Considering a 2020 Power wagon

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matemike

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I currently have a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab with 6.2L engine and 3.42 gears. Being ten years old, it's starting to show it's age and is a little rickety, despite appearing flawless on the outside. I have taken really good care of it. Payload is 1434 pounds and towing capacity is 9200 pounds.

A few times a year, we tow our 33' camper that has a dry weight of 6800 pounds and tongue weight of 660 pounds. The Sierra tows it okay, even loaded with wife, three kids, a dog, coolers, bikes etc. I have a Husky WDH that I spent several trial and errors to set up correctly, but now it is perfect. I'll be honest, I don't like to go far when towing the camper. Never more than a couple hours away because the highway ride is a little sketchy once I get going much over 65 mph.

Being in the market for a new to me truck, I'm thinking a Ram 2500. Really like the Rams nowadays. I came across a 2020 Power Wagon and really like the way it looks and all the bells and whistles inside, heated/cooled seats, good sound system, leather, brow lights, garage door openers, white color with color matched door handles, etc. Basically it checks all the boxes and then some. FYI My drive to work is over many bumpy roads, dirt roads, and train tracks and ultimately to a rough ship port. I think the PW is made for handling all that kind of terrain, much better than my current truck or a stiff suspension 1 ton. But will the slight increase in the PW's towing capabilities be enough to notice a difference when towing. I know better than to buy a PW for towing, thats not what it does and a regualr 2500 does do it. But I'm looking for an improvement and will still only tow a few times a year.

PW payload 1564 vs my truck 1434, and the PW towing capacity vs 10,500 vs my trucks 9200. I want to make sure I not only notice easier towing, but we may also upgrade the camper one day to another hitch pull but bigger one.

Or should I just go with a regular 2500 and not look back?

Another option since the vehicle market is so damn weird right now would be to put new tires, bilstein shock absorbers , tow mirrors and air bags on my truck. But that's just a bunch of band aids to only aid in towing. It'll still be a 10 year old truck.
 
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CanRebel

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I'm not towing expect. but PW isn't great truck for towing.
In my view normal 2500 is way better. My 1500 has better towing numbers.
PW is nice Truck. But it was built to be off-road.
 

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my 2020 PW has a tow capacity of 10999 lbs and pay load of 1565lbs. It would not have any problem towing 10,000lbs, If concerned about squat just add air bags for when you tow heavy. eveything else mechanical wise is the same ie axles, frame etc except for D rated tires and coils so air bags and e rated tires will equalize that compared to standard 2500.
 

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Mine is an ‘18! I’ve added air bags and Equalizer WDH!

34’, 7800lb dry weight, 11,000+ fully loaded!

I’m very comfortable towing at highway speads!
 

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Grand Mesa

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I tow up to a 3,500 pound trailer with my Power Wagon, but its primarily used at altitudes at and above a mile high with over 2 mile high passes and up to 10% grades. It's adequate for towing a 18 foot ski boat and a 15 foot travel trailer. My Power Wagon has 35 inch tires on it and the axle ratio should be 4.56-1 versus 4.10-1 to make up for the larger and heavier than stock tires. Towing a 33 foot travel trailer over our high mountain passes with only 65% of its rated 410 horsepower isn't what I purchased this truck for. Probably ideal for Texas though where you're seeing 100% of the rated horsepower. I just wouldn't choose the Power Wagon for a heavier trailer towing through Western Colorado.
 
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crazy jerry

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my 2020 PW has a tow capacity of 10999 lbs and pay load of 1565lbs. It would not have any problem towing 10,000lbs, If concerned about squat just add air bags for when you tow heavy. eveything else mechanical wise is the same ie axles, frame etc except for D rated tires and coils so air bags and e rated tires will equalize that compared to standard 2500.

we can surmise the rear axles are the same since both trucks have rawr about the same at 6000-6200lb based on door stickers.
the fronts however arent the same in regard to the housing. pw is around 4800 fawr where a regular 2500 can be up to 6000lb. the housing differences can be seen visually
 

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we can surmise the rear axles are the same since both trucks have rawr about the same at 6000-6200lb based on door stickers.
the fronts however arent the same in regard to the housing. pw is around 4800 fawr where a regular 2500 can be up to 6000lb. the housing differences can be seen visually

"No! You're wrong Colonel Sanders!"...

All 2500s have the same front and (best I can tell) rear axle. That includes housing and all. The only difference between the power wagon and a non power wagon is the springs and the lift, which lowers its towing stability. Since the axles themselves are the same, then if springed properly then they can do the same.The attached pictures will prove my point.

The J2807 standards used to determine tow ratings are not law. The manufacturers use the voluntary so we can compare trucks when buying. There is no law that says you can't changing the springs or adding air bags and tow the same as regular 2500. Every state is different but most states only have a law saying over a certain trailer weight or length you need a cdl.

Either way, if OP wants more confidence when towing, a 2500, power wagon or regular, will give him that. The gm 6.2 I hear is a good engine but it has the older 6 speed. The 6.4 hemi and the 8 speed should feel more powerful but more importantly it is a heavy duty with heavy duty chassis and axle. You should feel more confident just make sure you have a weight distribution hitch (which you so no matter what) and add air bags if you want to reduce squat or tow more than that camper.

Screenshot_20211011-011652_Drive.jpgScreenshot_20211011-020001_Drive.jpgScreenshot_20211010-233924_Chrome.jpg
The last one is if you look for a replacement front axle for a 2500 4x4. Notice it is the same between a gas and a diesel. Power wagon just has a locking carrier.
 

olyelr

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"No! You're wrong Colonel Sanders!"...

All 2500s have the same front and (best I can tell) rear axle. That includes housing and all. The only difference between the power wagon and a non power wagon is the springs and the lift, which lowers its towing stability. Since the axles themselves are the same, then if springed properly then they can do the same.The attached pictures will prove my point.

The J2807 standards used to determine tow ratings are not law. The manufacturers use the voluntary so we can compare trucks when buying. There is no law that says you can't changing the springs or adding air bags and tow the same as regular 2500. Every state is different but most states only have a law saying over a certain trailer weight or length you need a cdl.

Either way, if OP wants more confidence when towing, a 2500, power wagon or regular, will give him that. The gm 6.2 I hear is a good engine but it has the older 6 speed. The 6.4 hemi and the 8 speed should feel more powerful but more importantly it is a heavy duty with heavy duty chassis and axle. You should feel more confident just make sure you have a weight distribution hitch (which you so no matter what) and add air bags if you want to reduce squat or tow more than that camper.

View attachment 473534View attachment 473537View attachment 473535
The last one is if you look for a replacement front axle for a 2500 4x4. Notice it is the same between a gas and a diesel. Power wagon just has a locking carrier.
Actually, GM’s 6.2 has been mated to a 10 speed for years. They even had an 8 speed behind it for a little while.
 

SeppW

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. . . . PW payload 1564 vs my truck 1434, and the PW towing capacity vs 10,500 vs my trucks 9200. I want to make sure I not only notice easier towing, but we may also upgrade the camper one day to another hitch pull but bigger one.

Another option since the vehicle market is so damn weird right now would be to put new tires, bilstein shock absorbers , tow mirrors and air bags on my truck. But that's just a bunch of band aids to only aid in towing. It'll still be a 10 year old truck.
The PW is not an optimal tow vehicle. I'd recommend a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel as a dedicated tow vehicle. All the PW capabilities; winch, 4WD, axles, wheels/tires, etc add to the trucks dismal payload limitation. Now throw in a fully load trailer, truck payload, WDH, and the GCWR adds up up pretty quick.

No form of load support will increase truck's GVWR.
 

Stuffpower

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I love my power wagon but it’s not for everyone. For me I drive in the city a Lot too. I love how the heavy truck drives on the softer springs. But keep in mind your buying a 2500 with all the disadvantages of a 2500 and with all the disadvantages of a 1500. What I mean is bad mpg, lower tow rating, low payload, etc. but this package makes driving an hd a lot more bearable unloaded. Now I still think this will tow a trailer a lot better and safer than a 1500. With that being said. Now to know you have a truck that can literally go anywhere and do anything. It’s pretty awesome
 

Grand Mesa

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"The only difference between the power wagon and a non power wagon is the springs and the lift, which lowers its towing stability. Since the axles themselves are the same, then if springed properly then they can do the same."

For driving 65 MPH fully loaded with 3 kids, wife, dogs, gear, and a 33 foot travel trailer in tow the Power Wagon's Load Range D tires wouldn't be my first choice for towing stability with a 7,000 pound truck. Highly doubt that the non power wagon 2500 trucks come factory equipped with D's. The right tires make a big difference in towing stability.
 
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BowerPower

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Actually, GM’s 6.2 has been mated to a 10 speed for years. They even had an 8 speed behind it for a little while.
The OP has a 2011 gmc 6.2 and in that year it was only mated with a 6 speed.
The PW is not an optimal tow vehicle. I'd recommend a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel as a dedicated tow vehicle. All the PW capabilities; winch, 4WD, axles, wheels/tires, etc add to the trucks dismal payload limitation. Now throw in a fully load trailer, truck payload, WDH, and the GCWR adds up up pretty quick.

No form of load support will increase truck's GVWR.
You are right, if you had a power wagon with 6 adults weighing 250 pounds each, that would be max payload. NOW, If you payed attention to what I said, the axles are the same among all 2500 rams, which means the only differentiating factor is the softer spring that give a lower gvwr and tow ratings. If you put air bags (air springs) on a power wagon the did the j2807 test, it would suddenly qualify for a higher gvwr. Same thing goes for tires, if you go from 8-ply to a 10 or 12-ply it would do even better that the j2807 tests.
For driving 65 MPH fully loaded with 3 kids, wife, dogs, gear, and a 33 foot travel trailer in tow the Power Wagon's Load Range D tires wouldn't be my first choice for towing stability with a 7,000 pound truck. Highly doubt that the non power wagon 2500 trucks come factory equipped with D's. The right tires make a big difference in towing stability.
You're joking right? 70 percent of the people on this forum, replaced the stock tires before the truck had 500 miles on it. The stock should be minimum of E rating. I'm guessing that is because they want it to squish more when airing down.
 
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matemike

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The PW is not an optimal tow vehicle. I'd recommend a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel as a dedicated tow vehicle. All the PW capabilities; winch, 4WD, axles, wheels/tires, etc add to the trucks dismal payload limitation. Now throw in a fully load trailer, truck payload, WDH, and the GCWR adds up up pretty quick.

No form of load support will increase truck's GVWR.


Agreed with what you say. But in general, will a newer PW be a significant improvement over my current truck for the 2% of the time I'm towing with it? My wife would kill me if we got it and I still get the same uneasy feeling from time to time while towing our Wildwood 273 QBXL camper.
 

Grand Mesa

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"You're joking right? 70 percent of the people on this forum, replaced the stock tires before the truck had 500 miles on it. The stock should be minimum of E rating. I'm guessing that is because they want it to squish more when airing down."

Agreed. To get his Power Wagon up to the right stuff for towing at full load in all seasons with the same 3PMSF rating and a similar tread pattern as the Duratrac, but in a Load Range E it will be pricey. Figure $2,300 for 5 tires to change over minus what he can get for a used set of 2020 Power Wagon Duratrac tires.

My estimate is based on 35 12.50R17 Toyo C/T tires. Retail price is approximately $400 each without additional taxes, balancing, and installation costs.
 
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matemike

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Thanks for all the replies so far. Keep them coming.

The gist of where my head still is, is that I do NOT want a 2500 HD for daily driving. I don't want another unimpressive 1500 for the let's say 1000 miles of towing I do a year. (that could definitely increase if I had a more capable truck) So, I want a newer/better truck to tow our camper, but priority is daily driving. It's camping season in South Texas now, our second season with the camper. I'd like to have a more capable truck for this season but don't we all know it is a terrible time in the vehicle market to buy. Funny how no one is really commenting on that, that's all my wife and I are discussing the most. I just came across this PW for $56k and feel like it's about as good as I'll see for now.

I looked all over at 1500's and on paper they can have as much as 1800 lbs payload and 12,000 lbs towing capacity. More impressive on paper than the PW and much more impressive than my current truck. But is the feel in the seat real? Meaning, it's still a 1500 sized everything; do you feel that?

I wish I could overnight test drive the PW and just risk hooking up my camper, tow it down the highway for 5 miles then return the truck next day. It's a risk and a liability i know, but that's why you give the dealer your insurance info.


BTW my current truck gets 11-12 mpg empty and 6-7 towing, so I'm already used to poor gas mileage.
 
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I went from a Ram 1500 CC 4x4 to a '21 PW and would not go back. The PW is a heck of a lot more truck and much more HD than the 1500. It is a beast and as others have said and if it squats too much, you can add air-bags or a load leveling hitch to help. It also has 4:10 gears and the numbers on torque don't really tell the whole story.

If you do go off-road, the disco's and lockers make a big difference in ability and ride. The suspension is still a little stiff (not as stiff as the standard 2500) but you can hit a speed bump at 30mph and it soaks it up pretty darn good.
 

crazy jerry

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"No! You're wrong Colonel Sanders!"...

All 2500s have the same front

pw and nonpw 2500 arent the same front. the passenger side of the pumpkin and passenger side short tube are different and thus the lower 4750lb fawr, versus the 5600, 5750 and 6000 of a regular 2500 . these differences are very easily seen if you drive your pw to any dealer and park next to a regular 2500 and look underneath.
i do believe but cant say for 100%, the internals of all 2500 and 3500 9.25 fronts are the same ( gears, bearings, shafts, steering ujoints , etc)
 

Grand Mesa

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I've own 3 pickup trucks since 1978. Can you find the biggest? No hints. The feel in the seat of the Power Wagon is a dream, it isn't real.

20210911_152137(2).jpg
 
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matemike

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I've own 3 pickup trucks since 1978. Can you find the biggest? No hints. The feel in the seat of the Power Wagon is a dream, it isn't real.
Sorry, my reading comprehension sucks, especially on forum posts on Monday’s , haha.
Can you clarify? Are you saying it’s awesome, or it sucks. (I’m guessing awesome)

I think I’ve seen a post of yours in the power wagon towing campers thread. I got go back and reread all that since it’s been a couple days and I’ve researched a bit more.

Do you tow anything? And what?
 
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