Jarlaxle
New England
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Joined: 11/18/2006
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chad.holderness wrote:Hi. This is my first ever post, as it is the first answer I couldn't find. My wife is buying a fifth wheel horse trailer, and im not thinking my half ton HEMI is the best towing option as the trialer is 13500 lb. loaded. With that, she found a real nice Power Ram 2500 q/c 4x4 HEMI. Now, the GCWR is 17000lb, but the actual truck is only rated for 10800lb from factory. This is only 800lb more than my 2010 1500 HEMI is rated. This makes me very concerned with transmissions and whatnot. I want to look for a 2500 or 3500 diesel, but this truck is "pretty" and she really wants it. Is there any way i can increase this towing capacity to avoid a headache with transmissions, or do i put my foot down and look for a diesel? Thanks.
Go for it. The $8300 (!) whack for the diesel will buy LOTS AND LOTS of gas for that Hemi! The tow rating for your truck is basically fiction...the 2500 will tow 10,000lbs all day. Only pitfall is gearing...though looking at the Ram site, all gas 2500's have 3.73 axle gears.
I would not own a new diesel if you GAVE it to me. It's just not worth it anymore.
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with Briza the size XL tabby
St. Bernard Marm, cats Vierna and Maya...RIP. ">
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
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waynec1957
North Central Indiana
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Joined: 06/25/2009
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I’ve thought about used, but I’ve always bought new and this will likely be my last new truck, or that’s my thinking anyway.
2013 Chevy Sliverado 2500 HD LS Crew Cab
Duramax/Allison, HD Tow Package, GCWR 24,500
2017 KZ Sportsmen S330 IK
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wildernesshd
Alex.,La.
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Joined: 12/21/2008
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in My mind the perfect GM tow rig would have the Allison 6 speed,373 gear and an 8.1 liter gas engine with displacement on demand for a little MPG and less money than the D-max
2012 GMC \Denali 3500 4X4 DURAMAX Allison EFI live tuner 4 inch Exhaust
2012 Keystone Avalanche 330RE 5th wheel 4 slides
statements in this post should be considered opinions and not facts
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jevanb
michigan
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Joined: 07/20/2006
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wildernesshd wrote:in My mind the perfect GM tow rig would have the Allison 6 speed,373 gear and an 8.1 liter gas engine with displacement on demand for a little MPG and less money than the D-max but a 06 LBZ motor with 68k goes for 22-28k vs a gas motor with the same features goes for 12k, kind of makes it desirable to get that kind of money out of a used vehicle, I pull 13k 5er and my friend pulls the same weight 5er with his 05 8.1 on the flats he is on par with me but in the hills diff story I even traded seats with him once in the mountains, never again...
2006 CC 4x Lbz,
2012 Wildcat 344QB
Pullrite Superglide
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rhagfo
Portland, OR
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Joined: 07/06/2012
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rcpd34 wrote:chad.holderness wrote:Hi. This is my first ever post, as it is the first answer I couldn't find. My wife is buying a fifth wheel horse trailer, and im not thinking my half ton HEMI is the best towing option as the trialer is 13500 lb. loaded. With that, she found a real nice Power Ram 2500 q/c 4x4 HEMI. Now, the GCWR is 17000lb, but the actual truck is only rated for 10800lb from factory. This is only 800lb more than my 2010 1500 HEMI is rated. This makes me very concerned with transmissions and whatnot. I want to look for a 2500 or 3500 diesel, but this truck is "pretty" and she really wants it. Is there any way i can increase this towing capacity to avoid a headache with transmissions, or do i put my foot down and look for a diesel? Thanks.
Buy a diesel. Hands down. Get ready for 30 more opinions. "My gasser has too much power" Said no one. Ever.
Missed this one for sure!
Just got back from a Horse show in Bend, OR my youngest daughter (Adult) has just got back to jumping after 10 years. We pulled our 5er for a extra long weekend (Wed through Sun). I am pretty sure my Ram 2500 was the smallest TV in the crowd, but all the rest ware also diesel.
If you haven't already get a 2500 or 3500 diesel to haul that trailer, no mistake doing that. Just came back from that trip my 01 Ram Cummins 5.9 with 3.55 gears pulled our 5er over Santiam Pass (4,817')weighing at about 11,300# and a GCVW of 19,250# and maintained 50 mph on the worst grades. Did I mention the engine has 258,000 miles.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#
"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"
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luberhill
syracuse
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Joined: 05/26/2013
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Just so I dont have to read thru 392 pages of opinions dating back to 1.20 a gallon gas... ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile") what is the general consenses on gas or diesel to tow a 5th wheel ? We are struggling with weather to buy a motorhome or a 5th..If we go the 5th I need a tow truck...
Which gas model delivers the best mpg, Ford,GM or Dodge ? And with the price of diesel does it make sense to go that way or does gas make more sense ??
And for a decent size 5th like 32ft would you need a dually to be safe and have enough ?? I would hate to buy a truck then find out its not enough...
2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE
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lancekeys
Pittsburg, TX
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Joined: 05/12/2013
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Well, I think the general consensus is that it depends. If you are not going to do a lot of towing, there are several gas engines out there that will do the job of pulling a 5th wheel. What a gas engine can do a diesel can do better. The only downside is that some maintenance on a diesel is more expensive. Personally I drive a dodge 2500 with the 360 V8 and think it does just fine with my 28' fifth wheel. Now, if I were to hook on to my trailer with a diesel, I would want to get rid of the gasser and buy a diesel. All that being said, I bought my truck for $3500, good luck finding a decent diesel for that price!
If money were no object, I would have a diesel no question about that! Just not sure which one, they all make what seems like unreal amounts of torque.
1999 dodge 2500 360 V-8
2002 28' Forest River Wildcat fifth wheel
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rhagfo
Portland, OR
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Joined: 07/06/2012
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luberhill wrote:Just so I dont have to read thru 392 pages of opinions dating back to 1.20 a gallon gas... what is the general consenses on gas or diesel to tow a 5th wheel ? We are struggling with weather to buy a motorhome or a 5th..If we go the 5th I need a tow truck...
Which gas model delivers the best mpg, Ford,GM or Dodge ? And with the price of diesel does it make sense to go that way or does gas make more sense ??
And for a decent size 5th like 32ft would you need a dually to be safe and have enough ?? I would hate to buy a truck then find out its not enough...
Well if you are looking for a 5er that is not flimsy at 32' to 33' may I suggest you read this thread.
As to the cost of fuel, don't look at the price difference, look at the percentage!! Then look at the percentage difference in fuel mileage. I really don't see a difference in maintenance cost for my Cummins Ram.
If you don't like or want a diesel so be it, but I just pulled a GCVW of 19,000# over Santiam Pass in Oregon, only saw the south side of 50 in a couple of tighter turns, when we would come to a passing lane, it wasn't 15 or 20 car shooting by me, it was maybe 3 or 4 and it took a bit for them to go by!
You might read this
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Paul Clancy
BC Canada
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Joined: 09/16/2005
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Cost of diesel is regional and seasonal. Right now where I live diesel is 40 cents per gal cheaper than regular. Come winter it is more. Modern diesels are very strong clean quiet and relaxed towing with about 30% better mpg than gas. Only higher maint cost is a fuel filter every 2nd oil change. Dually is about pin weight of trailer. My 32 ft 5th is 1500 at pin loaded. Well within 3/4 ton payload. Other 32s are far heavier at the pin. At 11900 gvwr on my 5th I would not consider a gas truck. I would look at diesel single rear wheel one ton. Remember if you buy a diesel you will get most of the diesel option price back at resale.
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mike.t
SoCal
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Joined: 06/20/2013
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Easy.Go to a horse show or a RV campground and see what folks are driving.
Plus if you have never pulled a trailer with a diesel boy are you missing something.
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