Get a 2500 or 3500 Mega Cab with 6.4 Hemi?

[JBurt]

Hey guys, I'm trading in my 2016 F150 to order a new 2020 truck. I'm not brand loyal and just want the best truck for our needs in the heavy duty range. I really love the roomy Mega cabs and the Ram interiors over the Fords.

I have an 8600 lbs travel trailer (dry weight) that is over 9k lbs loaded and 38' long (hitch to bumper) which I tow around 4 x per year (fairly level ground). I don't want / need a diesel and think a 2020 Ram Mega Cab 2500 with 6.4 and 3.73 gear ratio loaded up with options would be a nice truck. Only concern would be payload and drastically decreasing trailer sway, which my F150 sucks at.

Would a Ram 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 Hemi be a good matched truck for my travel trailer towing needs? I want decent payload (2700 lbs minimum) and don't want to buy a 2500 wishing I got a 3500 for the better payload. Any 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 owners here that wish they got the 3500 with 6.4 instead? Or is the 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 more then sufficient for my trailer and annual towing needs? The majority of reviews I read and YouTube videos on 2019 Ram heavy Duties are on the Cummins diesel motors which doesn't help me out. By the way, we love our Travel Trailer and don't want to upgrade to a 5th wheel.

 

[RB18C]

I’d buy a 3500. Payload in the 2500’s seems lower then I would of thought.

 

[JohnandDonna]

Did a lot of research on this. The wife and I have a 30' Airstream on order. Max weight of the TT is 8800. For TV we have on order a 2020 RAM 2500 MegaCab HEMI with the 4.10 axle. Should be plenty of pulling power and almost 1000 pounds more carrying capacity over the diesel (and about 9 grand less). Going with a Blue OX anti-sway load leveling hitch. Also we are getting the air suspension. You can read a LOT of comments on this forum regarding ride of the 2500 vs the 3500. That will come down to personal preference. This setup should be perfect for us. Best of luck on what ever you decide.

 

[JBurt]

I think we will get the 3.73 as our truck will also be a daily driver. Don't want the gas mileage to be too terrible. We live in Canada which we have a lot of road salt on our highways in winter for the road ice. I've read that winter road salt can be bad on the air ride suspensions and when truck warranty runs out, fixing those air ride systems costs a fortune when they break. We have the Blu Ox which is a pretty good setup for our hitch.

 

[RB18C]

I should have prefaced my statement by saying I have a small travel trailer now. But have every intention on upgrading to a larger 5th wheel. That’s why I went with a 3500.

 

[npurdy1112]

In my opinion, I would go with the 3500 up front. Just in case you decide to go bigger (trailer) or need more (truck) at some point in the future. Then you do not have to worry about shopping for a new trailer and truck.

 

[brucie]

Hey guys, I'm trading in my 2016 F150 to order a new 2020 truck. I'm not brand loyal and just want the best truck for our needs in the heavy duty range. I really love the roomy Mega cabs and the Ram interiors over the Fords.

I have an 8600 lbs travel trailer (dry weight) that is over 9k lbs loaded and 38' long (hitch to bumper) which I tow around 4 x per year (fairly level ground). I don't want / need a diesel and think a 2020 Ram Mega Cab 2500 with 6.4 and 3.73 gear ratio loaded up with options would be a nice truck. Only concern would be payload and drastically decreasing trailer sway, which my F150 sucks at.

Would a Ram 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 Hemi be a good matched truck for my travel trailer towing needs? I want decent payload (2700 lbs minimum) and don't want to buy a 2500 wishing I got a 3500 for the better payload. Any 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 owners here that wish they got the 3500 with 6.4 instead? Or is the 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 more then sufficient for my trailer and annual towing needs? The majority of reviews I read and YouTube videos on 2019 Ram heavy Duties are on the Cummins diesel motors which doesn't help me out. By the way, we love our Travel Trailer and don't want to upgrade to a 5th wheel.

What is the tongue weight of your current trailer? I would think a 2500 would be adequate, especially since you don't tow but 4x a year. My 2500, which is not a mega, has a 3200 pound payload capacity. My trailer is about 1000# on the hitch. All my gear, accessories and passengers will never go over 1200#, so I have a half ton to spare. We typically put about 6000-8000 miles a year on our trailer, but the 2500 is new to me. Had a Tundra before. Sway wasn't an issue because my hitch has sway remediation. I don't know what the payload capacity of a 2500 mega is, but you can easily find out. Go to any dealer web site that posts the sticker for vehicles they sell, which is just about all of them. The VIN will be on the sticker. Put the VIN in the RAM web page that tells you payload and trailer weight capacities. My guess is that 2700 pounds will be about right. If you go to the 3500, you are going to lose the coil spring rear suspension which is very nice and unique. I would get a 3500 if I were buying a diesel, but a 2500 has plenty of payload capacity with a gas engine.

 

[JBurt]

Our tongue weight is 1000 lbs. with our trailer, probably 1200 lbs realistically with loaded gear. I've gone to Ram dealers to look at trucks. The Mega Cabs sell really fast so can't find many on the dealer lots to look at payload stickers. And the vast majority of heavy duty trucks on dealer lots are diesels as that's what the majority of people buy. Really frustrating when I can't see payload stickers in person on similar trucks that I want. I know the diesel trucks are around the 800-830 lbs heavier then the gassers. So payload is much better with the Hemi's.

I also want a decent ride unloaded. We do mostly highway driving and don't want to be beaten up from the ride. The 2500 coil spring setup is supposed to be nicer on the highway. My thoughts are that if you are buying a 1 ton, just get the diesel. What kind of resale interest would there be on a 1 ton gasser? Probably not much interest. Just hoping to hear from anyone with a 2500 Mega Cab with 6.4 Hemi for real world payload numbers. My interest is the Laramie as that's a nice trim comparable to my current Ford Lariat half ton for options.

 

[npurdy1112]

There is a payload sticker thread on this website. Has a wide range of models and options. I would link it for you but i am on mobile.

 

[brucie]

Our tongue weight is 1000 lbs. with our trailer, probably 1200 lbs realistically with loaded gear. I've gone to Ram dealers to look at trucks. The Mega Cabs sell really fast so can't find many on the dealer lots to look at payload stickers. And the vast majority of heavy duty trucks on dealer lots are diesels as that's what the majority of people buy. Really frustrating when I can't see payload stickers in person on similar trucks that I want. I know the diesel trucks are around the 800-830 lbs heavier then the gassers. So payload is much better with the Hemi's.

I also want a decent ride unloaded. We do mostly highway driving and don't want to be beaten up from the ride. The 2500 coil spring setup is supposed to be nicer on the highway. My thoughts are that if you are buying a 1 ton, just get the diesel. What kind of resale interest would there be on a 1 ton gasser? Probably not much interest. Just hoping to hear from anyone with a 2500 Mega Cab with 6.4 Hemi for real world payload numbers. My interest is the Laramie as that's a nice trim comparable to my current Ford Lariat half ton for options.

You don't need to actually see the vehicle. Just find one anywhere in the country on any dealer web site. From that you can get the VIN. With the VIN you can get the capacities.

 

[JBurt]

You don't need to actually see the vehicle. Just find one anywhere in the country on any dealer web site. From that you can get the VIN. With the VIN you can get the capacities.

Thanks for this info. Never thought about doing that.

 

[DevilDodge]

You don't need to actually see the vehicle. Just find one anywhere in the country on any dealer web site. From that you can get the VIN. With the VIN you can get the capacities.

The website capacities are for configuration. They will not be what your truck actually has...unless you have a no option tradesman 3500.

We explain all of this in the payload thread

Please Post Payload Sticker from Driver's Door Jamb.

Okay, finally found a 2500 Limited near me that I could drive and view the payload sticker. The news is just awful; 1,990 lb payload. 2019 RAM 2500 SRW 4x4 Limited Crew Cab 6"4" Bed +Delmonico Red, $100 +Towing Tech Grp, $445 +Protection Group, $95 +5th Whl/Gooseneck Towing Prep, $445 +Body...

hdrams.com

 

[brucie]

The website capacities are for configuration. They will not be what your truck actually has...unless you have a no option tradesman 3500.

We explain all of this in the payload thread

Please Post Payload Sticker from Driver's Door Jamb.

Okay, finally found a 2500 Limited near me that I could drive and view the payload sticker. The news is just awful; 1,990 lb payload. 2019 RAM 2500 SRW 4x4 Limited Crew Cab 6"4" Bed +Delmonico Red, $100 +Towing Tech Grp, $445 +Protection Group, $95 +5th Whl/Gooseneck Towing Prep, $445 +Body...

hdrams.com

On my Laramie there is about a 165 pound difference between what on the door frame and what's on the web site. Close enough for TV work as the director I used to work for said way too many times.

 

[DevilDodge]

If your Laramie is within 165 lbs, that is very promising, cause very few people got that close to the configurator.

On the 3500s it has been real close. I hope they have also gotten the 2500s closer. The 1500 configurator is horrible for Laramie and Limited.

Thanks for the info.

 

[brucie]

165 pounds is a lot when you have under 2000 pounds of payload capacity. I've got about 1000 pounds to spare +- 200 pounds. I'd hate to have 50 pounds to spare +- 200 pounds

 

[brucie]

Thanks for this info. Never thought about doing that.

DevilDodge is right though. You probably want to subtract 200 from whatever the configurator tells you. I found one article which said the capacity was just under 3K even. That sort of makes sense. Bet it is right at or slightly over your 2700# on the door frame. I pull about a 6K trailer and have only had it out twice with the 2500. It was impressive compared to the Tundra. I will not use the expression "like it wasn't back there" but the ride stability, lack of dolphining and resistance to semi - suck and push was quite good. I don't think I could ever go back to a half ton. I am really hoping I don't burn up tires as badly too. The engine had plenty of power for my purposes and mileage was no worse than the Tundra when towing. Just wish the mileage was the same as the Tundra when not towing. The only thing I really miss about the Tundra is the 38 gallon tank.

 

[j_t_l]

I just picked up a ram 2500 limited mega cab.
Payload is just over 2300.

Mega cab eats up 400 lbs compared to a crew cab.
Ram boxes are about 150 lbs.
Sunroof? Maybe another 70 lbs?

There is about 3000 lbs left on the rear axle before hitting gawr.

 

[RB18C]

I just picked up a ram 2500 limited mega cab.
Payload is just over 2300.

Mega cab eats up 400 lbs compared to a crew cab.
Ram boxes are about 150 lbs.
Sunroof? Maybe another 70 lbs?

There is about 3000 lbs left on the rear axle before hitting gawr.

I wasn’t impressed with the numbers on the 2500’s. Hence why I went 3500

 

[j_t_l]

I wasn’t impressed with the numbers on the 2500’s. Hence why I went 3500

Yup!
I liked the ride of the 2500 air suspension more than the 3500 used for work commuting -- and it fits my needs (now about 1800 lbs of tongue weight, people, and stuff) for traveling.

With a crew cab and no ram boxes, payload would be around 2900 for the limited model.

 

[Hnines]

Hey guys, I'm trading in my 2016 F150 to order a new 2020 truck. I'm not brand loyal and just want the best truck for our needs in the heavy duty range. I really love the roomy Mega cabs and the Ram interiors over the Fords.

I have an 8600 lbs travel trailer (dry weight) that is over 9k lbs loaded and 38' long (hitch to bumper) which I tow around 4 x per year (fairly level ground). I don't want / need a diesel and think a 2020 Ram Mega Cab 2500 with 6.4 and 3.73 gear ratio loaded up with options would be a nice truck. Only concern would be payload and drastically decreasing trailer sway, which my F150 sucks at.

Would a Ram 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 Hemi be a good matched truck for my travel trailer towing needs? I want decent payload (2700 lbs minimum) and don't want to buy a 2500 wishing I got a 3500 for the better payload. Any 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 owners here that wish they got the 3500 with 6.4 instead? Or is the 2500 Mega Cab 6.4 more then sufficient for my trailer and annual towing needs? The majority of reviews I read and YouTube videos on 2019 Ram heavy Duties are on the Cummins diesel motors which doesn't help me out. By the way, we love our Travel Trailer and don't want to upgrade to a 5th wheel.

I'm towing a very similar setup to yours. We have a 35-36' tow behind camper, just under 9k lbs dry weight, and I'm sure well over 9k loaded with everything that's inside it now when we go camping. I just bought a 19 crew cab 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi, but it has the 4.10 gear ratio. It pulls our camper with ease. I towed the same camper with a 2007 Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi with 3.73 gearing before I bought the new 2019, and the 07 towed the camper fine, but the new 19 towes it with much more ease. The 8 speed transmission in the 19's really helps because the gearing is low enough in the bottom gears that it gets the load going with relative ease from a dead stop. My truck with the 4.10 gearing has a towing capacity of around 15k lbs.

According to the Ram website, a 2019 2500 Megacab 4x4, with the 6.4 Hemi, automatic transmission, and 3.73 gearing has a max towing capacity of about 14k lbs, and a payload of about 2800 lbs, depending on exact trim package. This is just my personal opinion, but I think the 2500 is plenty of truck to tow your current camper.