I appreciate that my friend. I am working on getting back to it. I just finished writing a book which had my attention for a bit. I'm coming with more soon!
First two years we camped we towed with F150 5.0, upgraded to a bigger trailer and was within the limits of the F150 but we take some long trips where I’m towing 11 hours a day. Loved the F150 but at times it was a white knuckle drive, and I was right at payload limits but I felt every big rig passing me. Upgraded to a F250 powerstroke diesel and it’s night and day difference, way more payload and not a white knuckle drive and the powerstroke is a towing beast and I love having the engine brake. For most people I think once you figure out that camping is your thing and that your going to stick with it, then you decide to upgrade your truck. 50 mile pulls no biggie but once you start towing 500 to 800 miles a day you definitely go to a bigger truck. It’s a huge expense though and I got a really good deal on my diesel truck, it’s expensive but when your on the highway all day you definitely appreciate the heavier truck and the diesel performance for towing.
Pretty truck man, nice job. You are dead-on with the sway -- I have a 33ft TT and I still feel plenty of sway in my 2022 F350. It's very controllable, but still there. The guys who say they don't get the sway in the big trucks are lying to themselves to justify a 70k plus purchase...
I did this trip in my 2019 1500 Ram towing our 28 ft Outdoor Travel trailer from Ca. Colorado To NC then up to Philly, NY and back to Ca coming down through Oregon. The winds through Utah were the scariest had to slow way down to about 40. Other than that my 1/2 ton did great!
I have the same trailer, and we also recently completed a cross country 6200 mile trip. I drive a 2015 F-150 V8 5.0 with 3.55 gears, and while I bought the truck long before we had considered RVing, it performs well, though it is at its limits. We also climbed the “Ike gauntlet” without incident, though both the truck and I were panting at the top of the mountain, lol. I agree with what you say though, a half ton truck can tow that trailer, and I’ve proven I can make it across the country and back, but your statements about having to really “drive” the truck are spot on. And those mountains on I-70 are no joke.
A 3/4ton truck would be so much safer and a 1 ton better . And the heavy truck have heavy brakes which can keep your panties clean ! Also heavy trucks dont sway so much if at all.10 ply tires handle sway much better .
I towed a 35ft with the same truck mine was 2016. I have anderson weight distribution hitch that helps and air bags. It can do it but not great at it though. I now have a f250
This makes me feel better but now I think I should upgrade. I have a 6500 lb trailer and a Toyota tundra SR5 V8. The tundra has a tow capacity of 10000 lbs but I’m planning a long haul…..I do have the blue ox weight distribution hitch and the tongue capacity is 1020 😬
Nice truck n trailer brotha! Buying our first trailer, its a 29ft 4500 pounds and ill be towing with a lifted 1500 silverado. I know its not ideal but when i bought this truck i never dreamed id be buying a camper. We been coming up a little bit lately lol. Excited and nervous and ready to camp more without paying 1000 for a cottage for 3 days. Plus those beds kill my back! Your videos are helping me so much!
I really liked your video I believe you've made great points from both worlds 1/2-ton verses 3/4 ton. Keep up the good work I purchased a 3/4-ton GMC gasses due to the same issue with payload just kept causing concerns with towing any travel trailer. So, I up graded now I have some room to play with as far as payload is concerned. Not to mention it just tows so much better, thank again!!
Just went from an F150 to a 2500 Laramie. Our trailer is close to same weight just a few feet longer. Your points were dead on. It’s so hard to explain in words and you did an excellent job. For us it adds a little safety cushion for our family and yes I had a moment I had to look back and see that the trailer was still there. Doesn’t happen all the time but I can agree it never happened with the 1/2 ton.
Thanks for the video, very informative. Nice to know about gear ratio experience. I would have expected you saying there is a much bigger difference in handling, so I find your experience very useful. Not lastly, sorry about the windshield! Hope you enjoyed your vacation!
Thank you my friend. There was for sure a difference. What suprised me was the differences of advantage that came in different situations for both the 2500 and the 1500. The windshield was definitely a bummer. I think it stung a little more because in hadn't had the window tinted more than a week and a half. Vacation was still a success so no complaints at the end of the day. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Thank you for this video brotha. Very informative and learning a lot from your videos. You’re being real and genuine. Love the content. Can’t wait to have adventures like you with my small family. Keep up the great work.
The algorithm is working great for you. I just watched your 1/2 ton video and this was the next random recommendation. Once again, great content. Gosh, I really want the 3/4 ton, just struggling with the inflated market conditions.
That's fantastic! I really appreciate your support in watching them. Trying my best to bring value with these videos. Yea this inflated market is really tough to deal with. I'm hoping it shifts soon but it doesn't look like it will anytime soon unfortunately. I hope you are able to find a good deal on one!
If you know where to buy from, you can get a brand new factory ordered RAM HD for around 11% under MSRP. I just purchased a 2022 RAM 3500 and saved about 9k.
OMG Arizona be careful they have the absolute worst roads on the planet. Their highway planning commissioner should be fired. So many huge pot holes in flagstaff and Phoenix and Munds AZ. I blew and had to replace 2 tires there 2 weeks ago from potholes.
Great feedback on the 3/4 truck. Definitely reinforces my decision to purchase ours. Can't wait for our first trip next week. Your setup (truck and trailer) looks awesome. Hope you guys had a great time!
Thank you. Congrats on your new purchase. I think you are going to love it. Please let me know how your first trip goes. Thanks for watching and Happy Camping! Safe travels!
@@liveyourfree first trip went great! We pulled from Central Indiana to Northeast TN. Truck did a great job! I didn't get mpg like I would with a diesel but the pull was comfortable and honestly there were times I forgot the camper was back there.... now if we can just do something about these gas prices!! Hope all is well. Thanks again for your videos and feedback.
@@Chad-wu4ij that is awesome! I'm glad it worked out well and you had a safe trip. I'm definitely with you on the gas. We are heading back home tomorrow on a 5 hour trip and I'm hoping these gas prices drop soon. It adds up quick!
We upgraded to a 2016 ram 2500 6.4l 2 years ago and used it to pull our 32 foot tongue pull and it's a night and day difference. I wasn't able to go faster then 55mph because the wind would kill you. With my 2016 ram 2500 6.4l I'm able to do 65-70 mph all day long. We now upgraded to a 40 foot fifth wheel that weighs 12k lbs and unless we have 20 mph crosswinds we can't tell there's any wind. 18 wheels don't even make a difference. With our old half ton when a 18 wheeler would pass us out felt like we were in a complete loss of control at times.
I'm glad to see that you finally saw the light. 1/2 ton trucks are good for milk and bread. To think that someone could pull a trailer that's about as heavy as their truck. Is beyond me.
No light to see. Just got to a point that I couldn't stay below payload max. That's the only reason I switched. If I could have stayed below payload I would have still been in a half ton. I pull a trailer now that is heavier than my 3/4 ton. Pull just fine. You just have to know what you are doing and drive safely
Well, u have completed the "world's toughest towing test" in the new 2500...i know you were stoked to be able to do that! Id love to do it with our setup and hopefully one day that will happen...possibly on our way to northern cali to see the redwoods. I think the next thing i will do to our f250 is the timken or sumo springs in the rear. It squats about how id expect but i just want that little bit of extra assistance when we are traveling and hit large bumps and transitions on the highways. I have already upgraded to rancho adjustable shocks which i absolutely love. Especially with an hd truck, they help the ride tremendously when set correctly. Im very pleased and also i upgraded the rear brakes to drolled rotors and carbon ceramic brake pads with powerstop calipers. I did the rear immediately because it was time and they needed replaced badly but now its time to upgrade the front as well. Carli rear upper shock mounts are on deck for the mods list as well as all terrain tires. Because of you im putting the ridge grapplers in the tire pool as i narrow down to the tire we choose. Glad you guys made the trip safely and had a good time!!
Coming from a Ram 1500 and pulling a 9,000lb Freedom Express I can honestly say it was a white knuckle experience every time a semi truck passed, it would suck you in and then push you towards the ditch when it passed. We upgraded to a 2020 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi 3.73 gears. What an amazing towing experience. People always forget about are the brakes. The 2500 stops the load much much easier with much larger brakes. Well worth the upgrade. Everything that he is saying is spot on. My 2 cents.
100% on sway! great point! we have a GD 2850MK, I have towed it with my F-150, had a lot of sway but plenty of power. moved up to an F250 thinking that getting a bigger truck would help the sway... Nope, it swayed just as bad, it truly does come down to how it is set up at the hitch. That is where my issue was, yeah I was using an equalizer sway control and weight distributing hitch, but it wasn't set up properly. I could have saved a ton of money and stayed with my half-ton if I would have figured this out sooner.
This video is exactly what I've been looking for. I've been going back and forth between a 1/2 and 3/4. You covered many questions that I've been trying to figure out. Thank you!
Man, I live in WI and camp up north all summer I drive a 13’ Ram 1500 and tow a 21’ coachman clipper (3100lbs). I go the speed limit. You know how many diesels and other 3/4 tons I see fly past me doing over 85 mph… scary! especially since almost all camper tires are rated for under 81mph. People need education.
I was towing a 2850bh with a chevy 1500 silverodo LTZ for only 10 miles, and man was it a whit knuckle ride and maybe 7 mile winds... ordered a 2500 HD chevy right away.
I see in the video your tire pressure was almost 86/ 90 all 4 tires seems awful high bro? Front tires should be 65 and rear tires 75 just wondering what your reason for them being so high is ? I think you'll get better traction if you lower them down a bit. You'll have more of a footprint on the road and much better handling.
I traded in a 2021 1500 for a 22 2500. You sound like me. I was pulling a single axle bunkhouse with the 1500 at about 4600 lbs loaded and 550 tongue weight. No problem with the 1500. The new 28 foot loaded at around 6700 - 7K and 800...ish tongue weight. It was like whoa with the 1500 I will choose to call it..."adequate..." but I could NEVER relax.. Everything you said about being "planted" and so many other things just sound like me talking when I explained to the wife why I felt, I needed a 2500. You don't realize how much subliminal stress there is when you are always on your toes with a 1500 just because you can never forget for a moment you are towing. Whereas, when you have the "right" truck The right deal came along and the dealer offered four K more than anyone else and gave me 1K for trading with him and 1K for financing through him and I got a 3.25 rate for 84 months. He had identical units, identical but with a 1800 more MSRP and more coming. I pay them off before five years always but cash flow is king and at that rate I'm good. Say bye to those kinds of rates.. So, thanks for the vid. Good info for someone considering the move up.
Spot on my friend. I'm glad you came out on top. That's a really great deal you got. You are right, the financing rates are changing and will be changing more as life goes on. Safe camping to you and your loved ones this year! I appreciate you watching and your comment
I have a 2021 Ram 1500 with the 3:92 gears. Just drove to Texas, then up to South Dakota and then back to San Diego. I have a cargo trailer (14x7, about 19ft front to back) that weighed about 5k (no WDH) that I took up and then mostly empty on the way back. Heading to Texas I hit harsh winds but kept the truck at 80 just cuz I wanted to see how she'd pull the weight and what she'd get for mpg (and the 5.7 hemi sounds sooo good at 3k rpms). In the wind she got about 7 mpg at 80 and maybe 8 - 9 mpg after I slowed down to 65. Heading north to SD, she averaged 10 to 12 with a tail wind at 65. Coming back, I hit a snow storm and speeds were much slower. Again hit high winds through western SD into Wyoming but got a consistent 6-7. Through Utah she was back up to 12 even the very occasional 13. But most of that was downhill. Initially when I test drove both the 1500 (Hemi 5.7) and 2500 (6.7 diesel) I thought the diesel was way more truck then I needed (my max tow weight is under 7500) At times, I have been kicking myself for buying the 1500 and not 2500 as I am about to fulltime in a Rockwood 2511s. And, not to mention, so many people declare you need that 3/4 ton to pull any amount of significant weight. Long story short, however, after my trip, doing some research on payload and knowing that I won't be going cross country anytime soon (active duty military on orders to SoCal) I am more then comfortable in my half ton. Thanks for the content and honest feedback. Your videos are some of the reasons why I stopped kicking myself and still love my 1/2 ton. Keep em coming, enjoy your trip and be safe!
First, thank you for your service and sacrifice that allows us to do the less meaningful things like make videos about trucks and travel trailers. Your truck configured with the 3.92 gears and the size trailer you have is a great match in my opinion. If payload hadn't become an issue, I would still be in it as it truly was an everyday all purpose truck. Plus you already have some good experience with that truck and trailer from your cross country trip so you also have the direct knowledge of what you are working with. I think you made a heck of a good choice in your truck. I appreciate you watching and for your comment. Happy camping and stay safe my friend!
Whataburger! Way to go brother. I planned to get a 26 ft trailer but my wife wanted the Imagine 2970. I thought my 2022 1500 Ram ecodiesel could handle it until I got more knowledgeable. Your video helped a lot. I plan 6000 mile trip for summer so I'm trading for a 2022 2500.
I have a 3/4 ton 2020 duramax I pull a texas pride trailer that's rated at a 20000 lbs and I pull alot of equipment with it it's a 6000lbs trailer with alot of accessories for my needs no half ton can pull what I pull . Plus I'm a class A driver so I also drive a peterbuilt with a 3406B caterpillar. So I know about towing weight. Half ton can't pull Hella weight and can't handle payload very much its good for a family truck nothing else
I get that the Sway Pro from Blue Ox has served you well, but I get the impression you haven't tried other sway control options. You don't know what you're missing until you try something better. I thought the Sway Pro did pretty well until I tried the Weigh Safe Middleweight. Seriously night and day difference. You upgraded your truck, might as well upgrade to a better WDS and Sway control. Trust me.
I've tried a few (not all) of them. I've used a Curt, Huskie, and the equalizer hitch. Some are better than others but the blue ox is the best for me. I love the blue ox. It has served me very well. When I consider performance, ease of use, and ability to adjust to different vehicles and trailers, it's hard for me to go away from it. I've taken it across the country 3 times and it has done amazing. I've heard mostly positive feedback on hitches like the Hensley/Propride but for my application it seems to be overkill and unnecessary for my application. I do hear where you are coming from and I appreciate you adding value.
OK, just came back from my first 300 mile trip (150 each way) and YES, a RAM 2500 is dramatically better than a Ram 1500... It is night and day. You get power, stability and at least as good gas mileage as a 1500 with a 3.21 rear end. We did a run from Helena MT to Red Cliff Campground going into West Yellowstone MT. This was a good run to test things out as on the way there, you have a small pass to go over and quite a few steep runs heading toward Yellowstone with a climb of right at 2,000 feet going. I hit 8.7 mpg for the trailering part of the run. The road is a two lane windy road through the Gallatin Valley and I wouldn't want it to be my very first towing experience, but is not a really big deal with around 20 years towing experience and a 28 footer TT. Oh, the drive is beautiful and that campground is very special particularly if you fish trout or hike. Although it is national forest camping, about half the sites have electricity 30 amp. My set up would go into about 12-15 electric sites out of the 62 total. No dump but you can fill water tanks there so you can go in dry... My truck has a 3K payload and 15K total capacity with the 3.73 rear end. My trailer is 7K loaded and right at 800 loaded tongue weight, maybe another 50 lbs depending upon what is in the front end. The 1500 had an 8K total capacity and 1300 and change payload. It did...adequately...but as I previously noted, you NEVER forgot you had the trailer on the back and upon occasion for a moment, you wondered if the truck or the trailer were in charge. Having pulled the same load with a 2015 5.7 Hemi and a 3.92 rear end, the only real difference I noticed between the 1500's was that with the 3.92's, the gearing did much of the work. With the 3.21 rear end, the ZF transmission steps in and does a lot of the work but with little difference otherwise. So, I am so so pleased I decided to get the 2500...and the Hemi for "my" particular needs. I was finally abel to relax behind the wheel. I am not saying Hemi over Diesel. It always depends upon what you tow, how much you tow, how you use the truck as a daily driver and other factors along with what you like...
The other part of it that many people forget about is that even if a half ton truck is "enough", if it's having to "work hard" you WILL eventually have more breakdowns and maintenance than a bigger truck that is not struggling under the load. I'm even considering a 3/4 ton for a 7000lb GVW travel trailer (for full time use).
Your vids have been very helpful to me and the wife. We’ve fallen in love with a camper that my 1/2 ton could tow, but the payload was going to be over. We are going to get a 3/4 ton diesel now. We live in a plateau by the NC / TN boarder. So anywhere we go is through the mountains! Ty so much for making these vids 👍👍.
I towed with a half ton for years pulling hay and completing general ranch work. Once I bought my 2500 w/ a Cummins, I now realize the change should have been made years ago. No comparison in ability to get work done.
Awesome video! Full of knowledge. I have a question. Im looking to get a truck that will be my daily drive, however wife wants to get a rv one day we can pull around for trips. We a 6 member house hold. I assume i should just get a 2500 but whats your thoughts? I wont tow frequently at all
Dude, I ran across this video on a camping page and it gave me the “real world” info/perspective I needed to make my decision btwn a 1/2 and 3/4 ton….thank you so much for the info!!! And I see you have a ton of other videos covering some other questions I have!! Really appreciate it!!
I'm about to pull the trigger on this exact truck. I hear you say the "deal" you got. Please share where, how, etc this deal exists. I'm not seeing them anywhere.
I got 5 thousand of the listed price which brought it to right under $70k out the door. They said they were going to be pricing up all trucks the next week and I saw it happened with my own eyes. I was really just blessed to buy at the absolute best time before the shift really kicked in. I only buy my trucks from Kernersville Dodge in Kernersville NC so that may have played into it a little as well. They are consistently the number one or two dealership on the country battling with a dealership in Idaho. Heres a link with a more in depth explanation. Go to 2:14 mark specifically ruclips.net/video/H1Vw3QXhDR8/видео.html . I hope it works out for you! I don't think you'll regret it.
Great Video man, I love how you're showing all the different situations that people encounter while towing a travel trailer. I tow a 26ft Travel Trailer (w/ the A Frame and rear bumper its more like 30ft) with a Half ton, GMC with the 6.2L. The biggest thing I hate about towing is the Crosswinds over the Prairies, there's some serious white knuckling that happens during those times. (i have a Weight Distribution Hitch) I am hoping to upgrade to a 3/4 ton Diesel to make it more enjoyable / comfortable.
Thank you and thanks for watching. I definitely understand where you are coming from. The 3/4 ton will definitely improve your tow experience for sure. Stay safe out there on the road my friend
Yup, wind gust in the prairie are no joke. That's an aspect of the trailering that you'll find out about sooner or later. I've personally witness a semi's trailer wheels getting light on the upwind side while crossing Nebraska one November during 30 mph cross wind gusts. The weather report is your friend when crossing the prairies.
How did I just find your channel!? It’s like you made content specifically for me. Lol. Your videos have answered several questions that I have had in wanting to make the jump to a 3/4 ton truck. I appreciate how well you communicate the factors to consider and your laid back energy in your videos. Thank you!!!
Excellent video. I recently upgraded from an F150 5.0 towing our GD 2400bh to an F350 lariat diesel and the points you made in the video are right on point. We upgraded because of payload also as we were having to leave bikes and kayaks or other gear behind. Our tongue weight is between 750 and 850lbs depending on loading and water in the tanks. We also use a ProPride 3P hitch which is awesome and very easy to adjust on the fly and it eliminates the sway issues but we too felt the push going across western Kansas. Beyond that our diesel is a beast (450 hp with 930 ft lbs of torque) towing up steep grades and the exhaust brake is even better going down the other side-just set speed and never touch the brakes all the way down. We average 11 mpg towing from Missouri to western Colorado. Another plus is being able to use the truck lanes for refueling. We are glad we made the change to a one ton SRW truck. Keep the great content coming.
How did you schedule your overnight stops? I assume you scheduled your main stops before leaving home but did you schedule your other ones while traveling and did you have any trouble finding spots?
We scheduled them before the trip with the exception of the last two nights because we weren't sure which route we wanted to take back from St. Louis. We tried to extend for a day in Utah but couldn't find any spots. We were able to extend some days in Colorado which caused us to adjust our stay in St.Louis longer as well. Outside of Utah we didn't have any issues finding spots. We did have the generator with us in case we had to boondock.
Half ton payloads just aren't enough for the longer campers. The smaller campers are fine but getting up 25+ ft the hitch weight with your payload is cutting it close or beyond it. I really don't wanna get rid of my tundra to get a 30+ ft travel trailer but I'll have to if we decide to do this
Your knowledgeable when it comes to this. Maybe you can give some pointers🙏🏽. Picking up my 2022 grand design momentum 21g (6400lbs) soon, I currently have a 2021 gmc 3.0 duramax crew cab. Do you think is sufficient for that? Max tow of 9200. Payload of 1650. Any tips greatly appreciated 🙏🏽
Thanks for watching. Happy to help however I can. I looked up the 21g on the grand design site and the 6400lbs is only the UVW. The GVWR is 11,000 lbs. That is the most your RV can weigh when including luggage, supplies, equipment , and people. I like to do my calculations conservatively so I always mulitiply the gvwr by 15%. Some do 12% and some do 10%. I have found 15% will give you a solid cushion in case you do need to use more payload capacity during the trip (which isn't uncommon). At 15% multiplied by 11,000 gvwr puts you at a 1650 tongue weight. At 12%, it puts you at 1320 tongue weight. At 10% it puts you at 1,100 tongue weight. Subtract those tongue weights from your payload and thats what you would have left for any people or luggage, or anything else you would have in your truck while traveling. With all of that being said, I wouldn't want to load the payload of the truck to its max if I had the choice. I did that with my half ton but that was because I already had it. It worked fine but eventually, I ran out of payload due to life changes. I ended up moving to the 3/4 ton. The length of the trailer matches your trick perfectly which is a big help. It comes down to how much your trailer will weigh once you load it up with your luggage, dishes, necessities, and your toy. My gut tells me you will be over your payload number or getting close. You can pull it off as I never had issues with mine but I was always counting every pound. It kind of took the enjoyment out of it a little at times and added more stress. Bottom line, if you are within your numbers then you can do it. It just may not be as convenient. I hope that helps! Ask more questions if needed. I don't mind
Was wanting to get a 2500 but thanks to this video and how you broke it down to use ability as far as what I do on a everyday basis I’m happy with my 1500 mainly because of what you said about the 3.93 gearing which is what I have
@@charleswesley9907 I can't disagree with this statement at all. Doesn't mean the 1500 won't work for his specific situation BUT you are speaking truth.
My Man good job 👊🏽 I'm really surprised that you didn't get the Cummins diesel?🤷🏾♂️ I understand your payload would drop but you would save at least 3-4 gallons in fuel. Thats just me, but great video Thankyou 👊🏽
I appreciate it! I hear you on the fuel savings for sure. The way I would use the truck, it would be 10 years before I made a return on the difference and that's assuming there were no major maintenance issues. People often say you get it back at the resale but that's not necessarily true with especially with the track record a lot of the newer diesels are showing. It's a rolling of the dice either way you go. The diesel engines pull like no one's business and are great engines.
At my house we have Ram 1500 Quadcab and 2500 Crewcab diesels. Both have Bilstein shocks and a better than factory set of tires. My daughter and son-in-law have a Ram 3500 Mega cab. We also have older gas Ford F-150 and gas Chevy 1500 Silverado pickups. The Ram 3500 Megacab Diesel is the prefer trailer towing vehicle. But the Ram 1500 Quadcab Diesel will get 16mpg towing up to a 7k# trailer. While the Megacab will do 13mpg. But where the Cummins Diesel shines. Is the Variable Gate Turbo! That has the engine brake abilities no Hemi can match. Last week I was in North Carolina visiting family around Waynesville. And the engine braking of the VGT was very comfortable to use. I live in a mountain area of California. And even without a trailer. The VGT is a pleasure to have.
That makes sense. The braking system is nice on the diesels for sure. I bet they are great to drive through the passes of Colorado especially. Thanks for sharing and adding value!
Too many people don't actually do the numbers. I see mostly half tons every day that are pulling loads way over the gvwr and payload. Sure they can do it, and rarely does anything go wrong, but there is a big difference between just getting the job done and doing it easily and comfortable. I see too many people say "you have a 3/4 ton when you could be doing that with a half ton". If people want to push the limits and not do the math that is their business, but for me a HD truck is the right tool for the job for the weight and loads that I tow. Just pay close attention to the tongue weight and make sure you don't overload the 3/4 ton. If you are towing all the time the diesel is an option to make it all effortless, but you will give up payload. For me the diesel fit the bill in the 3/4 ton coming from the half ton gasser.
What you say does make a lot of sense, but one thing that you're not really touching on is the weight payload. The only difference between a 3/4 and a 1 ton truck. that's no different than GM Ford or Dodge is really spring rating.. The other thing they have not mentioned yet even though a half ton truck can haul that weight just as easy as a 3/4 ton within the legal limits no matter what three brands name trucks you use a half ton, 3/4 ton truck have different frames which the heavier trucks are stiffer, heavier axles, are using a floating axle system compared to a non-floating axle system which each wheel on a floating system has two sets of wheel bearings compared to one roller bearing per side . You have a bigger driveline system which is bigger drive shaft universal joints a heavier transmission can hauled away as well. Bigger brakes which basically the rotors are thicker than bigger calipers as well. stiffer springs which I already covered. As well as e rated tires compared to a passenger tire which your majority of half tons have. so a 3/4 ,1 ton no matter what will handle weight way better than a half ton truck hauling any amount of weight within its legal limit. really in a sense of trucks there's really no comparison between a half ton and a 3/4 ton they're really are apples and oranges as far as I look at it. But you also had another video while you went to gas compared to diesel and you're right It really depends on what you're going to use it for and how you're going to use it.
Another great video sir! Just checking in to see if you have checked out the “better weigh” system yet? It plugs into your OBD port and tells you your trucks payload, trailer weight, weight distribution, tongue weight and even helps you set the correct trailer brake gain according to the weight you have on. I have found it invaluable as a 1/2 ton owner towing a 2400BH with a family of 6. Next time your in NM drop me a line. The misses and I would be happy to have you and the fam over for some good New Mexican food
I'm not sure how I completely missed this message but thank you for watching! I haven't tried that system yet. I am going to have to check it out. Next time we come through/to NM I will definitely reach out!
I towed with a 1/2 ton, but here in the PNW with all the mountain passes is where the 1/2 ton is very weak. I could tow good on level plain, but going up mountain passes could only go 40mph max with me flooring it and RPM’s screaming. Breaking when I needed to on a moments notice sucked! Had to give lots and lots of room for breaking safely. It worked for us for 3 yrs but since I bought a 1-ton diesel, I sometimes don’t know it’s back behind me and can fly up a mountain pass and not ever have to worry about any weight issue. Loved the 1/2 ton, but was always right at my vehicle capacity weight if not over. My 1/2 ton was rated at 9600lbs and the TT was 7000lbs loaded. I felt that weight was a little much sometimes, especially all loaded down.
I hear you and see your point. Going from a 1/2 ton to a 1 ton must have you riding like a king now! I can only imagine the difference in the towing experience. I did experience the limited speed in the rockies like you mentioned. Thanks for quality input!
What's crazy is a loaded f150 with 1750 payload vs a fully loaded f250 1920 payload. What is crazy is how close they are. Be careful when ordering 3/4 ton trucks you might barely increase your payload capability.
@@liveyourfree was considering trading my f150 for a loaded f250 diesel but when I saw the 1920 payload I almost threw up lol. And I can not bring myself to buy a gas hd truck would be such a huge loss compared to the ecoboost. I'm now considering a f350 srw diesel. I'm barely inside my payload with my camper and as we grow ill easily exceed it as well as the equipped f250 diesel.
@@liveyourfree found a f250 diesel no moonroof at 2350 payload I need to dig a lot further before ordering one. I cant or won't go from ecoboost to gas hd. It has to be the turbo diesel.
Good comparison between 1/2 ton & 3/4 ton, what size gas tank do you have? I have a F250 gasser with 4:30 gears, I'm thinking I'll have to gas up at least once while traveling with the poor gas mileage.
Thank you. I think the f250 gasser setup is the best setup for performance of all the 3/4 ton gas trucks. You definitely will have to get gas though lol. Thanks for watching!
I am going from a 1/2 ton pickup to a Ram 2500 and will do my first camping trip with it for spring break. I don’t get my truck until another week. I have rather newbie question that may seem dumb but need to know. How much did you have to adjust your WDH to match your taller 2500 compared to your 1500?
Not a dumb question at all. The 2500 sits quite a bit higher than my 1500 did so I ended up adjusting my hitch so the ball is it's highest point with both screws able to be in the two holes properly. I have a blue ox sway pro which has a bar/chain combination. I just use a couple of links less than I did with my 1500. Long story short, it wasn't a major adjustment process. I highly suggest you take your truck to the cat scale to weigh it by itself, then weigh it with the the trailer hooked up to it, and then weigh it when you have the trailer fully loaded for how it will be when you go camping. This will give you an accurate rating so you know how much is being transferred to your two axles. The manual will suggest you measure the space between your tire and truck loaded and unloaded. This is a good thing to do when it comes to setting up your hitch so it is level. I know I just typed a ton but I promise you it's not a long or hard process.
Sounds like the truck is shifting a lot, do you lock out any gears when towing? When I tow with my gaser I always feel like it’s easier (less wear and tear) on the truck to have a bit more RPM rather then constantly shifting through the top gears.
I have found that it does shift more than other trucks. Even my 1500 shifted less than my 2500. Maybe has something to do with the weight difference? I typically do lock out gears but it holds the speed going downhill better in tow haul mode without the gears locked out. I know...sounds backwards
Nice setup and good information. We have a 2800BH that I currently tow with my Durango SRT (tow capability of a 1/2 ton). I just ordered a new 3500 with the 6.4, should be here in a couple months.
Love your content! I’m currently in a Ram Rebel 1500 5.7L 3.92 axle with a 32 gallon tank and I love it! I’m in the market for a 2500 6.4 hemi with 4.10 axle to pull my 32ft Passport TT. I know exactly what you’re talking about when you spoke about the towing fatigue in the 1500. For 2 -3 hour trips, no problem. It’s the 5 hour plus tows that have me upgrading. Been glamping for 6 years now and looking to start glamping outside of California.
Thank you my friend. I apologize for the late response. That fatigue is a real thing right? I hope your search is going well. Happy camping and stay safe!
I own both trucks diesel ford F350 dually and a gas dodge 1500 mega can 5.7 hemi, I've towed smaller travel trailer with my 5.7 and now own a 31' 5th wheel at 10,038 dry weight and up to 14,000 fully loaded which will never happen, and I tow that with my F350, I have recently made the choice to go back to gas towing over diesel cost and maintenance and purchased a 2017 2500 heavy-duty 6.4 hemi with 4.10 gears only 35,000 miles on her.. I check off all the numbers relentlessly to make sure if she was capable 💯 5th wheel weighed in at 11,200 loaded 1st test coming soon with the new to me truck cant wait after owning a hemi for many years im sure she is capable.
I’m a little surprised by the mpg but I guess driving 65-70 accounts for some of it. I’m trying to squeeze in a cross country trip also. How many days was your whole trip?
Yea I was too. I truly didn't see that variable coming. It does drop significantly once you pass 65mph. The total trip was 16 days. Really should have made it a solid 3 weeks.
Great video! My towing situation is exactly like yours. This is the first time I've gotten a good explanation of the differences between a 1/2 vs 3/4 ton towing experience. Thanks for your prospective.
Our Imagine XLS 22RBE is much lighter than your Imagine 2800BH, and we are currently towing it in the flatlands where we live with my 2020 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 5.7 HEMI. The Trailhawk does well here and with small hills, but we are going to be getting a RAM 2500 because we want to go farther and possibly to the Smokies (our favorite area). The Trailhawk also has an extremely sad payload due to the 4x4, so we can't carry anything in our vehicle when towing the 22RBE besides ourselves. Hubby does not want a diesel (he is adamant about that), so anything too mountainous will be a no-go. Can't get the 4.10 ratio without the diesel, so will be stuck with the 3.73, which is way better than what my Trailhawk has. Also can't get the auto-leveling suspension like my Trailhawk has without getting the diesel (silly, if you ask me). He does not want a 4x4, which is all the dealers near us have. Currently getting the build configuration exactly as he wants before we choose a dealer to order it from (not one single dealer within 500 miles has anything my husband wants nor the color he wants, so ordering is what we will have to do).
You should be able to order a 2500 gas with the air suspension and the 4.10 gear ratio. A lot of those are on the road now. I have the gas model with the 3.73 ratio but I was personally ok with that. It made it through the rockies at the high elevation as well so it can do it. It won't do it as well as a diesel naturally but you can definitely get it done safely without killing your truck. If the dealer is telling you that you can't get the 2500 configured in the way you are saying I would recommend another dealer for sure. Mine is a 2021 so I know it can be done. The only exception i would say may be if they stopped that with the 2022 model years due to supply chain issues. Please keep me posted. I love the smokies as well!
@@liveyourfree We were building it on the Ram website, which kept wanting to change it to a diesel whenever we would try to choose the 4.10 ratio. Maybe a dealer can do a custom order that you can't do on the website. We haven't been to a dealer yet, but we are Mopar people and deal with two of the four dealerships near us (the other two gave me a bad vibe every time I went there). We also would not be against a Sierra HD 3500 SRW (configured one online with more features for less than the Ram, but it also only comes in the 3.73 ratio...GMC doesn't have 4.10 in a gasser that I can see). Of course, I may have more time at the end of next week to really delve into my husband and I configuring the perfect truck for us. Our camper will be in the shop for a while starting Saturday (person in a class A behind us in storage thought it was in park when it was in reverse and revved the engine, going through the metal wall and slamming into the back of our 22RBE...moving it 2 feet forward and to the left by about a foot). It is also due for the yearly and will have the propane regulator recall taken care of. I do hope we can at least get it back to enjoy some cold weather camping down here in southeast Louisiana (I don't mean freezing, just cold...hoping we don't have another deep freeze like in February).
im running a 1500 rebel, which says 11,000 towing... wuth a * , if equiped.... how do i tell if im equipped? whats the best gear ratio for towing 9000 grand design 312 BH ?
The exhaust brakes on the diesels are great. I agree 100% with you. When I went through Colorado the other bug mountain states, the gas engine brake worked well honestly. Not as good as an exhaust brake but it didn't leave me feeling like I was needing more ability to maintain speed.
Really depends on what you intend to take with you. If the truck is rated for 2000lbs payload and 14k tow. Then youre definitely fine getting around 10k towing. Most people are not going to tow something that large for that long. If you plan to regularly tow more then 500 miles. Sure, step up to a bigwr truck. Personally, id skip the 250/2500 trucks. The price is so close for a 3500/350 that you might as well drop one feature or 2 for the bigger load rating. But there is the minor complication of DOT regulation when passing 26000 lbs GCW.
My Sequoia is at the limit for my 23' TT so I just bought a Ford F350. So, I skipped the 3/4 and skipped to a one ton. The jump was because I will need more hauling for duties at my ranch. Ridge Valley Ranch will need water hauled and all kinds of off-grid duties.
I've towed with both a 1/2 ton and a 3/4 ton Ram and in the wind on I 40 the wind will make a 1/2 ton Scary it will give you WHITE knuckles>> LOL. Just traded my 2020 Ram Cummins because of Diesel Emission problems all the time, I got a 2022 2500 Ram with the 6.4 LOVE it so far. Good Video Thanks for being Honest.
I am very glad it brought some amount of value. 😂 definitely a unique production engineer back there. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Great content - thank you! Were those Utah inclines on I-15? Taking that trip in a couple months with a 28’ (total, 24’ box) travel trailer (6500 loaded) and Ram 1500 set up similarly to your old one. Glad to get some feedback on how it should handle. And thank you for the tips on 1/2 ton towing …mainly, go slow and be more aware of your surroundings (anticipate trucks passing, etc)
Thank you. I can't remember the route number off hand. I believe it was though. Not far from the Moab area. You will enjoy it. Please let me know how it goes!
I have a ram 3500 hd 2022 tradesman with maybe 2k worth of weight due to ladder rack tool box . Tools , service tank etc. im planning on taking my pops trailer a bumper pull 12ft tall 29ft long about 6500 lbs dry im real anxious and nervous for some reason i guess the size intimidating me. Ive towed a flat 2 axle trailer with 9k of weight and ive always been a type to drive with space infront of me from cars infront. Just a habbit since im use to driving trucks. Any advice? Im traveling 300 miles roughly 6:30 hours most flat drive some areas will be windy, last hour of the drive will be in mountain pass hair pin turn and 7% grade
This is probably one of the best and honest videos highlighting 3/4 ton gas towing that’s out there. 100% agree on everything you said. Man you ran the Ike. That was great. The last portion you talked about being aware of a trailer but being relaxed with it was spot on. I thought I took a decent trip out west towing but you blew that up. But I took it when gas was just under $2 a gallon. I did have to do an emergency lane change due to a semi coming over on me when he was partially beside me. Truck handled it well. About that windshield....Mine cracked and I called Safelife. They wanted a mandatory $300 camera recalibration with a new windshield all in being around $1k. I called a well known local shop, gave her the VIN and waited for her answer. Tad over $400. I asked about the camera and she said ‘You called Safelife didn’t you?’ It’s not necessary. Awesome video. I look forward to watching your channel grow. Safe travels.
Thanks! Man I wish gas could have been under $2 when we were out there. That would have been nice. It's crazy how much windshield replacements are now. I appreciate you watching!
I almost made this mistake, when keeping my old 2nd gen Cummins, I thought all I needed was a half ton to pull my 25 foot travel trailer, while looking found most half ton Rams have high gears in the diffs ended up with a nice used Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi with 3:73 gears, we don’t ever tow more than four/ five hours one way, and not often, I’m so glad I was paying attention when looking, I was having a cheap out moment looking at half tons
Rams are the best in my book on towing ... A fifth wheel is much easier to tow and back in . I've had the 1500's 2500's and 3500' in Ford, Chevrolet and Ram .. I'm 61 now and have a 2020 1500 Ram with the hemi 5.7 with 321 axles off road package 📦 and I tow my 25 foot travel trailer that's 4200 lbs and my fifth wheel that's 6900 lbs and the fifth wheel is much better to handle . I use the pro pride on the trailer and the Anderson on the fifth wheel .
I have been doing this fo 30 years 8 travel trailers, 1 5th wheel, 1 Slide In, 2 class c and 1 class A. We are back to a 30’ travel trailer and you are spot on! Most folks don’t have your foresight though, so that’s why I believe you should put a little margin in the numbers.
@@liveyourfree It's a great video. A person's ego often looks past Payload Capacity even though it's just as important. I have the same TT Pulling it with a F-250 6.2 and would never even think about pulling it wth a F-150, NOT A CHANCE
I gotta say that here in California the only time I've heard of people getting pulled over for weight was if they had a massive trailer that looks way to big for the tow vehicle. Weekend Warrior used to make a 45 footer that the only truck legally rated for it's weight was a the top end ford f-350 dually deisel at the time. Highway patrol was aware of that fact and you would be pulled over real quick if they saw a Dodge or Chevy pulling it and they would tow your vehicle.
Born and raised in CO and travel Eisenhower pass ("Ike Gauntlet") and Vail pass all the time. You definitely need a vehicle with balls. I go over Independence and Monarch passes too, just brutal. I also have a boat along with my 38ft camper and people forget you lose a ton of power living at this altitude. When people say they get 20+ mpg's, no here they don't! This is the only time I love having my diesel towing up hill and my exhaust brake going down is priceless. ZERO brake applications v. 10+ with gassers. But other than that, I could do a 6.4L Hemi Head. Would I get a 1/2 ton living in CO - HELL NO. Like you say, I don't tow all of the time and I don't do it for money but a 3/4 ton is defiantly safer. I swear by BFG's. Great video, great content. I also love TCL. They have a 1M subscribers for a reason. If you want wind, go to Wyoming...lol. Keep the video's coming!!
Oh, thanks for the video showing the Ram 2500 6.4 pulling those major inclines, being a tractor-trailer driver myself i was impressed watching you fly by the big trucks, I have the Bighorn version of your truck and watching you gave me more confidence in my truck's abilities.
Thank you my friend and thanks for watching. Sorry for the delayed response as I am literally just seeing it. It really is an awesome truck. RAM did a great job with it. Go and enjoy it. It's more than capable. Let me know how it goes!
i love my 1500 Dodge rebel hemi 5.7. i dont know what gears i have. i want to know what is the best upgrade I can do to help handling of a 33 grand design trailer ? leaf springs , air bags, which ?
I too came from a 1/2 ton to the Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi. At first I was disappointed with the mpg until I realized I started driving faster because the platform is more stable. Wind drag and elevation kills your mpg and perceived power. The more you drive it where you have gone in the past with the 1/2 ton, the more you will like it (at least that is what happened with me). Stay safe and enjoy the family.
Thank you for this. It is definitely helpful. I must admit, even with it being a truck I thought it would have at least gotten a little better gas mileage. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I am going to use your tips for sure. Happy camping and safe travels!
Excellent video! Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I presently have a 2023 1500 eTorque Limited and just bought a 7500 lb travel trailer and considering changing the truck to a 2024 2500 6.4 truck. From what I'm learning, the need to switch trucks is not necessary. 2025 is supposedly going to see a big change in the engines for the 2500 series. I'll wait to see what's in store. You're very knowledgeable and thanks for sharing your experience and skills.
@@liveyourfree I'm pulling only 29' trailer (Imagine 2400BH). It gives me a piece of mind. I'd like to upgrade my trailer to 2800BH one day when my kids grow up.
Very cool, cool seeing you on IKE! Great video, thank you for all the input especially the different terrains and wind conditions!! Head wind and strong side wind is brutal on fuel mpg.
Thank you for watching and your comment. The Ike was definitely a good experience to test the truck out on. Though it had to work, it got the job done.
I have a 2001dodge diesel 4x4 that is like new, love it upgrade just about everything lol hills not a problem we are retired and no rush i haven't touched the floor yet with the peddle yet .
You should be making more videos. These are some of the best videos I have seen so far for traveling the good life.
I appreciate that my friend. I am working on getting back to it. I just finished writing a book which had my attention for a bit. I'm coming with more soon!
First two years we camped we towed with F150 5.0, upgraded to a bigger trailer and was within the limits of the F150 but we take some long trips where I’m towing 11 hours a day. Loved the F150 but at times it was a white knuckle drive, and I was right at payload limits but I felt every big rig passing me. Upgraded to a F250 powerstroke diesel and it’s night and day difference, way more payload and not a white knuckle drive and the powerstroke is a towing beast and I love having the engine brake. For most people I think once you figure out that camping is your thing and that your going to stick with it, then you decide to upgrade your truck. 50 mile pulls no biggie but once you start towing 500 to 800 miles a day you definitely go to a bigger truck. It’s a huge expense though and I got a really good deal on my diesel truck, it’s expensive but when your on the highway all day you definitely appreciate the heavier truck and the diesel performance for towing.
Fair point and I definitely agree for the longer trips, the 3/4 ton truck is the way to go if it is a possibility.
Pretty truck man, nice job. You are dead-on with the sway -- I have a 33ft TT and I still feel plenty of sway in my 2022 F350. It's very controllable, but still there. The guys who say they don't get the sway in the big trucks are lying to themselves to justify a 70k plus purchase...
Thank you sir. I agree with you 100%
I did this trip in my 2019 1500 Ram towing our 28 ft Outdoor Travel trailer from Ca. Colorado To NC then up to Philly, NY and back to Ca coming down through Oregon. The winds through Utah were the scariest had to slow way down to about 40. Other than that my 1/2 ton did great!
I believe it!
I have the same trailer, and we also recently completed a cross country 6200 mile trip. I drive a 2015 F-150 V8 5.0 with 3.55 gears, and while I bought the truck long before we had considered RVing, it performs well, though it is at its limits. We also climbed the “Ike gauntlet” without incident, though both the truck and I were panting at the top of the mountain, lol. I agree with what you say though, a half ton truck can tow that trailer, and I’ve proven I can make it across the country and back, but your statements about having to really “drive” the truck are spot on. And those mountains on I-70 are no joke.
A 3/4ton truck would be so much safer and a 1 ton better . And the heavy truck have heavy brakes which can keep your panties clean ! Also heavy trucks dont sway so much if at all.10 ply tires handle sway much better .
I towed a 35ft with the same truck mine was 2016. I have anderson weight distribution hitch that helps and air bags. It can do it but not great at it though. I now have a f250
This makes me feel better but now I think I should upgrade. I have a 6500 lb trailer and a Toyota tundra SR5 V8. The tundra has a tow capacity of 10000 lbs but I’m planning a long haul…..I do have the blue ox weight distribution hitch and the tongue capacity is 1020 😬
Nice truck n trailer brotha! Buying our first trailer, its a 29ft 4500 pounds and ill be towing with a lifted 1500 silverado. I know its not ideal but when i bought this truck i never dreamed id be buying a camper. We been coming up a little bit lately lol. Excited and nervous and ready to camp more without paying 1000 for a cottage for 3 days. Plus those beds kill my back! Your videos are helping me so much!
I really liked your video I believe you've made great points from both worlds 1/2-ton verses 3/4 ton. Keep up the good work I purchased a 3/4-ton GMC gasses due to the same issue with payload just kept causing concerns with towing any travel trailer. So, I up graded now I have some room to play with as far as payload is concerned. Not to mention it just tows so much better, thank again!!
Just went from an F150 to a 2500 Laramie. Our trailer is close to same weight just a few feet longer. Your points were dead on. It’s so hard to explain in words and you did an excellent job. For us it adds a little safety cushion for our family and yes I had a moment I had to look back and see that the trailer was still there. Doesn’t happen all the time but I can agree it never happened with the 1/2 ton.
Thank you my friend!
Thanks for the video, very informative. Nice to know about gear ratio experience. I would have expected you saying there is a much bigger difference in handling, so I find your experience very useful. Not lastly, sorry about the windshield! Hope you enjoyed your vacation!
Thank you my friend. There was for sure a difference. What suprised me was the differences of advantage that came in different situations for both the 2500 and the 1500. The windshield was definitely a bummer. I think it stung a little more because in hadn't had the window tinted more than a week and a half. Vacation was still a success so no complaints at the end of the day. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Thank you for this video brotha. Very informative and learning a lot from your videos. You’re being real and genuine. Love the content. Can’t wait to have adventures like you with my small family. Keep up the great work.
Thank you my friend. Enjoy the moments. I'm excited to hear about the adventures you will have with your family. I appreciate your support!
I don't have a huge trailer nor the money for a 2500. But I still watched the whole video.
I really appreciate you watching and for your comment.
Good stuff! You really covered all the bases and answered my questions.
Thanks! I'm happy it helped. Thanks for watching and for your comment.
We upgraded from 1500 to 2500 with no regrets! Feels much safer and much higher payload! Great content!
Thank you and congrats on the upgrade. I agree with you. No regrets!
The algorithm is working great for you. I just watched your 1/2 ton video and this was the next random recommendation. Once again, great content. Gosh, I really want the 3/4 ton, just struggling with the inflated market conditions.
That's fantastic! I really appreciate your support in watching them. Trying my best to bring value with these videos. Yea this inflated market is really tough to deal with. I'm hoping it shifts soon but it doesn't look like it will anytime soon unfortunately. I hope you are able to find a good deal on one!
Same here
If you know where to buy from, you can get a brand new factory ordered RAM HD for around 11% under MSRP. I just purchased a 2022 RAM 3500 and saved about 9k.
OMG Arizona be careful they have the absolute worst roads on the planet. Their highway planning commissioner should be fired. So many huge pot holes in flagstaff and Phoenix and Munds AZ. I blew and had to replace 2 tires there 2 weeks ago from potholes.
Great feedback on the 3/4 truck. Definitely reinforces my decision to purchase ours. Can't wait for our first trip next week.
Your setup (truck and trailer) looks awesome. Hope you guys had a great time!
Thank you. Congrats on your new purchase. I think you are going to love it. Please let me know how your first trip goes. Thanks for watching and Happy Camping! Safe travels!
@@liveyourfree first trip went great! We pulled from Central Indiana to Northeast TN. Truck did a great job! I didn't get mpg like I would with a diesel but the pull was comfortable and honestly there were times I forgot the camper was back there.... now if we can just do something about these gas prices!!
Hope all is well. Thanks again for your videos and feedback.
@@Chad-wu4ij that is awesome! I'm glad it worked out well and you had a safe trip. I'm definitely with you on the gas. We are heading back home tomorrow on a 5 hour trip and I'm hoping these gas prices drop soon. It adds up quick!
We upgraded to a 2016 ram 2500 6.4l 2 years ago and used it to pull our 32 foot tongue pull and it's a night and day difference. I wasn't able to go faster then 55mph because the wind would kill you. With my 2016 ram 2500 6.4l I'm able to do 65-70 mph all day long. We now upgraded to a 40 foot fifth wheel that weighs 12k lbs and unless we have 20 mph crosswinds we can't tell there's any wind. 18 wheels don't even make a difference. With our old half ton when a 18 wheeler would pass us out felt like we were in a complete loss of control at times.
I'm glad to see that you finally saw the light. 1/2 ton trucks are good for milk and bread. To think that someone could pull a trailer that's about as heavy as their truck. Is beyond me.
No light to see. Just got to a point that I couldn't stay below payload max. That's the only reason I switched. If I could have stayed below payload I would have still been in a half ton. I pull a trailer now that is heavier than my 3/4 ton. Pull just fine. You just have to know what you are doing and drive safely
Well, u have completed the "world's toughest towing test" in the new 2500...i know you were stoked to be able to do that! Id love to do it with our setup and hopefully one day that will happen...possibly on our way to northern cali to see the redwoods. I think the next thing i will do to our f250 is the timken or sumo springs in the rear. It squats about how id expect but i just want that little bit of extra assistance when we are traveling and hit large bumps and transitions on the highways. I have already upgraded to rancho adjustable shocks which i absolutely love. Especially with an hd truck, they help the ride tremendously when set correctly. Im very pleased and also i upgraded the rear brakes to drolled rotors and carbon ceramic brake pads with powerstop calipers. I did the rear immediately because it was time and they needed replaced badly but now its time to upgrade the front as well. Carli rear upper shock mounts are on deck for the mods list as well as all terrain tires. Because of you im putting the ridge grapplers in the tire pool as i narrow down to the tire we choose. Glad you guys made the trip safely and had a good time!!
Coming from a Ram 1500 and pulling a 9,000lb Freedom Express I can honestly say it was a white knuckle experience every time a semi truck passed, it would suck you in and then push you towards the ditch when it passed. We upgraded to a 2020 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi 3.73 gears. What an amazing towing experience. People always forget about are the brakes. The 2500 stops the load much much easier with much larger brakes. Well worth the upgrade. Everything that he is saying is spot on. My 2 cents.
Thank you my friend. Happy camping and safe travels!
100% on sway! great point! we have a GD 2850MK, I have towed it with my F-150, had a lot of sway but plenty of power. moved up to an F250 thinking that getting a bigger truck would help the sway... Nope, it swayed just as bad, it truly does come down to how it is set up at the hitch. That is where my issue was, yeah I was using an equalizer sway control and weight distributing hitch, but it wasn't set up properly. I could have saved a ton of money and stayed with my half-ton if I would have figured this out sooner.
Stay at 65 max when towing. No rush to get there 70 will one day get you in trouble if a sudden side wind comes up.
Excellent video!! Look into the ProPride 3P Hitch.
Thanks! I have heard nothing but great things about them. They seem really awesome
This video is exactly what I've been looking for. I've been going back and forth between a 1/2 and 3/4. You covered many questions that I've been trying to figure out. Thank you!
I'm glad it helped. Good luck with your choice!
Man, I live in WI and camp up north all summer I drive a 13’ Ram 1500 and tow a 21’ coachman clipper (3100lbs). I go the speed limit. You know how many diesels and other 3/4 tons I see fly past me doing over 85 mph… scary! especially since almost all camper tires are rated for under 81mph. People need education.
100% agree with you my friend. Be safe out there!
I was towing a 2850bh with a chevy 1500 silverodo LTZ for only 10 miles, and man was it a whit knuckle ride and maybe 7 mile winds... ordered a 2500 HD chevy right away.
I see in the video your tire pressure was almost 86/ 90 all 4 tires seems awful high bro? Front tires should be 65 and rear tires 75 just wondering what your reason for them being so high is ? I think you'll get better traction if you lower them down a bit. You'll have more of a footprint on the road and much better handling.
Awesome job bud! One of the most informative (real world) towing videos I've ever seen...and I watch a lot of RUclips.
Thank you my friend
First get a Hensley or propride! for stability...and sway
I traded in a 2021 1500 for a 22 2500. You sound like me. I was pulling a single axle bunkhouse with the 1500 at about 4600 lbs loaded and 550 tongue weight. No problem with the 1500. The new 28 foot loaded at around 6700 - 7K and 800...ish tongue weight. It was like whoa with the 1500 I will choose to call it..."adequate..." but I could NEVER relax.. Everything you said about being "planted" and so many other things just sound like me talking when I explained to the wife why I felt, I needed a 2500.
You don't realize how much subliminal stress there is when you are always on your toes with a 1500 just because you can never forget for a moment you are towing. Whereas, when you have the "right" truck
The right deal came along and the dealer offered four K more than anyone else and gave me 1K for trading with him and 1K for financing through him and I got a 3.25 rate for 84 months. He had identical units, identical but with a 1800 more MSRP and more coming. I pay them off before five years always but cash flow is king and at that rate I'm good. Say bye to those kinds of rates.. So, thanks for the vid. Good info for someone considering the move up.
Spot on my friend. I'm glad you came out on top. That's a really great deal you got. You are right, the financing rates are changing and will be changing more as life goes on. Safe camping to you and your loved ones this year! I appreciate you watching and your comment
I have a 2021 Ram 1500 with the 3:92 gears. Just drove to Texas, then up to South Dakota and then back to San Diego. I have a cargo trailer (14x7, about 19ft front to back) that weighed about 5k (no WDH) that I took up and then mostly empty on the way back. Heading to Texas I hit harsh winds but kept the truck at 80 just cuz I wanted to see how she'd pull the weight and what she'd get for mpg (and the 5.7 hemi sounds sooo good at 3k rpms). In the wind she got about 7 mpg at 80 and maybe 8 - 9 mpg after I slowed down to 65. Heading north to SD, she averaged 10 to 12 with a tail wind at 65. Coming back, I hit a snow storm and speeds were much slower. Again hit high winds through western SD into Wyoming but got a consistent 6-7. Through Utah she was back up to 12 even the very occasional 13. But most of that was downhill.
Initially when I test drove both the 1500 (Hemi 5.7) and 2500 (6.7 diesel) I thought the diesel was way more truck then I needed (my max tow weight is under 7500) At times, I have been kicking myself for buying the 1500 and not 2500 as I am about to fulltime in a Rockwood 2511s. And, not to mention, so many people declare you need that 3/4 ton to pull any amount of significant weight.
Long story short, however, after my trip, doing some research on payload and knowing that I won't be going cross country anytime soon (active duty military on orders to SoCal) I am more then comfortable in my half ton.
Thanks for the content and honest feedback. Your videos are some of the reasons why I stopped kicking myself and still love my 1/2 ton. Keep em coming, enjoy your trip and be safe!
First, thank you for your service and sacrifice that allows us to do the less meaningful things like make videos about trucks and travel trailers. Your truck configured with the 3.92 gears and the size trailer you have is a great match in my opinion. If payload hadn't become an issue, I would still be in it as it truly was an everyday all purpose truck. Plus you already have some good experience with that truck and trailer from your cross country trip so you also have the direct knowledge of what you are working with. I think you made a heck of a good choice in your truck. I appreciate you watching and for your comment. Happy camping and stay safe my friend!
If you're towing more than 6,500K you better d*** well get a 3/4 ton!
😂 love the passion my friend!
Whataburger! Way to go brother. I planned to get a 26 ft trailer but my wife wanted the Imagine 2970. I thought my 2022 1500 Ram ecodiesel could handle it until I got more knowledgeable. Your video helped a lot. I plan 6000 mile trip for summer so I'm trading for a 2022 2500.
I have a 3/4 ton 2020 duramax I pull a texas pride trailer that's rated at a 20000 lbs and I pull alot of equipment with it it's a 6000lbs trailer with alot of accessories for my needs no half ton can pull what I pull . Plus I'm a class A driver so I also drive a peterbuilt with a 3406B caterpillar. So I know about towing weight. Half ton can't pull Hella weight and can't handle payload very much its good for a family truck nothing else
Thanks for adding your perspective! Stay safe out there in the roads!
I get that the Sway Pro from Blue Ox has served you well, but I get the impression you haven't tried other sway control options. You don't know what you're missing until you try something better. I thought the Sway Pro did pretty well until I tried the Weigh Safe Middleweight. Seriously night and day difference. You upgraded your truck, might as well upgrade to a better WDS and Sway control. Trust me.
I've tried a few (not all) of them. I've used a Curt, Huskie, and the equalizer hitch. Some are better than others but the blue ox is the best for me. I love the blue ox. It has served me very well. When I consider performance, ease of use, and ability to adjust to different vehicles and trailers, it's hard for me to go away from it. I've taken it across the country 3 times and it has done amazing. I've heard mostly positive feedback on hitches like the Hensley/Propride but for my application it seems to be overkill and unnecessary for my application. I do hear where you are coming from and I appreciate you adding value.
OK, just came back from my first 300 mile trip (150 each way) and YES, a RAM 2500 is dramatically better than a Ram 1500... It is night and day. You get power, stability and at least as good gas mileage as a 1500 with a 3.21 rear end. We did a run from Helena MT to Red Cliff Campground going into West Yellowstone MT. This was a good run to test things out as on the way there, you have a small pass to go over and quite a few steep runs heading toward Yellowstone with a climb of right at 2,000 feet going. I hit 8.7 mpg for the trailering part of the run. The road is a two lane windy road through the Gallatin Valley and I wouldn't want it to be my very first towing experience, but is not a really big deal with around 20 years towing experience and a 28 footer TT. Oh, the drive is beautiful and that campground is very special particularly if you fish trout or hike. Although it is national forest camping, about half the sites have electricity 30 amp. My set up would go into about 12-15 electric sites out of the 62 total. No dump but you can fill water tanks there so you can go in dry...
My truck has a 3K payload and 15K total capacity with the 3.73 rear end. My trailer is 7K loaded and right at 800 loaded tongue weight, maybe another 50 lbs depending upon what is in the front end.
The 1500 had an 8K total capacity and 1300 and change payload. It did...adequately...but as I previously noted, you NEVER forgot you had the trailer on the back and upon occasion for a moment, you wondered if the truck or the trailer were in charge. Having pulled the same load with a 2015 5.7 Hemi and a 3.92 rear end, the only real difference I noticed between the 1500's was that with the 3.92's, the gearing did much of the work. With the 3.21 rear end, the ZF transmission steps in and does a lot of the work but with little difference otherwise.
So, I am so so pleased I decided to get the 2500...and the Hemi for "my" particular needs. I was finally abel to relax behind the wheel. I am not saying Hemi over Diesel. It always depends upon what you tow, how much you tow, how you use the truck as a daily driver and other factors along with what you like...
This is awesome feedback. I'm glad you had a safe and enjoyable trip. Thank you for sharing and adding real value. I agree with everything you said
The other part of it that many people forget about is that even if a half ton truck is "enough", if it's having to "work hard" you WILL eventually have more breakdowns and maintenance than a bigger truck that is not struggling under the load.
I'm even considering a 3/4 ton for a 7000lb GVW travel trailer (for full time use).
Your vids have been very helpful to me and the wife. We’ve fallen in love with a camper that my 1/2 ton could tow, but the payload was going to be over. We are going to get a 3/4 ton diesel now. We live in a plateau by the NC / TN boarder. So anywhere we go is through the mountains! Ty so much for making these vids 👍👍.
I towed with a half ton for years pulling hay and completing general ranch work. Once I bought my 2500 w/ a Cummins, I now realize the change should have been made years ago. No comparison in ability to get work done.
In terms of doing real work like you mentioned, they are in two different worlds. Thanks for taking the time to comment
Awesome video! Full of knowledge. I have a question. Im looking to get a truck that will be my daily drive, however wife wants to get a rv one day we can pull around for trips. We a 6 member house hold. I assume i should just get a 2500 but whats your thoughts? I wont tow frequently at all
Dude, I ran across this video on a camping page and it gave me the “real world” info/perspective I needed to make my decision btwn a 1/2 and 3/4 ton….thank you so much for the info!!! And I see you have a ton of other videos covering some other questions I have!! Really appreciate it!!
I'm about to pull the trigger on this exact truck. I hear you say the "deal" you got. Please share where, how, etc this deal exists. I'm not seeing them anywhere.
I got 5 thousand of the listed price which brought it to right under $70k out the door. They said they were going to be pricing up all trucks the next week and I saw it happened with my own eyes. I was really just blessed to buy at the absolute best time before the shift really kicked in. I only buy my trucks from Kernersville Dodge in Kernersville NC so that may have played into it a little as well. They are consistently the number one or two dealership on the country battling with a dealership in Idaho. Heres a link with a more in depth explanation. Go to 2:14 mark specifically ruclips.net/video/H1Vw3QXhDR8/видео.html . I hope it works out for you! I don't think you'll regret it.
Great Video man, I love how you're showing all the different situations that people encounter while towing a travel trailer. I tow a 26ft Travel Trailer (w/ the A Frame and rear bumper its more like 30ft) with a Half ton, GMC with the 6.2L. The biggest thing I hate about towing is the Crosswinds over the Prairies, there's some serious white knuckling that happens during those times. (i have a Weight Distribution Hitch) I am hoping to upgrade to a 3/4 ton Diesel to make it more enjoyable / comfortable.
Thank you and thanks for watching. I definitely understand where you are coming from. The 3/4 ton will definitely improve your tow experience for sure. Stay safe out there on the road my friend
Yup, wind gust in the prairie are no joke. That's an aspect of the trailering that you'll find out about sooner or later. I've personally witness a semi's trailer wheels getting light on the upwind side while crossing Nebraska one November during 30 mph cross wind gusts. The weather report is your friend when crossing the prairies.
How did I just find your channel!? It’s like you made content specifically for me. Lol. Your videos have answered several questions that I have had in wanting to make the jump to a 3/4 ton truck. I appreciate how well you communicate the factors to consider and your laid back energy in your videos. Thank you!!!
70 mph with a 32' trailer??.... hmmm
Yup
I realize this is 3 yrs old, but I didn't hear about the extra weight of the 3/4 ton truck. Definitely part of the poor fuel economy.
Excellent video. I recently upgraded from an F150 5.0 towing our GD 2400bh to an F350 lariat diesel and the points you made in the video are right on point. We upgraded because of payload also as we were having to leave bikes and kayaks or other gear behind. Our tongue weight is between 750 and 850lbs depending on loading and water in the tanks. We also use a ProPride 3P hitch which is awesome and very easy to adjust on the fly and it eliminates the sway issues but we too felt the push going across western Kansas. Beyond that our diesel is a beast (450 hp with 930 ft lbs of torque) towing up steep grades and the exhaust brake is even better going down the other side-just set speed and never touch the brakes all the way down. We average 11 mpg towing from Missouri to western Colorado. Another plus is being able to use the truck lanes for refueling. We are glad we made the change to a one ton SRW truck. Keep the great content coming.
Congrats on the upgrade! You definitely have a strong and safe setup. I appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment!
How did you schedule your overnight stops? I assume you scheduled your main stops before leaving home but did you schedule your other ones while traveling and did you have any trouble finding spots?
We scheduled them before the trip with the exception of the last two nights because we weren't sure which route we wanted to take back from St. Louis. We tried to extend for a day in Utah but couldn't find any spots. We were able to extend some days in Colorado which caused us to adjust our stay in St.Louis longer as well. Outside of Utah we didn't have any issues finding spots. We did have the generator with us in case we had to boondock.
Half ton payloads just aren't enough for the longer campers. The smaller campers are fine but getting up 25+ ft the hitch weight with your payload is cutting it close or beyond it. I really don't wanna get rid of my tundra to get a 30+ ft travel trailer but I'll have to if we decide to do this
You’re a rockstar bro, I really appreciate your honest review. You are very real and a no BS kind of guy....my man.
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching and your support
Your knowledgeable when it comes to this. Maybe you can give some pointers🙏🏽. Picking up my 2022 grand design momentum 21g (6400lbs) soon, I currently have a 2021 gmc 3.0 duramax crew cab. Do you think is sufficient for that? Max tow of 9200. Payload of 1650. Any tips greatly appreciated 🙏🏽
Thanks for watching. Happy to help however I can. I looked up the 21g on the grand design site and the 6400lbs is only the UVW. The GVWR is 11,000 lbs. That is the most your RV can weigh when including luggage, supplies, equipment , and people. I like to do my calculations conservatively so I always mulitiply the gvwr by 15%. Some do 12% and some do 10%. I have found 15% will give you a solid cushion in case you do need to use more payload capacity during the trip (which isn't uncommon). At 15% multiplied by 11,000 gvwr puts you at a 1650 tongue weight. At 12%, it puts you at 1320 tongue weight. At 10% it puts you at 1,100 tongue weight. Subtract those tongue weights from your payload and thats what you would have left for any people or luggage, or anything else you would have in your truck while traveling. With all of that being said, I wouldn't want to load the payload of the truck to its max if I had the choice. I did that with my half ton but that was because I already had it. It worked fine but eventually, I ran out of payload due to life changes. I ended up moving to the 3/4 ton. The length of the trailer matches your trick perfectly which is a big help. It comes down to how much your trailer will weigh once you load it up with your luggage, dishes, necessities, and your toy. My gut tells me you will be over your payload number or getting close. You can pull it off as I never had issues with mine but I was always counting every pound. It kind of took the enjoyment out of it a little at times and added more stress. Bottom line, if you are within your numbers then you can do it. It just may not be as convenient. I hope that helps! Ask more questions if needed. I don't mind
Was wanting to get a 2500 but thanks to this video and how you broke it down to use ability as far as what I do on a everyday basis I’m happy with my 1500 mainly because of what you said about the 3.93 gearing which is what I have
I'm glad it helped. Thanks for watching! More on the way
The 3/4 ton truck can stop as good without trailer brakes as a 1/2 ton with trailer brakes .
@@charleswesley9907 dam great analysis
@@charleswesley9907 I can't disagree with this statement at all. Doesn't mean the 1500 won't work for his specific situation BUT you are speaking truth.
My Man good job 👊🏽 I'm really surprised that you didn't get the Cummins diesel?🤷🏾♂️ I understand your payload would drop but you would save at least 3-4 gallons in fuel. Thats just me, but great video Thankyou 👊🏽
I appreciate it! I hear you on the fuel savings for sure. The way I would use the truck, it would be 10 years before I made a return on the difference and that's assuming there were no major maintenance issues. People often say you get it back at the resale but that's not necessarily true with especially with the track record a lot of the newer diesels are showing. It's a rolling of the dice either way you go. The diesel engines pull like no one's business and are great engines.
At my house we have Ram 1500 Quadcab and 2500 Crewcab diesels. Both have Bilstein shocks and a better than factory set of tires. My daughter and son-in-law have a Ram 3500 Mega cab. We also have older gas Ford F-150 and gas Chevy 1500 Silverado pickups.
The Ram 3500 Megacab Diesel is the prefer trailer towing vehicle. But the Ram 1500 Quadcab Diesel will get 16mpg towing up to a 7k# trailer. While the Megacab will do 13mpg. But where the Cummins Diesel shines. Is the Variable Gate Turbo! That has the engine brake abilities no Hemi can match.
Last week I was in North Carolina visiting family around Waynesville. And the engine braking of the VGT was very comfortable to use. I live in a mountain area of California. And even without a trailer. The VGT is a pleasure to have.
That makes sense. The braking system is nice on the diesels for sure. I bet they are great to drive through the passes of Colorado especially. Thanks for sharing and adding value!
TFL did 10,000lbs on the titan xd on this same “Ike Gauntlet” and did great. Damn near as good as the diesel Titan.
Too many people don't actually do the numbers. I see mostly half tons every day that are pulling loads way over the gvwr and payload. Sure they can do it, and rarely does anything go wrong, but there is a big difference between just getting the job done and doing it easily and comfortable. I see too many people say "you have a 3/4 ton when you could be doing that with a half ton". If people want to push the limits and not do the math that is their business, but for me a HD truck is the right tool for the job for the weight and loads that I tow. Just pay close attention to the tongue weight and make sure you don't overload the 3/4 ton. If you are towing all the time the diesel is an option to make it all effortless, but you will give up payload. For me the diesel fit the bill in the 3/4 ton coming from the half ton gasser.
Great Perspective my friend. Thanks for watching!
What you say does make a lot of sense, but one thing that you're not really touching on is the weight payload. The only difference between a 3/4 and a 1 ton truck. that's no different than GM Ford or Dodge is really spring rating.. The other thing they have not mentioned yet even though a half ton truck can haul that weight just as easy as a 3/4 ton within the legal limits no matter what three brands name trucks you use a half ton, 3/4 ton truck have different frames which the heavier trucks are stiffer, heavier axles, are using a floating axle system compared to a non-floating axle system which each wheel on a floating system has two sets of wheel bearings compared to one roller bearing per side . You have a bigger driveline system which is bigger drive shaft universal joints a heavier transmission can hauled away as well. Bigger brakes which basically the rotors are thicker than bigger calipers as well. stiffer springs which I already covered. As well as e rated tires compared to a passenger tire which your majority of half tons have. so a 3/4 ,1 ton no matter what will handle weight way better than a half ton truck hauling any amount of weight within its legal limit. really in a sense of trucks there's really no comparison between a half ton and a 3/4 ton they're really are apples and oranges as far as I look at it. But you also had another video while you went to gas compared to diesel and you're right It really depends on what you're going to use it for and how you're going to use it.
I 100% agree with you. Thanks for adding value.
Thank you for doing this review and being realistic about the differences between the trucks.
You're welcome. Thank you for watching and for your comment
Ok Bro, Time to give us content on on locations you traveled to, maybe the camera lady might want to show us the camp sites and attractions.
Another great video sir! Just checking in to see if you have checked out the “better weigh” system yet? It plugs into your OBD port and tells you your trucks payload, trailer weight, weight distribution, tongue weight and even helps you set the correct trailer brake gain according to the weight you have on. I have found it invaluable as a 1/2 ton owner towing a 2400BH with a family of 6. Next time your in NM drop me a line. The misses and I would be happy to have you and the fam over for some good New Mexican food
I'm not sure how I completely missed this message but thank you for watching! I haven't tried that system yet. I am going to have to check it out. Next time we come through/to NM I will definitely reach out!
I towed with a 1/2 ton, but here in the PNW with all the mountain passes is where the 1/2 ton is very weak. I could tow good on level plain, but going up mountain passes could only go 40mph max with me flooring it and RPM’s screaming. Breaking when I needed to on a moments notice sucked! Had to give lots and lots of room for breaking safely. It worked for us for 3 yrs but since I bought a 1-ton diesel, I sometimes don’t know it’s back behind me and can fly up a mountain pass and not ever have to worry about any weight issue. Loved the 1/2 ton, but was always right at my vehicle capacity weight if not over. My 1/2 ton was rated at 9600lbs and the TT was 7000lbs loaded. I felt that weight was a little much sometimes, especially all loaded down.
I hear you and see your point. Going from a 1/2 ton to a 1 ton must have you riding like a king now! I can only imagine the difference in the towing experience. I did experience the limited speed in the rockies like you mentioned. Thanks for quality input!
What's crazy is a loaded f150 with 1750 payload vs a fully loaded f250 1920 payload. What is crazy is how close they are. Be careful when ordering 3/4 ton trucks you might barely increase your payload capability.
100% agree!!!! I made a video talking about that. You are spot on.
@@liveyourfree was considering trading my f150 for a loaded f250 diesel but when I saw the 1920 payload I almost threw up lol. And I can not bring myself to buy a gas hd truck would be such a huge loss compared to the ecoboost. I'm now considering a f350 srw diesel. I'm barely inside my payload with my camper and as we grow ill easily exceed it as well as the equipped f250 diesel.
@metal stacking my recommendation is a 1 ton diesel or 3/4 ton gas. That's the only route I would go
@@liveyourfree found a f250 diesel no moonroof at 2350 payload I need to dig a lot further before ordering one. I cant or won't go from ecoboost to gas hd. It has to be the turbo diesel.
@metal stacking I gotcha. Best wishes for success in your search my friend
Good comparison between 1/2 ton & 3/4 ton, what size gas tank do you have? I have a F250 gasser with 4:30 gears, I'm thinking I'll have to gas up at least once while traveling with the poor gas mileage.
Thank you. I think the f250 gasser setup is the best setup for performance of all the 3/4 ton gas trucks. You definitely will have to get gas though lol. Thanks for watching!
I am going from a 1/2 ton pickup to a Ram 2500 and will do my first camping trip with it for spring break. I don’t get my truck until another week. I have rather newbie question that may seem dumb but need to know. How much did you have to adjust your WDH to match your taller 2500 compared to your 1500?
Not a dumb question at all. The 2500 sits quite a bit higher than my 1500 did so I ended up adjusting my hitch so the ball is it's highest point with both screws able to be in the two holes properly. I have a blue ox sway pro which has a bar/chain combination. I just use a couple of links less than I did with my 1500. Long story short, it wasn't a major adjustment process. I highly suggest you take your truck to the cat scale to weigh it by itself, then weigh it with the the trailer hooked up to it, and then weigh it when you have the trailer fully loaded for how it will be when you go camping. This will give you an accurate rating so you know how much is being transferred to your two axles. The manual will suggest you measure the space between your tire and truck loaded and unloaded. This is a good thing to do when it comes to setting up your hitch so it is level. I know I just typed a ton but I promise you it's not a long or hard process.
What tire pressure are you running? Same in the 1500?
Sounds like the truck is shifting a lot, do you lock out any gears when towing? When I tow with my gaser I always feel like it’s easier (less wear and tear) on the truck to have a bit more RPM rather then constantly shifting through the top gears.
I have found that it does shift more than other trucks. Even my 1500 shifted less than my 2500. Maybe has something to do with the weight difference? I typically do lock out gears but it holds the speed going downhill better in tow haul mode without the gears locked out. I know...sounds backwards
What’s the payload number showing on the sticker of your limited trim 2500?
2501 lbs
Nice setup and good information. We have a 2800BH that I currently tow with my Durango SRT (tow capability of a 1/2 ton). I just ordered a new 3500 with the 6.4, should be here in a couple months.
Nice! You're going to love it and you have capacity to grow into something bigger if you choose. Congrats my friend
Love your content! I’m currently in a Ram Rebel 1500 5.7L 3.92 axle with a 32 gallon tank and I love it! I’m in the market for a 2500 6.4 hemi with 4.10 axle to pull my 32ft Passport TT. I know exactly what you’re talking about when you spoke about the towing fatigue in the 1500. For 2 -3 hour trips, no problem. It’s the 5 hour plus tows that have me upgrading. Been glamping for 6 years now and looking to start glamping outside of California.
Thank you my friend. I apologize for the late response. That fatigue is a real thing right? I hope your search is going well. Happy camping and stay safe!
It is stressful traveling with the whole family in a smaller truck. Over kill is great!
I own both trucks diesel ford F350 dually and a gas dodge 1500 mega can 5.7 hemi, I've towed smaller travel trailer with my 5.7 and now own a 31' 5th wheel at 10,038 dry weight and up to 14,000 fully loaded which will never happen, and I tow that with my F350, I have recently made the choice to go back to gas towing over diesel cost and maintenance and purchased a 2017 2500 heavy-duty 6.4 hemi with 4.10 gears only 35,000 miles on her.. I check off all the numbers relentlessly to make sure if she was capable 💯 5th wheel weighed in at 11,200 loaded 1st test coming soon with the new to me truck cant wait after owning a hemi for many years im sure she is capable.
Congrats!!! Safe travels and happy camping!
I’m a little surprised by the mpg but I guess driving 65-70 accounts for some of it. I’m trying to squeeze in a cross country trip also. How many days was your whole trip?
Yea I was too. I truly didn't see that variable coming. It does drop significantly once you pass 65mph. The total trip was 16 days. Really should have made it a solid 3 weeks.
Great video! My towing situation is exactly like yours. This is the first time I've gotten a good explanation of the differences between a 1/2 vs 3/4 ton towing experience. Thanks for your prospective.
Thank you!
Our Imagine XLS 22RBE is much lighter than your Imagine 2800BH, and we are currently towing it in the flatlands where we live with my 2020 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 5.7 HEMI. The Trailhawk does well here and with small hills, but we are going to be getting a RAM 2500 because we want to go farther and possibly to the Smokies (our favorite area). The Trailhawk also has an extremely sad payload due to the 4x4, so we can't carry anything in our vehicle when towing the 22RBE besides ourselves. Hubby does not want a diesel (he is adamant about that), so anything too mountainous will be a no-go. Can't get the 4.10 ratio without the diesel, so will be stuck with the 3.73, which is way better than what my Trailhawk has. Also can't get the auto-leveling suspension like my Trailhawk has without getting the diesel (silly, if you ask me). He does not want a 4x4, which is all the dealers near us have. Currently getting the build configuration exactly as he wants before we choose a dealer to order it from (not one single dealer within 500 miles has anything my husband wants nor the color he wants, so ordering is what we will have to do).
You should be able to order a 2500 gas with the air suspension and the 4.10 gear ratio. A lot of those are on the road now. I have the gas model with the 3.73 ratio but I was personally ok with that. It made it through the rockies at the high elevation as well so it can do it. It won't do it as well as a diesel naturally but you can definitely get it done safely without killing your truck. If the dealer is telling you that you can't get the 2500 configured in the way you are saying I would recommend another dealer for sure. Mine is a 2021 so I know it can be done. The only exception i would say may be if they stopped that with the 2022 model years due to supply chain issues. Please keep me posted. I love the smokies as well!
@@liveyourfree We were building it on the Ram website, which kept wanting to change it to a diesel whenever we would try to choose the 4.10 ratio. Maybe a dealer can do a custom order that you can't do on the website. We haven't been to a dealer yet, but we are Mopar people and deal with two of the four dealerships near us (the other two gave me a bad vibe every time I went there). We also would not be against a Sierra HD 3500 SRW (configured one online with more features for less than the Ram, but it also only comes in the 3.73 ratio...GMC doesn't have 4.10 in a gasser that I can see). Of course, I may have more time at the end of next week to really delve into my husband and I configuring the perfect truck for us. Our camper will be in the shop for a while starting Saturday (person in a class A behind us in storage thought it was in park when it was in reverse and revved the engine, going through the metal wall and slamming into the back of our 22RBE...moving it 2 feet forward and to the left by about a foot). It is also due for the yearly and will have the propane regulator recall taken care of. I do hope we can at least get it back to enjoy some cold weather camping down here in southeast Louisiana (I don't mean freezing, just cold...hoping we don't have another deep freeze like in February).
im running a 1500 rebel, which says 11,000 towing... wuth a * , if equiped.... how do i tell if im equipped? whats the best gear ratio for towing 9000 grand design 312 BH ?
I have a 312bh now. I would not in any circumstance recommend towing that with a 1500. The best towing gear in the half ton ram is 3.92 gearing.
Plus with the Cummins has the best engine break that saves your brakes going down hills with heavy weight.
The exhaust brakes on the diesels are great. I agree 100% with you. When I went through Colorado the other bug mountain states, the gas engine brake worked well honestly. Not as good as an exhaust brake but it didn't leave me feeling like I was needing more ability to maintain speed.
Really depends on what you intend to take with you. If the truck is rated for 2000lbs payload and 14k tow. Then youre definitely fine getting around 10k towing. Most people are not going to tow something that large for that long. If you plan to regularly tow more then 500 miles. Sure, step up to a bigwr truck. Personally, id skip the 250/2500 trucks. The price is so close for a 3500/350 that you might as well drop one feature or 2 for the bigger load rating. But there is the minor complication of DOT regulation when passing 26000 lbs GCW.
My Sequoia is at the limit for my 23' TT so I just bought a Ford F350. So, I skipped the 3/4 and skipped to a one ton. The jump was because I will need more hauling for duties at my ranch. Ridge Valley Ranch will need water hauled and all kinds of off-grid duties.
I've towed with both a 1/2 ton and a 3/4 ton Ram and in the wind on I 40 the wind will make a 1/2 ton Scary it will give you WHITE knuckles>> LOL. Just traded my 2020 Ram Cummins because of Diesel Emission problems all the time, I got a 2022 2500 Ram with the 6.4 LOVE it so far. Good Video Thanks for being Honest.
I really appreciate this video! I’m buying a truck tomorrow to do a 36 footer and you just help me submit my decision. Keep it up and safe travels!
Thank you! Happy camping! Let me know how you like it!
Exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Many thanks.
Many thanks also to your production engineer in the seat behind you.
I am very glad it brought some amount of value. 😂 definitely a unique production engineer back there. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Great content - thank you! Were those Utah inclines on I-15? Taking that trip in a couple months with a 28’ (total, 24’ box) travel trailer (6500 loaded) and Ram 1500 set up similarly to your old one. Glad to get some feedback on how it should handle.
And thank you for the tips on 1/2 ton towing …mainly, go slow and be more aware of your surroundings (anticipate trucks passing, etc)
Thank you. I can't remember the route number off hand. I believe it was though. Not far from the Moab area. You will enjoy it. Please let me know how it goes!
I have a ram 3500 hd 2022 tradesman with maybe 2k worth of weight due to ladder rack tool box . Tools , service tank etc. im planning on taking my pops trailer a bumper pull 12ft tall 29ft long about 6500 lbs dry im real anxious and nervous for some reason i guess the size intimidating me. Ive towed a flat 2 axle trailer with 9k of weight and ive always been a type to drive with space infront of me from cars infront. Just a habbit since im use to driving trucks. Any advice? Im traveling 300 miles roughly 6:30 hours most flat drive some areas will be windy, last hour of the drive will be in mountain pass hair pin turn and 7% grade
Great video! Thanks for putting this out there
Thank you and thanks for watching!
This is probably one of the best and honest videos highlighting 3/4 ton gas towing that’s out there. 100% agree on everything you said.
Man you ran the Ike. That was great.
The last portion you talked about being aware of a trailer but being relaxed with it was spot on. I thought I took a decent trip out west towing but you blew that up. But I took it when gas was just under $2 a gallon. I did have to do an emergency lane change due to a semi coming over on me when he was partially beside me. Truck handled it well.
About that windshield....Mine cracked and I called Safelife. They wanted a mandatory $300 camera recalibration with a new windshield all in being around $1k. I called a well known local shop, gave her the VIN and waited for her answer. Tad over $400. I asked about the camera and she said ‘You called Safelife didn’t you?’ It’s not necessary.
Awesome video. I look forward to watching your channel grow. Safe travels.
Thanks! Man I wish gas could have been under $2 when we were out there. That would have been nice. It's crazy how much windshield replacements are now. I appreciate you watching!
I almost made this mistake, when keeping my old 2nd gen Cummins, I thought all I needed was a half ton to pull my 25 foot travel trailer, while looking found most half ton Rams have high gears in the diffs ended up with a nice used Ram 2500 5.7 Hemi with 3:73 gears, we don’t ever tow more than four/ five hours one way, and not often, I’m so glad I was paying attention when looking, I was having a cheap out moment looking at half tons
Rams are the best in my book on towing ... A fifth wheel is much easier to tow and back in . I've had the 1500's 2500's and 3500' in Ford, Chevrolet and Ram .. I'm 61 now and have a 2020 1500 Ram with the hemi 5.7 with 321 axles off road package 📦 and I tow my 25 foot travel trailer that's 4200 lbs and my fifth wheel that's 6900 lbs and the fifth wheel is much better to handle . I use the pro pride on the trailer and the Anderson on the fifth wheel .
I have been doing this fo 30 years 8 travel trailers, 1 5th wheel, 1 Slide In, 2 class c and 1 class A. We are back to a 30’ travel trailer and you are spot on! Most folks don’t have your foresight though, so that’s why I believe you should put a little margin in the numbers.
I like how 1/2 owners try and justify pulling a 32 TT, then buy a properly equipped rig and it's night and day...
👍🏽I appreciate you watching!
@@liveyourfree It's a great video. A person's ego often looks past Payload Capacity even though it's just as important. I have the same TT Pulling it with a F-250 6.2 and would never even think about pulling it wth a F-150, NOT A CHANCE
I gotta say that here in California the only time I've heard of people getting pulled over for weight was if they had a massive trailer that looks way to big for the tow vehicle. Weekend Warrior used to make a 45 footer that the only truck legally rated for it's weight was a the top end ford f-350 dually deisel at the time. Highway patrol was aware of that fact and you would be pulled over real quick if they saw a Dodge or Chevy pulling it and they would tow your vehicle.
Born and raised in CO and travel Eisenhower pass ("Ike Gauntlet") and Vail pass all the time. You definitely need a vehicle with balls. I go over Independence and Monarch passes too, just brutal. I also have a boat along with my 38ft camper and people forget you lose a ton of power living at this altitude. When people say they get 20+ mpg's, no here they don't! This is the only time I love having my diesel towing up hill and my exhaust brake going down is priceless. ZERO brake applications v. 10+ with gassers. But other than that, I could do a 6.4L Hemi Head. Would I get a 1/2 ton living in CO - HELL NO. Like you say, I don't tow all of the time and I don't do it for money but a 3/4 ton is defiantly safer. I swear by BFG's. Great video, great content. I also love TCL. They have a 1M subscribers for a reason. If you want wind, go to Wyoming...lol. Keep the video's coming!!
Oh, thanks for the video showing the Ram 2500 6.4 pulling those major inclines, being a tractor-trailer driver myself i was impressed watching you fly by the big trucks, I have the Bighorn version of your truck and watching you gave me more confidence in my truck's abilities.
Thank you my friend and thanks for watching. Sorry for the delayed response as I am literally just seeing it. It really is an awesome truck. RAM did a great job with it. Go and enjoy it. It's more than capable. Let me know how it goes!
Colorado driving eats windshields all the time. Good thing there's lots of glass places there and easy to get fixed or replaced. Ike ain't no joke!
Truth!!!!
Night and day difference towing between 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks.
@@gkcracing1102 100% agree
i love my 1500 Dodge rebel hemi 5.7. i dont know what gears i have. i want to know what is the best upgrade I can do to help handling of a 33 grand design trailer ? leaf springs , air bags, which ?
I too came from a 1/2 ton to the Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi. At first I was disappointed with the mpg until I realized I started driving faster because the platform is more stable. Wind drag and elevation kills your mpg and perceived power. The more you drive it where you have gone in the past with the 1/2 ton, the more you will like it (at least that is what happened with me). Stay safe and enjoy the family.
Thank you for this. It is definitely helpful. I must admit, even with it being a truck I thought it would have at least gotten a little better gas mileage. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I am going to use your tips for sure. Happy camping and safe travels!
Excellent video! Thanks for taking the time to put this together. I presently have a 2023 1500 eTorque Limited and just bought a 7500 lb travel trailer and considering changing the truck to a 2024 2500 6.4 truck. From what I'm learning, the need to switch trucks is not necessary. 2025 is supposedly going to see a big change in the engines for the 2500 series. I'll wait to see what's in store.
You're very knowledgeable and thanks for sharing your experience and skills.
A beautiful truck! I sometimes think I should have gotten a Hemi! My Cummins is actually overkill for my trailer.
Thank you! I bet your Cummins tows it effortlessly. They are really great engines. What size trailer are you pulling?
@@liveyourfree I'm pulling only 29' trailer (Imagine 2400BH). It gives me a piece of mind. I'd like to upgrade my trailer to 2800BH one day when my kids grow up.
@@LeeFamTV the 2400bh is a nice trailer! You have a good setup.
same way with GM my buddies 2014 half ton 5.3 pulls better than my 2015 2500hd with a 6.0
Very cool, cool seeing you on IKE! Great video, thank you for all the input especially the different terrains and wind conditions!! Head wind and strong side wind is brutal on fuel mpg.
Thank you for watching and your comment. The Ike was definitely a good experience to test the truck out on. Though it had to work, it got the job done.
I have a 2001dodge diesel 4x4 that is like new, love it upgrade just about everything lol hills not a problem we are retired and no rush i haven't touched the floor yet with the peddle yet .