Browning42
Member
Looking at either a 2500 or a 3500 for pulling my current TT @ 8000lbs, but upgrading to a 5er @ not more than 15000lbs. Thoughts? Both trucks r Ram's with the 6.7 Cummings I6 6 speed auto.
2500vs 3500
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John From Detroit
Well-known member
You remember the burger commercials..Slightly re-worded.
The bigger the Tow vehicle the better the tow vehicle
the bigger truck will give a much better ride.
PLUS.. There's Murphy's Law (Stuff Happens.. usualy at the worst possible time)
The bigger the truck the more control you will have over the consist (Truck/Trailer)
The better able to climb hills, power out of danger and control a panic stop.
I see folks pulling 3500 loads with 1500 trucks and... I worry. Oh you can do it all right.. on a cleared test track.. And not for long or very fast.. but you can do it.. Truck commercials do it all the time.. and the ad companies who dream that up deserve to be shot.
The bigger the Tow vehicle the better the tow vehicle
the bigger truck will give a much better ride.
PLUS.. There's Murphy's Law (Stuff Happens.. usualy at the worst possible time)
The bigger the truck the more control you will have over the consist (Truck/Trailer)
The better able to climb hills, power out of danger and control a panic stop.
I see folks pulling 3500 loads with 1500 trucks and... I worry. Oh you can do it all right.. on a cleared test track.. And not for long or very fast.. but you can do it.. Truck commercials do it all the time.. and the ad companies who dream that up deserve to be shot.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
The pulling power is essentially identical, and a 3500 SRW is little different than a 2500 (check the spec details, though). But for a 15,000 lb 5W, you need to be concerned about the weight on the hitch, which falls almost 100% on the truck rear axle and tires. A 5W puts 20-25% of its total weight there, so odds are strong that the truck rear axle needs to carry upwards of 3000 lbs in addition to whatever other weight is onboard, including a 100-150 lb 5W hitch. It is likley you will need a 3500 dually to meet that requirement.
OP
OP
Browning42
Member
Thanks for all the replies and info, lots to think about. Happy trails to all!
Gizmo
Well-known member
I agree with what has been said. We have just bought a 3500 dually in anticipation of getting a fifth wheel, but have not towed one, so take my comments with a grain of salt. What I have found in researching and looking at various fifth wheels is the extra payload capacity of the 3500 with the dually makes looking at different models and sizes a lot easier as it opens up more possibility and the stability is not to be over looked.
