Making the leap. Pointers appreciated.

[RamMan88]

I am currently looking to upgrade from a gas F-150 to a 3/4 diesel to allow my family to get a larger horse trailer with living quarters. I live in Southern Maryland and found the beauty in the link below over in Va. I plan to head over for a test drive this weekend. I have attached the Carfax and Original Window sticker. This will be my first time looking at a diesel truck and I have no real experience driving or maintaining diesels. Any feedback on the truck and pointers on what to look for when I go see it are appreciated.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/60003e57-a8f7-44e1-a3f9-3cb00b251933/

 

[rule18]

I am currently looking to upgrade from a gas F-150 to a 3/4 diesel to allow my family to get a larger horse trailer with living quarters. I live in Southern Maryland and found the beauty in the link below over in Va. I plan to head over for a test drive this weekend. I have attached the Carfax and Original Window sticker. This will be my first time looking at a diesel truck and I have no real experience driving or maintaining diesels. Any feedback on the truck and pointers on what to look for when I go see it are appreciated.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/60003e57-a8f7-44e1-a3f9-3cb00b251933/

Welcome to RamForum. Check out this sub-Forum, lots of good info for you here: https://www.ramforum.com/forums/heavy-duty.158/

 

[Papa Red]

Welcome to the forum.

Red

 

[HEMIMANN]

Welcome.

Read through your load ratings. Diesel in 3/4 ton limits your load a lot - the diesel extra weight eats up all your load increase from 1/2 ton. Most guys go straight to 1 ton if you want or need diesel.

Many threads about this, you can prove to yourself with a Ram Brochure.

Also, generally, the 6.4 Hemi is good for part-time towers up to ~ 10,000 lbs. Full time towers, mountain towers, and heavy towers, should go with diesel. Important decision unless you're rich cause the diesel option costs $9,000 MORE than the 6.4 Hemi engine.

I have the Hemi.

 

[White six four]

Looks like a really nice truck but I 2nd what @HEMIMANN said. Also around my area a lot of the younger people buy 2500s just because they want a diesel and they're cheaper then a 3500. Usually they beat the crap out of them. Not pulling anything just racing around and showing off their diesels power. Just my 2 cents

 

[Joe w.]

Welcome

 

[RamMan88]

Welcome.

Read through your load ratings. Diesel in 3/4 ton limits your load a lot - the diesel extra weight eats up all your load increase from 1/2 ton. Most guys go straight to 1 ton if you want or need diesel.

Many threads about this, you can prove to yourself with a Ram Brochure.

Also, generally, the 6.4 Hemi is good for part-time towers up to ~ 10,000 lbs. Full time towers, mountain towers, and heavy towers, should go with diesel. Important decision unless you're rich cause the diesel option costs $9,000 MORE than the 6.4 Hemi engine.

I have the Hemi.

That's a good point. I like to think I'm still a younger guy but I'm definitely going to exceed 10k lbs with the horse trailer. The trailer towing chart I have for the truck claims 17,030 for a Max trailer weight rating and 2.2k for payload. The payload is the what worries me a little bit. If you assume 10% or weight to the bed on a gooseneck I'm golden. If you assume 25%, I'm in trouble.

 

[crash68]

That's a good point. I like to think I'm still a younger guy but I'm definitely going to exceed 10k lbs with the horse trailer. The trailer towing chart I have for the truck claims 17,030 for a Max trailer weight rating and 2.2k for payload. The payload is the what worries me a little bit. If you assume 10% or weight to the bed on a gooseneck I'm golden. If you assume 25%, I'm in trouble.

Find what your looking for in a horse trailer first instead of assuming what you need. Depending on the trailer and how it's loaded your tongue weight can be can be 15%-30% with a gooseneck/fiver. You might even notice the trailer axle ratings don't add up to the GVWR of the trailer.
Your big concern isn't the payload but the GAWR for the truck and trailer.

 

[Harley Harrold]

 

[RamMan88]

Find what your looking for in a horse trailer first instead of assuming what you need. Depending on the trailer and how it's loaded your tongue weight can be can be 15%-30% with a gooseneck/fiver. You might even notice the trailer axle ratings don't add up to the GVWR of the trailer.
Your big concern isn't the payload but the GAWR for the truck and trailer.

Crash68,
The Trailer I am eyeing has a GVWR of 17313lbs and an empty curb weight of 8282lbs on a gooseneck. The Ram I'm looking at has the ratings in the attached table (I believe my truck's data is in the highlighted row). It appears the rear axle rating is ~3.05k more than the base rear axle weight with a payload capacity of 2.2k and a max trailer weight rating of 17030. Am I looking at the numbers wrong?

 

[RamMan88]

Welcome.

Read through your load ratings. Diesel in 3/4 ton limits your load a lot - the diesel extra weight eats up all your load increase from 1/2 ton. Most guys go straight to 1 ton if you want or need diesel.

Many threads about this, you can prove to yourself with a Ram Brochure.

Also, generally, the 6.4 Hemi is good for part-time towers up to ~ 10,000 lbs. Full time towers, mountain towers, and heavy towers, should go with diesel. Important decision unless you're rich cause the diesel option costs $9,000 MORE than the 6.4 Hemi engine.

I have the Hemi.

The load ratings I have been using are in attached table with the highlighted row being the data for the truck I'm looking at. The numbers seem to work out, but I may be making some false assumptions.

 

[Daw14]

Why go so close to the limit ? I’d seriously consider a 3500 .

 

[turkeybird56]

The load ratings I have been using are in attached table with the highlighted row being the data for the truck I'm looking at. The numbers seem to work out, but I may be making some false assumptions.

OK, U are right at the limit. U really need to consider a 3500 for what U are pulling and loaded. I ran a baby Diesel the ED, and the numbers were one thing, the engine was another. As CRASH said, find your trailer first, then shop from there. But IMHO (very humble), U got a lot of weight, U really need to consider a 3500. But your money and safety, U do wat works for U. Again, all IMHO.....

 

[10mmGlock]

Honestly I am a die hard ram fan, but a cummins is the last diesel I would buy, my work has about 30 cummins all late model and I drive them considerably and they flat suck in direct comparison to the new duramax, I absolutely hate Ford but even the new 6.7 outperforms the cummins. Get the better drive train and go GM on this one.

 

[Arth]

Honestly I am a die hard ram fan, but a cummins is the last diesel I would buy, my work has about 30 cummins all late model and I drive them considerably and they flat suck in direct comparison to the new duramax, I absolutely hate Ford but even the new 6.7 outperforms the cummins. Get the better drive train and go GM on this one.

While I don't totally agree that Cummins sucks I will admit the Duramax and Powerstroke have more punch because they are V8's.

The load ratings I have been using are in attached table with the highlighted row being the data for the truck I'm looking at. The numbers seem to work out, but I may be making some false assumptions.

Personally I think the truck you linked is way over priced. It's only 4k less than what it stickered for new. Might as well go buy new.

 

[10mmGlock]

While I don't totally agree that Cummins sucks I will admit the Duramax and Powerstroke have more punch because they are V8's.


Personally I think the truck you linked is way over priced. It's only 4k less than what it stickered for new. Might as well go buy new.

I'm not saying it totally sucks, it just seems to have some reliability issues not only with the engine but primarily transmission and rear end, also just feels incredibly lethargic compared to the other 2 under normal driving conditions, and you can't really even compare the interiors, GM has it in the bag as far as interior quality. And looks wise I think the new cummins are ugly compared to their competition.

 

[rvance]

You definitely need a 3500 with that load.