Best Truck For Mountain Driving

[firefight1981]

Hello forum,

My wife and I are getting ready for full time RV living.
We will be spending the majority of our time in Colorado, Northern California, Washington and other states with mountainous terrain.

Our fifth wheel will be 38'.
I have not decided if we will get a Chevrolet, Doidge or Ford 3500 years from 2011 to 2013.

I have been told to go with a Dodge for the towing weight advantage. People say stay away from a Dodge because of engine or transmission problems.
They say go with a Chevrolet or GMC with a Duramax diesel and an Allison transmission. But we will lose on towing weight compared to a Dodge.

Conflicting truck recommendations depending on who I am talking to.

Question: Since we will be spending the majority of our time driving in mountains, what truck do you recommend? (has to be automatic transmission)

[Orezona]

Ford: Ford Truck Enthusiasts (look at how many are currently viewing each diesel section)

GM/Chevy : Duramax Forum combined with the Diesel Place

This post is to add to the above post.

[Dtank]

firefight1981 wrote:
Hello forum,


Our fifth wheel will be 38'.
I have not decided if we will get a Chevrolet, Doidge or Ford 3500 years from 2011 to 2013.

I have been told to go with a Dodge for the towing weight advantage. People say stay away from a Dodge because of engine or transmission problems.
They say go with a Chevrolet or GMC with a Duramax diesel and an Allison transmission. But we will lose on towing weight compared to a Dodge.

Conflicting truck recommendations depending on who I am talking to.

Cut to the chase, eliminate the chaff, LOL!

Here's how to get the "straight scoop" on tow vehicle brand choice, and avoid the brand loyalty and "mine is best" stuff:

Go to the *BRAND SPECIFIC* forums for each of the brands.

Check for the *good-bad-ugly* by the - *OWNERS* !!

Usually there are sections based on year, transmissions, engines, etc.

What kind of problems are they having?
How was it handled, and/or what "to do" suggestions?

Pay attention to the *HELP!* sections - where forum members need help with something ASAP.

Several forums for each brand.

Dodge: Turbo Diesel Register, Diesel Truck Resource, Cummins Forum.

Ford: (the) Diesel Stop

Chev/GMC: (the) Diesel Place

Google will help for more options.
Google: "Diesel Truck Forums", etc.

.

[Me_Again]

BubbaChris wrote:



Is the house for sale to pay for the truck? J/K

Ha! Ha! I asked the same question! He is moving from Arizona to Georgia. Chris

[BubbaChris]

Me Again wrote:

Should pull good. He drove professionally, so should know how to get up and down mountain passes. If Chuck had this special rig, he could be half way to the top before he left the bottom!!

Chris




Chris

Is the house for sale to pay for the truck? J/K

[Me_Again]

larry barnhart wrote:


that sucks because no more are being made ya know.

chevman

They is a similar one in Rock Springs! Chris

[larry_barnhart]

Me Again wrote:

Me Again wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Me Again wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
love the 2 tone color.

chevman

Larry, if I were ordering a new one that is the color combo I would get. Chris

This is what you should be saying!

Larry, I am ordering a new one that is the color combo I will be getting. Chris

NO the one they are sitting on for me is Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat.

Chris

Drats just jinx'd it. Got an email that it was sold. Chris

that sucks because no more are being made ya know.

chevman

[Me_Again]

Me Again wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Me Again wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
love the 2 tone color.

chevman

Larry, if I were ordering a new one that is the color combo I would get. Chris

This is what you should be saying!

Larry, I am ordering a new one that is the color combo I will be getting. Chris

NO the one they are sitting on for me is Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat.

Chris

Drats just jinx'd it. Got an email that it was sold. Chris

[larry_barnhart]

We bought a new GMC in 07 but it was the 08 model. I ordered the color but when the GMC arrived in July of 07 the paint was the extra cost color so it was $450.00 more. I did not know colors were so special. I also know I usually buy knowing what is offered but not this time. buying from the 07 brochure might have been the reason.

chevman

[Me_Again]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Me Again wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
love the 2 tone color.

chevman

Larry, if I were ordering a new one that is the color combo I would get. Chris

This is what you should be saying!

Larry, I am ordering a new one that is the color combo I will be getting. Chris

NO the one they are sitting on for me is Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat.

Chris

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

Arcamper wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

WeBeFulltimers wrote:

TucsonJim wrote:
Love our '13 Ford F350 with a 6.7 diesel. But please consider getting a dual rear wheel truck. A 38' FW will have a lot of pin weight, and if you get a diesel truck, your payload will probably not be sufficient with a single rear wheel truck.

My 38' Montana has a pin weight of 2440 verified by CAT scale. My SRW legally handles it just fine.

Not calling you a liar but did you have any personal belongings inside the 38' Montana? That's a very light pin!

I will back him up, my 38' foot Montana has a pin weight of 2420, partially loaded. Everything I haul in the basement was loaded ,only thing added up front was clothes, the fridge food, but thats far enough back that it is not getting the total weight on the pin . I too was surprised that the pin was that light. I am going to be fully load here in about two weeks for a trip, and I will weigh again, but I don't expect it to be over 2700. Hopefully that 2014 Ram will handle it.

I don't haul a bunch of junk like some I have seen . I have been towing fifth wheels for about 10 years, and pretty much got it figured out what I don't need. I like to be able to see inside my basement , and find what I do need, not like some I have seen.

My 2016 36ft Montanna has over 3k lbs on the pin with no water but it does have a washer and dryer in the front closet. My Ram will pull it all day dropped into 5th gear with the cruise on at 70 mph on any hill around here.(not the west where the hills are bigger)The only part that hurts is watching the fuel mileage drop to 4.

My Ram handles that Montana fifth wheel of mine with no issues. I have yet to pull any mountain pass here in Utah, Idaho, and Montana that I can't maintain the speed I want.

Actually I have never got worse then 8 , and 12 at the best towing.

Those weights blow me away! My Pin is twice that.

I agree, I will weigh again, not that it is a problem, but keep hearing all these heavy pin weights. You do have a fifth wheel that is probably half again heavier then mine.

[larry_barnhart]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Me Again wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
love the 2 tone color.

chevman

Larry, if I were ordering a new one that is the color combo I would get. Chris

This is what you should be saying!

Larry, I am ordering a new one that is the color combo I will be getting. Chris

wonderful.

chevman

[Cummins12V98]

Bionic Man wrote:

45Ricochet wrote:
They call it a " Long Hauler" or something like that. Mega cab long bed with a big fuel tank. No three point turns for it though :W

Close, but not quite the LongHauler. That was a concept truck that was floated a few years back. It had an additional fuel tank between the bed and the cab. This one does not.

There are a few aftermarket places that will do the converstion to a Megacab long bed. The one in Utah is what I hear the most about. I have seen a few of them driving around town in person.

Glad someone is willing to spend $65k on a truck, then spend another $15k on a conversion, and likely void the warranty on the truck. It sure wouldn't be me.

I think he said it was $8,400 including the B&W hitch.

[Cummins12V98]

Me Again wrote:

larry barnhart wrote:
love the 2 tone color.

chevman

Larry, if I were ordering a new one that is the color combo I would get. Chris

This is what you should be saying!

Larry, I am ordering a new one that is the color combo I will be getting. Chris

[Cummins12V98]

up2nogood wrote:

Arcamper wrote:

up2nogood wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

WeBeFulltimers wrote:

TucsonJim wrote:
Love our '13 Ford F350 with a 6.7 diesel. But please consider getting a dual rear wheel truck. A 38' FW will have a lot of pin weight, and if you get a diesel truck, your payload will probably not be sufficient with a single rear wheel truck.

My 38' Montana has a pin weight of 2440 verified by CAT scale. My SRW legally handles it just fine.

Not calling you a liar but did you have any personal belongings inside the 38' Montana? That's a very light pin!

I will back him up, my 38' foot Montana has a pin weight of 2420, partially loaded. Everything I haul in the basement was loaded ,only thing added up front was clothes, the fridge food, but thats far enough back that it is not getting the total weight on the pin . I too was surprised that the pin was that light. I am going to be fully load here in about two weeks for a trip, and I will weigh again, but I don't expect it to be over 2700. Hopefully that 2014 Ram will handle it.

I don't haul a bunch of junk like some I have seen . I have been towing fifth wheels for about 10 years, and pretty much got it figured out what I don't need. I like to be able to see inside my basement , and find what I do need, not like some I have seen.

My 2016 36ft Montanna has over 3k lbs on the pin with no water but it does have a washer and dryer in the front closet. My Ram will pull it all day dropped into 5th gear with the cruise on at 70 mph on any hill around here.(not the west where the hills are bigger)The only part that hurts is watching the fuel mileage drop to 4.

My Ram handles that Montana fifth wheel of mine with no issues. I have yet to pull any mountain pass here in Utah, Idaho, and Montana that I can't maintain the speed I want.

Actually I have never got worse then 8 , and 12 at the best towing.

Those weights blow me away! My Pin is twice that.