Very little weight difference between the 2500/3500, they are basically the same truck with different rear springs. In the Hemi you should see no visible difference in mpg between the 2, they will both be horrible Lol.
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3500 gas vs 2500 gas
- Thread starter erik53
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Very little weight difference between the 2500/3500, they are basically the same truck with different rear springs. In the Hemi you should see no visible difference in mpg between the 2, they will both be horrible Lol.
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Some states charge higher taxes on vehicles that exceed 10,000lbs GVRW. That is why, historically, the reason that 3/4 ton trucks have a GVRW of 10k or less and one ton trucks have a GVRW in excess of 10k.
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Yup that is the case here in WI and was why I decided to go with the 2500. Plus the payload was plenty at 2900 lbs since I was coming from a 1500 that had 900.
H3LZSN1P3R
You're doing it wrong
Damn Americans lol… here we register it for what we use it for i have mine registered for 5500kg (12k lbs as they only go by axle weights here not the payload sticker
jetrinka
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I mean if the price difference is really only that little personally I'd jump to the 3500. The stiffer suspension wouldn't bother me and I'd like knowing I have the ability to carry pretty much anything I wanted. Just my worthless 2 cents
I am tempted to think that same way.... I would be able to tow a 14,000 lbs fifth wheel.... But the IkeGauntlet (see Youtube) didn't go that well for RAM HD with hemi. I do much of my towing on steep mountain grades. Perhaps one needs the diesel for braking when going downhill with a heavy fifth wheel. Could an experienced owner tell me: If I downshift manually as needed, can I avoid using the brakes in that situation? OTOH, I don't think a diesel is appropriate for my daily driver, which does mostly 5 mile trips to the grocery.
Especially if you are shopping for a diesel (op is not) I'd skip the 2500 and go straight to the 3500. But in this case, will you *really* be able to use that extra payload and towing capability with a 3500 6.4?
jetrinka
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The gas is certainly a better option for short trip daily driving. Diesels like/need to heat up and get used.
It kind of sounds like you are trying to fit a gas truck in a "I really just need a diesel for towing" box. Will the gasser pull the 14000 lbs? Sure. Will it pull it as fast or confidently as the diesel? No way. I love the way my 6.4 tows - tows better than my 01 Cummins did - but on the same token im never pulling more than 3500 lbs which is laughable with these newer diesels.
The gasser, once broken in well, will give you some engine braking with throttle closed and low gear application but nothing like the exhaust brake on the diesel. You will go through brakes faster
I don't think the empty weight or mpg is materially different. It would not surprise me if the leaf spring system on the 3500 was actually lighter than the coil system on the 2500 by a slight amount. The coil spring rear suspension can induce some sway and weird towing behavior, seems to bother some people but not everyone. Personally if you plan to tow significant weight I'd suggest the 3500.
I spent some time visiting with a friend who passed through my area towing a 40 ft 5W with a 2020 chevy gasser. When he purchased the truck new in Florida, he knew he needed 1 ton payload, but he didn't get a 3500. What he got was a 2500 with an optional upgrade to the rear springs. There is an official extra sticker which states the upgraded load capacity. I don't know why this was done. Perhaps in some places the "2500" badge makes registration less expensive, while the official chevy sticker means nobody can claim the truck is overloaded. I don't know the official name for the upgrade, but the term "heavy towing option" comes to mind. Is that the same concept? Has anyone heard about such an upgrade for a RAM? I have not seen it in the RAM build procedure online.
elephantrider
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probably a "camper package" upgrade.
JohnandDonna
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When TFL Trucks ran the Ike Gauntlet with the 6.4 Hemi they used a truck with the standard 3.73 rear end, not the optional 4.10. They also said that they expect it would have done better with the 4.10.
I considered only a 3500 because of past experience with payload. Even with a smaller TT like ours, once you hook it up and put the @1,000 lbs hitch weight on the truck, add a canoe on the roof of the added on canopy, camping gear, firewood, generator, etc. in the bed, a couple of people and a couple of dogs in the cab and well, a 2500 was cutting it close. With the 3500 I never worry about the payload. And I would consider the ride of my 3500 just fine. If I am lazy, I don't even air down the tires when not towing and I have never had any complaints about the ride. If I drove it distance to work every day, did not tow anything, and never had anything like 2,000 lbs of concrete pavers in the bed, I might have considered a 2500, but even then, likely not. But that is just me. Judging from the number or 2500s I see around here compared to 3500s, I am in the minority!
I think it unlikely that you'd be able to go down Vail pass without touching the brakes on a gasser when loaded. It's a long steep hill. I drive over it roughly weekly in a 5.0L land Rover LR4 with no load other than people, and nearly always use the service brakes a little bit. With a very high compression 5.0L V8 and about 6k lbs vehicle weight I would think a loaded ram 3500 would have less engine braking effect. There's nothing necessarily wrong with using the service brakes of course but I'd expect to need them in the mountains with a heavy load and no exhaust brake.
Somebody said that for a 1 ton here in AZ, it would have to be registered as commercial, and as a result of that, I would be stopped for checks and would have to go into weigh stations along the roads. I called up the MVD and asked. Yes, I would be registered as commercial, and this would add a little to the registration cost. Didn't sound too bad. But I was told to not consider myself commercial on the road, and I should just sail past those spots where a sign says "commercial vehicles stay in the right hand lane for the next 5 miles" and you drive past a stack of cameras etc. I forgot to ask if the plates wiill say "commercial vehicle" or something else that might draw the attention of inspectors elsewhere on the road.
H3LZSN1P3R
You're doing it wrong
I dont know how it is there but here every truck is considered commercial but if its for personal use there is a sticker that goes on the plate and if you actually use it for commercial then you need to get a commercial registration (CVOR)
I think it’s the number sequence in AZ (starts with 2 letters, then numbers if I remember correctly). But also applies to any company owned vehicle (so the exec’s company sedan, etc plus anything 1 ton and up)
Getting any personalization is the trick to “hide” the 1 ton truck. Have the extra fees of course, but won’t be an obvious flag of being company owned (insurance scammer motivation) or commercial.