Another request for help on choosing a tow vehicle

[NH RAM]

For what you're asking the truck to do, I don't see a reason to spend the extra money on a diesel. The 6.4 and 8 speed transmission work very well together; I've towed a Coleman 2855BH (7500# loaded) and my current 5w with the truck and it does very well.

If you enjoy the 2500, you won't have to worry about the lower payload of the 1500 trucks. In a loaded 2500 gas you'll be looking at probably 2800# payload I get about the same fuel economy towing my 5W as I did towing my lighter travel trailer, whether the travel trailer was towed by my previous 1500 or my current 2500. If you opt for a Cummins powered 2500, you lose about 800# of payload due to the diesel engine weight. In your position, I would opt for the 6.4 and 8 speed transmission- not an older 6 speed truck.

 

[NH RAM]

We really like the 2500- cleaning the garage to see if it fits. Measurements are fine but we want to try getting one in first.

Good idea- make sure you can actually open the doors in the garage
We're very fortunate in that I can park my truck with the back rack and an emergency light on that, as well as a sander loaded in the bed in my garage. Good luck and post pics once you get a new tow vehicle.

 

[AZ Joan]

I will!

 

[Tim7139]

There is no such thing as "base" gears and "premium" gears. Please don't make stuff up.

Premium Gears and Premium Axles are terms used by FCA in a few places, most relevantly here in the Tow Guide (Though it does pop up other RAM sites, handouts, and may be heard being used by dealers looking for an up sell since we all like premium stuff...need the premium towing experience).

I did mistaken use "base" instead of "standard". The term standard is used or present when referencing the 3.21 axles all over, but sometimes you have to look for it.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/towing-guide.html



Canadian Build and Price site shows standard, but the USA site makes you click on learn more before the term is shown.

 

[Firetruck41]

Wow, those are some dumb/incorrect terms! Either ratio is "premium", depending on your use case. It depends if you want better mpg, or to tow heavy.

So, are 3.73 and 4.10 super premium and super duper premium?

 

[392DevilDog]

Standard means no extra charge.

Premium means you must spend money

Nothing more...nothing less

 

[ramffml]

Premium Gears and Premium Axles are terms used by FCA in a few places, most relevantly here in the Tow Guide (Though it does pop up other RAM sites, handouts, and may be heard being used by dealers looking for an up sell since we all like premium stuff...need the premium towing experience).

I did mistaken use "base" instead of "standard". The term standard is used or present when referencing the 3.21 axles all over, but sometimes you have to look for it.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/towing-guide.html

View attachment 222615

Canadian Build and Price site shows standard, but the USA site makes you click on learn more before the term is shown.

View attachment 222616View attachment 222617

Well, thanks for correcting me on that

I agree with Firetruck41. What a completely stupid label. They are not "base/standard" vs "premium", it's more about picking the gear that you prioritize most (mpg vs towing). Both gears are equally valuable depending on use case.

 

[RandomRam]

I’m an advocate of buying more truck than the minimum when it comes to towing.

The Ram 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi is a good all around truck for most people. You are not handicapped with a 6.4; anything you’d ever want to tow with a 2500 is well within the capabilities of the 6.4 Hemi.

 

[Marley]

Hi! We don't have a RAM truck, yet. We just are beginning to look and learn.
We have a Living Lite 21BHS travel trailer:

25' long, 7' wide

Dry Weight: 3,630 lbs.

Payload Capacity: 1,970 lbs.

GVWR: 5,600 lbs.

Hitch Weight: 420 lbs.

We do have an Anderson weight distribution hitch.

I thought choosing a RAM truck would be easy- just pick the features you want and go. After reading posts on this forum, I am more hesitant. We generally have no more that 1000 lbs in our current vehicle (two people, dog, fragile stuff) and it is probably closer to 600-700.

The hubs prefers a gas engine. We have been vascillating between a RAM 1500 and 2500 in the Laramie. I like the Tradesman, too. Our dog is a heavy shedder so we were thinking leather seats with ventilation- so that moves us towards the Laramie.

my question is will the RAM Laramie 1500 be enough for us? We hope to have this TT for many years- we have dragged it around for 5 years and love it. However, it is not out of the realm that we could sell it for another TT. So, I would like to be in the very safe and well within the limits rather than on the edge, so to speak.

What are your thoughts?

That trailer is well within 1500 territory but the problem is.....are you keeping this trailer for awhile ? Most don't.

Not wife bashing here but a prime example and an expensive one at that.

Years ago bought a new Chevy Avalanche to pull a larger pop-up, wife hated trailer.
Following year traded it in on a hybrid, Avalanche struggled mightily in the mountains so bought a 1500, did well.

2 years later the wife had to have a 30 footer, 1500 struggled mightily in the mountains and the tounge weight ate up the payload so ran out and got a 2500.

I believe she's eyeing a 5th wheel now.

Got the picture ?

 

[dhay13]

Similar scenario here with our boat. My old 1500 towed it fairly easily but it was a few hundred pounds over max. I easily could have bought another 1500 with 3.92s and been good but knowing I keep my trucks about 6 years and maybe longer for this one...well we may decide on a bigger boat in a few years. If we go with a 12,000lb or so boat I will still be good with this truck. I work from home and only put about 6000-7000 miles per year on it so fuel economy wasn't a big issue and the lower mileage being why I may keep it longer than 6 years.

 

[392DevilDog]

https://www.motor1.com/news/446241/shadow-roof-mount-car-rv-trailer/

 

[OC455]

https://www.motor1.com/news/446241/shadow-roof-mount-car-rv-trailer/

Dear Lord,
That thing is train wreck waiting to happen....

@AZ Joan what did you decide?

 

[Tim7139]

I believe she's eyeing a 5th wheel now.

Have you picked a colour for your 3500?

 

[Tim7139]

Wow, those are some dumb/incorrect terms! Either ratio is "premium", depending on your use case. It depends if you want better mpg, or to tow heavy.

So, are 3.73 and 4.10 super premium and super duper premium?

For the HD trucks 3.73 is Standard and the 4.10 is Available, as both are no cost(though the choice may trigger other options).

You'll see Included and Optional or Standard and Available used when the choice is presented as neutral, and Premium will be used to promote a profitable up sell on the FCA, Ford, and other websites.

Based on RAMs market position for the 1500 premium is hauling and towing. Marketing psychology compels them to charge 1500 owners more to reinforce this even when there is no cost difference to reinforce your perception of value.

Several studies use GM and their Corvette special editions and limited time options as examples of the desired outcome. GM is likely to sell more if they charge a premium, and vehicles editions and options are more likely to retain value if there was a surcharge.

 

[AZ Joan]

I AM the wife here
We have had this trailer for 5 years. We even full timed on it for 9 months with a 50 # canine buddy- not recommended. We love our TT. The only way I see us changing TTS is if I can’t do the acrobatics required to make the bed any more. I do admit to wishing that I could stretch it on places from time to time.

BTW, we ordered and should have our 2500 in December. Thank you all for your help!

 

[OC455]

I AM the wife here
We have had this trailer for 5 years. We even full timed on it for 9 months with a 50 # canine buddy- not recommended. We love our TT. The only way I see us changing TTS is if I can’t do the acrobatics required to make the bed any more. I do admit to wishing that I could stretch it on places from time to time.

BTW, we ordered and should have our 2500 in December. Thank you all for your help!

AWESOME!

 

[OC455]

Pictures with the new truck would be cool!!!!

 

[Elkman]

I was towing a 13,000 lb trailer load and a 2500 diesel pickup was ideal. But for anything under 10,000 lbs I would buy a 1500 with a gas engine and ideally 4.10 gears. As an around town vehicle a 1500 provides a much smoother ride and is gentler on the body when on less than perfect roads.

My first 2WD truck was a 1964 Dodge with the slant six engine that produced 101 horsepower and I used it to tow a horse trailer with two horses up to the Bishop area in California from Los Angeles. Now we have 1500 class trucks that are rated to safely tow over 12,000 lbs and that have V-8 engines producing 395 horsepower and yet some folks think that that is not enough truck. My how times have changed.

 

[dhay13]

That 12,000lbs is a marketing gimmick. You can't get anywhere near 12,000lbs legally with a 1500 due to payload. A typical 1500 has about 1300-1600lbs payload depending on options. A 12,000lb TT will have about 1500lbs tongue weight alone and would put most over payload from a legal standpoint.

In my opinion 12,000 is way too much for a 1500 to be safe, let alone legal. 8000lbs is about the limit for a TT on a typical 1500 for towing due to tongue weight and payload. An 8000lb TT will have about 1100lbs of tongue weight when properly loaded. We just towed my sons 8100lb TT to Texas and we weighed it on the CAT scale. He had about 1100lbs tongue weight and the percentages were right on and it towed great. His truck weighed about 8100lbs and the TT was also about 8100lbs. With the tongue weight the truck was about 9200 and the TT was 7000lbs. At 1100lbs tongue weight a loaded 1500 Laramie would be over payload once you add driver, passenger, tonneau cover, suitcases, etc. Towing a boat you can go slightly higher because boats have less tongue weight. My 9000lb boat has about 800lbs tongue weight and I have towed that with my old 1500.

I don't think you can get 4.10's in a 1500, at least you couldn't in a 2018 and older. 3.92 was the highest, which nobody would be able to tell the difference between 3.92 and 4.10 anyway.

 

[Doug Ram]

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