6.4 Hemi Ram 2500 or 6.2L F-250

katoom400 wrote:
This is a very useful topic to me right now. I have been looking to upgrade from my 2010 Tundra 5.7 since August. I tow a ~7500lb travel trailer about 10 times a year, the rest of the time the truck is my daily driver ~70 miles a day round trip.

I've been reading everything I can on many forums regarding all of the 3/4 offerings and of the big 3 the GM was the only one I did not like at all.

I have been leaning 6.4 hemi with 4.10's after all of the positive comments I've seen. The MDS also appeals to me as the truck is 90% running empty as my daily driver.

as far as my wife is concerned she absolutely loves the interior of the Ford much more than the Ram and I tend to agree...the Ram feels more "modern" inside, but the Ford feels more comfortable to me.

It seems you can get a few more options for the same $ compared to the Ford. but still I'm finding myself drawn to the Ford. I had an 01 7.3 and loved it.

My biggest hold up right now is the way the Ford puts out the power, at least in the trucks I've test driven (which were all 3.73's) as there are no 4.30's sitting on the dealers lots to test drive.

on the test drives the power just felt very linear...no rush to throw you back in the seat compared to the 6.4/3.73 trucks I've test driven. This may be fine...just not what I'm used to..the 7.3 was also very linear but would pull a train.

I have read about the Ford's drive by wire and the "adaptive" transmission learning your driving habits and getting better. and generally I drive like an old man but have gotten used to the snap of my 5.7/4.30 geared Tundra.

Lot's of guys are reporting the 6.2/3.73 trucks pulling 10k+ are pulling great gives me some confidence that I would be ok with the 6.2\3.73 combo once I got used to it...or it gets used to me....

if I wanted 4.30's I would have to order a truck blindly since there are none around here to test drive. question is: do I really need it for a trailer under 8k? some good deals on 6.2/3.73 siting on my local dealers lot right now....I am ready to pull the trigger...

thanks for any advice

My 6.2 3.73 is pulling our fiver in about the same weight range as yours with no issues, after I have been towing with it for a while it does get more responsive, it is definitely an engine that wants to be worked to get the most out of it , It really pulls well as it gets higher in the revs which means to me that I have plenty of power in reserve . I am a masonry contractor and my work truck is a 2010 Savanna 3500 extended van with 6.0 its a great van but the power is lower in the revs and it will run out of steam quickly which is when the 6.2 is getting into its range and will very easily out power it with the same trailer. It was interesting to view the Ike gauntlet pull comparison with the Raptor and F250 with the same engine. Gas engines have come a long way since even a few years ago my GM 6.0 has just hit 100,000 it gets heavily used and abused and it feels stronger than ever & likewise the Ford 6.2 with 23,000 feels like it is getting stronger too.