Good Morning All!

[NVYCHF]

Hello and good morning Everyone! I hope this finds you All safe and healthy!

About me; I am Randy, a retired Navy Chief, married with children, lives in Virginia, and NEVER owned a HD (anything) let alone a Diesel. Please help me to be knowledgable, teach me something.

I have joined HDRams because in July (ish) I plan to order a 2021 3500 Limited SRW Cummins. My wife and I plan to travel towing a travel trailer after we retire, or sooner. If I get a larger trailer later in life, I do not want to have to purchase a new truck to accommodate the new trailer. So go big or regret your decision later.

Be safe everyone!
Randy

 

[Kimo7]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have a solid plan based on solid logic, stick with it.

 

[kobra]

Hello and good morning Everyone! I hope this finds you All safe and healthy!

About me; I am Randy, a retired Navy Chief, married with children, lives in Virginia, and NEVER owned a HD (anything) let alone a Diesel. Please help me to be knowledgable, teach me something.

I have joined HDRams because in July (ish) I plan to order a 2021 3500 Limited SRW Cummins. My wife and I plan to travel towing a travel trailer after we retire, or sooner. If I get a larger trailer later in life, I do not want to have to purchase a new truck to accommodate the new trailer. So go big or regret your decision later.

Be safe everyone!
Randy

Welcome! Great trucks, and great choice!

There are lots of topics on this forum; perhaps so many as to be confusing.

As to any knowledge to share? Maybe start with the drive "feel" which may seem very different to start with...
I came from a background of about a million miles of driving commercial semi tractor/trailers, almost all of them with Cummins engines. So, to me, driving my RAM with a Cummins just feels like home and it's likely second nature to drive it like I would drive a much larger truck.
However, to someone not familiar with the cummins 6 cylinder "feel" and the HD truck weight, you may find an adjustment when you first start driving it. This is not a zippy car, but the power and torque will get you there with no stress; and sometimes you will find you are exceeding the speed limit before you know it because you didn't feel any strong acceleration. Those whose style is to mash the pedal every time they see the light turn green may find the truck shifts hard (especially on the HO that you will be getting). Steady on the throttle gets you to the speed you need in no time; it feels like a real truck but can be really smooth and steady once you get the hang of it.

Now, if you've towed a trailer in the past with anything with a gas engine, and you hookup that new HO cummins, you will have an instant ear to ear grin. These trucks just LOVE to work!

Hope that gives you something to start with, but you may have a lot more questions that likely have answers here already. Search away and post if you can't find what you need.


B

 

[Brutal_HO]

Welcome to HDRams!

Good choice on the truck, there's still a few options to consider.

Primarily SO or HO (drivability vs tow capacity).
Factory (or aftermarket) air suspension.

Plenty of threads on both here if you look around and search a bit.

The difference driving a diesel as probably like a landing craft vs a destroyer. Long bed will turn like one too. LOL.

 

[NVYCHF]

Welcome! Great trucks, and great choice!

There are lots of topics on this forum; perhaps so many as to be confusing.

As to any knowledge to share? Maybe start with the drive "feel" which may seem very different to start with...
I came from a background of about a million miles of driving commercial semi tractor/trailers, almost all of them with Cummins engines. So, to me, driving my RAM with a Cummins just feels like home and it's likely second nature to drive it like I would drive a much larger truck.
However, to someone not familiar with the cummins 6 cylinder "feel" and the HD truck weight, you may find an adjustment when you first start driving it. This is not a zippy car, but the power and torque will get you there with no stress; and sometimes you will find you are exceeding the speed limit before you know it because you didn't feel any strong acceleration. Those whose style is to mash the pedal every time they see the light turn green may find the truck shifts hard (especially on the HO that you will be getting). Steady on the throttle gets you to the speed you need in no time; it feels like a real truck but can be really smooth and steady once you get the hang of it.

Now, if you've towed a trailer in the past with anything with a gas engine, and you hookup that new HO cummins, you will have an instant ear to ear grin. These trucks just LOVE to work!

Hope that gives you something to start with, but you may have a lot more questions that likely have answers here already. Search away and post if you can't find what you need.


B

Thanks kobra!

 

[NVYCHF]

Welcome to HDRams!

Good choice on the truck, there's still a few options to consider.

Primarily SO or HO (drivability vs tow capacity).
Factory (or aftermarket) air suspension.

Plenty of threads on both here if you look around and search a bit.

The difference driving a diesel as probably like a landing craft vs a destroyer. Long bed will turn like one too. LOL.

Thanks Brutal_HO! Nice analogy, having driven a Yard Patrol craft and a destroyer(s). I will keep that in mind!!

 

[NVYCHF]

Welcome! Great trucks, and great choice!

There are lots of topics on this forum; perhaps so many as to be confusing.

As to any knowledge to share? Maybe start with the drive "feel" which may seem very different to start with...
I came from a background of about a million miles of driving commercial semi tractor/trailers, almost all of them with Cummins engines. So, to me, driving my RAM with a Cummins just feels like home and it's likely second nature to drive it like I would drive a much larger truck.
However, to someone not familiar with the cummins 6 cylinder "feel" and the HD truck weight, you may find an adjustment when you first start driving it. This is not a zippy car, but the power and torque will get you there with no stress; and sometimes you will find you are exceeding the speed limit before you know it because you didn't feel any strong acceleration. Those whose style is to mash the pedal every time they see the light turn green may find the truck shifts hard (especially on the HO that you will be getting). Steady on the throttle gets you to the speed you need in no time; it feels like a real truck but can be really smooth and steady once you get the hang of it.

Now, if you've towed a trailer in the past with anything with a gas engine, and you hookup that new HO cummins, you will have an instant ear to ear grin. These trucks just LOVE to work!

Hope that gives you something to start with, but you may have a lot more questions that likely have answers here already. Search away and post if you can't find what you need.


B

Thanks B! I have towed with gas, that sux!!!!

 

[Brutal_HO]

Thanks Brutal_HO! Nice analogy, having driven a Yard Patrol craft and a destroyer(s). I will keep that in mind!!

Pulling mine out of a parking lot yesterday it felt more like turning a battleship. LOL