Gas or diesel

[Dirty Sanchez]

Hello all, first post.

I currently have a 2017 silverado 1500. Lease is due in Sept and in need of a new truck. Last month I bought 28' Forest River vibe trailer, dry weight about 7000# if i remember correctly. I'm looking into getting a new Ram 2500. I should be using the trailer 6-8 times a year and tow probably 150-500 miles a trip, depending where i go ( I live in southern california). I've been debating whether i need a diesel or gas.

All my friends and family who have fifth wheels and toy haulers tell me to get a diesel. They tell me i'll burn more fuel and can blow my transmission sooner with a gas engine.
A friend of mine has a ram 2500 with a 6.4 gas and says the 6.4 is more than enough to pull that trailer especially if I get one with the 4.10 gears and new 8 speed transmission. He tells me he tows a boat (7000-7500# loaded) 2-4 times a months with five guys in his truck and has plenty of power going up over passes on the highway. I'm kind of leaning towards the gas because I don't know if I want to spend an extra 10K on a diesel if I'm not going to really need it.

For what i'll be pulling and how often, should i spend the money and just a diesel or is the 6.4 more than enough? I wanted to ask real world, logical people who actually use the 6.4 for towing.

 

[olyelr]

Listen to your friend.

 

[olyelr]

I pull our 7000 pound travel trailer with my 6.4 and have no issues at all. Would kill for that 8 speed tranny though LOL.

Would a diesel do it easier, well hell yea. Is it needed, hell no.

 

[Iowa ram]

Agree with last guy, if not pulling frequently, gas is a good option.

Diesels cost more to maintain.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[OMW2SKI]

Towing that infrequently, a gas motor will be fine! Get a new HD with 6.4 8-Speed and 4.10's! Unless you drive a bunch of freeway/highways miles in between tows, the gas will serve you wonderfully.

 

[mtnrider]

Your really not that heavy and not going very far so either will do the job. The diesel will do it better no doubt. While the Diesel may cost more up front you will get that back when it comes times to sell and hold it's value longer so ignore the up front cost.
Diesels and gas truck maintenance is pretty much a wash as well so ignore that myth that a new diesels cost a lot more to maintain.

Pick your poison, either will work for what you want.

.

 

[MADDOG]

while the diesel is nice, and having one allows you to upgrade to a larger trailer later; given your load a 6.4L HEMI powered 2500 has what you need to tow that load safely.

 

[Marley]

7000 lbs dry weight, your looking at roughly 10k towing.
I'll take the 6.4 with 4.10 gears all day.

I've already heard much good about 8spd tranny which will make the towing experience that much better.

 

[Ratket]

You won’t win any Races up over Cajon Pass or up Sherwin Summit. But the 6.4 with the new 8 speed should haul at the speed limit, and do what you ask of it. I’ve always said if I did it again I would go diesel. But... that 8 speed is a big game changer.

If you currently pull that trailer with ur half ton now.. you are going to be amazed shoving it behind a 3/4 ton Ram.

Try to time ur purchase with Labor Day. There will be good incentives.

 

[Elkman]

Check the GCWR for the 1500 and 2500 trucks as that is what will determine the maximum trailer load each can handle. Download the Ram trailering guide to get the current specifications as they often change year to year.

With a 9,000 lb trailer load using a ball hitch there is going to better performance with a diesel but a gas engine with the right gears will be good enough. Diesels produce peak torque at less than 2000 RPM's as compared to a gas engine that is over 3,000 RPM's and that is why the right gears are important.

Trailer loads greater than 12,000 lbs and you want a diesel and a 2500 class truck. For me having the exhaust brake capability of a diesel engine on long downhill grades is reason enough to buy a full size diesel engine powered pickup. I would be dubious about the 3 liter diesel truck engines with the 1500 class pickups for the purpose of towing.

A 2500 truck gets you a stronger frame and that would be important if going with a 5th wheel trailer with 20-25 percent of its weigh on the bed of the truck. A 2500 frame will be designed for mounting a hitch in the bed for a 5th wheel trailer.

With the level 2 tow package you get the lower gears and the transmission cooler and brake controller and going this route save you money in the long run.

I am a big fan of tow mirrors for towing trailers and these are easy to get on the 2500 but may be a problem with a 1500 pickup. I would check whether or not this could be a problem before you buy the truck. With my 2500 pickup I got the dealer to swap out the standard mirrors for tow mirrors at no charge.

One advantage of diesel is the greater range on a full tank of fuel. When towing a trailer that can be important. But with Ram you can order the larger 33 gallon fuel tank which I would definitely recommend doing.

I have a 2500HD diesel pickup and when pulling a 13,000 lb boat trailer it was great to have its power and the exhaust braking. Now that I have sold the boat I will be selling it and buying a 1500 with the tow package and gas engine and 33 gallon fuel tank.

Something not widely known is that although Ford sells the most 1500 class pickups, when it comes to 2500/3500 trucks Ram sells more than Ford, Chevy, and GM combined.

 

[Marine Les]

Hello all, first post.

I currently have a 2017 silverado 1500. Lease is due in Sept and in need of a new truck. Last month I bought 28' Forest River vibe trailer, dry weight about 7000# if i remember correctly. I'm looking into getting a new Ram 2500. I should be using the trailer 6-8 times a year and tow probably 150-500 miles a trip, depending where i go ( I live in southern california). I've been debating whether i need a diesel or gas.

All my friends and family who have fifth wheels and toy haulers tell me to get a diesel. They tell me i'll burn more fuel and can blow my transmission sooner with a gas engine.
A friend of mine has a ram 2500 with a 6.4 gas and says the 6.4 is more than enough to pull that trailer especially if I get one with the 4.10 gears and new 8 speed transmission. He tells me he tows a boat (7000-7500# loaded) 2-4 times a months with five guys in his truck and has plenty of power going up over passes on the highway. I'm kind of leaning towards the gas because I don't know if I want to spend an extra 10K on a diesel if I'm not going to really need it.

For what i'll be pulling and how often, should i spend the money and just a diesel or is the 6.4 more than enough? I wanted to ask real world, logical people who actually use the 6.4 for towing.

The 6.4 8spd is my choice for what for what your doing. The only way I would choose a diesel is if I were towing often, long and heavy. You will never make up the additional money for the diesel in fuel costs not to mention more maintenance and the fact that the exhaust systems on new diesels are very problematic if used on short trips.

 

[JohnnyMac]

You might also consider that the Republik of Kalifornia seems to be hell bent on phasing out diesel engines so who knows what restrictive law may be passed in the next couple years that'll hose you with a Cummins.....

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Thank you all for all the feedback. I will now search for my new truck.

 

[chri5k]

Necessity is the mother of all expenditures. You need that diesel.

 

[SOKY_RAM]

I have a Diesel and I don't tow anything. Only reason I have it is for the annual Backwater Stupidity Parade.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Thank you all for all the feedback. I will now search for my new truck.

I drove a 6.4l and a 6.7l cummins tonight. I can tell you they feel like 2 totally different trucks. I drove 2 tradesmen back to back almost identical trucks just 1 cummins 1 6.4 8spd. The 6.4l 8 spd was a very smooth truck it was a nice ride but the steering wheel was oddly heavy. The cummins steering wheel was nice and light like my 1500 brakes felt firmer and the throttle response seemed great just felt heavier (because it is) and more planted if that makes any sense it felt like driving 2 totally different trucks. My advice is the gas will pull your camper all day long and cost wise probably pans out better on the gas but drive both and drive them back to back and drive equal trim levels. It's hard to compare a larmie to a bighorn with different seats and what not it will feel different.

 

[Snooter]

Personally, i would not consider a diesel in anything under a 1 ton...but thats just my take

 

[NewBlackDak]

Personally, i would not consider a diesel in anything under a 1 ton...but thats just my take

You’re down to almost half ton payloads(officially) in many optioned diesel 3/4’s. However, they’re mostly the same truck as the 1-ton. You’re getting the same frame/brakes/axles/drivetrain as a 1-ton, and there no reason you can’t add some airbags and tow the same weights safely.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[redman4455]

Anyone with a 6.4 3500? Curious how others feel it performs if I wanted a slide in camper as opposed to a trailer.

 

[code54]

Had a 2012 6.7 and liked it but mostly used it for short trips. Often towing 12k and it did a great job but I was always concerned with the short trip and the known issues with the diesel. A few weeks ago I traded the CTD in on a 6.4.. My 2012 got 12 around town and 14 MPG highway. The 6.4 is getting 14.5 around town and was getting 16.5 highway so far. Gas is 50 cents less a gallon here, so that is a nice change.
I have not towed with it yet but for my short runs im not concerned at all and so far am very happy with the truck.