Help a Newbie, question about gas vs. diesel

path1 wrote:
"Towing a fw"

How much of payload are you going to have left after hooking up to 10,000 fw to a 3/4 ton?

Not an issue.

Hammerboy hit the nail on the head (no pun intended, lol).

Those are the primary considerations to make.
I'll add longevity of a diesel, but that is subjective as well, as most newer gassers are good for 200k miles or more on engine and transmission (the rest of the truck is the same as a gasser effectively).

Added cost is luck of the draw, except when you lose with a diesel, you lose bigger. In 12 years and 170k on the old Dodge, I've spent exactly $1900 in repairs that were related to it being a diesel and not expected. (Parts only, injectors are easy to change on that truck) I've been fortunate or I bought the right truck and took care of it. Probably a combo of both.

In the meantime, I've spent somewhere between $10-15k less in fuel and the truck is worth $5-10k more than an identical model gasser today. Even on the low end, I'm at least double the cost of the diesel engine up charge in present or future savings.
And about the only time I need to downshift with a load on is if the curves in the road or traffic demands it, or I'm pulling hard enough to get dangerously high egts (not an issue with a newer stock diesel).

For me, it works.

Maybe my truck is an anomaly. I have the last of the GM big block gassers. My 07 has the 8.1 Vortec and is rated for a 15K 5th wheel.

Gets 11mpg towing a 10K 5er. Had the Ford V10 and got about the same.

I had an LB7 Duramax before it. The 8.1 will probably be here a long time as it only has 60K. And maybe that's the issue My diesel sat around and only really got used for towing.

Waiting to see the actual specs on the new Ford 7.3 gasser

Belairbrian what speed do you tow at? My only gets that high on my best days.

If you're towing at higher elevations often then I'd go diesel, but with an F350 to cover payload.
If you're just going to weekend warrior it with a few (1-3) longer trips then I'd go gas F250.
I tow 9500 lbs in Oregon with a gas 2500. I don't have too many issues. I just lock out 6th or 5th and cruise. MPG sucks compared to my previous CTD but I also didn't pay the $9K premium for the diesel option.

A gas engine will be fine, a diesel will do a better job, but there are pros and cons to each. If towing performance is the only measure, diesel wins hands down.
If cost, practicality, trip length and other things start being considerations, the winner isn't so clear.

I had a 6.4L Hemi and a 12,000 lb 5er, and it was a great combination, even for long trips through the mountains.

As others have said get a 1 ton SRW.... the price difference is only a couple hundred dollars. I would rather tow 10k lbs with a newer gas powered truck than an old diesel but if you can afford a new diesel you'll love it.

I pulled a 10K 5th wheel with a 2012 F250 gasser for 2 years. Upgraded to a 2017 F350 diesel and will never look back! The F250 had air bags in it, but it was outright scarey whenever we went over a bridge. Both units woulds start to porpoise. Up hills, it would wind in lower gears. Once pulling with the 350, it all went away!

My 2017 6.4 Hemi Ram had 3020 lbs payload and easily pulled 12K and had plenty of excess capacity, but as stated, gas engines make their power at higher RPM's. And like Hammerboy, I also have a low tolerance for that. A diesel in a 250/2500 is going to have less payload, so the advice to go with the 350/3500 SRW diesel is the choice I made, and don't regret it - although I do use it as a daily driver and it's just fine in that role. Gets better fuel mileage than the Hemi - that's for sure.

Thank you for your responses, I find them very informative. I gotta say that the comments about mountainous western states got me thinking, however, my wife and I just returned home to Georgia, where we retired to, from State College, Pa., and I think riding some of the mountain highways in Pa., Tn., and NC, reinforce the comments about having a diesel pickup. If we go down this road, I will probably spend the extra bucks for a diesel, as we do want to explore the western part of the country. Much appreciated, cycler.