Any experience with new gas engines hauling heavy??

[anw7405]

So my dad right now is completely fed up with his 2014 ram cummins dually. He has spent over 10K in the last year on it. That being said, I told him he might want to look at the new gas trucks.

They have a 2018 Montana 5th wheel so I'm pretty sure this is their last RV. The Montana weighs right at 12k dry. So lets just say another 1500lbs for them and the gear. They want a crew cab short bed 4x4 single rear wheel for their new truck. They will make one trip in the winter to either FL or TX from Missouri. Then they will make probably 5-6 trips the rest of the year. All will be east of the rocky mountains. I think they should consider a gas truck but I don't know how these trucks perform pulling 13.5k- 14k? Anyone out there towing this weight with the RAM 6.4 or the Ford 6.2? It looks like the RAM is rated at 15,630 and the Ford is 15,000.

[blofgren]

rhagfo wrote:

LanceRKeys wrote:
Hannibal, what are you towing with your 5.4? I like the sound of a V8 working hard as well, but also like how I can put my diesel in 6th gear, set the cruise and just chew up the miles. I’m sure these new gas engines would pull just as well as my diesel. I just hope it is a long time before I have to make that choice!

Well looked at Hannibal's signature. He doesn't really need a diesel. Less than 9,000# is NOT heavy! Lets add 4,000# to that and see if he has the same feelings?

2017 Jayco 28RLS TT
Weights
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (lbs) 6,405
Dry Hitch Weight (lbs) 700
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (lbs) 8,750
Cargo Carrying Capacity (lbs) 2,345
Measurements
Exterior Length 32' 5"
Exterior Width 96"
Exterior Height with A/C 134"
Interior Height 81"
Wheel Base 252"

Exactly; I was at that weight 2 fivers ago and there is a BIG difference from that point and the 16k lbs that I am at now. Add in the extreme mountain passes here in BC and I would NOT want to tow my current fiver with a gasser.

And for the record, I'm not a gas hater (I'm shopping for one now to tow my boat).

[Grit_dog]

So, have now established, out of warranty, out of pocket and yes bid time, that makes a slight difference, lol (not sure where that came from).
Trans issue, not related to being a diesel. Go hitch up max weight behind any vehicle and you have roughly the same addl wear n tear on the drivetrain whether it's an oil burner or not. That issue is a case of either unlucky, or some other factors, not a diesel issue.
Now we're down to what I'm presuming was/is a plugged up dpf or SCR and worst case that's a couple grand out of pocket, regardless of the chosen solution.

Yep time to get a gasssserrrrr!

[rjstractor]

valhalla360 wrote:
The Ford 6.2 gas has something like 385hp? How much more do you want?

I don't think the new, bigger gas engines will have much or any more horsepower. With Ford at least, I think they are looking for more low end torque and an engine better suited for a heavier duty cycle, since this new gas engine will likely replace the V10 in the larger trucks. (550,650, etc.) It's not widely known, but right now both the 6.2 V8 and 6.8 V10 are available in the E450 cutaway. The 6.2 has more horsepower but the 6.8 has 4000 lbs more GCWR. This tells me that the 6.2 doesn't really cut it as a medium duty engine.

[rhagfo]

LanceRKeys wrote:
Hannibal, what are you towing with your 5.4? I like the sound of a V8 working hard as well, but also like how I can put my diesel in 6th gear, set the cruise and just chew up the miles. I’m sure these new gas engines would pull just as well as my diesel. I just hope it is a long time before I have to make that choice!

Well looked at Hannibal's signature. He doesn't really need a diesel. Less than 9,000# is NOT heavy! Lets add 4,000# to that and see if he has the same feelings?

2017 Jayco 28RLS TT
Weights
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (lbs) 6,405
Dry Hitch Weight (lbs) 700
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (lbs) 8,750
Cargo Carrying Capacity (lbs) 2,345
Measurements
Exterior Length 32' 5"
Exterior Width 96"
Exterior Height with A/C 134"
Interior Height 81"
Wheel Base 252"

[LanceRKeys]

Hannibal, what are you towing with your 5.4? I like the sound of a V8 working hard as well, but also like how I can put my diesel in 6th gear, set the cruise and just chew up the miles. I’m sure these new gas engines would pull just as well as my diesel. I just hope it is a long time before I have to make that choice!

[Dave_H_M]

Hannibal wrote:
I got out if the diesel only gas haters club in 2005. I have no regrets. It's a pickup truck, not a OTR tractor. I have no desire to own a pickup truck that I can't use as a pickup truck. That includes grocery getting. I actually like the sound of a gas V8 at 4200rpm up the grades. Others wet their pants at the sound of any harmless downshift. Cringe is not an engine problem. It's a driver perception problem. Gas engines tow fine within their ratings. Higher rpm isn't working harder. Gear reduction reduces the load on the engine. But perception is...

Yep well put. I did the same thing in 2012 when I ordered the Ford F250 with 4.30 diffy. Still driving that hog and have no idea if it will ever be updated since i will never see 75 again. 😉 I think the best sound is at 3500 R's at about 2/3 throttle. :C

[GWolfe]

Hannibal wrote:
I got out if the diesel only gas haters club in 2005. I have no regrets. It's a pickup truck, not a OTR tractor. I have no desire to own a pickup truck that I can't use as a pickup truck. That includes grocery getting. I actually like the sound of a gas V8 at 4200rpm up the grades. Others wet their pants at the sound of any harmless downshift. Cringe is not an engine problem. It's a driver perception problem. Gas engines tow fine within their ratings. Higher rpm isn't working harder. Gear reduction reduces the load on the engine. But perception is...

Well said.

[Hannibal]

I got out if the diesel only gas haters club in 2005. I have no regrets. It's a pickup truck, not a OTR tractor. I have no desire to own a pickup truck that I can't use as a pickup truck. That includes grocery getting. I actually like the sound of a gas V8 at 4200rpm up the grades. Others wet their pants at the sound of any harmless downshift. Cringe is not an engine problem. It's a driver perception problem. Gas engines tow fine within their ratings. Higher rpm isn't working harder. Gear reduction reduces the load on the engine. But perception is...

[anw7405]

It’s all out of warranty. I said tires because of the dually aspect. I get every truck needs tires.

Again, this truck was used for hauling most of its life. He used it mainly for transporting trailers all over the us and Canada. They have a golf cart for running around town and a little gas truck for short trips. This is also his 2nd ram diesel. He really liked the first one and had no issues.

[rhagfo]

ppine wrote:
For some reason, a lot of people seem to like to tow 12,000 or 14,000 or 15,000 pounds long distances. My feeling is that you are asking a lot of any truck to do that on a regular basis. Some people do not seem to be really savvy about watching their engine and trans and brake temperatures either.

If a guy is having trouble towing big heavy trailers with a diesel engine, and would definitely not steer him towards a gas engine.

I guess I never thought as 12,000# being "Heavy". Our 32' Copper Canyon weighs in at 12,360# loaded and tows well with our 2001 Ram 2500 with a little extra HP and torque (about 300 hp and 610#). I see heavy as 16,000#.

[valhalla360]

Groover wrote:
If he can wait Ford and GM both are going to have new, stronger gas engines in about a year and RAM is doing something with the hemi to make it better for heavy trucks.

The Ford 6.2 gas has something like 385hp? How much more do you want?

[bid_time]

ppine wrote:

If a guy is having trouble towing big heavy trailers with a diesel engine, and would definitely not steer him towards a gas engine.

He doesn't have a problem towing heavy, he has a problem with realiability.

Grit dog wrote:
...No mention of warranty or no warranty...

What difference does it make? Broken down and needing repairs is an issue no one wants on new truck.

[larry_barnhart]

The oil on our 2001 8.1 engine was a non issue. Maybe one quart on a oil change but for us a half of quart at 1500 miles and didn't add before the 3000 miles. Seems to me oil is less money that front end parts on another brand for years.

Interesting engines are on the way.

chevman

[ib516]

anw7405 wrote:
I really wish GM would bring back the 8.1. Put a nice modern transmission behind it.....that would be awesome. Sorry I'm dreaming.

I'll agree the 8.1L was a good engine - as long as you didn't mind it's appetite for engine oil.

However, at peak, it only made 340hp. GM's 5.3L has more than that these days at 355hp, and so did the 2003 5.7L Hemi at 345hp (that's 15 years ago).

Today's HD gas engines have much more HP and are more efficient.

[blofgren]

How many miles are on his truck?

I agree with the others in that it sounds like too many short trips and not getting it nice and hot. My truck is primarily used for towing our 16k fiver and I have not had any issues related to the emissions system as of yet.

The transmission problem is definitely not common with the HD Ram and tires are indeed a wear item (my truck needs them too).

Personally, after owning 3 diesels with my current truck being my favorite there is absolutely no way I would go back to gas for towing heavy.