Real world towing

[112Savage]

I towed a 7200 pound travel trailer through the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia with my 3.0 ram eco diesel 3rd generation with airbags and weight distributing hitch. The engine braking is amazing. It was throwing a code and going into limp mode on long/big hills for some reason. Mine is the limited model with all options, so 7200# is probably pushing the tow rating. I will say if it hadn’t thrown the boost control module code I would have no complaints. However, I think my dad’s 2005 5.9L Cummins with 6 speed would have done it better but it handles like crap.
Oh yeah with people, a bed full of stuff and the trailer it got 11mpg

 

[Alpine4x4]

The newest model is rated at 13,300. Trust me when I say that I called bs myself. I have a 7.3psd, a built 12v and ram 5500 4x4. I have a pretty good understanding of towing. With all that said, the power and brakes on the 3.0 is very impressive. I wouldn't tow without bags.....but the go and stop is far beyond the half ton of yesterday.


And.....my coffee can ride in the cup holder, unlike my 5500.

The newest model is rated at 13,300 as a 2wd unit. You can see 13k with the max package, but most options sit around 9k.

I too own a 7.3psd, a built 24v and a 6.7 Ram 3500 and I wouldnt tow 10k+ with any half ton I have been in. I routinely haul 10k-20k and know how that feels in a big diesel one ton with the exhaust braking, trailer brakes, timbrens, and stiffer suspension.

 

[timekiller13]

Don't rule out the 6.6 gasser in the GMC 2500.

This. Got rid of my unreliable POS 6.7 powerstroke and went with 6.6 Chevy 2500.

My 5th wheel is 34ft and weighs 12k loaded. 6.6 pulls it fine. Doesn’t hunt gears. Accelerates well enough. Pulls up hills just fine, just got wind up the RPMs some.

Last trip I did with it, round trip about 700 miles. Avg mpg 8.1 hand calculated.

 

[SouthernCharm]

If i was regularly towing stuff, i would get a diesel no questions. Lots of guys talk about the premium for the diesel, but they get it back on resale.

We've had dozens of diesel Ford Trucks since 2011, no DEF issues ever. We put 50-60k on each truck every year, regular maintenance, etc. Occasionally, there's a weird problem, but it's rare.

Seems like the issues with DEF are real, but rare. I think it gets a lot of attention from a few bad cases and the aftermarket people that want you to buy delete kits.

It does really suck fuel down.. That's a fact.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Mine is that rare 2011, the dealer even said so. We can’t figure it out. They have replaced ace the computers, sensors and all that crap. That what makes it the more frustrating.

 

[brancher147]

I have a new F350 with the 7.3. It pulls 12,000 lbs great through the mountains of WV. Night and day difference between my gas 2013 350. That 10 speed transmission is great for mountains going up and down. My old 350 transmission did not hold back at all and this new one holds back a lot better and has plenty of gears for steep grades. Mountains I pull are 8-10% grade and couple thousand feet elevation change on average.

11mpg empty. 4 or 5 mpg pulling 12,000 lbs

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Unless you can’t justify owning a diesel, stay with the diesel. I hear guys talk about how there’s not much difference in the new gas motors and diesels when pulling. That’s the guts that look at spec sheets and have never owned and worked them both.



There is no comparison. None. And, when someone tried to say there is, just ask them if they drive that gasser at 5500 RPM’s to get the torque ratings they claim compete with a diesel at 1500 RPM’s.


I own both. I’ll buy both again. But, don’t be fooled by people who haven’t driven both towing. A gas motor is a great thing. But, they aren’t a diesel when it comes to towing.


Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[Choupique]

IMO, match the truck to the load needs and upgrade the engine as budget allows. The engine is the least important part of this equation unless the load is high enough to make it matter. Tires, suspension, cooling, BRAKES all matter far more than the engine choice unless you are a hot shot driver.

Id get a gas 3/4 ton way before a half ton diesel with that load. My personal preference is a gas 1 ton, but evidently I am weird.

 

[flathead#2]

I’d like to see a pic of a 7.3 Cummins in your Ram?!.

My bad, yall talking bout 7.3's.
Corrections, Cummins Turbo.
So sue me.

 

[SouthernCharm]

Unless you can’t justify owning a diesel, stay with the diesel. I hear guys talk about how there’s not much difference in the new gas motors and diesels when pulling. That’s the guts that look at spec sheets and have never owned and worked them both.



There is no comparison. None. And, when someone tried to say there is, just ask them if they drive that gasser at 5500 RPM’s to get the torque ratings they claim compete with a diesel at 1500 RPM’s.


I own both. I’ll buy both again. But, don’t be fooled by people who haven’t driven both towing. A gas motor is a great thing. But, they aren’t a diesel when it comes to towing.


Good luck with whatever you choose.

Thank you. I haven’t driven the 6.6 or 7.3 gasser pulling weight.. I have driven about every diesel pulling weight. That why I proposed this question, I had one of those F150 with 3.6 eco boost. Proclaimed to get good fuel economy and pull. Neither was true. The boat comes in with a 950lb toungue weight, it would push the truck in the curves. Towed only once with that vehicle, that’s why I’m questioning the Chevy 3.0.

 

[mikeafeagin22]

Went from a F250 Power Stroke to a GMC 2500 6.6L gas. Towing my previous SXS on a 10' trailer with the gas was annoying. Just got a new SXS thats about 1000lbs heavier and a 14' trailer. Not looking forward to towing it any distance. It does it, its just annoying getting poor mileage and the constant shifting. Cruising with a trailer in a diesel is just so smooth. I don't tow much though so that was the reason I skipped the diesel this time.

I’ll second that with the 6.6L gas burner. Will pull 10k no problem but I get like 8mpg doing it and if there’s 2’ of incline in the road you better not have your cruise control on or it’ll drop two gears to keep up and sound like you’re blowing your truck up. If I’m doing any hauling on the interstate then I always take our diesel.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Thank you. I haven’t driven the 6.6 or 7.3 gasser pulling weight.. I have driven about every diesel pulling weight. That why I proposed this question, I had one of those F150 with 3.6 eco boost. Proclaimed to get good fuel economy and pull. Neither was true. The boat comes in with a 950lb toungue weight, it would push the truck in the curves. Towed only once with that vehicle, that’s why I’m questioning the Chevy 3.0.

IMO you just answered your own question as to why you shouldn’t tow 10k with a 1/2 ton. It’s not about the power and to a lesser extent the brakes. It’s the stability and ride quality and how it would handle a panic situation.

 

[Halfchrome]

If you go ram HD I would look at the 3500 over the 2500. The payload with a 6.7 2500 is often lower than the 1500 when loaded, especially with a mega cab. Granted, they will handle it fine but some troopers would find a reason to ticket you on a bad day.

 

[Stache Attack]

Above every other 1500 I’d take that 3.0, towing often in mountians as much as I hate the high rpm gas HDs I would take that Godzilla every day. It gets around good under a load.

 

[z987k]

Would not tow 10k with a 1500.

Sure - the Duramax 3.0 can take it, but handling and braking will be questionable.

It's special order to get the 3.0 with the 3.73 gears it needs to actually get the max tow rating. 3.0 with 3.23's which is about all of them has a 9500lb max tow.