Everyone I know who routinely pulls 9000+ trailers, rally vendors, etc, bought a 2500 type truck within two years. Usually after a blown tranny. Once I realized we like the 5th wheel campers, and the anticipated weight of the next one, I purchased a truck to handle it.
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Why did you buy a 2500
- Thread starter RAMMIT
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silver billet
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While I'm in here, BEHOLD! The magic payload checkbox for the GM twins caught in the wild! Simply click this button, and with no mechanical changes whats-so-ever, your payload INCREASES!
GM MAGIC!
View attachment 14486
Now, tell me more about how the 10,000lb artificial GVWR cap is is not artificial. Come on, justify those leaf sprung tank purchases! Come at me!
I'm not sure what you're trying to say here; because the GM allows you to derate their GVWR, therefore the Ram's must be artificially capped at 10K?
rb92673
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I don't have any plans to buy a 5th wheel. I looked at 1/2 tons and I would have been at the max. I really wanted a Tundra but if figured I would be in the same situation as my 4Runner, white knuckling up California and Colorado mountain grades, constantly watching transmission temps, 5,000+ RPM. I also bought more trailer than I need at 24' vs 20' because it's easier to use less of what you got than add more. 10,000 GVWR does seem like an arbitrary number to satisfy state DMV classifications.
Why a 2500? Because a 1500 is too light while a 3500 is more than I need.
After 40+ years of camping where the camper went from a sleeping bag on the ground to tents to pop-ups to small hard-siders to our current camper which is a Lance 2375 it was time to address the tow vehicle. We did pull the 2375 with a 2011 Land Rover LR4 that is 400hp/400lbft V8 that weighs in at 6500 lbs loaded. Full air suspension. Basically a TV somewhat better than a typical 1500/half ton. Took a 1800 mile multi-week camping trip across Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. Anyone who had driven across the Great Plains has enjoyed the wind of a normal day.
The issue with the LR4 was wheelbase. Great off-road / multi-purpose vehicle that we still have. At 114" the LR4 simply was on the short end for pulling a 28' (2375) camper trailer. Highway speeds were fine at under 50 mph but that made for a long travel day between camp sites. Once the decision was made to move to a pickup that has a wheel base of 140"+ the next issue was towing/load capability. The LR4 is a unibody on a full frame design, stout. Somewhat better than a 1/2 ton PU. A 2500 with air suspension was the logical choice. A 3500 would have been overkill as we do not plan on 5th wheels or bigger campers. Fifth wheels and bigger campers become an issue when camping in the forest/boondocking.
The 2500HD with Cummins 6.7 and air suspension is working very well for our Intermountain and Great Plains travels.
After 40+ years of camping where the camper went from a sleeping bag on the ground to tents to pop-ups to small hard-siders to our current camper which is a Lance 2375 it was time to address the tow vehicle. We did pull the 2375 with a 2011 Land Rover LR4 that is 400hp/400lbft V8 that weighs in at 6500 lbs loaded. Full air suspension. Basically a TV somewhat better than a typical 1500/half ton. Took a 1800 mile multi-week camping trip across Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. Anyone who had driven across the Great Plains has enjoyed the wind of a normal day.
The issue with the LR4 was wheelbase. Great off-road / multi-purpose vehicle that we still have. At 114" the LR4 simply was on the short end for pulling a 28' (2375) camper trailer. Highway speeds were fine at under 50 mph but that made for a long travel day between camp sites. Once the decision was made to move to a pickup that has a wheel base of 140"+ the next issue was towing/load capability. The LR4 is a unibody on a full frame design, stout. Somewhat better than a 1/2 ton PU. A 2500 with air suspension was the logical choice. A 3500 would have been overkill as we do not plan on 5th wheels or bigger campers. Fifth wheels and bigger campers become an issue when camping in the forest/boondocking.
The 2500HD with Cummins 6.7 and air suspension is working very well for our Intermountain and Great Plains travels.
McHenry2500
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I bought a 2500 because I need a dependable comfortable work truck to transport me and my family/tools/equipment/etc from point A to B. It pulls all of my trailers great and fits in 90% of the parking lots I have to go to. I probably could have gone with the 6.4 Gas engine but I was lucky enough to stumble across a "demo" model with a cummins at a significant discount.
You bought a 3500 because you chose to pull a big ass 5'er.
I'm not sure about the term 'derate'. GM allows you go beyond the magic 10k GVWR. I personally think its a great strategy - many people including myself would have loved a 3/4 ton diesel but were capped by the limited GVWR. While I love my 3500 RAM, there's a good chance I'd have a GM truck in my garage if it were not for their poor interiors.
I would love to chime in, but everytime i do...the thread goes to crickets.
What the hell. Here goes
What the hell. Here goes
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Did you click on them. 10k is base gas 10450 and 10650 are 6.6l gas. 11150 and 11350 are diesel. And there are changes to get each one.While I'm in here, BEHOLD! The magic payload checkbox for the GM twins caught in the wild! Simply click this button, and with no mechanical changes whats-so-ever, your payload INCREASES!
GM MAGIC!
View attachment 14486
Now, tell me more about how the 10,000lb artificial GVWR cap is is not artificial. Come on, justify those leaf sprung tank purchases! Come at me!
Just like in the 3rd gens the Hemi had 8800 and the Cummins had 9000.
Just like in 2014 when the 6.4 came out and they upped the frame capacity. Hemi topped out at 9 and the 6.4 and the Cummins went to 10k.
I have explained the rest of the equation many times in other threads.
Coil springs do not limit the 2500. The placement does. As i have shown...freight cars have used coil springs forever.
So in away I agree. The 2500 can haul more than the rated payload. But in the testing done, when made to perform under conditions...10k is where the handling if the truck was trumped.
If axle ratings are the top number. Then why do 3500 trucks stop short also. There is no "magical number" they are "artificially" limited to...but yet they are.
So this magic number. Same as what RAM did with the 3rd Gen. And with the 4th Gen in 2014.
It is just that they havent went to the next level.
Right now in ads RAM has been touting the fact that they have the most powerful base HD engine...the 6.4l at 410HP. I would almost bet my money that there is a gas engine coming to reclaim the title of best in class gas engine also. This is one of the reasons the 6.4l BGE didnt get an update. In 2019 it was still the most powerful gas HD engine. Then Chevy with the 6.6 and ford with the 7.3. So they changed their game to best in class base engine. And will soon reign supreme again when they decide it is time. The diesel 25lb ft of torque one upmanship is getting long in the tooth.
The Gas Wars are real
It is just that they havent went to the next level.
Right now in ads RAM has been touting the fact that they have the most powerful base HD engine...the 6.4l at 410HP. I would almost bet my money that there is a gas engine coming to reclaim the title of best in class gas engine also. This is one of the reasons the 6.4l BGE didnt get an update. In 2019 it was still the most powerful gas HD engine. Then Chevy with the 6.6 and ford with the 7.3. So they changed their game to best in class base engine. And will soon reign supreme again when they decide it is time. The diesel 25lb ft of torque one upmanship is getting long in the tooth.
The Gas Wars are real
Ugh. My phone must have broke. I hate having to look up chivvy or furd stuff.
I see the 6.6l ia the base engine. So they uograded the GVWR...but allow you to select a 10k. This is still similar to what i said. About the 3rd and mid cycle 4th Gen.
Look at the 3500 line up GVWR. Same deal. Guess RAM will take care of this soon enough.
I see the 6.6l ia the base engine. So they uograded the GVWR...but allow you to select a 10k. This is still similar to what i said. About the 3rd and mid cycle 4th Gen.
Look at the 3500 line up GVWR. Same deal. Guess RAM will take care of this soon enough.
Ford also allows you to select a GVWR of 10800 for diesel F250 so that the diesel engine doesn't penalize (at least not much) your payload vs gas. If ford or GM offered reclining rear seats like Ram megacab I would have likely chosen ford or GM just for 3/4 ton diesel payload being much better than Ram. I really think Ram needs to at least offer a higher GVWR on 2500 for those in states where 10,000 limit doesn't matter for registration costs.
While I'm in here, BEHOLD! The magic payload checkbox for the GM twins caught in the wild! Simply click this button, and with no mechanical changes whats-so-ever, your payload INCREASES!
GM MAGIC!
View attachment 14486
Now, tell me more about how the 10,000lb artificial GVWR cap is is not artificial. Come on, justify those leaf sprung tank purchases! Come at me!
They must have run out of Genie wishes before they got to the front end styling.
Ugly as a mud fence.
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davis2
Active Member
Still too cold here for crickets,lol!
davis2
Active Member
That would help.Maybe if you stopped bringing facts to the conversation...
Out of curiosity I would be interested to see any equations if there are any out there. The only thing that should limit a truck is the actual load path which imparts load on individual components. One of these components will be the governing component that limits the truck capacity. It doesn't make much sense that adding 1,000 lbs near the front axle for a diesel vs gas engine decreases the allowable tongue weight by the same 1000 pounds which mostly loads the rear axle. These two imposed loads should not add both their full weight to any individual component in the truck that would limit the trucks capacity in my opinion. Total load is a meaningless parameter without knowing load destribution and load path to the boundary conditions (wheels on the road). But I could be totally missing something. Regardless, ram is behind the ball not offering a higher gvwr on diesel 2500s for sure.
Aketay
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As y’all know, I tow campers for a living. 10,000 lbs GVWR is the magic number for DOT. There are some grey areas in the rules that favor vehicles under 10,001 lbs. I take advantage of them purely for profitability. I regularly tow 14,000 lbs actual weight 5th wheels as long as the pin weight is less than 3,200 lbs. This keeps The rear tires from being overloaded, something DOT does care about. Can’t think of any reason to have a 3500 other than stability in the wind in my line of work. If it that windy, I can stop and save money on fuel.
Habu987
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I don't have a 2500 yet, but I'm planning on upgrading from my 1500 this fall, or whichever year the updated cab comes out.
The max I tow is ~6k and I'll be towing for work 4-5 times a year up and down the east coast and going as far west as Chicago. I don't like towing with a gas engine, so it's diesel all the way for me. I won't be near the payload or towing capacity limits on the truck, but it'll be a daily driver so ride quality is important. Ergo, I'll move up to the 2500 for ease of towing compared to my 1500. No real RVing in our future, maybe a rental a couple times a year, and that would be well within the 2500 limits, too.
The max I tow is ~6k and I'll be towing for work 4-5 times a year up and down the east coast and going as far west as Chicago. I don't like towing with a gas engine, so it's diesel all the way for me. I won't be near the payload or towing capacity limits on the truck, but it'll be a daily driver so ride quality is important. Ergo, I'll move up to the 2500 for ease of towing compared to my 1500. No real RVing in our future, maybe a rental a couple times a year, and that would be well within the 2500 limits, too.