Need help choosing the best truck. Please help!

[RedB]

New to RVing. Already purchased my trailer, its a 2025 sandpiper 40 duplex. Struggling to find the right truck in my budget.
I was looking at 2 options a 2011 Ford F-450 King Ranch. Its got 4WD 6.7l v8. (Just over 100k miles)
Or a 2007 ram 3500 SLT dually. Its got rear wheel drive 6.7l turbo diesel. (Just under 40k miles).
The sandpiper is a bumper tow destination trailers (over 40ft) so please give advice as to which is a better option. I appreciate all the help.

 

[Laura & Charles]

Destination RVs generally rarely move once they’re in place. Please describe your plans and truck needs beyond getting your RV to its home. I like to say, ‘too much truck is almost enough’.. but if your need is only to get RV to its destination, you may want to consider hiring that job done.

 

[CharlesinGA]

That trailer is not built to be constantly hauled around. The standard model does have tanks, 50 fresh, 104 black, 156 gray, and there is an option to delete the tanks. 14,000 GVWR.

I cannot imagine hauling that around. Where you gonna park it?

The RAM will not do it. The hitch is not rated to carry that much tongue weight. You would have to add a Torklift SuperHitch to gain the capacity, add to the rear suspension, and the transmission is not designed for that. 2007 was a mid year introduction for the 6.7L Cummins. They are commonly called 2007½ models

The 2011 Ford is the first year of the 6.7L and they had their share of problems for the first two or three years.

Charles

 

[RedB]

Destination RVs generally rarely move once they’re in place. Please describe your plans and truck needs beyond getting your RV to its home. I like to say, ‘too much truck is almost enough’.. but if your need is only to get RV to its destination, you may want to consider hiring that job done.

I have no intention of constantly moving the trailer. I'm currently in Southern Californa and may have to relocate around the new year so I want to be ready with a truck that can get the job done if needed.

 

[RedB]

That trailer is not built to be constantly hauled around. The standard model does have tanks, 50 fresh, 104 black, 156 gray, and there is an option to delete the tanks. 14,000 GVWR.

I cannot imagine hauling that around. Where you gonna park it?

The RAM will not do it. The hitch is not rated to carry that much tongue weight. You would have to add a Torklift SuperHitch to gain the capacity, add to the rear suspension, and the transmission is not designed for that. 2007 was a mid year introduction for the 6.7L Cummins. They are commonly called 2007½ models

The 2011 Ford is the first year of the 6.7L and they had their share of problems for the first two or three years.

Charles

Yeah those 2 options were the only ones close enough to my budget. I don't plan on moving the trailer often, but I may be relocating come new year.
I'm new to the whole rv thing. No clue what I'm doing & honestly I realize I jumped the gun picking a trailer, but its too late for me to undo my purchase.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Probably cheaper to hire someone to move the trailer with a real heavy duty truck.

 

[Laura & Charles]

Unless you have a need a BIG truck, besides moving that RV more than a few times, you really don’t need to invest in a big honkin truck.. paying someone to move that RV for you will be a much more economical solution to buying a beast of a truck you have no other need for.

 

[Laura & Charles]

<edit out duplicate post>

 

[Boat Bum]

Just sayin'.

 

[Kirk]

I was looking at 2 options a 2011 Ford F-450 King Ranch. Its got 4WD 6.7l v8. (Just over 100k miles)
Or a 2007 ram 3500 SLT dually. Its got rear wheel drive 6.7l turbo diesel. (Just under 40k miles).

I would probably pick the Ford, but if you rarely expect to move the trailer I'm not sure that I would recommend either. I have owned multiple 4WD vehicles and also a couple of diesels and you need to realize that maintenance on a diesel is much more expensive and the 4WD makes it even more true. A dually has some stability advantages but the cost is very difficult parking due to the width exceeding the allowed space in most parking lots for each space. If the trucks have a back seat and 4 doors that makes them even more fun to park. It takes considerably more work and skill to move a destination trailer than a traditional travel trailer because they are much heavier, bulkier, and less maneuverable, requiring a heavy-duty tow vehicle and experienced driver for safe transport. Destination trailers are built for long-term, semi-permanent placement in one location and are not designed for frequent travel or regular movement between campsites. Unless you are experienced with driving rigs with lots of weight and length, I think you would be much wiser to hire it move when/if that needs to be done. Also you need to consider the added cost of a proper hitch for moving it.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The RAM will not do it. The hitch is not rated to carry that much tongue weight.

Are you sure, Charles? The 2007 Ram 3500 diesel duallie has a GCWR of 23,000 lbs, a max trailer rating in the 13,800-15,500 range and a payload in the 5300-5700 range. Even with a couple people onboard and a heavy duty WD hitch, that ought to be enough to handle the 1400-1800 lb tongue I would expect on that trailer. Would need more details on the truck configuration, but that one should be adequate to move the trailer now and then. More truck capability would be better for frequent travel, though.

 

[Derby6]

I had a 2011 F350. In 2019 it spun a bearing at 58K. That was the first model year and supposedly they pressed the bearing without “ears” and a few of them spun — it was rare but I’d run from a 2011 they fix that issue the next model year.
I needed a truck and couldn’t wait for motor replacement so cut my losses and replaced it with a new 2019 still have that truck 185,000 miles no issues.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Are you sure, Charles? The 2007 Ram 3500 diesel duallie has a GCWR of 23,000 lbs, a max trailer rating in the 13,800-15,500 range and a payload in the 5300-5700 range. Even with a couple people onboard and a heavy duty WD hitch, that ought to be enough to handle the 1400-1800 lb tongue I would expect on that trailer. Would need more details on the truck configuration, but that one should be adequate to move the trailer now and then. More truck capability would be better for frequent travel, though.

You may very well be correct. The factory receiver hitch is the limiting factor and the owners manual sends you to a no longer existent web site. The Dodge trucks came with a 2 inch receiver on the third generation models (2002 1500, 2003-2009 2500/3500) and the owners manuals seem to imply that they are class IV which is limited to 10,000 lbs and 1,000 lbs tongue weight. Yes, the truck is capable of much greater weights, (gooseneck or 5th wheel), but not with the receiver hitch. That is why I stated that the TorkLift Super Hitch (capable of 20,000 lbs) may be needed. Which is upward of a grand.

Here is a video of a Torklift hitch installation on a later RAM but the install is the same as the earlier models.

The receiver on the ram is mounted on a cross tube that is attached to the very end of the frame, and also mounts the bumper. It is not a strong setup and I see a lot of flex in it when I hang the trailer on mine.

I have been unsuccessful in locating Dodge (Dodge until 2010 when it became RAM) towing guides for the RAM models.

Charles

 

[CharlesinGA]

I had a 2011 F350. In 2019 it spun a bearing at 58K. That was the first model year and supposedly they pressed the bearing without “ears” and a few of them spun — it was rare but I’d run from a 2011 they fix that issue the next model year.
I needed a truck and couldn’t wait for motor replacement so cut my losses and replaced it with a new 2019 still have that truck 185,000 miles no issues.

The 2011 was also noted for the ceramic bearings in the turbos, which failed. I would hope that had been fixed, and then there is the famous Bosch CP4 fuel pump issue that can literally scrap a vehicle of that vintage due to the repair cost ($15K and up now) as the entire fuel system, including all of the lines must be replaced to preclude any future contamination from the fuel pump failure. (new tank, lines, injectors, everything).

Charles

 

[Babe2201]

Like a couple of other people have said it might be cheaper and easier to hire someone to tow it where it needs to go unless you have other needs for a bigger truck like that.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Mobile home moving company. They have those shorty trucks with hydraulic adjustable height hitch ball and wide mirrors. A lot cheaper than a truck, insurance, maintenance, registration, etc.

Charles

Added as a very late edit...................
Oh, here's what my 2003 model 2500 manual says about my hitches.

 

[Babe2201]

Mobile home moving company. They have those shorty trucks with hydraulic adjustable height hitch ball and wide mirrors. A lot cheaper than a truck, insurance, maintenance, registration, etc.

Charles

View attachment 1341193

That and if you use your own you have to worry about breakdowns and other road issues and that multiplies if you buy a truck with high mileage.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You may very well be correct. The factory receiver hitch is the limiting factor and the owners manual sends you to a no longer existent web site. The Dodge trucks came with a 2 inch receiver on the third generation models (2002 1500, 2003-2009 2500/3500) and the owners manuals seem to imply that they are class IV which is limited to 10,000 lbs and 1,000 lbs tongue weight.

The 10,000/1000 is the weight-carrying rating. With a WD hitch, that usually climbs to 14,000 GTW and 1400 Tongue Weight. Maybe [barely] enough for this trailer.