Your Thought's
I own a 2001 RAM 3500 4x4 with 5.9 engine and 5 speed manual transmission. Currently it has around 130,000 miles on it. I have been very happy with this truck. I upgraded the fuel system and added an exhaust brake a couple years ago.
However, with my portable solar skid and horse trailer with living quarters I'm exceeding the gvwr on both axels and am contemplating upgrading to a RAM 550. My wife is about 10 months minimum to retirement so that is really I need to have something ready to go spend some time boondock camping around the country. I would rather buy a good used truck rather than a new one but my question is what year RAM 550 would you try to buy used or stay away from? Also, if anyone keeps up with where the dodge engineers are heading; does it make any sense to wait a year on some improvements coming down the pike. I'm afraid nothing coming would beat my 01 5.9 but I'm up against some weight / capacity issues and don't see any other option. I have never ran across a cat scale before but I did recently after I had the solar skid loaded and the trailer hooked up. Here is the weights across the scales
steer axle - 4640
drive axle - 8480
trailer axle - 6540
Total weight - 19,660
Note: I had no horses loaded in trailer. My overall weight is not an issue... it's just the tow vehicle axle weights. The trailer is a 3 horse Keifer built trailer. I'm planning on going back across the scales with my bumper pull travel trailer and the solar skid to see how it compares. I've heard the cat scales are pretty accurate but another weigh may help verify this although it will be the same scales so if calibration has not been done since last weigh I'll still be wondering about accuracy. Your thoughts! USED or NEW? What year is best, if any?
However, with my portable solar skid and horse trailer with living quarters I'm exceeding the gvwr on both axels and am contemplating upgrading to a RAM 550. My wife is about 10 months minimum to retirement so that is really I need to have something ready to go spend some time boondock camping around the country. I would rather buy a good used truck rather than a new one but my question is what year RAM 550 would you try to buy used or stay away from? Also, if anyone keeps up with where the dodge engineers are heading; does it make any sense to wait a year on some improvements coming down the pike. I'm afraid nothing coming would beat my 01 5.9 but I'm up against some weight / capacity issues and don't see any other option. I have never ran across a cat scale before but I did recently after I had the solar skid loaded and the trailer hooked up. Here is the weights across the scales
steer axle - 4640
drive axle - 8480
trailer axle - 6540
Total weight - 19,660
Note: I had no horses loaded in trailer. My overall weight is not an issue... it's just the tow vehicle axle weights. The trailer is a 3 horse Keifer built trailer. I'm planning on going back across the scales with my bumper pull travel trailer and the solar skid to see how it compares. I've heard the cat scales are pretty accurate but another weigh may help verify this although it will be the same scales so if calibration has not been done since last weigh I'll still be wondering about accuracy. Your thoughts! USED or NEW? What year is best, if any?
