly get 17-19 on the hiway i travel 200mi. one way to visit my boy half of that is rural 2 lane hiway the other is freeway miles. i get 17-19 every time. i check when i get their and check when i get home i fill up at home and fill agian when i get to his place then do the math, thats the only real way to do it. i get an average of about 9-11 sometimes better depends greatly on terrain, pulling 6500# travel trailer. you must of had something wrong lower rear gears or something.
Jay D.

[Jay D.]

Originally Posted by 1st-tt2018

I would challenge the mpg a bit....hear me out.
I had a 2013 gmc sierra 1500...got 14 mpg unloaded, 6 towing.
I now have a 2019 Ram 2500...i get 15mpg unloaded and 11 towing the same setup and gear.

It all depends on options, wants, needs, and of course price. They are both gas V8. The gmc was a 5.3, the ram is a 6.4 hemi.

NOW HEAR ME OUT. I have a 2010 GMC 1500 crew with the 5.3 and 342 gears and regularly get 17-19 on the hiway i travel 200mi. one way to visit my boy half of that is rural 2 lane hiway the other is freeway miles. i get 17-19 every time. i check when i get their and check when i get home. i fill up at home and fill agian when i get to his place then do the math, that's the only real way to do it. i get an average of about 9-11 sometimes better depends greatly on terrain, pulling 6500# travel trailer. you must of had something wrong lower rear gears or something.
Jay D.

[RobbieH]

Originally Posted by Nutties

Thanks for all of the replies. I guess I am in 3/4 ton territory. I have been looking for the fabled 3k payload F-150 but it seems to be a unicorn. Ordering new is out of the question as I have three kids to put through school and can't justify spending $60k on a truck at this point in my life.

With that, which 3/4 ton should I be looking at? I am on a $35k budget.

I bought my 2018 with 40,000 miles for $35,800. One of the great things about the Ram/Cummins combo is the long drivetrain warranty. This is my 5th Ram/Dodge, and I've had a Chevy and a Ford in the mix too.

[runamuck]

I pull a 6000# travel trailer with my '19 ram 1500. It has the 5.7 and 3.92 gears. I set cruise for 68-69 and get 8.5 -10 mpg. it tows really well but has limited cargo availability so I have to pack light. the 8 speed tranny is key. I get over 20 on the highway when not towing. I had a '17 gmc sierra 5.3 with 3.42 gears and 6 spd. and it struggled with this trailer. right now it is a sellers market and it will take a lot of shopping to find a used 2500 with less than 75-80,000 miles in the 35,000$ range..maybe a tradesman or low trim level. since I want to carry more stuff, I have been scouring the slightly used truck ads and deals are very hard to find..good luck

[Fanrgs]

Just a plug for a Ram 2500 Cummins diesel. We have a 2015 crew cab, std. bed used to tow our fifth wheel over 36,000 miles. When towing, we regularly get 11.5-13 mpg, depending on terrain (we live in Colorado, so we have a lot of terrain!). On two long, relatively flat, all Interstate trips without the trailer, we have averaged 23.4 mpg (calculated, not gauged) over 1,000 miles one-way and 22.3 mpg over 600 miles RT. And right now, diesel prices in Denver are the same as regular gas prices, but that won't last!

Why do we have a diesel? Again, we live in Colorado, so must cross 10-11,000' passes every time we go camping. However, it's not the diesel as much as the turbo that's important to us. For each 1,000' increase in elevation, a normally-aspirated (fuel-injected/carbureted) engine loses 3% of its power. A turbocharged engine loses less than 1% of its power in 1,000'. So, a Chevy 6.2 L gas V-8, with 420 HP at sea level, has 344 HP where I live at 6,000' and 281 HP at the I-70 Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,000'. A Ford 3.5 L gas Ecoboost V-6, with 375 HP at sea level, has 352 HP at my house and 334 HP at the tunnel.

So, in Colorado, a Chevy 1500 with a big gas V-8 will under-perform a much smaller Ford F-150 turbo V-6 if each have the max-tow package and are towing identical trailers.

Just my two cents, so take it for what it's worth!

[Jayc71]

Originally Posted by runamuck

I pull a 6000# travel trailer with my '19 ram 1500. It has the 5.7 and 3.92 gears. I set cruise for 68-69 and get 8.5 -10 mpg. it tows really well but has limited cargo availability so I have to pack light. the 8 speed tranny is key. I get over 20 on the highway when not towing. I had a '17 gmc sierra 5.3 with 3.42 gears and 6 spd. and it struggled with this trailer. right now it is a sellers market and it will take a lot of shopping to find a used 2500 with less than 75-80,000 miles in the 35,000$ range..maybe a tradesman or low trim level. since I want to carry more stuff, I have been scouring the slightly used truck ads and deals are very hard to find..good luck

What length is that trailer if you don't mind me asking? I have a 2019 RAM 1500 with the Hemi and 3.92 ratio, it's rated for ~11400 towing and 1500 payload. I'm looking at RVs now and I see many that are well within those numbers in the 25-31ft range, 6000-7000lbs gvwr range, and 600-700 tongue weight, I'm trying to get a feel for how well it would tow something like that. The numbers say it would work just fine, but I know that's probably an oversimplification. It's just two of us and we travel pretty light, but I'm concerned about going uphill and how it'll handle a crosswind, any thoughts?

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Jayc71

What length is that trailer if you don't mind me asking? I have a 2019 RAM 1500 with the Hemi and 3.92 ratio, it's rated for ~11400 towing and 1500 payload. I'm looking at RVs now and I see many that are well within those numbers in the 25-31ft range, 6000-7000lbs gvwr range, and 600-700 tongue weight, I'm trying to get a feel for how well it would tow something like that. The numbers say it would work just fine, but I know that's probably an oversimplification. It's just two of us and we travel pretty light, but I'm concerned about going uphill and how it'll handle a crosswind, any thoughts?

Unless maybe it's just you and no other passengers I think you'll be over your payload limit. I have a payload of 1,390 and I'm pushing it with a 3,800 pound empty trailer (but I do allow for 300 pounds of stuff in the bed) with my 120 pound wife and 15 pound cat as passengers.

Also, check for your actual payload--based on your specific truck. That you gave an even 1,500 makes me think that's a published number. Then subtract any accessories you've added to the truck, like side steps, covers, bars, etc.

Finally, your tongue weight will likely be higher than 10 percent, most likely between 12-13 percent.

[Jayc71]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Unless maybe it's just you and no other passengers I think you'll be over your payload limit. I have a payload of 1,390 and I'm pushing it with a 3,800 pound empty trailer (but I do allow for 300 pounds of stuff in the bed) with my 120 pound wife and 15 pound cat as passengers.

Also, check for your actual payload--based on your specific truck. That you gave an even 1,500 makes me think that's a published number. Then subtract any accessories you've added to the truck, like side steps, covers, bars, etc.

Finally, your tongue weight will likely be higher than 10 percent, most likely between 12-13 percent.

Yep I think it would be pretty close on the payload with just the two of us, we wouldn't really be able to carry anything else in the truck. The actual number on the truck is 1504, it's a Rebel trim which has a lower payload than the standard 1500s (~1800). I'm comparing tongue weights moreso than overall trailer weight, that seems like it would be the limiting factor... but I'm still learning so what do I know.

[RobbieH]

Originally Posted by Jayc71

What length is that trailer if you don't mind me asking? I have a 2019 RAM 1500 with the Hemi and 3.92 ratio, it's rated for ~11400 towing and 1500 payload. I'm looking at RVs now and I see many that are well within those numbers in the 25-31ft range, 6000-7000lbs gvwr range, and 600-700 tongue weight, I'm trying to get a feel for how well it would tow something like that. The numbers say it would work just fine, but I know that's probably an oversimplification. It's just two of us and we travel pretty light, but I'm concerned about going uphill and how it'll handle a crosswind, any thoughts?

You'll regret it.