Ordering ANOTHER RAM Heavy Duty... Need Input On Options...

[texas.yankee]

So my 2500 Longhorn Mega Cab has some TERRIBLE Q/A issues. Long story short, carpet was cut wrong leading to a hole in the floor in the back seat (highly visible), indeterminable rattle that cannot be resolved, uConnect System is defective, wheel column was mounted incorrectly so wheel rubs against column when turning, leather seats torn at delivery, factory prep group installed wrong, a few other odds and ends... It's been depressing to say the least, considering this is the first new truck I've ever bought (I'm 36 years old).

Any way... It's enough to where the dealer is going to take the truck back and I am ordering another one (unless for some reason I am able to find one on the lot somewhere). Since I have had the truck for less than a month... and two weeks of that it's been at the dealership, I have decided to go a slightly different route, I think, so I have some questions I am needing feedback on.

2500 vs 3500? The payload on the 2500 mega cab was much lower than I thought it would be (around 1600 lbs) so I am thinking of going with a 3500 now for the extra payload. Is the ride on the 3500 really that bad vs the 2500 with air suspension? I will be using it for a TT (6.000 lbs dry) and a bumper pull equipment trailer (18' @ 7200 lbs), but I do plan on getting 5th wheel RV in the next 18 months or so.

3.73 vs 4.10? Is there enough difference in the fuel mileage to warrant staying with the 3.73 gears? I'm in Texas and drive frequent highway speeds, but I will plan on travelling to Colorado and areas with higher elevations with a 5th wheel of some type eventually, but this will be my daily driver, too. Do you get a better "off the line" acceleration with the 4.10? What is everyone else getting?

Rambox vs Rambox Delete? I know you can't get the factory prep with the Rambox, but I can put one in myself when I get it... but how much more difficult will it be to pull a 5th wheel with it on it? I know I will be spending extra cash to get a different set up for the 5th pin box most likely so that additional cost isn't a concern currently. Can you still get a headache rack with the Rambox on there? I didn't see any stake pockets on there.

ETA:

Standard vs HO Cummins? Is the Aisin and the HO going to be worth it for a SRW truck that won't tow more than 23,000 lbs?

ETA #2

I am going with the 18" wheels... I can't say I am too impressed with the A/T tires that came with the 2500 that were an upgrade. How do they compare to the stock tires?

And the Camera prep package is available on the build your ram site now.

I pretty much know what I am getting for everything else, if I can afford the additional 3500 set up if I decide to go that route.

Appreciate all the help.

 

[archer75]

I have a 2015 2500 crew cab with the 3.42 gears and if I had to do it again i'd absolutely get a 3500 with air suspension and the HO cummins with aisin transmission. No doubt. And when I get wife approval I will do it over again You mentioned towing 23,000lbs. For that absolutely yes.

I'm not sure if you can get the rambox and tow a 5th wheel. I feel like it interfers with that. I could be wrong. It will lower your payload though. As will having the megacab. Something to consider.

I've heard people say on the gearing that the mileage difference from the 3.73 to the 4.10 gears are minor. If that's the case i'd absolutely get the 4.10's. When I tow we're always going over a mountain pass and with our trailer fully loaded I find myself wishing I had different gears. It does the job though but would be rough for anything bigger. I would also replace the fuel tank with a 55 gallon titan tank.

My future plans would be a SRW and a 5th wheel 35' or less. Over that size i'd go dually. The pin weight just gets too high over that. And along with the passengers/cargo in the truck it would likely put it over the payload limit or be pretty damn close to it.
If the 23,000lbs you mentioned is a loaded 5th wheel, and 20% of that is pin weight you're looking at 4600lbs. That's dually territory.

 

[DevilDodge]

You can only get 4.10 rears with a dual rear wheel, if you are ordering a Cummins.

 

[archer75]

On the ram website it lets you build a cummins SRW with the 4.10.

I tried on another site, cars direct, and it wouldn't. That one forced you to a DRW.

The ram website also used to let you add the max tow package to a SRW but now it forces you to a DRW.

 

[bobohio]

So my 2500 Longhorn Mega Cab has some TERRIBLE Q/A issues. Long story short, carpet was cut wrong leading to a hole in the floor in the back seat (highly visible), indeterminable rattle that cannot be resolved, uConnect System is defective, wheel column was mounted incorrectly so wheel rubs against column when turning, leather seats torn at delivery, factory prep group installed wrong, a few other odds and ends... It's been depressing to say the least, considering this is the first new truck I've ever bought (I'm 36 years old).

Any way... It's enough to where the dealer is going to take the truck back and I am ordering another one (unless for some reason I am able to find one on the lot somewhere). Since I have had the truck for less than a month... and two weeks of that it's been at the dealership, I have decided to go a slightly different route, I think, so I have some questions I am needing feedback on.

2500 vs 3500? The payload on the 2500 mega cab was much lower than I thought it would be (around 1600 lbs) so I am thinking of going with a 3500 now for the extra payload. Is the ride on the 3500 really that bad vs the 2500 with air suspension? I will be using it for a TT (6.000 lbs dry) and a bumper pull equipment trailer (18' @ 7200 lbs), but I do plan on getting 5th wheel RV in the next 18 months or so.

3.73 vs 4.10? Is there enough difference in the fuel mileage to warrant staying with the 3.73 gears? I'm in Texas and drive frequent highway speeds, but I will plan on travelling to Colorado and areas with higher elevations with a 5th wheel of some type eventually, but this will be my daily driver, too. Do you get a better "off the line" acceleration with the 4.10? What is everyone else getting?

Rambox vs Rambox Delete? I know you can't get the factory prep with the Rambox, but I can put one in myself when I get it... but how much more difficult will it be to pull a 5th wheel with it on it? I know I will be spending extra cash to get a different set up for the 5th pin box most likely so that additional cost isn't a concern currently. Can you still get a headache rack with the Rambox on there? I didn't see any stake pockets on there.

ETA:

Standard vs HO Cummins? Is the Aisin and the HO going to be worth it for a SRW truck that won't tow more than 23,000 lbs?

ETA #2

I am going with the 18" wheels... I can't say I am too impressed with the A/T tires that came with the 2500 that were an upgrade. How do they compare to the stock tires?

And the Camera prep package is available on the build your ram site now.

I pretty much know what I am getting for everything else, if I can afford the additional 3500 set up if I decide to go that route.

Appreciate all the help.

I upgraded to 3500 from 2500 and very happy...I have the HO and air...ride is not but at all..also my daily driver

 

[DevilDodge]

Ram build and price is notoriously wrong. The other thread on hear about it explains the whole thing more.
4.10 SRW is only available with 6.4l hemi.

To get 4.10 with either Cummins it is a DRW.

 

[texas.yankee]

I have a 2015 2500 crew cab with the 3.42 gears and if I had to do it again i'd absolutely get a 3500 with air suspension and the HO cummins with aisin transmission. No doubt. And when I get wife approval I will do it over again You mentioned towing 23,000lbs. For that absolutely yes.

I'm not sure if you can get the rambox and tow a 5th wheel. I feel like it interfers with that. I could be wrong. It will lower your payload though. As will having the megacab. Something to consider.

I've heard people say on the gearing that the mileage difference from the 3.73 to the 4.10 gears are minor. If that's the case i'd absolutely get the 4.10's. When I tow we're always going over a mountain pass and with our trailer fully loaded I find myself wishing I had different gears. It does the job though but would be rough for anything bigger. I would also replace the fuel tank with a 55 gallon titan tank.

My future plans would be a SRW and a 5th wheel 35' or less. Over that size i'd go dually. The pin weight just gets too high over that. And along with the passengers/cargo in the truck it would likely put it over the payload limit or be pretty damn close to it.
If the 23,000lbs you mentioned is a loaded 5th wheel, and 20% of that is pin weight you're looking at 4600lbs. That's dually territory.

Whoops, meant to include it's 23,000 GCVWR, although that number had gone up since I've been looking at 5th wheels... I am thinking the dually is out of the question since this will be a daily driver (mostly).

There's a few people towing with 5th wheel and ramboxes, but need a slider hitch and there's tight clearance on either side so I'm looking at doing an aftermarket factory 5th wheel prep package.

Knowing from the other posts that a 4.10 isn't available work SRW makes that easier.

Now I am stuck waiting on whether or no I should wait until the 2020 model year...

 

[Heckyl]

Whoops, meant to include it's 23,000 GCVWR, although that number had gone up since I've been looking at 5th wheels... I am thinking the dually is out of the question since this will be a daily driver (mostly).

There's a few people towing with 5th wheel and ramboxes, but need a slider hitch and there's tight clearance on either side so I'm looking at doing an aftermarket factory 5th wheel prep package.

Knowing from the other posts that a 4.10 isn't available work SRW makes that easier.

Now I am stuck waiting on whether or no I should wait until the 2020 model year...

You can 5th wheel with ramboxes and the Reese revolution pin box.

 

[RTillery]

When I got to 480,000 miles on my 04/2500/6 speed, the wife said "When are you going to buy a new truck?" It was like dropping the green flag. As much as I loved ol' Mighty Whitey, I started researching hard.

I would up ordering a 19, 3500 short box, Bighorn (wanted the premium cloth buckets) and loaded it up. Level 2, rear auto level, Safety group, fifth wheel prep, bed utility, cold weather, snow chief, nav, wheel liners. I got most everything on a Laramie but with cloth seats. The big reason for the 3500 was the 1000lbs/Aisin w/373's combo but I was pretty apprehensive about the ride of one tons I had ridden in, in the past. When I picked it up in Idaho, I was thinking I'd made a mistake because of the firm ride. It wasn't bad, but it was very firm. I figured out how to find the TPIS and saw all 4 tires were above 80psi. I took off for Colorado and had remembered to bring a tire gage. After an hour or two down the road, the fronts were over 90psi. I started letting air our at every stop and finally got the fronts down to 70ish and the rear down to 50ish. It really took the harshness and edge off. I'm convinced it rides better than my old 2500 empty.

The Aisin has been incredibly smooth. I commented to my buddy who flew in with me to pick it up. He has a 15/2500 with the 68 tranny. He was very impressed with the shifting. It almost felt like a CVT. I just did not notice it shifting. If I really paid attention, I could feel every shift but overall, very smooth. I could tell 1st gear was tuned down a little if I really punched it, but no noticeable lag. When it hit second, it starts pulling like a freight train and I could enter the freeway at 80 plus with little effort. We came over the IKE Gauntlet tunnel stretch and it was like we were crossing Kansas. The truck just didn't pay any attention to the Continental Divide and 11,000 ft altitude.

I pulled my 6000lb travel trailer through Denver traffic last week. The adaptive cruise is a wonder. Just set a top speed and get in line. It paces the guy in front of you and just keeps a consistent gap without any worry about braking or falling back. I love it. The lateral stability with the trailer was much improved over my old 2500. On a good road, you don't even know the trailer is back there. Going around curves, it just tracks like you'd expect if it were empty. You have to look in the mirror to make sure you are still hooked to a trailer.

About the only place I remember it is a 3500 is slowly going through a parking lot with speed bumps. You can tell you have a 3500 hooked to your butt when you fall off the backside of the bump. Out on the road though, unless it is a substantial pot-hole, I am very satisfied and the wife even say it rides better than my old leaf sprung 2500.

Cummins HO with 373 rear gears: The 3500 comes standard with the anti-spin rear. I really wished my old truck had it. I'd have to engage 4x4 and any sign of wetness anywhere. I'll never get close to towing 23000. This truck will see most of its life running empty. Why the HO? I wanted the Aisen and 1000lbs of torque, baby! More power is always better and it will most likely keep me from modding the truck. It has all the power I think I'll need in my old age. I'm close to retiring and who knows what I might hook up to in the future. I'm sure it will pull it.

Tires: I got the ATs with the Snow Chief package. I've never had a set of tires on a new vehicle I thought were great. So far, these are quiet and track straight and seem OK. About all I could ask for. I'm sure I won't replace them with the same thing, but they are fine for now.

Get the camera package. The 360 degree view is changing how I drive. I set a button on the favorite bar on the radio. When I pull into park somewhere, I reach over and flip it on (low speed only). The overhead view lets you get in tight without worrying about being on the parking spot line, or too close to some mutt that may get you with his door. Backing up, you can look at the rear view and the overhead 360 in a split screen. I'm watching that and almost not checking my mirrors now.

So far, 2000 + miles, I haven't found a single thing I'm unhappy about or would go back to a dealer for. YMMV

 

[hutchman]

Here is my experience:

I've towed 18,000# with a Cummins, 68 RFE, anb 4.10s. I towed the same trailer with a Cummins, 68RFE, and 3.73s. I would never ever buy a Cummins for towing with 3.73s again. They were just wrong for the speed that I towed.....60-65 mph. Again, I would never buy a Cummins with 3.73s for towing...period.

I towed a 14,000# 5th wheel with a 3500, Cummins, 68RFE, and 3.42s. This was a great combo. I towed in 5th at 60-65 mph, and then used 6th for regular highway driving unloaded, and got 20mpg hand calc'd. It was a great combination and one I would buy again.

I also towed a 19,000# 5th wheel with a Cummins, Aisin, and 4.10s. This was also a great combo.

I guess if I was buying new and wanted/needed a Cummins, I would be buying a dually with 4.10s. For me the 3.73s just did not work.

My experience and opinion. Others love the 3.73s, but not me.