Gas vs Diesel for Towing a Fifth Wheel!!!

billypro93 wrote:
The biggest problem with the average gas truck on the lot is it's set up with gears that belong in a low rpm diesel truck, gas and diesel motor are two different animals and they need to be geared differently to be a good pulling motor. Gas motors are higher rpm motors and need lower gears (higher numerical numbers) to keep the motor in its power range just like a diesel needs higher gears to keep it in its power range. You will also find that a gas motor with lower gears will get better millage pulling and empty (if you keep our speed down empty) than one with higher gears because the motor doesn't have to work as hard also the running gear like the transmission will last longer because of less stress. Class A motor homes don't have this problem because they come with the right gears from the factory unlike trucks that you have beg a dealer to order one geared the right way because they all believe that higher gears mean better mileage. You have to remember that the newer generation gas motor are made to run at higher rpms compared to older ones. I have to LOL when I here someone say they would never pull with a gas motor again but when you question them they had a gas motor with high gears so it had to work its butt off to pull their trailer but the diesel just cruises along with the same gears and rpm but the gas motor was not in its power band like the diesel. We started RVing in 1978 and every used truck we bought before we started buying new I had to change the rear end gears to make them pull the intended load also keep a eye on the tire size because bigger tires raise the final gearing where the rubber meets the road.

Check out the new transmissions. Gone are the days of the 3speed automatic where you had to choose pulling power vs MPG. With 6 and 8 speed transmissions, it's a lot easier for the truck to pick the right overall gear ratio to keep the engine happy.