4th Gen (or any Gen) 2500/3500 owners who have/planning to buy 5th Gen 1500

[devildodge]

I have seen a few already, and know there are more to come.

Just interested to know why you plan too and if you have if you are glad you did.

This being said, I also know plenty of people didn't need the 25OO to begin with, but some do need them and use them. Everyone has their reason and I am curious about the switch to 1500 from HD.

I have seen the ride quality, the fact the 5th Gen is more capable and gets them were they need to be.

Just some more info I am gathering to add to my one thread.

Thank you.

 

[Ranchram]

I will use the 1500 to haul our three horse trailer. Fully loaded with tack and horses it will be right around 8,000 pounds. I currently have a ram 2500 limited with the 6.4 hemi which hauls it great. It was a hard sell to convince my wife that the 1500 will be enough but with the 3.92 rear end I think it will be more than adequate. I am really looking forward to a smother ride as I drive my current truck about one third of the time (when the weather is bad or I need more seats). I love my current ram and am really looking forward to the new one.

 

[devildodge]

It was easy convincing mine we needed a 2500. But i can't seem to get her to even entertain a 1500 now. I am hoping the new Rebel helps as we almost got a 2018, but it sold before we agreed and that was how we left it.

@Ranchram can't wait to heAR how your horses like being hauled by the new Ram.

 

[warmachine]

I traded in my 15 3500 that was lifted, tuned, deletes, headstuds etc because I wanted to drive a more practical truck for daily driving. The interior on my new Limited makes the Laramie 4th gen I had look and feel like an old beater

 

[Dremin2flyhi]

I had a 2013 Laramie 2500 Diesel --that I used for pulling a small 5th wheel camper --but I sold it .. So the wife said I could trade it and get a new truck but it had to be the New Ram .. Almost got an F150 - but I did not like the older tech and the Plasticky --(her word) --Interior ..

 

[TimG]

I'm dropping down to a 1500 since I no longer have a 3.5 ton boat to move around. Just cant justify having/maintaining the diesel anymore.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

The 2500 was great for towing but I don't tow regularly enough to justify the added maintenance costs. Plus, I hated smelling like a diesel grease monkey every time I filled up.

 

[Edwards]

We're downgrading from a diesel Excursion that was used to tow a very heavy travel trailer. We no longer own it and the maintenance on the beast is beyond what we need. That thing eats tires, brakes, and every other suspension bushing. Looking forward to the light duty world but it will still tow any future trailer we're looking at now that the kids are gone.

Also not missing the HD "smooth ride." Just got back from a driving trip to CO and it was like riding there and back in a deuce and half.

 

[rvsixer]

IMO the choice of 1500 vs "HD" is quite simply how much payload you need to carry (payload/axle weights are the limiting towing factor on these lighter duty trucks, not how much the truck can pull aka "tow rating" let's pull a space shuttle marketing BS). Go as light as you can while still satisfying the intended load mission.

For me, ~7000 lb trailers needing 10-15% tongue weight really push the limit for a well equipped 1500 with only two people on board:
~1400-1500lb payload less (two people and gear ~500lbs, tongue weight ~700-1000 lbs, also need upgraded hitch and WD system ~80-100lbs)

In the above case with a 2500, you can easily tow the same trailer with margins to spare, WD hitch not absolutely required as most come with 1000lb dead weight hitches already. I know when I towed just such a trailer, the 1/2 ton was a handful to drive and a lot of extra work with the WD hitch, when I went 2500 easy peasy no more white knuckles either (but the empty ride sucks in comparison, now that I have downsized the RV I want to move into a 1500 again).

 

[devildodge]

Thanks for the reply. Seems like what I figured would be some answers. Interesting to hear the opinions and will be interested to look back on this thread when the new HD hits the auto show in January.

Thanks again.

 

[immersivenc]

We are making a long trip from central NC to western TN this coming weekend to pick up an ordered travel trailer. We’ll be taking my dad’s ‘18 2500 Cummins to pick it up. Never done that long of a trip in it but I’m sure we’ll be glad we took it on the way back through the Appalachian mountains. I’ll get it hooked up to my truck after we get back and give you a towing test/comparison. Trailer weighs about 7,000 Lbs.

 

[devildodge]

That sounds awesome @immersivenc. Can't wait to hear your report.

7000 lbs will be a good size to hear a report on.

Have a safe trip when you head out

 

[Ksilva211]

I traded my 12 2500 Cummins crew Laramie 4x4 shortbed which was deleted and tuned for this limited crew. I was very skeptical at first to be quite honest but I’m not doing anywhere near as much towing as I was. If you are doing a lot of towing with a lot of tongue heavy trailers then no question you need to be in the heavy duty segment. That being said, these trucks are very capable and stable trucks when set up properly. I got mine with the 3.92 and obviously the air ride. Just took a 3.5 hour trip each way into New Hampshire so there were some decent grades and I must say it felt very confident. I have the weight distribution hitch with a 36’ long travel trailer that weighs around 7k dry. Loaded up I’m guessing it was somewhere around 9k. I always felt comfortable and in control. I pulled the same camper with the Cummins obviously and this truck feels almost as stable. The difference lies in the motor. With the Cummins on our trip through New York in the Berkshire’s it would never downshift or anything just boost up and fly up any grade without you ever noticing with cruise control on. Don’t get me wrong the new truck isn’t struggling to get up hills there is just more shifting and working going on that’s all. I definitely miss the exhaust brake of the diesel. Overall I’m still very pleased with the new purchase. No regrets

 

[BostonBlueRam]

We are making a long trip from central NC to western TN this coming weekend to pick up an ordered travel trailer. We’ll be taking my dad’s ‘18 2500 Cummins to pick it up. Never done that long of a trip in it but I’m sure we’ll be glad we took it on the way back through the Appalachian mountains. I’ll get it hooked up to my truck after we get back and give you a towing test/comparison. Trailer weighs about 7,000 Lbs.

I very much am interested in hearing your experience comparing the two trucks towing the travel trailer as well. I am having the same dilemna

 

[BostonBlueRam]

I traded my 12 2500 Cummins crew Laramie 4x4 shortbed which was deleted and tuned for this limited crew. I was very skeptical at first to be quite honest but I’m not doing anywhere near as much towing as I was. If you are doing a lot of towing with a lot of tongue heavy trailers then no question you need to be in the heavy duty segment. That being said, these trucks are very capable and stable trucks when set up properly. I got mine with the 3.92 and obviously the air ride. Just took a 3.5 hour trip each way into New Hampshire so there were some decent grades and I must say it felt very confident. I have the weight distribution hitch with a 36’ long travel trailer that weighs around 7k dry. Loaded up I’m guessing it was somewhere around 9k. I always felt comfortable and in control. I pulled the same camper with the Cummins obviously and this truck feels almost as stable. The difference lies in the motor. With the Cummins on our trip through New York in the Berkshire’s it would never downshift or anything just boost up and fly up any grade without you ever noticing with cruise control on. Don’t get me wrong the new truck isn’t struggling to get up hills there is just more shifting and working going on that’s all. I definitely miss the exhaust brake of the diesel. Overall I’m still very pleased with the new purchase. No regrets View attachment 1505

Thanks for sharing your experience. I noticed you are using the regular mirrors. Did you need to buy a add-on tow mirror , or did you find the regular mirrors adequate?

 

[19llhpb]

I traded in my 15 3500 that was lifted, tuned, deletes, headstuds etc because I wanted to drive a more practical truck for daily driving. The interior on my new Limited makes the Laramie 4th gen I had look and feel like an old beater

I also had a very nice ‘hopped up’ diesel. It was a 2010 3500 Laramie and was a very fun truck but not practical. I babied it bad and only drove to tow occasionally and as a fair weather cruiser. It rarely saw rain let alone snow. I drove an older car as a daily driver to save on the diesel truck. I traded both the diesel truck and my daily driver car for this new 1500. It will be my daily driver and tow truck. My towing needs can be met by the new ‘19 1500. Eliminating two vehicles for one, giving me only three total now instead of four!

 

[immersivenc]

I very much am interested in hearing your experience comparing the two trucks towing the travel trailer as well. I am having the same dilemna

The day I went in to order my truck, I almost left with a 2500. They had one brand new on the lot exactly how I would’ve wanted it. Ultimately, i decided that the capability of this truck coupled with the excellent ride and the tech was more practical for me. And at 8-10k less than the 2500 I was looking at, I don’t do enough HD towing to justify it. Plus I had concerns about the long term maintinence on the diesel. All the emissions stuff is a real bummer.

 

[Ksilva211]

I just used the regular mirrors to tow I didn’t get any extensions. They are borderline adequate and if I was doing regular towing of a Trailer this width I would really want the tow mirrors from my old truck. But I will get by with these for the amount of times a year I tow this camper as I opted for them instead because of the 360 camera dilemma. The rest of my towing is either small trailers or a dump trailer which I can see around fine with these mirrors

 

[jamesfg]

Just traded our 17 2500 Cummings for the Rebel. Why did I get rid of it?

2 dead batteries, leaking transmission pan gasket, seized power steering pump, finicky UConnect all before 16k miles. Add to that 3 gallon oil changes, $250 of fuel filters every 15k and the icing on the cake was the 5th gear blew out in the 68RFE trans. I also forgot the 3 open recalls.

Adios, let that truck be someone elses problem now.