Hybridhunter wrote:
It has only slightly more payload than a minivan. We're talking 4 men and BBQ. That is nothing less than bizarre.
As I described some pages ago, I have a ED Laramie Crew 2WD, 3.55 rear end. Monthly I tow a 7400-7800lb 24' enclosed trailer, 12+hrs round trip. Terrain is a mix of flat and rolling hills.
I'm one of the early adopters. I got it in the first couple days of Apr. I'm >10k miles now.
The truck is terrific as a DD and terrific as a tow vehicle. It's predecessor was a pre-EPA F-250 Powerstroke which was a terrible DD and a punishing tow vehicle due to the noise level and stiff suspension.
The ED gets slightly better towing mpg then the F-250. If I towed at 75mph such that I put more strain on the ED, the edge in mpg would prob disappear. As a DD the mpg is amazing.
My cargo capacity is 1350. My towing capacity is ~7600. If I had the 3.55 diff the capacity would go up to ~8600. The day the 8spd tranny finds that 1st gear is not low enough, I'll consider that maybe 3.92 should have been considered. Until then, I'll recall the fact that the towing capacity test includes a drag race up a steep grade and think of my 7600 rating as quite conservative.
Note also that the same truck with the Hemi has a cargo capacity of >1500lbs and towing >10k lbs. So it's not like the chassis, brakes, etc. can't take it. It's just that the much smaller ED didn't do as well on the towing tests going up the side of a cliff at WOT. If the day comes that I'm pulling up the rocky mountains and I have to slow up a bit to keep engine temps down, I'm good with that. I'll be enjoying the amazing ride quality and mpg for years.
With the old F-250, towing long distance used to be punishment. Heck just driving around town was pretty unpleasant. Now it's quiet and comfortable. For anyone towing <8k lbs and wanting to use their tow vehicle as a full/part time DD, the Ecodiesel is the perfect truck.
