Stay with 1500 or get 2500

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muzupan

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Good afternoon everyone: I have a theoretical question to ask: I currently have a camper, 30 foot long that weighs 7300 pounds loaded. I am under all the weight limits that is recommended for my RAM even though I am very close to the limit. I pull this camper with my 2015 ram 1500 crew cab with a 5.7 hemi and I have no issues pulling this camper and running between 60 to 65 miles an hour, it pulls very well. My gas mileage averages between 8 to 11 miles Per gallon depending on the road, terrain and elements of the weather. My question is if I bought Ram 2500 would my gas mileage improve pulling this trailer? I only pull two maybe three times a year and my 1500 is my daily ride.
 

SouthTexan

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"My question is if I bought Ram 2500 would my gas mileage improve pulling this trailer?"


Depends on which engine you get. The two gasser options will probably not net you an greater fuel mileage towing your trailer, but the Cummins definitely will. The main benefit of going to a gas 1500 to a gas 2500 would be better towing stability and handling, not fuel mileage or performance.
 

sandawilliams

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Good afternoon everyone: I have a theoretical question to ask: I currently have a camper, 30 foot long that weighs 7300 pounds loaded. I am under all the weight limits that is recommended for my RAM even though I am very close to the limit. I pull this camper with my 2015 ram 1500 crew cab with a 5.7 hemi and I have no issues pulling this camper and running between 60 to 65 miles an hour, it pulls very well. My gas mileage averages between 8 to 11 miles Per gallon depending on the road, terrain and elements of the weather. My question is if I bought Ram 2500 would my gas mileage improve pulling this trailer? I only pull two maybe three times a year and my 1500 is my daily ride.

I tow 8000 lbs. with an additional 1000 in the bed. My 1500 pulled the load with no problem but I tried the air bags and tuff spring rear springs and could not get the setup to handle the load very well. I finally broke down and bought a 2500. All the difference in the world on how it handled the load. Mileage was 9.3 MPG over a long term average. The 6.4 gets 9.1 over 20000 miles of towing.
 
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muzupan

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I tow 8000 lbs. with an additional 1000 in the bed. My 1500 pulled the load with no problem but I tried the air bags and tuff spring rear springs and could not get the setup to handle the load very well. I finally broke down and bought a 2500. All the difference in the world on how it handled the load. Mileage was 9.3 MPG over a long term average. The 6.4 gets 9.1 over 20000 miles of towing.

What miles per gallon do you get when you're not towing? I love the fact that I get 20+ miles to the gallon on the expressway and about 15mpg in town.
 
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muzupan

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"My question is if I bought Ram 2500 would my gas mileage improve pulling this trailer?"


Depends on which engine you get. The two gasser options will probably not net you an greater fuel mileage towing your trailer, but the Cummins definitely will. The main benefit of going to a gas 1500 to a gas 2500 would be better towing stability and handling, not fuel mileage or performance.

Any idea what the Cummins would get towing a trailer that heavy? I know not towing the trailer I could probably push 19 miles per gallon with the Cummins as a daily driver.
 

Jaxyaks

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Your not going to see a great difference with the gas motors on the 2500 and unloaded you may average 14-17 depending on the amount of stop and go. The diesel may get a bit more. You will notice a difference in the towing/stopping/stability etc.
 

spoon059

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I can get 22 mpg on the highway at speed without towing. My average, with mostly around town driving is closer to 16. Towing a 33' 9500 lbs camper I get around 12 mpg.

If your 1500 works for you, I would just keep it. The potential fuel savings in the Cummins will take many many years to realize. Buying a Cummins just for that reason is a poor financial decision.

Buying a HEAVIER 3/4 ton truck with a gas engine will not result in any better fuel mileage either and will still cost you more money.
 
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muzupan

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I can get 22 mpg on the highway at speed without towing. My average, with mostly around town driving is closer to 16. Towing a 33' 9500 lbs camper I get around 12 mpg.

If your 1500 works for you, I would just keep it. The potential fuel savings in the Cummins will take many many years to realize. Buying a Cummins just for that reason is a poor financial decision.

Buying a HEAVIER 3/4 ton truck with a gas engine will not result in any better fuel mileage either and will still cost you more money.

Thanks for the good information.Yes, my 1500 works well for me pulling the trailer. I know the 2500 will be an easier pull and since I don't tow that often that's why said it was a theoretical question. If I did tow more than I probably would definitely step up to the 2500
 

smurfs_of_war

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I can get 22 mpg on the highway at speed without towing. My average, with mostly around town driving is closer to 16. Towing a 33' 9500 lbs camper I get around 12 mpg.

If your 1500 works for you, I would just keep it. The potential fuel savings in the Cummins will take many many years to realize. Buying a Cummins just for that reason is a poor financial decision.

Buying a HEAVIER 3/4 ton truck with a gas engine will not result in any better fuel mileage either and will still cost you more money.

I agree with this. As long as you're within spec and it's working, keep it and enjoy the money saved on the extra unloaded fuel usage or extra up front on the diesel. The gassers won't give you a bit of difference in tow and will hurt when empty. That money saved will buy a lot of extra gas.
 

14RAM4X4

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As others have said, keep your 1500 if it's working for you.

I moved from a 2014 1500 4x4 to a 2015 2500 4x4. Not because it couldn't pull my TT, but because after a trip up in the hill country with curving roads going up & down and turns going down hill, etc, it was a white knuckle experience for me. Just didn't handle the load too well. Something I didn't really think about when I lifted the truck 4" - the springs seemed a lot softer in the rear. So I went 2500 4x4.

Because I love lifted trucks, I run a 3/1 lift & 35s and I average 11.5 city driving. That's a LOT of stop 'n go traffic with lights in the morning and bumper to bumper traffic on the hwy in the evening. On longer hwy trips I can see about 16.5 on the evic.

If you are at all concerned about gas mileage, I suggest sticking with your 1500. Try airbags in the rear when towing / hauling and maybe a weight dist. hitch.
 
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mowin

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I agree with the others. You might gain a mpg if your lucky, towing with the 2500, but the main benefit will be handling and payload.

Only towing 2-3 time a yr, I'd stick with the 1500.
If your trips get more frequent, longer, then it might make sense to upgrade. Financially, it doesn't make sense at this time if it's working fine. Of course, if your itching for a new rig, and need a excuse for the wife.... :roflsquared:
 
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muzupan

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I agree with the others. You might gain a mpg if your lucky, towing with the 2500, but the main benefit will be handling and payload.

Only towing 2-3 time a yr, I'd stick with the 1500.
If your trips get more frequent, longer, then it might make sense to upgrade. Financially, it doesn't make sense at this time if it's working fine. Of course, if your itching for a new rig, and need a excuse for the wife.... :roflsquared:

Whenever I buy something that I want I've got to preplan and make sure I have something special for my wife; so I completely understand your statement
 

mtofell

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Whenever I buy something that I want I've got to preplan and make sure I have something special for my wife; so I completely understand your statement


The wife and I keep our money totally separate so I just do my own thing with respect to my vehicles. I'd say there is a 99% chance that if brought home a truck of anything close to the same color she'd never even notice. She probably wouldn't even notice if it was a different color. The toxic "new car" smell would probably give me away. :favorites13:
 

reek

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The wife and I keep our money totally separate so I just do my own thing with respect to my vehicles. I'd say there is a 99% chance that if brought home a truck of anything close to the same color she'd never even notice. She probably wouldn't even notice if it was a different color. The toxic "new car" smell would probably give me away. :favorites13:

hearing this seems like I'm getting a raw deal. When I wanted to go from my 1500 to my 2500, I had to justify it with "I want to buy that travel trailer you wanted". So it cost me the price of the upgrade and the cost of a travel trailer. Actually, kinda a win-win situation.
 

smurfs_of_war

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hearing this seems like I'm getting a raw deal. When I wanted to go from my 1500 to my 2500, I had to justify it with "I want to buy that travel trailer you wanted". So it cost me the price of the upgrade and the cost of a travel trailer. Actually, kinda a win-win situation.
After reading this twice I don't see a downside man. You're right. Win-win.

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk
 

develand

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If you are like me, once you start to think about something, you research it, look at reviews, ask questions. But in the end you already made up your mind. Just trying to help justify it more lol.
 

Ratket

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I came from a half ton to a 3/4 ton.. I will never go back.
 

Mountaineer83

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I too came from a half ton Tundra. My 2500 6.4 tows about the same power wise, but what a difference in the handling with the 2500. It feels like my TT isn't even there now. I'll never go smaller either. Hopefully next one will be a 3500 Cummins - a long long time from now according to the wife.
 

reek

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I too came from a half ton Tundra. My 2500 6.4 tows about the same power wise, but what a difference in the handling with the 2500. It feels like my TT isn't even there now. I'll never go smaller either. Hopefully next one will be a 3500 Cummins - a long long time from now according to the wife.

I had a 08 tundra 5.7. was a decent but bland truck. If Toyota ever makes a 3/4 or 1 ton, that might present a threat to the big 3. anyway, the 6.4 has about 20 hp and about that much in additional torque but I think the Tundra used its power a bit more effectively. but I'll agree, the 2500 kills it in towing. Now if only we could convince Fiat to give us 4.30 gears and a transmission that shifts.
 

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