Well, if I had waited three years, I wouldn't have needed to upgrade to a Hemi 2500. Just for the heck of it, I built a Big Horn with everything I wanted including the tow package, air bags, ram boxes, utility package, bucket seats 3.92 rear end lockers and LSD and big gas tank.
I pull an 8500 travel trailer with about an 800/850 fully loaded. I had both a 15 1500 Outdoorsman and a 21 Built to Serve. They both would pull the travel trailer and you were fine 95% of the time but you had to always keep your level of awareness high because of that 5%. AND, you were always watching payload with both of those in the 1300 lb range. I put airbags on the 2015, it helped. Didn't keep the 21 long enough with its 1200 payload.
When I got the 22 2500 Hemi, that all went away. I have 3,000 lbs of payload (no diesel) and 15K max towing. AND I can put whatever I want in the bed. Now the truck is always in charge and driving long distances is easy peasy, no fuss no worries well except for gas prices... But I'm relaxed and always know I have what I need under the hood...at 62,600 MSRP.
So, Now I am seeing the Hurricane SO and the max tow of 11,550 and the payload of 1800 lbs max AND I can get the airbags, LSD comes with auto 4WD and the big gas tank. So I built a Big Horn that came out to 61K 'MSRP" very nicely appointed to tow AND comfortable bucket seats even the generator and Ram Boxes (loved em on the 21). Another 2K and I could get a sunroof.
This set up now has the capability to tow my travel trailer with payload to spare and max tow weight and with the airbags I KNOW those things help a lot.
Almost wish I'd waited. I miss fourth gen 1500 cab sizes compared to the old, long in the tooth 2500 Cab. So do the dogs. And with the incentives right now evern with bad interest rates I would have saved money and had more stuff... The recent Tough Lane Trucks challenge with a hard core tow straight up on dirt roads at max weight (Cat skid steer/heavy trailer) above 90 degrees convinced me. The truck blew a light AFTER it did the pull... looks like the oil weight was the likely problem. ALL the other truck brands in the category failed some rather spectacularly. They've been doing this run beyond the Ike run for about a year or so.
I almost wished I'd waited, but I couldn't safely tow in the old 1500 with the Hemi non-aspirated (I live and travel above 5K almost always) and feel comfortable. I hate that few second adrenalin rush at least one or twice a trip when the trailer decides it wants to be in charge. We do around 10K a year on trips towing.
Anyone else have insights to confirm or squelch my hypothesis? Anyone doing something similar made the decision on a 1500 over a 2500 because of improve specs? LIked it? Didn't?
I pull an 8500 travel trailer with about an 800/850 fully loaded. I had both a 15 1500 Outdoorsman and a 21 Built to Serve. They both would pull the travel trailer and you were fine 95% of the time but you had to always keep your level of awareness high because of that 5%. AND, you were always watching payload with both of those in the 1300 lb range. I put airbags on the 2015, it helped. Didn't keep the 21 long enough with its 1200 payload.
When I got the 22 2500 Hemi, that all went away. I have 3,000 lbs of payload (no diesel) and 15K max towing. AND I can put whatever I want in the bed. Now the truck is always in charge and driving long distances is easy peasy, no fuss no worries well except for gas prices... But I'm relaxed and always know I have what I need under the hood...at 62,600 MSRP.
So, Now I am seeing the Hurricane SO and the max tow of 11,550 and the payload of 1800 lbs max AND I can get the airbags, LSD comes with auto 4WD and the big gas tank. So I built a Big Horn that came out to 61K 'MSRP" very nicely appointed to tow AND comfortable bucket seats even the generator and Ram Boxes (loved em on the 21). Another 2K and I could get a sunroof.
This set up now has the capability to tow my travel trailer with payload to spare and max tow weight and with the airbags I KNOW those things help a lot.
Almost wish I'd waited. I miss fourth gen 1500 cab sizes compared to the old, long in the tooth 2500 Cab. So do the dogs. And with the incentives right now evern with bad interest rates I would have saved money and had more stuff... The recent Tough Lane Trucks challenge with a hard core tow straight up on dirt roads at max weight (Cat skid steer/heavy trailer) above 90 degrees convinced me. The truck blew a light AFTER it did the pull... looks like the oil weight was the likely problem. ALL the other truck brands in the category failed some rather spectacularly. They've been doing this run beyond the Ike run for about a year or so.
I almost wished I'd waited, but I couldn't safely tow in the old 1500 with the Hemi non-aspirated (I live and travel above 5K almost always) and feel comfortable. I hate that few second adrenalin rush at least one or twice a trip when the trailer decides it wants to be in charge. We do around 10K a year on trips towing.
Anyone else have insights to confirm or squelch my hypothesis? Anyone doing something similar made the decision on a 1500 over a 2500 because of improve specs? LIked it? Didn't?
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