Winter Driving | 2500 vs. 1500

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stoney

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While I wait for winter to actually show up I have been wondering what it will be like driving in wintery conditions in a 2500 vs. a 1500.....accelerating, braking, cornering, tracking through snow & ice, etc....

Anyone have some comparisons that they can share?
 

polcat

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Let me add my 2 cents. I went from a '02 Dodge 1500 2WD quad cab w/4.7L to a '13 Ram 2500 4WD mega cab w/5.7L. I think overall, my 2500 has better traction due to the greater weight and better weight distribution. But, unless I select 4WD, both are rear wheel drive trucks and thus I treat the gas pedal the same. With the bigger brakes on my 2500, I think it stops as well if not better than my 02, that could be due to the different tires. I feel more safe and comfortable driving the 2500 in snow, but that's a personal feeling. You know what they say about 4WD, it'll get you going but won't stop ya.
 

THETANK

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or in my case it will sit in the garage all winter hiding from the old ******* errrr winter
 

soper72

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My old '03 2500 with the 5.7 was a beast in the snow. I live in upstate NY where we usually 6-12 inches in one storm. I would go out driving just for fun. I'm looking forward to getting the 6.4 out in it once it snows.


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Padilen

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Nope not really. Wheelbase wise I did notice a difference. I also learned that tires I liked and worked well on my 1/2 ton short bed 360, didn't work as well on my 3/4 ton club cab V10 8' bed. I believe it was the E's on 3/4 just didn't flex like the D's. I should have played with air pressure. But mostly drove my plow trucks, so V10 was spare. My regular cab 8' dump box 1 ton dually was a little different. Not so much that I felt weird jumping in another truck.
 

DAVECS1

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I had a 2011 Lariat 2500 crew cab, with the 6.7L Diesel. I loved that truck, but in the winter it rode very stiff and took forever to warm up. I have broken my back in the past, and the combination of cold and HD suspension, finally wore me down. I test drove a loaded 2015 Sport, and so far this winter has been a world of difference.

As far as getting around, the 2500 never had an issue. I can say it is nice having the auto 4wd on the 1500, it works better in the dusting and icing situations. That is my two cents
 

Padilen

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I have back and leg issues, I went back to a pickup and 1/2 ton this time for me.
 

mtofell

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With all the differences between 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks in terms of towing/hauling, IMO snow driving is pretty minor. Tires, weight in the bed, wheelbase and other things are much more of a factor than the payload rating or stiffness of suspension. Sure, there are probably some subtle differences but nothing earth shattering.
 

loveracing1988

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I can't really say I noticed much of a difference between my 1500 and my 2500. Like said above the tires make more of a difference than anything else. I had the standard outdoorsman tires on my 1500 which were amazing in the snow vs the firestones on my 2500 which were horrible in the snow, I needed 4wd to get everywhere last winter.
 

Jimmy68

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Your question is vague.
Simple answer, my 1500 is great in the winter.
Now if I swap my diffs to 3/4t and purchase the exact same tires that match the height and width to what's on my 1500, all else being equal, I would see no difference in winter driving.

Sure you get bigger brakes. Will that help or hinder on ice? Nope.
Sure the diffs add weight. So do sand bags or a fat woman.

Performance? What's changed? Nothing.

So, two identical trucks with everything equal except diff size will be the same.
 

loveracing1988

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Your question is vague.
Simple answer, my 1500 is great in the winter.
Now if I swap my diffs to 3/4t and purchase the exact same tires that match the height and width to what's on my 1500, all else being equal, I would see no difference in winter driving.

Sure you get bigger brakes. Will that help or hinder on ice? Nope.
Sure the diffs add weight. So do sand bags or a fat woman.

Performance? What's changed? Nothing.

So, two identical trucks with everything equal except diff size will be the same.
My 2500 weighs about 1400 pounds more than my 1500 did, the added weight changes things generally.
 
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stoney

stoney

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Your question is vague.
Simple answer, my 1500 is great in the winter.
Now if I swap my diffs to 3/4t and purchase the exact same tires that match the height and width to what's on my 1500, all else being equal, I would see no difference in winter driving.

Sure you get bigger brakes. Will that help or hinder on ice? Nope.
Sure the diffs add weight. So do sand bags or a fat woman.

Performance? What's changed? Nothing.

So, two identical trucks with everything equal except diff size will be the same.

My 1500 with snow tires & no added weight to the truck was good in snow covered roads and ice, cornering was good too.....but of course you are driving to the conditions.
If I went through a snow drift with a little much speed the front would start to drift, but usually an easy correction.
With all season tires, the truck was crap....needed the truck in 4x4 a lot more to get anywhere and more sliding for sure while braking.

I live in Alaska, and the only difference I have noticed is that my 2500 slides further while trying to stop on the ice lol.

I am expecting that I will need some extra room for braking with the added weight behind the truck.



As a passenger in other friends 3/4 & 1 ton trucks, before I bought mine, with out snow tires it seemed to me the trucks stuck to the roads better with less spin or sliding.....figured the added weight of the trucks helped in that category, but never really had a discussion about it.

I am going to run the stock tires this year, but expect that I will be into a new set before next winter, which I am leaning towards Duratrac or TKO2 tires when the time comes.

Hoping my 3/4 with stock tires is not as bad as my 1500 was with all season tires...

Thanks for the feedbacks!
 

loveracing1988

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My 1500 with snow tires & no added weight to the truck was good in snow covered roads and ice, cornering was good too.....but of course you are driving to the conditions.
If I went through a snow drift with a little much speed the front would start to drift, but usually an easy correction.
With all season tires, the truck was crap....needed the truck in 4x4 a lot more to get anywhere and more sliding for sure while braking.



I am expecting that I will need some extra room for braking with the added weight behind the truck.



As a passenger in other friends 3/4 & 1 ton trucks, before I bought mine, with out snow tires it seemed to me the trucks stuck to the roads better with less spin or sliding.....figured the added weight of the trucks helped in that category, but never really had a discussion about it.

I am going to run the stock tires this year, but expect that I will be into a new set before next winter, which I am leaning towards Duratrac or TKO2 tires when the time comes.

Hoping my 3/4 with stock tires is not as bad as my 1500 was with all season tires...

Thanks for the feedbacks!
Don't get your hopes up. I had the a/t tires on for the first winter and they were horrible in the snow. The solid tread on the shoulder means the snow builds up on the inside of the tread making you ride on top of the snow. I'm assuming the all season tires would be the same way.
 
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stoney

stoney

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Don't get your hopes up. I had the a/t tires on for the first winter and they were horrible in the snow. The solid tread on the shoulder means the snow builds up on the inside of the tread making you ride on top of the snow. I'm assuming the all season tires would be the same way.

Which tires did you switch too from the Firestone?

You live in similar territory as me, so likely see the same, or worse conditions as I will.
 

loveracing1988

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Which tires did you switch too from the Firestone?

You live in similar territory as me, so likely see the same, or worse conditions as I will.
Mastercraft courser mxt, so I don't expect very good ice/slush performance but they are still better than the transforce tires that came on my truck. Being in Ontario I'm not sure if the snow tire law applies to HD trucks or not but it only leaves you with around 5 options if I remember right and you listed 2 of them. I've also heard good things about the general grabber at2's which I why I think they will be going on my wife's grand cherokee.
 
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stoney

stoney

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Mastercraft courser mxt, so I don't expect very good ice/slush performance but they are still better than the transforce tires that came on my truck. Being in Ontario I'm not sure if the snow tire law applies to HD trucks or not but it only leaves you with around 5 options if I remember right and you listed 2 of them. I've also heard good things about the general grabber at2's which I why I think they will be going on my wife's grand cherokee.

There is no snow tire law yet for Ontario....talked about, but not likely going to happen anytime soon.

Thanks for the info.
 
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