Gas or diesel?

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mgbren86

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Have a 2010 ram 1500 quad can hemi and tow a 34 foot camper. Had to install air bags. After the last couple trips it seems the truck is border line too small. Wife wants me to get a 2500. Question is hemi or cummins? My 2010 has 40,000 miles. What's my mileage vs extra cost vs towing abilities gonna be?
 

MADDOG

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How much does the camper weigh when towed? Is it a TT or 5'Vr?
 
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mgbren86

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Travel trailer. Big wind sail. It's not a problem towing the weight just pushes the truck around. Last trip to Ohio had a head wind and got 6.2 mpg where we usually get around 8.
 

Power247

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There is nothing like towing with a diesel. But, if you don't pull it that often then you will have a hard time making up the extra cost with fuel savings. I got the same milage pulling our 30 ft TT with my '09 1500 Hemi. Pulling the same trailer with my Cummjns i now get 10-12 depending on the route.

A 2500/3500 (even a Hemi) will give you a more comfortable towing experience due to the extra mass and beefed up suspension.

I love my Cummins but for towing our camper few times a year, a Hemi would easily handle the work. I can say this though... Now that I have pulled our TT with a HD truck there is no way I could go back to pulling it with a 1500.
 

preachp

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Hi mgbren86,

Did you check out heavier sway bars front and rear? Might be a good fix and a whole lot cheaper than a new truck.

In either case good luck getting it sorted,

preachp
 

cyclepuck

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I was in the same boat last year. Pulling a 30ft 8500k trailer with a half ton and as you described the trailer was controlling you. Wanted a diesel but fit the extra price up front and for fuel I couldn't justify it pulling the trailer 6-7 times a year.

Picked up a 2500 with the 6.4 and couldn't be happier. Usually get 9mpg when towing but the stability is night and day difference. Now I can drive with one hand on the wheel.
 

phantom4

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I also was in the same boat. I had a 13 1500 Express QC and I was towing a 35' TT (bumper tow) and my wife hated it. It would sway so much and move the truck around so much we didn't go far for trips. I had the weight distr. and anti sway bars on it, helped a bit. So I was in a position that I trade it (camper) or it sits in storage. Well we traded it for a FW (man, night and day in no sway), but we were limited in the weight I could tow with the 1500. The FW weighed 7700lbs dry, so once loaded the truck would pull it, but you def. knew you were pulling something. Well now it comes to looking for a new truck if we were going to go any distances with the camper. The 1500 was coming up at lease end and was looking for 2500 diesel (17k tow weight) to pull the current one and be able to handle a larger FW down the road. Well I got a new 15 2500 CC. It is great, but different. I am new to diesels so it will take a bit to get use to. mgbren86, we could be twins, looks like we have the same truck. I like the color of mine, but preferred the 13 1500 better (Copperhead pearl). I haven't towed the FW yet (I have to get the hitch rails installed), but imagine it will be like there is nothing there.

I went diesel because of the tow weight, 17k+ for diesel and 13kish (depends on gearing)
 
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