2500 or 3500 for 5th Wheel Retirement Towing

[Tulecreeper]

We are not traveling this year due to family issue, when we do travel almost everything you see in an RV park with a 5th wheel is a diesel. I myself like the lower RPMs at power and climbing hills at 2000 or so RPM instead of 3300 at 35 MPH in second gear with a gas truck.

I can climb a 10% grade towing 10,000# doing 60 MPH with no issues. Personally, RPM's man nothing to me.

OK, maybe a 7% grade.

 

[68PowerWagon]

3500 without question, you'll want the payload and as a practical matter the leaf springs are going to be a lot more stable towing.

I did NOT find this to be true. I loved the coils with air bags on my 2500. If I didn't go diesel this time around I would have done the same set up. I currently have a 3500 with the Cummins & self leveling air bags. I am pulling the same 5th wheel & see no difference in the handling while towing. Now it does ride like crap when empty compared to the 2500.
To the OP, with that much weight & the amount of traveling you are wanting to do I would do diesel 3500 in either SWR or DRW. If you are not intimidated by the DRW I would lean that way.

 

[JGrantham]

I started to purchase a 2500 diesel based on the weight of the trailer I thought I wanted which was around 80% capacity of the truck. Then I found a nicer slight bigger trailer (used) that I could afford, however the 2500 would not pull it. I thought a bit and said nope and went and ordered a 3500 DRW with the HO cummins and 8'bed. Basically I can pull anything I want to. So I purchased a DRV Mobile Suites 36RSSB3 dry weight 16,300 no regrets on the truck