I tow a 10,000 pound 35 foot long camper all the time with my Tundra. Works perfectly. The key is a good anti sway hitch and Timbren suspension upgrade. Tows perfectly even in high wind with semi passing.
No one knows what truck they need but everyone wants a diesel... If you need a diesel, you'll know it If you have money and just want a diesel, go for it.. Everyone else get a gas engine.
Have a 2007 F-250 SRW 2WD Crewcab 6.0 Powerstroke. Power Great! Mileage..unbelievable! Empty @ 75mph level ground no wind best over 180 mile trip 33+MPG! Loaded 30" steel Gooseneck, Loaded with 5 20 ton roof A?C Commercial units stacked two high...75 MPH Hills from Austin Texas to Midland,Texas 13.8MPG! I get a average of 22.5 to 28.6 most all of the time including city driving! Mods: K&N and a Tune! Also a Coolant Filter Truck as 107,000 miles total. Well maintained.
When I moved from an F-150 to a dually diesel crew cab F-350, I was astounded. As a mechanical engineer and automotive machinist, my understanding of mechanics is probably different than most readers. Perhaps the single most significant difference in the super/heavy duty trucks is the full floating axles above all else. Once a person understands this difference, they might never go back to a 1/2 ton truck, especially if they are a “Spec Guy” who bases decisions on the specs. I have a friend who opted for an 2018 F-350 dually vs the F-450 dually because the F-350 has “more payload capacity.” That might be a good video for you to do to educate folks in Marketing numbers vs actual and full floating axles vs standard weight bearing axles.
I’m a professional truck driver and your advice was spot on...I have a 99 Tahoe I pull a 28’ travel trailer with it, but I won’t take it into mountains.. only on flat prairie roads.. that being said if I go to the mountains I’m going to get a 3/4 ton suburban. Heavier transmission, heavier axels, etc.. but lower fuel mileage.
Great video! I feel like something worth mentioning is the price difference in maintaining gas vs diesel. A few years ago diesels didn't need DEF of an ultra low ash oil. I sold my ecodiesel because the price of fuel, oil, fuel filters and DEF was making it cheaper to run with a hemi
I always avoided diesel because of extra cost of maintenance and repairs. As long as you do maintenance yourself oil only cost an extra $10 per change about every 6 months and while I’m at it I do fuel filters and air filter usually cost about $100 for all 3 for mid grade filters. I drive 30k miles a year and maintenance costs me an extra $220 a year. That’s basically $0.60 a day extra in maintenance.
I tow a 5600 pound boat and currently opting to upgrade to a new F250 gas. simply because of the weight of the vehicle. the gas option is a substantial savings with more than ample power. real-time reviews show that the gas and the diesel will get approximately the same MPG Towing heavier loads. so the gas option is best suited for me and I plan on keeping the truck for a while
agreed, I had a 2500 Cummins a few years back. BUT to me, not worth an $8k price difference at the purchase. I would probably keep this truck 6-7 years but can't justify the initial cost...
The item I think you missed was, if you buy a diesel pickup and pay the $10k up front you always get that back when you sell it. You might not get all 10k back but you get pretty much all of it. Thanks Big Truck Big RV, once again great informative video from you.
All pretty much accurate! There is one factor favoring diesels that was over looked! Over the past 40 years I have towed goosenecks in excess of 10,000 lbs. I learned early on that gas engines suffer burned valves with that kind of duty! Last gas powered truck I used needed a valve job at 38,000 miles! My current diesel has nearly 285,00 miles on it, half of that with a heavy trailer! Engine is still sound! No gas engine would be able to rival that! As for using a 3/4 or one ton chassis, he is spot on! If one does not have a truck heavy enough for the job at hand the trailer WILL "wag the dog"!
Great info. I have towed our 30 foot 7100# gvw travel trailer with a 2001 chevy tahoe 5.3l for over 200k miles here on the west coast. It needs an engine now, but I'll drop in a 6L this time. Upgrades to shocks, headers, and 5" inch exhaust all help. Plus flipped the axles and went with 15" tires and wheels on the trailer. My trailer weighs in at 6200 lbs typically when we travel. Oh and the anti sway tow bars are a must have.
A 3/4 ton gasser has no issue with 10,000lbs with the trailer/brakes set up properly. I have moved skid steers with my max tow halfer, you don't want to do 80mph but if you have towing experience and load it properly it really isn't bad and todays gas engines make as much torque as the big blocks of the 90's. I do see you point though, you don't want a bunch of RV weekenders on the interstate towing at max capacity with a halfer, and i imagine a 30' ultralight would want to get flipped by the wind, good points.
Gilbert McGillicutty Yes skid steers, aka on a flat trailer. He said that's ok because the wind doesn't push you around. He's talking about a enclosed trailer or an rv because they are giant walls that get pushed around all over the road.
My trailer is a deck over, 38" ride height. i pulled a F350 crew cab home from a salvage yard 900km away on a 2500 6L gasser in prairie winds in -25 winter. No stabilizers didnt even hiccup. I wouldnt hesitate to do it with a set of bags in my 6.2 halfton.
I think you did a great job covering not only the pros and cons of gas vs diesel but 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton. I think your maximum towing numbers that would one would have to consider buying a diesel would need to come done by a minimum of 1500 lbs when consistently towing at over 5000 feet above sea level. One other consideration is how winding does it get where you live. I have towed in eastern NM during the spring using a gasser as well as a diesel and a diesel, even on this flat area, made a big difference.
what everyone forgot to mention is a V10 gas engine which has massive torque and horsepower @ low rpm just like a diesel. I have the 8.0 liter with 264k miles on it about 1/3 of it towing, ford still makes a V10 but dodge has stopped. very dependable and incredibly smooth running.
I use my '04 F250 2WD crew cab SWB V-10 primarily to tow our 9000 lb (loaded) toy hauler travel trailer camping in the summer. IMO it does a great job, it's super easy to maintain, but boy does it drink gas. Since we only go camping maybe five times per year and the trips are less than 500 miles, the total cost for the year is not much. The truck has never seen snow/ice and stays garaged. For me, the V-10 gas engine is perfect -- my only diesel is in my tractor.
I’ve got a 3/4 ton gasser and it’s perfect for what I do. I’m right in the middle of a 1/2 ton isnt strong enough and a diesel is overkill. I think as long as you get something that suits your needs that’s all that matters.
Only buy a diesel if you absolutely need the power or if you are putting a ton of miles on it. For most people a 3/4 ton gas will accomplish what they need. Plus, the gas engine costs less, is much better to drive in the winter with warm up times, and has a more enjoyable ride around town. I had a duramax and hated it unless I was towing. I switched to the 6.4 hemi Ram and I'm much happier.
MFPWM2010 hi your 6.4 hemi is a gas engine? What gear ratio do you have and how much can you tow now. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated
@@mikevalenzuela6788 yes the 6.4 is a gas engine. I just bought a 2018 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi. My sticker says I have a 3.73 gear ratio and can tow 16,000 pounds. Also I just drove from Missouri to The far side of Virginia through the mountains, about a 16 hour drive, and averaged 18.1 mpg (not pulling a trailer). Hope that helps.
I always wished recommendations like this included the higher cost of maintenance and repairs on modern diesel trucks. I drank the diesel koolaid and over the years the truck tried bankrupting me in repair and maintenance costs. I even had a VW diesel car at one point with the same issue once they hit 80-100K miles and again at 180-200K buckle up for expenses and brake downs. Its seems in the race for max torque and low emission particulates the longevity and simplicity of diesels have suffered as the ol' farm trucks i remember cranking to half a million miles without much work and a ton of abuse is a thing of the past. The improved fuel economy is also a wash once you factor in the crazy cost of oil changes with the gallons of synthetic oil, fuel filters, and in some cases urea fluid. He's completely correct though on the benefits but missing the cons to go with it.
You have successfully explained why I traded-in my 2012 Ford F150 Crew Cab Lariat 5 1/2' Box (145" WB) Ecoboost for a 2015 Ford F250 Lariat Crew Cab 6 3/4' box (156" WB). I pull a travel trailer that has a dry weight of 6,300 lbs. There were numerous issues with the F150 while towing the travel trailer. The F150 bucked while towing. The ecoboost has the power, however, the gas mileage while towing was extremely poor, about 8 miles per gallon. The rear load "C" LT tires bulged when towing. The ecoboost tow / haul mode is useless when attempting to slow down while going down hill. It is actually dangerous on some long down hills. The issue is that the ecoboost is only a V6 and there is no compression. The 5 1/2' box is too small. The F150 mirrors were too small and the aftermarket tow mirrors were terrible. The scariest event was when I got caught in some high crosswinds in Maine with the F150. The F250 diesel has resolved all of these issues except for the 26 gallon gas tank. I now have the 50 gallon Titan tank.
also the f150 can weigh as much as a midsize truck. Nissan Frontier SL for example 4800lbs F150 can weigh as low as below 5000 lbs similarly equipped .
NovaMan 350 the weight of trucks depends alot on the body configuration. My 90 ec sb f150 is right around 4800 empty. Ive heard guys with the same year of truck except sc sb say their trucks are around 4000 empty. One ton duallys are around 8000.
No doubt the F250 is a better tow platform but I have a 2013 F150 with the max tow package and it handled my 6500lb tt and boat just fine in towhaul mode downshifts were smooth and helped with braking. Package also comes with large mirrors, 35gal fuel tank and brake controller. F150s with the proper package are great tow vehicles.
Heddingmyway you're problem is that you bought the wrong truck the first time out if you had bought it with the max tow and cargo you wouldn't have had c rated tires or small mirrors and no trailer brake setup
There is a lot more to it, than just the engine. You need to stop the trailer which is where the big 3/4 ton brakes make a big difference. The suspension is critical as well!
great video. I'd disagree the old 5.4 ford had lack of power. Never ran out of power to tow anything with the old 5.4 I mean it's no diesel but never had a complaint. Maybe lacking in comparison to today's gas engines but that should be expected.
BUILT DIESEL MAFIA I test drove a 5.4 F250 with 4.10 gears and it was such a dog. Too much truck for that motor. That's why we opted for the 6.8 v10. Tows like a diesel without the diesel price tag
I've owned both gas and diesel. Unless you need to be pulling heavy loads on a regular basis, the diesel will cost you triple the maintenance/repair costs that a gas will, plus the thousands in initial extra cost for the diesel engine
If you are going to use fade in and out, don't fade in lower lines before higher lines. We don't read bottom to top and might not be able to go back and catch up and still maintain the train of thought.
the one thing many people forget is that diesels need more maintenance than gas engines and that maintenance costs more. and it also cost more when you don't maintain it. i have seen a lot of people get taken aback when the diesel truck they buy to get groceries costs a ton to do simple services compared to a gasoline powered vehicle. the way i look at it is a diesel truck is there to do a job if your not making it work, its pointless.
I've owned both and although parts on a diesel are more expensive than gas, you repair a diesel far less often. 7500 mile oil changes are nice too. I have a 2006 Ford F-250 Diesel with 286k miles and have only changed the oil and brakes with regular routine maintenance.
Something many don’t consider is the effect a diesel has on payload. For example, I recently purchased a Titan XD and had the option of gas or diesel. Going with the Cummins 5.0 decreased my payload by 500 lbs while towing 2,000 more. It has been my experience that you will exceed payload/tongue weight long before exceeding tow capacity. I know several fifth wheel towers that have 2500 series trucks and they all admit to being over on the pin weight. As far as economy, diesel costs 15% more here in Florida and the cCummins will give me 10%-15% better mileage, so it’s a wash. Factor in the increased maintenance expense inherent in diesels and it actually is more efficient to go gas, which is what I did. Mind you I am not towing anywhere near 10,000 lbs but the gasser gets it done. It just does it at a higher rpm range.
I tow a 20 ft travel trailer with my Ram 1500. It's 6900 lbs dry and I estimate I have 500-600 lbs worth of stuff in it. My truck squats a fair bit but it tows just fine. With that said, I wouldn't want to go any heavier.
I have a 20ft Toy Hauler that weighs 4500# I bet with my bike and all my gear it weighs 5-6K. Bike is easily 500# Doesnt even have a head(toilet) or shower. My Ram 1500 4.7L can pull it well enough but you dont forget about it being back there.
Love your channel but couldn't disagree with you more on minute 1:50. We had a 5,700 pound 33 foot trailer and a Tundra. Towed it all over the US (over 33,000 miles on the trailer). Upgraded to a 2016 F350 dully and our camper sways just as much as when we were pulling it with our little half ton Tundra. Case and point it doesn't matter what you tow a TT with, the results of the trailer sway is exactly the same. In between the tundra and F350 we had a F250. I thought since I had a super duty truck I didn't need my equalizer hitch. BAD Mistake. I've never white knuckled it so bad for in my entire life!
If you do a lot of RV towing it is also a lot more pleasant experience in a diesel even if your trailer weighs 6000 lbs. If you are going up a long grade with a gas truck you will most likely be revving at close to 4000 rpm to keep up highway speed. If you have a diesel you will be revving at 1500 or below and it will be much quieter, and much less stressful. Also, when towing the difference in MPG even on a trailer like mine (4500 dry, 53-5400 on the road) is significant. My Ram 1500 with the hemi gets about 8.5 miles per gallon when towing my TT. Unladen on the highway I get about 15. I've heard good things about mileage when towing a trailer like this with the ecodiesel.
absolutely why i got rid of our 2016 gmc slt. constant gear chasing. duramax from SD to FL and i don't know if it ever down shifted in 2250 miles! lovin' it!
I love these discussions. I just purchased a new Ram 2500 6.7l Cummins 4x4 crew cab. Love it. I have a new Lund fishing boat around 4500# with the trailer. Not real heavy but heavy enough. I sold my Ram 1500 which was a great truck. Highly recommend . I took a fishing trip back home to Montana last year and purposely watched all the trucks pulling trailers , boats etc. Flat land in South Dakota where the wind gets strong . 3/4 ton diesel was the norm and many 3500,f350 pulling big trailers in the 30 plus foot category. The big trucks with HD suspensions don't squat nearly as much under load as 1500s with a heavy load on. Safety in hauling loads is critical !! The safety of you and your family and other drivers around you. Effortless towing of my boat was a must. I just retired and I am hauling my boat to Montana and in the process of building my retirement home. I grew up out West in Montana. Winter is tough and so are the people. I want a truck that can handle many types of flatbed trailers I may need for projects . A 2500 is like a Swiss Army knife . If your truck is a big car for you a 1500 probably is all you need. But this is America and you can get whatever you want if you can afford it. Live life . You only have one .
We have a 2016 f250 work truck w/ the 6.2L in her. Wow what a great motor. Doesn't quite run like the Chevy 6.2 but it's damn close. We use our work truck as one of our garbage trucks for small pickups and it's been super since we've bought it. It's got roughly 11,000 miles on it. Pulls just as well as a diesel, just uses a lot more fuel.
Since the 1970s I have done several hundred thousand miles towing trailers up to 16,000 pounds! I always recommend diesels for extensive towing for two reasons! One, the fuel consumption of a diesel is about 40% less than a gas engine of comparable power. Two, extensive towing will require valve jobs on gas engines!
Just writing to let you know....I just found your channel...referred by "Keep Your Daydream". I've watched a couple and you are very informative. Thank you, and keep up the great work!
Another good video. What some don't think about is the other weight. Such as people, equipment in the trailer, food, pets, portable generator, bike's and so on. Your the only one that said about the trailer pulling the truck.
I burned up 2 differential's on a Chevy gas powered 6 liter engine .not to mention the slow acceleration off the line pulling a 22ft travel trailer ...so I got a 3500 HD turbo deisel with a Allison transmission and couldn't be happier..also the nice thing about changing to deisel is that I was able to fine tune the engine with EFI LIVE TUNER with 5 on the fly settings for everything from low horsepower mode (vallet mode / wife speed LOL) .tow modes.and race modes ... unbelievable fuel milage in all cases.also can turn off the turbo for long highway miles when not towing and get better fuel milage than my escalade on 400 mile road trips
I have a 2014 F350 regular cab 6.2l gas, and during harvest i pull a gooseneck grain trailer that weighs 24,000 pounds just for the trailer. Combined weight it weighs a little over 35,000 pounds GCWR and it pulls it just fine. Im actually glad i didnt spend the money for a diesel because i can do it all with my gasser except get good gas mileage.
My dad has a half ton Silverado and he hauls a 18 ft livestock trailer and up to 1 ton of hay. I'm pretty sure the trailer is over 6500 lbs with a couple cows. Great video!
I think every truck window sticker should state payload and trailer weight for that truck as equipped. They weigh trailers coming off the line they should do the same for trucks and suvs for that matter .
Trailer weight you can tow changes as you load the truck up. My truck has a max trailer weight of 9100 lbs. But loaded, it weighs 7000 lbs. Subtract that weight from the combined max weight of 15,000 lbs and my real trailer weight that I can tow is 8000 lbs, not 9100 lbs.
I have a 2015 f150 and I tow a dump trailer full of firewood totaling a weight of 10,000 pounds. It has no problems unless you need to go up a very large hill, but it will still make it if you put it in 4 wheel drive.
I am happy with my 02 2500hd gas . Has the 8.1 v8 I tow a 34 ft 13000lb trailer and have more than enough power for hills . Truck has over 300 thousand miles and runs great. It is all in if you maintain your truck .
We also have the 8.1 in a 2001 dually with 80000 on the odo. We're pulling about 8000 lbs and love it. We also didn't pay 60 grand for a TV. Best gas engine ever...just ask U-Haul....regular maintenance...and nobody talks about the Allison trans brake..works awesome!!!
agree. 1/ the exhaust brake is now the main reason to buy a diesel. one trip down a mountain road in the rain should convince anyone. 2/ people use too small a truck to tow safely too large a trailer. "accidents" are increasing. 3/ with more power comes faster speeds, which people do not control properly. 4/ diesels may last longer, but nowadays the cost of ownership of gas v diesel is about equal over 10 years for the average person.
You can get those on gas engines also my wife's Yukon 2010 comes with a Jake brake with her 6.2l works great tap it once while going down the mountain set the speed you want to maintain and just steer now as far as the air suspension needs to be upgraded
I like diesel engines, but they have become very expensive to operate. The initial cost, insurance, repairs, maintenance, fees and taxes are all higher compared to gas engines. There are also problems with the quality of diesel you get at the pump, as well as gelling in cold weather. Diesels get better economy and they hold their value better, but the higher MPGs don't offset all the other costs involved, and you only get a depreciation return when you sell it. If I were to buy a diesel I would strongly consider buying a 2006 or earlier version and fix it up. Without all the emissions technology they make a lot more sense. The weight of your load is also a factor. For me the rule of thumb is if the weight of the load is half or less than the tow rating of the truck a gas engine is the better choice. If the weight of the load is over half the tow rating of the truck it's better to either get a diesel, or if you don't have the money rethink your rig. Another thing to consider is that finding a mechanic when you need one is usually more difficult with a diesel than it is with gas.
Robert - Thanks for your comment, I was thinking the very points you mentioned as I entertained the potential purchase of a diesel pick up a couple of years back, but I was always brought into skepticism with the many diesel enthusiasts who would sway me with their perspective. I finally decided on a gas over diesel for the exact same reasons you mentioned.
Great video!!! My 92 F350 Crew Dually with a 460/E4OD has been able to handle anything I throw at her. I tow my 45ft Gooseneck usually loaded with a couple 3/4-1ton trucks on it a few times a month from Dallas Texas to denver CO. yeah I only get about 10mpg (doesnt matter if Im towing or freeballing haha) but shes never left me stranded and has scaled mountains quite a few times with no issues. Been coast to coast with her, bought her with 95k miles and shes got 270k now. trans was rebuilt right before i bought, still original engine and still kicking like a new truck. thought about going diesel, but I love the roar of my big block w/ headers and dual super 10s, no emissions:)
Look if you're towing everyday, A diesel is the way to go. For a guy who tows once in a while, maybe his Rv trailer etc. Then a gasser is good enough. Diesels are expensive to maintain. I'm waiting for Gm's hybrid pickup in testing in California only.
Oil changes, def fluid, I've owned one. Don't tell me it's not. the servicing generally is double. And when comparing cost of maintenance to cost of premium for a diesel, it takes ten yrs and in some instances more to recoup that investment.
C Steele - Good comments & I agree with you. Your comment is exactly why I bought a 3500 with 6.0L & 4.10 gears. I pull a stock trailer, occasionally a 30' TT RV, skid loader, & a 35' GN trailer. It does me just fine and has nice power. The diesel would be really nice, but the up front premium for the engine & maintenance cost do add up and buying a used one is a bit scary.
JD Power 55, I did the same thing you did. I bought a 2015 Dual wheel 3500 HD with the 6.0 and I am happy with how it tows my 36 foot fifth wheel. The diesel has more torque but the 6.0 does just fine.
I tow a 13000 pound toy hauler with a 6.2L gas F250. I have zero problems with it. My mpg is nothing to brag about, but the truck is $10,000 less than a diesel.
Ok I have a f150 4x4 super crew cab with a 6' box. Equipped with the 3.5L twin turbo eco . 375hp and 470lb/ft of torque. Can you say diesel like power. Also has engine braking in tow mode. I tow an 8200lb, 30' travel trailer. With the right weight distribution set up and sway control it tows like a dream. Lots of power.
Gas or Diesel? Depends on the amount of towing and how heavy the trailer being towed! I have been towing gooseneck stock and horse trailers since the early 1970s! I learned constant towing tends to burn the valves of gas engines! My last gas powered truck needed a valve job at about 38,000 miles, most of which had a trailer behind it. I have used diesels ever since! My present diesel truck has over 285,000 mile, over half of that with up to 12,000 pounds of trailer behind. Only engine issue was an injector change around 200,000 miles. Another upside of diesels is the much better fuel economy! About 40% better.
We just purchased a used Chevy Silverado 2500HD 6.8l. Allison 6 speed, Crew cab. We wanted one before the 2008 model because changes occurred then. It seems to run great. We had our mechanic check it over and so we didn't buy it blind. Yes, some seepage from the transmission cooler lines. Rear brakes will need servicing. Mass sensor code corrected by removing K&N air filter. But, now, at the end of this video you caution about buying used. This truck came from Florida, one owner, 186,000 miles, 2 wheel drive. Towed a fifth wheel. Very clean Carfax. Hoping for the best. It's what we could afford. We plan on towing an RV under 30 ft with it. Paid $13,500 in Michigan. It has the factory tow package on it and a cap. It is averaging 17.6-17.8 mph. Happy with that.
Like most average people, I cannot justify nor afford to go buy a brand new truck. Just don't have $50k + in cash to drop on a brand new nor do I want a mortgage payment for my truck. All of my trucks have been used and each one has had minor issues that even a new truck can have. Nothing is more frustrating than buying a new vehicle but it spends more time in the shop than in your possession. From what I read, you did your homework and had the truck checked out prior to buying so you should be fine. Regular maintenance goes a long way in making or breaking a vehicle. Enjoy your "new to you" truck!!!
Towing a trailer that is over about 7K is not that difficult, however, if you tow around AZ, Col, CALF. and parts of Utah, you need a diesel to be able to kick back and enjoy your ride (due to heat and lots of mountains). Years ago when I went to diesel for towing my company we only had 400 foot pounds of torque, but that's 400 ft pounds from 1,000 to 4,000 RPM. You can tow any mountain with no problems. Now we tow with 900 ft. pounds from 1,300 to 3,500 RPM and tow 15,000 pounds like it's nothing. Diesel all the way, but don't idle them long, make sure to get fuel only from a good provider, put extra fuel filters on the fuel system and you will never go back to a gas engine, never (if you tow). It's actually fun!!!!
Great video. Having towed with both gas and diesel I would never tow heavy with gas where I live. Looking at your video it is really flat where you are at and a gas might be okay. I see people towing big trailers with half ton trucks all the time and they might be able to handle it in normal situations. However, get in a big wind storm or blow a tire and get a squirrelly trailer and you will really be wishing you had a big crew cab 3/4 ton truck. I've never heard of anyone complaining that their truck is to big or powerful for their trailer.
Great video sir. Very informative. I also believe for lightweight applications a half ton is great for towing especially in my industry. However when you tow higher weight numbers like a loaded dump trailer you feel the weight difference behind the truck. Moving the truck requires a little more gas to get the turbo spinning on the diesel to get you going. Something in which most gas engines don't have.
Great conversation, advice and video. Our setup is an '14 F150 w/ Max Trailer Tow and Ecoboost combo to occasionally tow an 29' travel trailer ~7600lb. With this setup, We are well under the tow and payload capacity ratings from Ford, so I would consider this more of a tweener configuration. The twin-turbo setup of the Ecoboost V-6 engine, allows for plenty of power and torque for strong pulls up hills and have not had any issues with braking. Where we live, we don't have wide open spaces, open roads and large parking spaces so a 3/4 ton truck is not easy to live with compared to an 1/2 ton, which my wife daily drives. BTRV, you are more than welcome to sample towing with it if you ever make it to the East coast.
Just got a diesel and I love it. I don't tow or haul, I just do normal driving. 2017 6.7 rocks! I'm surprised people still roll coal. Actually, I think it's hilarious.
A lot of good info on towing. Best rig, bang for buck, is good old 8.1L V8 Chev 2500HD RWD 6 spd manual w/tow package (oil and trans cooler) if you can find one. Torque to go & gas everywhere you go. Will haul 18,000 lbs combined wt up any grade at 70+ mph w/o breaking a sweat. HD spring package + load levelers and correct wt and balance on the trailer are more important things to consider with any trailer. Brakes on 1500s are trash. Pay attention to ABS brakes and get trailer brakes as well. I have towed 12K+lbs on a race car trailer + 5-6K lbs in the bed and still passed people going uphill (and down) on freeways with 2500HDs. But, A-holes love to cut you off, slam on brakes in front of you, etc. Never fails how many drivers are out there who have a death wish and prefer to see IF they can accommodate a pickup hauling a load + trailer inside their econo-car trunk or hatch back. ;^)
I’m pulling a 10,000 lb, 28’-long Airstream with a Chevy Silverado with. 6.2 L gas engine and the max towing package. I made this decision because I wanted more comfort in the tow vehicle when I wasn’t towing, and put in every component the manufacturer recommended to make this particular iteration of the Silverado capable of towing 12,000 pounds. I’ve towed in the Rockies and all over the country and in Canada. The rig works fine. I don’t feel I’m towing a billboard. I have greater comfort when I’m not towing than I would if I had a 2500, and I didn’t have to worry about the greater expense upfront for diesel, or the greater cost after warranty to fix it. What am I missing? Thx for your always entertaining and informative videos.
I luv my hd2500 midnight edition. Constantly towes a 36' travel trailer. It's all I need, plus it's comfortable when not towing. I've had diesels, but for me now, this fits
You mentioned the resale value being less on a gasoline three-quarter ton 1 ton truck verses on a diesel, that can work in your advantage. If you buy a good used truck that's two or three years old and a gasoline version that will help you maximize your buying dollar.
great video. I have a ram 1500 with a hemi and 392 gears. when I was in the market for a travel trailer I didn't want anything much bigger or heavily then what I was pulling it with. my truck is about 5400lbs and my trailer is at 4900lbs. and I didn't want anything too much longer then my truck. So my trailer is 21ft. It pulls it just fine.
I have a 25 foot heavy duty gooseneck trailer. I used to pull it with a single rear wheel, non HD, single cab long bed , Chevy 2500 with a bone stock 6.0 and 4l80. ive loaded that trailer (which itself weights around 5,500lbs) with about 12,000 of tractors and equipment at one time. it would pull it, but starting out was a struggle. it was decent on hills but not great. Diesel definitely does better now though. so a gas motor will pull it , it just takes a bit to get rolling. just my two cents
love the warning about fuel quality with modern diesels... fuel quality is super critical. I would argue however that the Ram trucks with their CP3 injection pumps do not grenade in the presence of water like the CP4 pumps do which are found on both the Ford and the Chevy. That difference along tipped me into the Ram truck vs. the Duramax.
pulling a 7000#, 21' (5 foot bedroom slideout) plus a 17' aluminum welded hull boat (1800#). The 5.3L was adequate until it got windy or hilly. i pull about 7500 miles/year. my 2018 duramax is so much more comfortable for the long pulls!!! worth the $10k upgrade.
I was looing at getting a diesel 4x4. However, the maintenance cost is getting so high that it out ways fuel economy as well as other benefits of a diesel. It is so bad that many municipalities, as well as companies, are going to gas. The maintenance cost is just getting too high.
I think the small diesels for small trucks are mostly for gas mileage. The original diesels weren't even meant to be the most powerful option. Once turbos were added is when they became the best option for towing.
I tow between 3 and 5 ton travel trailers almost every day, long distances, crawling mountains here in southern Utah. The Cummins is so nice to have versus our backup/2nd vehicle, which is a 2013 Cadillac Escalade with the vortec engine. But the caddy isn’t bad with the airbags, surprisingly solid tow vehicle!
better to have to much than not enough...3/4 tons have better brakes...whole different suspension etc.. what good is towing if you cant bring that weight to a safe stop fast??
In the past when looking for a replacement for my daily driver car, I considered the VW Sportwagon TDI. At that time, I looked at consumer reviews on various auto review sites, and found they had extremely good MPG (this was before the scandal and the subsequent recalls). Seeing how the price for gas and diesel was so disparate, I decided to convert MPG into Miles Per Dollar (thereby putting the two on an equal standard for a better comparison). I found that using the prices of each on any given day, and the consumer reported real world mpg, that the TDI resulted in nearly twice the Miles per Dollar. I wonder if the same holds true for the bigger trucks.
Good points all around. Been owning/operating and driving diesel powered cummins pickups of various years from 1972 - 2015 since 2005. Acquired a company vehicle 2016 Ram 2500 Crew Cab Long Bed 5.7 hemi. Had an easier time hauling a 10K GTWR toy hauler than my 1987 F350 with Cummins retrofit. It was steadier cruising down the highway and had more HP off the line and getting up to cruise. Yes, it would guzzle more at high RPM up the grades, but you can't knock the boxed chassis of these new vehicles! I'm going to be in the market soon for a Ford F350 Dually 6.2 or Ram dually 6.4 gas.
Diesel is still selling slow across the pond but something like 80% of all diesel cars sold in Ireland are diesel. But we are using MUCH smaller engines. I have an Opel Insignia wagon with a brilliant 1.6 diesel engine with only 136hp but it produces 236lbs ft of torque at 1750rpm. It's rated tow 4,408lbs but I wouldn't bother. A guy I know has a Ford Escape with a 115hp 2.0L diesel and he has a small travel trailer that weighs around 3000lbs and it goes fine. You tow WAY MORE in terms of size and weight over there though. I'm envious.
i thank you so much for the content on this channel. ive been waiting for a channel like this, i love trucks in general and i like to expand my knowledge of this and its nice to have a response to things like this when people i know are asking me things.
Gas-powered F350 4x4 dually GCWR 31,000 lbs. Just gotta pay attention because there is no margin for error, but handled and pulled better than the old 7.3 that it replaced.
A while back my buddies f250 lariat with the 6.0 power stroke had its passenger side wheel baring lock up long story short we renters a hydraulic lift flatnbed trailer that had a curb weight of around 7000 pounds and put his f250 on it and towed it with an 04 Silverado1500 z71 the truck and trailer combined had an approximate weight of around 15000lbs I was surprised that the chevy didn't squat and it towed fairly well
When I get a new to me truck I am going with a gasoline 3/4 ton or 1 ton. I know the ins and out of gasoline engines. Also I am looking at a truck from the late 90's and early 2000's so I can get a manual transmission. Gasoline engine are definitely less picky and cheaper than diesels.
Just found your channel... great information. Any possibility of doing a comparison of payload in relation to truck campers between all four truck companys. The truck camper community is always debating this issue and a in-depth comparison would greatly add to the debate. Thank you.
I had the ram Eco diesel that I pulled a 26 ft, 6500 pound rv with. The engine was strong enough to do the job, the truck just didn’t have enough ass. I upgraded to a 2500 ram with the big gasser. I only increased 9 pounds of torque, doubled my hp. But I have a truck that’ll pull my rv with ease. I only pull my rv occasionally so I didn’t need the diesel. Didn’t need a 4wheel drive either, but I figured, what the hell.
David Floyd Why would you buy a little 1500 if you tow 12,000lbs everyday. I'm sorry but that's just foolish, what happens when your trailer brakes fail, what happens in a strong crossword? What happens when you come to a hill? That poor truck!
Turbos are a huge advantage for diesels and they need them to make any respectable horsepower level. The only company that turbos a gas truck is Ford with the ecoboost and that makes good power numbers for 2.7 and 3.5 liters. Those 2.0 diesels at only around 200 hp would be dogs in the horsepower department. I think you would be much better off going with an Ecoboost at that wieght truck. We need more turbo gas options. Just an opinion though. Good video
There is a very simple rule the trucking industry has been using for almost a century to determine if gas or diesel is the better choice. If you drive it over 50,000 miles per year or if the truck sees long periods of idling then bite the bullet and buy diesel. Otherwise, buy a big enough gas engine to get the job done. This rule is tried and true by fleet buyers worldwide.
This was helpful. I was debating getting a ram 1500 once I heard about it. Now I'll go back to my original two choices. Which are the ram 2500 diesel and the jeep Rubicon. Odd final two. I know. I just want something big. My other cars are Cadillac and muscle cars.
I tow a 10,000 pound 35 foot long camper all the time with my Tundra. Works perfectly. The key is a good anti sway hitch and Timbren suspension upgrade. Tows perfectly even in high wind with semi passing.
No one knows what truck they need but everyone wants a diesel...
If you need a diesel, you'll know it
If you have money and just want a diesel, go for it..
Everyone else get a gas engine.
Have a 2007 F-250 SRW 2WD Crewcab 6.0 Powerstroke. Power Great! Mileage..unbelievable! Empty @ 75mph level ground no wind best over 180 mile trip 33+MPG! Loaded 30" steel Gooseneck, Loaded with 5 20 ton roof A?C Commercial units stacked two high...75 MPH Hills from Austin Texas to Midland,Texas 13.8MPG! I get a average of 22.5 to 28.6 most all of the time including city driving! Mods: K&N and a Tune! Also a Coolant Filter Truck as 107,000 miles total. Well maintained.
I always use diesel in my truck. If they don't have any diesel I use premium.
Jordan Smith what?
Jordan Smith multi fuel military 2-1/2 eh
lol
no if they don't have an diesel you're supposed to use kerosene mixed with E-85
Braden pryor sarcasm
When I moved from an F-150 to a dually diesel crew cab F-350, I was astounded. As a mechanical engineer and automotive machinist, my understanding of mechanics is probably different than most readers. Perhaps the single most significant difference in the super/heavy duty trucks is the full floating axles above all else. Once a person understands this difference, they might never go back to a 1/2 ton truck, especially if they are a “Spec Guy” who bases decisions on the specs. I have a friend who opted for an 2018 F-350 dually vs the F-450 dually because the F-350 has “more payload capacity.” That might be a good video for you to do to educate folks in Marketing numbers vs actual and full floating axles vs standard weight bearing axles.
I’m a professional truck driver and your advice was spot on...I have a 99 Tahoe I pull a 28’ travel trailer with it, but I won’t take it into mountains.. only on flat prairie roads.. that being said if I go to the mountains I’m going to get a 3/4 ton suburban. Heavier transmission, heavier axels, etc.. but lower fuel mileage.
Great video! I feel like something worth mentioning is the price difference in maintaining gas vs diesel. A few years ago diesels didn't need DEF of an ultra low ash oil. I sold my ecodiesel because the price of fuel, oil, fuel filters and DEF was making it cheaper to run with a hemi
I always avoided diesel because of extra cost of maintenance and repairs. As long as you do maintenance yourself oil only cost an extra $10 per change about every 6 months and while I’m at it I do fuel filters and air filter usually cost about $100 for all 3 for mid grade filters. I drive 30k miles a year and maintenance costs me an extra $220 a year. That’s basically $0.60 a day extra in maintenance.
I tow a 5600 pound boat and currently opting to upgrade to a new F250 gas. simply because of the weight of the vehicle. the gas option is a substantial savings with more than ample power. real-time reviews show that the gas and the diesel will get approximately the same MPG Towing heavier loads. so the gas option is best suited for me and I plan on keeping the truck for a while
agreed, I had a 2500 Cummins a few years back. BUT to me, not worth an $8k price difference at the purchase. I would probably keep this truck 6-7 years but can't justify the initial cost...
The item I think you missed was, if you buy a diesel pickup and pay the $10k up front you always get that back when you sell it. You might not get all 10k back but you get pretty much all of it. Thanks Big Truck Big RV, once again great informative video from you.
All pretty much accurate! There is one factor favoring diesels that was over looked! Over the past 40 years I have towed goosenecks in excess of 10,000 lbs. I learned early on that gas engines suffer burned valves with that kind of duty! Last gas powered truck I used needed a valve job at 38,000 miles! My current diesel has nearly 285,00 miles on it, half of that with a heavy trailer! Engine is still sound! No gas engine would be able to rival that! As for using a 3/4 or one ton chassis, he is spot on! If one does not have a truck heavy enough for the job at hand the trailer WILL "wag the dog"!
Great info. I have towed our 30 foot 7100# gvw travel trailer with a 2001 chevy tahoe 5.3l for over 200k miles here on the west coast. It needs an engine now, but I'll drop in a 6L this time. Upgrades to shocks, headers, and 5" inch exhaust all help. Plus flipped the axles and went with 15" tires and wheels on the trailer. My trailer weighs in at 6200 lbs typically when we travel. Oh and the anti sway tow bars are a must have.
A 3/4 ton gasser has no issue with 10,000lbs with the trailer/brakes set up properly. I have moved skid steers with my max tow halfer, you don't want to do 80mph but if you have towing experience and load it properly it really isn't bad and todays gas engines make as much torque as the big blocks of the 90's. I do see you point though, you don't want a bunch of RV weekenders on the interstate towing at max capacity with a halfer, and i imagine a 30' ultralight would want to get flipped by the wind, good points.
Gilbert McGillicutty Yes skid steers, aka on a flat trailer. He said that's ok because the wind doesn't push you around. He's talking about a enclosed trailer or an rv because they are giant walls that get pushed around all over the road.
My trailer is a deck over, 38" ride height. i pulled a F350 crew cab home from a salvage yard 900km away on a 2500 6L gasser in prairie winds in -25 winter. No stabilizers didnt even hiccup. I wouldnt hesitate to do it with a set of bags in my 6.2 halfton.
Gilbert McGillicutty y2ou
I think you did a great job covering not only the pros and cons of gas vs diesel but 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton. I think your maximum towing numbers that would one would have to consider buying a diesel would need to come done by a minimum of 1500 lbs when consistently towing at over 5000 feet above sea level. One other consideration is how winding does it get where you live. I have towed in eastern NM during the spring using a gasser as well as a diesel and a diesel, even on this flat area, made a big difference.
what everyone forgot to mention is a V10 gas engine which has massive torque and horsepower @ low rpm just like a diesel. I have the 8.0 liter with 264k miles on it about 1/3 of it towing, ford still makes a V10 but dodge has stopped. very dependable and incredibly smooth running.
Even though I love my Cummins I wouldn’t have it if my job wasn’t towing a trailer all the time. I would definitely go gas
I use my '04 F250 2WD crew cab SWB V-10 primarily to tow our 9000 lb (loaded) toy hauler travel trailer camping in the summer. IMO it does a great job, it's super easy to maintain, but boy does it drink gas. Since we only go camping maybe five times per year and the trips are less than 500 miles, the total cost for the year is not much. The truck has never seen snow/ice and stays garaged. For me, the V-10 gas engine is perfect -- my only diesel is in my tractor.
I’ve got a 3/4 ton gasser and it’s perfect for what I do. I’m right in the middle of a 1/2 ton isnt strong enough and a diesel is overkill. I think as long as you get something that suits your needs that’s all that matters.
Ray_Banz58
no such thing as overkill when it comes to hauling unless you are talking about a peter built to haul a lawnmower trailer
Only buy a diesel if you absolutely need the power or if you are putting a ton of miles on it. For most people a 3/4 ton gas will accomplish what they need. Plus, the gas engine costs less, is much better to drive in the winter with warm up times, and has a more enjoyable ride around town. I had a duramax and hated it unless I was towing. I switched to the 6.4 hemi Ram and I'm much happier.
MFPWM2010 hi your 6.4 hemi is a gas engine? What gear ratio do you have and how much can you tow now. Any info you can provide would be greatly appreciated
@@mikevalenzuela6788 yes the 6.4 is a gas engine. I just bought a 2018 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi. My sticker says I have a 3.73 gear ratio and can tow 16,000 pounds. Also I just drove from Missouri to The far side of Virginia through the mountains, about a 16 hour drive, and averaged 18.1 mpg (not pulling a trailer). Hope that helps.
I always wished recommendations like this included the higher cost of maintenance and repairs on modern diesel trucks. I drank the diesel koolaid and over the years the truck tried bankrupting me in repair and maintenance costs. I even had a VW diesel car at one point with the same issue once they hit 80-100K miles and again at 180-200K buckle up for expenses and brake downs. Its seems in the race for max torque and low emission particulates the longevity and simplicity of diesels have suffered as the ol' farm trucks i remember cranking to half a million miles without much work and a ton of abuse is a thing of the past.
The improved fuel economy is also a wash once you factor in the crazy cost of oil changes with the gallons of synthetic oil, fuel filters, and in some cases urea fluid.
He's completely correct though on the benefits but missing the cons to go with it.
You have successfully explained why I traded-in my 2012 Ford F150 Crew Cab Lariat 5 1/2' Box (145" WB) Ecoboost for a 2015 Ford F250 Lariat Crew Cab 6 3/4' box (156" WB). I pull a travel trailer that has a dry weight of 6,300 lbs. There were numerous issues with the F150 while towing the travel trailer. The F150 bucked while towing. The ecoboost has the power, however, the gas mileage while towing was extremely poor, about 8 miles per gallon. The rear load "C" LT tires bulged when towing. The ecoboost tow / haul mode is useless when attempting to slow down while going down hill. It is actually dangerous on some long down hills. The issue is that the ecoboost is only a V6 and there is no compression. The 5 1/2' box is too small. The F150 mirrors were too small and the aftermarket tow mirrors were terrible. The scariest event was when I got caught in some high crosswinds in Maine with the F150. The F250 diesel has resolved all of these issues except for the 26 gallon gas tank. I now have the 50 gallon Titan tank.
also the f150 can weigh as much as a midsize truck.
Nissan Frontier SL for example 4800lbs F150 can weigh as low as below 5000 lbs similarly equipped .
David Stanley My 1985 Dodge D-150 weighs 4,200lbs, with a full tank of gas. It's a full size truck.
NovaMan 350 the weight of trucks depends alot on the body configuration. My 90 ec sb f150 is right around 4800 empty. Ive heard guys with the same year of truck except sc sb say their trucks are around 4000 empty. One ton duallys are around 8000.
No doubt the F250 is a better tow platform but I have a 2013 F150 with the max tow package and it handled my 6500lb tt and boat just fine in towhaul mode downshifts were smooth and helped with braking. Package also comes with large mirrors, 35gal fuel tank and brake controller. F150s with the proper package are great tow vehicles.
Heddingmyway you're problem is that you bought the wrong truck the first time out if you had bought it with the max tow and cargo you wouldn't have had c rated tires or small mirrors and no trailer brake setup
There is a lot more to it, than just the engine. You need to stop the trailer which is where the big 3/4 ton brakes make a big difference. The suspension is critical as well!
great video. I'd disagree the old 5.4 ford had lack of power. Never ran out of power to tow anything with the old 5.4 I mean it's no diesel but never had a complaint. Maybe lacking in comparison to today's gas engines but that should be expected.
BUILT DIESEL MAFIA I test drove a 5.4 F250 with 4.10 gears and it was such a dog. Too much truck for that motor. That's why we opted for the 6.8 v10. Tows like a diesel without the diesel price tag
as a tow truck driver i say gas just because they are cheaper to work on i would take the v10 gas over a 6.0 diesel any day
Joseph Atnip I second gas. All manufacturers make excellent v8s now days.
Meeee to, well said
I've owned both gas and diesel. Unless you need to be pulling heavy loads on a regular basis, the diesel will cost you triple the maintenance/repair costs that a gas will, plus the thousands in initial extra cost for the diesel engine
One of my old bosses just died in a fiery crash. Something that is impossible in a diesel. I value my life more I think.
Chris W Something that is impossible in a diesel?
Diesel wont burn in open air like gasoline.
Chris W It will not burn on open air, but I do think it can burn if it is on a hot engine and catches on fire that way.
It will never engulf a vehicle though and burn the occupants up.
Keep Right Except to Pass
If you are going to use fade in and out, don't fade in lower lines before higher lines. We don't read bottom to top and might not be able to go back and catch up and still maintain the train of thought.
the one thing many people forget is that diesels need more maintenance than gas engines and that maintenance costs more. and it also cost more when you don't maintain it. i have seen a lot of people get taken aback when the diesel truck they buy to get groceries costs a ton to do simple services compared to a gasoline powered vehicle. the way i look at it is a diesel truck is there to do a job if your not making it work, its pointless.
true.
Rob Grune that's right
patrick hallyburton they don't need more, but it is more expansive
Go Diesal or go home!!!
I've owned both and although parts on a diesel are more expensive than gas, you repair a diesel far less often. 7500 mile oil changes are nice too. I have a 2006 Ford F-250 Diesel with 286k miles and have only changed the oil and brakes with regular routine maintenance.
Something many don’t consider is the effect a diesel has on payload. For example, I recently purchased a Titan XD and had the option of gas or diesel. Going with the Cummins 5.0 decreased my payload by 500 lbs while towing 2,000 more. It has been my experience that you will exceed payload/tongue weight long before exceeding tow capacity. I know several fifth wheel towers that have 2500 series trucks and they all admit to being over on the pin weight. As far as economy, diesel costs 15% more here in Florida and the cCummins will give me 10%-15% better mileage, so it’s a wash. Factor in the increased maintenance expense inherent in diesels and it actually is more efficient to go gas, which is what I did. Mind you I am not towing anywhere near 10,000 lbs but the gasser gets it done. It just does it at a higher rpm range.
I tow a 20 ft travel trailer with my Ram 1500. It's 6900 lbs dry and I estimate I have 500-600 lbs worth of stuff in it. My truck squats a fair bit but it tows just fine. With that said, I wouldn't want to go any heavier.
Do you have the air suspension Ram?
Air bags on a 1500 is pretty rare.
BelowMinimums
I think you won an award for the heaviest 20' travel trailer on Earth
I have a 32 foot 5th wheel and it's 8600 pounds dry.
I have a 20ft Toy Hauler that weighs 4500# I bet with my bike and all my gear it weighs 5-6K. Bike is easily 500# Doesnt even have a head(toilet) or shower. My Ram 1500 4.7L can pull it well enough but you dont forget about it being back there.
Thank you for making time to explain these things.
I don’t tow crap... but I love my 2019 GMC 2500 Denali Duramax!
Like your emoji. He looks like a character 😀
Love your channel but couldn't disagree with you more on minute 1:50. We had a 5,700 pound 33 foot trailer and a Tundra. Towed it all over the US (over 33,000 miles on the trailer). Upgraded to a 2016 F350 dully and our camper sways just as much as when we were pulling it with our little half ton Tundra. Case and point it doesn't matter what you tow a TT with, the results of the trailer sway is exactly the same. In between the tundra and F350 we had a F250. I thought since I had a super duty truck I didn't need my equalizer hitch. BAD Mistake. I've never white knuckled it so bad for in my entire life!
Yes sway is the same but the bigger tow vehicle is going to get less pushed around.
Ryan B the biggest factor between the half ton tundra and the f350 dually is the brakes,
If you do a lot of RV towing it is also a lot more pleasant experience in a diesel even if your trailer weighs 6000 lbs. If you are going up a long grade with a gas truck you will most likely be revving at close to 4000 rpm to keep up highway speed. If you have a diesel you will be revving at 1500 or below and it will be much quieter, and much less stressful. Also, when towing the difference in MPG even on a trailer like mine (4500 dry, 53-5400 on the road) is significant. My Ram 1500 with the hemi gets about 8.5 miles per gallon when towing my TT. Unladen on the highway I get about 15. I've heard good things about mileage when towing a trailer like this with the ecodiesel.
Arguably, the gas engine is made to rev higher and we don't have to worry about holding 4000rpm up a grade.
absolutely why i got rid of our 2016 gmc slt. constant gear chasing. duramax from SD to FL and i don't know if it ever down shifted in 2250 miles! lovin' it!
I love these discussions. I just purchased a new Ram 2500 6.7l Cummins 4x4 crew cab. Love it. I have a new Lund fishing boat around 4500# with the trailer. Not real heavy but heavy enough. I sold my Ram 1500 which was a great truck. Highly recommend . I took a fishing trip back home to Montana last year and purposely watched all the trucks pulling trailers , boats etc. Flat land in South Dakota where the wind gets strong . 3/4 ton diesel was the norm and many 3500,f350 pulling big trailers in the 30 plus foot category. The big trucks with HD suspensions don't squat nearly as much under load as 1500s with a heavy load on. Safety in hauling loads is critical !! The safety of you and your family and other drivers around you. Effortless towing of my boat was a must. I just retired and I am hauling my boat to Montana and in the process of building my retirement home. I grew up out West in Montana. Winter is tough and so are the people. I want a truck that can handle many types of flatbed trailers I may need for projects . A 2500 is like a Swiss Army knife . If your truck is a big car for you a 1500 probably is all you need. But this is America and you can get whatever you want if you can afford it. Live life . You only have one .
Trump Baby ! Vanquish our enemies
Did you get the Aisin transmission?
We have a 2016 f250 work truck w/ the 6.2L in her. Wow what a great motor. Doesn't quite run like the Chevy 6.2 but it's damn close. We use our work truck as one of our garbage trucks for small pickups and it's been super since we've bought it. It's got roughly 11,000 miles on it. Pulls just as well as a diesel, just uses a lot more fuel.
Since the 1970s I have done several hundred thousand miles towing trailers up to 16,000 pounds! I always recommend diesels for extensive towing for two reasons! One, the fuel consumption of a diesel is about 40% less than a gas engine of comparable power. Two, extensive towing will require valve jobs on gas engines!
Am I glad I found this series! Getting ready to RVTIRE!
Just writing to let you know....I just found your channel...referred by "Keep Your Daydream". I've watched a couple and you are very informative. Thank you, and keep up the great work!
Another good video. What some don't think about is the other weight. Such as people, equipment in the trailer, food, pets, portable generator, bike's and so on. Your the only one that said about the trailer pulling the truck.
turbo diesel all the way!
I burned up 2 differential's on a Chevy gas powered 6 liter engine .not to mention the slow acceleration off the line pulling a 22ft travel trailer ...so I got a 3500 HD turbo deisel with a Allison transmission and couldn't be happier..also the nice thing about changing to deisel is that I was able to fine tune the engine with EFI LIVE TUNER with 5 on the fly settings for everything from low horsepower mode (vallet mode / wife speed LOL) .tow modes.and race modes ... unbelievable fuel milage in all cases.also can turn off the turbo for long highway miles when not towing and get better fuel milage than my escalade on 400 mile road trips
I have a 2014 F350 regular cab 6.2l gas, and during harvest i pull a gooseneck grain trailer that weighs 24,000 pounds just for the trailer. Combined weight it weighs a little over 35,000 pounds GCWR and it pulls it just fine. Im actually glad i didnt spend the money for a diesel because i can do it all with my gasser except get good gas mileage.
You are a valuable asset to my youtube arsenal thank you sir.
My dad has a half ton Silverado and he hauls a 18 ft livestock trailer and up to 1 ton of hay. I'm pretty sure the trailer is over 6500 lbs with a couple cows. Great video!
Thankyou diesel is the way my wife and I are going! 👍
I think every truck window sticker should state payload and trailer weight for that truck as equipped. They weigh trailers coming off the line they should do the same for trucks and suvs for that matter .
Trailer weight you can tow changes as you load the truck up. My truck has a max trailer weight of 9100 lbs. But loaded, it weighs 7000 lbs. Subtract that weight from the combined max weight of 15,000 lbs and my real trailer weight that I can tow is 8000 lbs, not 9100 lbs.
I have a 2015 f150 and I tow a dump trailer full of firewood totaling a weight of 10,000 pounds. It has no problems unless you need to go up a very large hill, but it will still make it if you put it in 4 wheel drive.
I am happy with my 02 2500hd gas . Has the 8.1 v8 I tow a 34 ft 13000lb trailer and have more than enough power for hills . Truck has over 300 thousand miles and runs great. It is all in if you maintain your truck .
We also have the 8.1 in a 2001 dually with 80000 on the odo. We're pulling about 8000 lbs and love it. We also didn't pay 60 grand for a TV. Best gas engine ever...just ask U-Haul....regular maintenance...and nobody talks about the Allison trans brake..works awesome!!!
What years were they made?
mark Robedeau
1300 lbs my Camry can tow. I am sure you don’t need a diesel for that.
@@sirsweetness8332 should have said 13000lbs . And an 8.1 is a gas motor.
agree. 1/ the exhaust brake is now the main reason to buy a diesel. one trip down a mountain road in the rain should convince anyone. 2/ people use too small a truck to tow safely too large a trailer. "accidents" are increasing. 3/ with more power comes faster speeds, which people do not control properly. 4/ diesels may last longer, but nowadays the cost of ownership of gas v diesel is about equal over 10 years for the average person.
You can get those on gas engines also my wife's Yukon 2010 comes with a Jake brake with her 6.2l works great tap it once while going down the mountain set the speed you want to maintain and just steer now as far as the air suspension needs to be upgraded
I like diesel engines, but they have become very expensive to operate. The initial cost, insurance, repairs, maintenance, fees and taxes are all higher compared to gas engines. There are also problems with the quality of diesel you get at the pump, as well as gelling in cold weather. Diesels get better economy and they hold their value better, but the higher MPGs don't offset all the other costs involved, and you only get a depreciation return when you sell it. If I were to buy a diesel I would strongly consider buying a 2006 or earlier version and fix it up. Without all the emissions technology they make a lot more sense.
The weight of your load is also a factor. For me the rule of thumb is if the weight of the load is half or less than the tow rating of the truck a gas engine is the better choice. If the weight of the load is over half the tow rating of the truck it's better to either get a diesel, or
if you don't have the money rethink your rig. Another thing to consider is that finding a mechanic when you need one is usually more difficult with a diesel than it is with gas.
Robert not if you get an older diesel dummy
Robert - Thanks for your comment, I was thinking the very points you mentioned as I entertained the potential purchase of a diesel pick up a couple of years back, but I was always brought into skepticism with the many diesel enthusiasts who would sway me with their perspective. I finally decided on a gas over diesel for the exact same reasons you mentioned.
cummins makes the best diesal engines no doubt about that.
Great video!!! My 92 F350 Crew Dually with a 460/E4OD has been able to handle anything I throw at her. I tow my 45ft Gooseneck usually loaded with a couple 3/4-1ton trucks on it a few times a month from Dallas Texas to denver CO. yeah I only get about 10mpg (doesnt matter if Im towing or freeballing haha) but shes never left me stranded and has scaled mountains quite a few times with no issues. Been coast to coast with her, bought her with 95k miles and shes got 270k now. trans was rebuilt right before i bought, still original engine and still kicking like a new truck. thought about going diesel, but I love the roar of my big block w/ headers and dual super 10s, no emissions:)
Look if you're towing everyday, A diesel is the way to go. For a guy who tows once in a while, maybe his Rv trailer etc. Then a gasser is good enough. Diesels are expensive to maintain. I'm waiting for Gm's hybrid pickup in testing in California only.
C Steele Why is the diesel expensive to maintain?
Because of fuel????
Oil changes, def fluid, I've owned one. Don't tell me it's not. the servicing generally is double. And when comparing cost of maintenance to cost of premium for a diesel, it takes ten yrs and in some instances more to recoup that investment.
C Steele - Good comments & I agree with you. Your comment is exactly why I bought a 3500 with 6.0L & 4.10 gears. I pull a stock trailer, occasionally a 30' TT RV, skid loader, & a 35' GN trailer. It does me just fine and has nice power. The diesel would be really nice, but the up front premium for the engine & maintenance cost do add up and buying a used one is a bit scary.
JD Power 55, I did the same thing you did. I bought a 2015 Dual wheel 3500 HD with the 6.0 and I am happy with how it tows my 36 foot fifth wheel. The diesel has more torque but the 6.0 does just fine.
@@chadsteele1 real men do their own maintenance...my oil changes cost me 45 bucks
I tow a 13000 pound toy hauler with a 6.2L gas F250. I have zero problems with it. My mpg is nothing to brag about, but the truck is $10,000 less than a diesel.
Ok I have a f150 4x4 super crew cab with a 6' box. Equipped with the 3.5L twin turbo eco . 375hp and 470lb/ft of torque. Can you say diesel like power. Also has engine braking in tow mode. I tow an 8200lb, 30' travel trailer. With the right weight distribution set up and sway control it tows like a dream. Lots of power.
Gas or Diesel? Depends on the amount of towing and how heavy the trailer being towed! I have been towing gooseneck stock and horse trailers since the early 1970s! I learned constant towing tends to burn the valves of gas engines! My last gas powered truck needed a valve job at about 38,000 miles, most of which had a trailer behind it. I have used diesels ever since! My present diesel truck has over 285,000 mile, over half of that with up to 12,000 pounds of trailer behind. Only engine issue was an injector change around 200,000 miles. Another upside of diesels is the much better fuel economy! About 40% better.
We just purchased a used Chevy Silverado 2500HD 6.8l. Allison 6 speed, Crew cab. We wanted one before the 2008 model because changes occurred then. It seems to run great. We had our mechanic check it over and so we didn't buy it blind. Yes, some seepage from the transmission cooler lines. Rear brakes will need servicing. Mass sensor code corrected by removing K&N air filter.
But, now, at the end of this video you caution about buying used. This truck came from Florida, one owner, 186,000 miles, 2 wheel drive. Towed a fifth wheel. Very clean Carfax. Hoping for the best. It's what we could afford. We plan on towing an RV under 30 ft with it. Paid $13,500 in Michigan. It has the factory tow package on it and a cap. It is averaging 17.6-17.8 mph. Happy with that.
Like most average people, I cannot justify nor afford to go buy a brand new truck. Just don't have $50k + in cash to drop on a brand new nor do I want a mortgage payment for my truck. All of my trucks have been used and each one has had minor issues that even a new truck can have. Nothing is more frustrating than buying a new vehicle but it spends more time in the shop than in your possession. From what I read, you did your homework and had the truck checked out prior to buying so you should be fine. Regular maintenance goes a long way in making or breaking a vehicle. Enjoy your "new to you" truck!!!
Marilyn Wilkie
--"It is averaging 17.6-17.8 mph."
Wow, that's slow! Do you get a lot of people behind you honking at you? ;-)
Marilyn Wilkie very good👍
Towing a trailer that is over about 7K is not that difficult, however, if you tow around AZ, Col, CALF. and parts of Utah, you need a diesel to be able to kick back and enjoy your ride (due to heat and lots of mountains). Years ago when I went to diesel for towing my company we only had 400 foot pounds of torque, but that's 400 ft pounds from 1,000 to 4,000 RPM. You can tow any mountain with no problems. Now we tow with 900 ft. pounds from 1,300 to 3,500 RPM and tow 15,000 pounds like it's nothing. Diesel all the way, but don't idle them long, make sure to get fuel only from a good provider, put extra fuel filters on the fuel system and you will never go back to a gas engine, never (if you tow). It's actually fun!!!!
Great video. Having towed with both gas and diesel I would never tow heavy with gas where I live. Looking at your video it is really flat where you are at and a gas might be okay. I see people towing big trailers with half ton trucks all the time and they might be able to handle it in normal situations. However, get in a big wind storm or blow a tire and get a squirrelly trailer and you will really be wishing you had a big crew cab 3/4 ton truck. I've never heard of anyone complaining that their truck is to big or powerful for their trailer.
Great advice on tow ratings, engine choice and truck choice. I wish more people understood the importance downhill towing and breaking.
Great video sir. Very informative. I also believe for lightweight applications a half ton is great for towing especially in my industry. However when you tow higher weight numbers like a loaded dump trailer you feel the weight difference behind the truck. Moving the truck requires a little more gas to get the turbo spinning on the diesel to get you going. Something in which most gas engines don't have.
Great conversation, advice and video. Our setup is an '14 F150 w/ Max Trailer Tow and Ecoboost combo to occasionally tow an 29' travel trailer ~7600lb. With this setup, We are well under the tow and payload capacity ratings from Ford, so I would consider this more of a tweener configuration. The twin-turbo setup of the Ecoboost V-6 engine, allows for plenty of power and torque for strong pulls up hills and have not had any issues with braking. Where we live, we don't have wide open spaces, open roads and large parking spaces so a 3/4 ton truck is not easy to live with compared to an 1/2 ton, which my wife daily drives. BTRV, you are more than welcome to sample towing with it if you ever make it to the East coast.
modmatt1: if I'm out that way I may take you up on it. thanks!
Just got a diesel and I love it. I don't tow or haul, I just do normal driving. 2017 6.7 rocks! I'm surprised people still roll coal. Actually, I think it's hilarious.
Diesel. Only way to go.
A lot of good info on towing. Best rig, bang for buck, is good old 8.1L V8 Chev 2500HD RWD 6 spd manual w/tow package (oil and trans cooler) if you can find one. Torque to go & gas everywhere you go. Will haul 18,000 lbs combined wt up any grade at 70+ mph w/o breaking a sweat. HD spring package + load levelers and correct wt and balance on the trailer are more important things to consider with any trailer. Brakes on 1500s are trash. Pay attention to ABS brakes and get trailer brakes as well. I have towed 12K+lbs on a race car trailer + 5-6K lbs in the bed and still passed people going uphill (and down) on freeways with 2500HDs. But, A-holes love to cut you off, slam on brakes in front of you, etc. Never fails how many drivers are out there who have a death wish and prefer to see IF they can accommodate a pickup hauling a load + trailer inside their econo-car trunk or hatch back. ;^)
I’m pulling a 10,000 lb, 28’-long Airstream with a Chevy Silverado with. 6.2 L gas engine and the max towing package. I made this decision because I wanted more comfort in the tow vehicle when I wasn’t towing, and put in every component the manufacturer recommended to make this particular iteration of the Silverado capable of towing 12,000 pounds. I’ve towed in the Rockies and all over the country and in Canada. The rig works fine. I don’t feel I’m towing a billboard. I have greater comfort when I’m not towing than I would if I had a 2500, and I didn’t have to worry about the greater expense upfront for diesel, or the greater cost after warranty to fix it.
What am I missing? Thx for your always entertaining and informative videos.
I luv my hd2500 midnight edition. Constantly towes a 36' travel trailer. It's all I need, plus it's comfortable when not towing. I've had diesels, but for me now, this fits
You mentioned the resale value being less on a gasoline three-quarter ton 1 ton truck verses on a diesel, that can work in your advantage. If you buy a good used truck that's two or three years old and a gasoline version that will help you maximize your buying dollar.
great video. I have a ram 1500 with a hemi and 392 gears. when I was in the market for a travel trailer I didn't want anything much bigger or heavily then what I was pulling it with. my truck is about 5400lbs and my trailer is at 4900lbs. and I didn't want anything too much longer then my truck. So my trailer is 21ft. It pulls it just fine.
I have a 25 foot heavy duty gooseneck trailer. I used to pull it with a single rear wheel, non HD, single cab long bed , Chevy 2500 with a bone stock 6.0 and 4l80. ive loaded that trailer (which itself weights around 5,500lbs) with about 12,000 of tractors and equipment at one time. it would pull it, but starting out was a struggle. it was decent on hills but not great. Diesel definitely does better now though. so a gas motor will pull it , it just takes a bit to get rolling. just my two cents
love the warning about fuel quality with modern diesels... fuel quality is super critical. I would argue however that the Ram trucks with their CP3 injection pumps do not grenade in the presence of water like the CP4 pumps do which are found on both the Ford and the Chevy. That difference along tipped me into the Ram truck vs. the Duramax.
pulling a 7000#, 21' (5 foot bedroom slideout) plus a 17' aluminum welded hull boat (1800#). The 5.3L was adequate until it got windy or hilly. i pull about 7500 miles/year. my 2018 duramax is so much more comfortable for the long pulls!!! worth the $10k upgrade.
Big time informative.
I was going to get pre owned diesel truck. I am glad i watch this video.
Thank you.
I was looing at getting a diesel 4x4. However, the maintenance cost is getting so high that it out ways fuel economy as well as other benefits of a diesel. It is so bad that many municipalities, as well as companies, are going to gas. The maintenance cost is just getting too high.
Nissan is actually pretty conservative on their ratings. TFL tested it against an f150 with a high rating and the Nissan towed so much better
if your not pulling a trailer 2 plus times a week a diesel is not worth it.
From my experience this depends on weight and elevation as well.
But what if you gotta roll coal for scientific reasons
Chief Beef true
I think the small diesels for small trucks are mostly for gas mileage. The original diesels weren't even meant to be the most powerful option. Once turbos were added is when they became the best option for towing.
I tow between 3 and 5 ton travel trailers almost every day, long distances, crawling mountains here in southern Utah. The Cummins is so nice to have versus our backup/2nd vehicle, which is a 2013 Cadillac Escalade with the vortec engine. But the caddy isn’t bad with the airbags, surprisingly solid tow vehicle!
Yeah man thanks your a mountain of knowledge
diesel all the way
better to have to much than not enough...3/4 tons have better brakes...whole different suspension etc.. what good is towing if you cant bring that weight to a safe stop fast??
In the past when looking for a replacement for my daily driver car, I considered the VW Sportwagon TDI. At that time, I looked at consumer reviews on various auto review sites, and found they had extremely good MPG (this was before the scandal and the subsequent recalls). Seeing how the price for gas and diesel was so disparate, I decided to convert MPG into Miles Per Dollar (thereby putting the two on an equal standard for a better comparison). I found that using the prices of each on any given day, and the consumer reported real world mpg, that the TDI resulted in nearly twice the Miles per Dollar. I wonder if the same holds true for the bigger trucks.
7:52 In Europe, we tow 4000 pound trailers with sedans.
lfsracer79 ok? In America you can buy a base model f450 and tow 35,000lbs
Good points all around. Been owning/operating and driving diesel powered cummins pickups of various years from 1972 - 2015 since 2005. Acquired a company vehicle 2016 Ram 2500 Crew Cab Long Bed 5.7 hemi. Had an easier time hauling a 10K GTWR toy hauler than my 1987 F350 with Cummins retrofit. It was steadier cruising down the highway and had more HP off the line and getting up to cruise. Yes, it would guzzle more at high RPM up the grades, but you can't knock the boxed chassis of these new vehicles! I'm going to be in the market soon for a Ford F350 Dually 6.2 or Ram dually 6.4 gas.
Diesel is still selling slow across the pond but something like 80% of all diesel cars sold in Ireland are diesel. But we are using MUCH smaller engines. I have an Opel Insignia wagon with a brilliant 1.6 diesel engine with only 136hp but it produces 236lbs ft of torque at 1750rpm. It's rated tow 4,408lbs but I wouldn't bother. A guy I know has a Ford Escape with a 115hp 2.0L diesel and he has a small travel trailer that weighs around 3000lbs and it goes fine. You tow WAY MORE in terms of size and weight over there though. I'm envious.
i thank you so much for the content on this channel. ive been waiting for a channel like this, i love trucks in general and i like to expand my knowledge of this and its nice to have a response to things like this when people i know are asking me things.
The heaviest CGVRW I had with my gas powered F350 SRW was 28,500#s. It pulled and handled better than expected even though I was grossly overloaded.
Gas-powered F350 4x4 dually GCWR 31,000 lbs. Just gotta pay attention because there is no margin for error, but handled and pulled better than the old 7.3 that it replaced.
A while back my buddies f250 lariat with the 6.0 power stroke had its passenger side wheel baring lock up long story short we renters a hydraulic lift flatnbed trailer that had a curb weight of around 7000 pounds and put his f250 on it and towed it with an 04 Silverado1500 z71 the truck and trailer combined had an approximate weight of around 15000lbs I was surprised that the chevy didn't squat and it towed fairly well
When I get a new to me truck I am going with a gasoline 3/4 ton or 1 ton. I know the ins and out of gasoline engines. Also I am looking at a truck from the late 90's and early 2000's so I can get a manual transmission. Gasoline engine are definitely less picky and cheaper than diesels.
Just found your channel... great information. Any possibility of doing a comparison of payload in relation to truck campers between all four truck companys. The truck camper community is always debating this issue and a in-depth comparison would greatly add to the debate. Thank you.
I had the ram Eco diesel that I pulled a 26 ft, 6500 pound rv with. The engine was strong enough to do the job, the truck just didn’t have enough ass. I upgraded to a 2500 ram with the big gasser. I only increased 9 pounds of torque, doubled my hp. But I have a truck that’ll pull my rv with ease. I only pull my rv occasionally so I didn’t need the diesel. Didn’t need a 4wheel drive either, but I figured, what the hell.
My ram 1500 via vin, has a 10.5k tow rating. It tows good. I've haul around 6-8k regularly. I am still looking to upgrading to a 1 ton though.
Remember that F150's are really light now because of the aluminum body, so now the truck has no counter weight when the trailer starts pulling.
I love how many people with 1500's think their truck can really truly safely handle 12k lbs
mine does just fine hauling 12k or more a day. handles fine, brakes just fine, never any sway. all around good truck
good to know...I was thinking this might be the case.
David Floyd Why would you buy a little 1500 if you tow 12,000lbs everyday. I'm sorry but that's just foolish, what happens when your trailer brakes fail, what happens in a strong crossword? What happens when you come to a hill? That poor truck!
KMT15 There are also guys who (want to) believe that an F-250 SRW is just as capable as an F-450 because it’s a Super Duty with the same 6.7L engine.
@@davidfloyd6084 remind me when you're in town, I'll stay off the roads
Turbos are a huge advantage for diesels and they need them to make any respectable horsepower level. The only company that turbos a gas truck is Ford with the ecoboost and that makes good power numbers for 2.7 and 3.5 liters. Those 2.0 diesels at only around 200 hp would be dogs in the horsepower department. I think you would be much better off going with an Ecoboost at that wieght truck. We need more turbo gas options. Just an opinion though. Good video
Why I will drive my 7.3 turbo until the rods come flying out of it! Half a million miles and counting.
I own 97 yukon w/ a turbo 383 small block . Makes diesel tq and gas turbo HP. Tows better than my turbo diesel suburban.
My Titan diesel tows a 7k lb. trailer like a boss. I previously had an 06 Titan, and towing the same trailer was a nightmare to tow with it.
There is a very simple rule the trucking industry has been using for almost a century to determine if gas or diesel is the better choice. If you drive it over 50,000 miles per year or if the truck sees long periods of idling then bite the bullet and buy diesel. Otherwise, buy a big enough gas engine to get the job done.
This rule is tried and true by fleet buyers worldwide.
This was helpful. I was debating getting a ram 1500 once I heard about it. Now I'll go back to my original two choices. Which are the ram 2500 diesel and the jeep Rubicon. Odd final two. I know. I just want something big. My other cars are Cadillac and muscle cars.
Always great and informative videos! Thanks & keep it up! 👍🏻