Truck for a 5000# travel trailer

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
I agree about the Ford Ecoboost and Dodge Ecodiesel being good choices in a 1/2-ton pickup to tow 5000 lb trailer.

These both appear to be good choices - especially the RAM Ecodiesel.

Note, however, that some user surveys have suggested that FCA companies (including RAM) have more QA problems than average. Research this point carefully.

The Ecoboost tends to get about the same fuel mileage as a V8 when it's being worked hard, so fuel saving may not be what you expect. It will certainly go faster than the 4.8, which was a torqueless wonder.

Also, you probably can't get an Ecodiesel for 25K yet.

My personal experience involves an old 1999 Silverado K2500 with a 6L V8. It gets terrible gas mileage, but I finished paying for it over 14 years ago. It now has 227,000 miles on it and has pulled 6,000+ lb loads over various mountain passes many times. It has the 4L80 4-speed auto with a transmission cooler and Tow/Haul mode. The torque converter lock works in 3rd as well as 4th.

My usual drill with a substantial grade and a heavy trailer is to allow the transmission to downshift to 3rd and lock up. You can see the lock when the tach drops 2-300 rpm without a shift into 4th. Then I'll run it at about 2,500rpm which is easy on this engine. I've pulled a heavy cargo trailer over a local pass this way often, which is about a 15 minute climb up 4-8% grades, and I've used the same strategy when pulling over the Continental Divide down in the States.

When doing this, the transmission runs at a reasonable temp (never more than halfway on the gauge), and the engine runs at exactly the same temp it has run for 17 years. (The vehicle also has a factory engine oil cooler.)

This lengthy story suggests a modern GM 5.3 should work fine (or a RAM 5.7 or a Ford 5.4) but it will turn more than 2,000rpm when climbing. Watch the tach carefully to make sure the torque converter locks in whatever gear you may be using.