DOWNgrading truck - sanity check please

[Dougie123]

Hi All.

Advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I currently have 2011 Ram 2500 Hemi w/4.10 rear axle. 11400# towing, 2300#payload.

RV is 23’ Shamrock hybrid 4900# dry, 6200# GVWR.

Had a 2005 Suburban that was terrible at towing....when adding 4 kids, 150lbs of kayaks, and 6 bikes. Not surprising since suburban payload capacitywas 1400#. Even with WDH and sway control, towing with the Burb was SCARY.

Got the 2500 Ram and barely knew the RVwas back there. Just a dream to tow. Looking back the 2500 might have been overkill.

We are now down to 2 kids, same camper, and only 4 bikes. I need more of a daily driver, with something better on gas, and am considering dropping down to a f-150, with 9000lb towing capacity, and 1800-2000lb payload capacity.

My concern is a.). GCVW limits (gvwr 7050# for the truck + gvwr #6200 for the camper) (GCVWR for the truck is 14,100)and b.) squishy 35psi rated LT truck tires.

I’m willing to live with some more “wiggle” when towing, but don’t want the tail wagging the dog.

Anyone hearing alarm bells or seeing red flags switching to a f-150 for a new TV?

Many thanks!
Doug

[BenK]

Ditto that...

Not on my 'have to have' list and is towards the top of my 'nice to have' list

Suggest the OP write this stuff down and into two lists..."have to have" and "nice to have" and is how I decide on this kind of stuff

Sounds like the fake half tons are the ticket for this OP. If me...the RGAWR has gotta be...>/= 6K lbs

BUT...keep my vehicles for a looooooooong time, so my metrics way different from folks who only keep their vehicles just a few years

PLUS

HATE

auto payments. Do finance on occasion, but just to tickle my accounts and FICA scores...

ib516 wrote:
The new truck payments will more than erase any fuel savings.

[Dougie123]

Hi All.

Thank you for all the response and suggestions. Very much appreciated.

I already have a high mpg car, which is why the truck only has 56k miles for a 7 year old truck.

One of the kids will be taking the high mpg car, so the truck is going to become even more of a daily driver. Also, I’m sadly just not that thrilled with the reliability of the Ram, and Dodge corporate’s complete lack of interest in making good on all the issues the truck has had.

It stinks as it will cost me $ to switch gears to a 1/2 ton, so if I do, I want to make sure I don’t go from the fryingpan into the fire.

It sounds like i need to hunt for a HD Payload f-150.....and after first glance, they are pretty hard to find. We have 3 more months before camping season starts, so I have some time to find the right truck.

Doug

[ib516]

The new truck payments will more than erase any fuel savings.

[ScottG]

goducks10 wrote:
The OP has a 5.7 Hemi in a 3/4 ton truck that weighs close to 7000 lbs dry.

Doubt it weighs that much since mine with the Cummins and heavier trans and transfer case weighs 7100#.
I would expect his to weigh in the vicinity of 6K#.

[goducks10]

The OP has a 5.7 Hemi in a 3/4 ton truck that weighs close to 7000 lbs dry.
Moving to an F150 3.5 10 sp with 3.55 gears will net him not only a much nicer ride but will easily give him better mpg's.
He's sick of having problems with his truck and like most of us would probably want to do the same.
It's not really a positive money move, but how many on here trade in their RV's for a newer floor plan? It's still a losing proposition. He daily drives his truck so why not have comfort and a more enjoyable DD?

[Grit_dog]

Nope, any good half ton will tow it fine and a couple of them will have slightly more power, but assuming cc/sb trucks, physical size is irrelevant and you’re only going to gain marginal gas mileage. My recent 2016 5.3 Chevy and 5.0 F150s are 14-15 mpg city/commuting and maybe 16 highway..... I don’t drIve slow though.
IMO you’re trading overkill capability for 1-2mpg.

[theoldwizard1]

The problem with the F150 is that there are TOO MANY options for towing and cargo hauling ! DO YOUR RESEARCH !! The heavier duty option packages will have better tires. Fuel economy should be better with the 3.5L EcoBoost and 10 speed transmission.

[busterbrown73]

Have you priced out used and new Ford F150's recently? New units that are equipped the way you want them will put you back $45-50K dollars. A used one (with low miles) could set you back $35-45K. If you're willing to take that economic hit to help with a few better MPG's, go for it. But I think the consensus here would be keep what you have (if all the lemons are gone) and just go do some camping. Good luck and safe travels.

[IdaD]

Walaby wrote:
1/2 ton will be fine with what you are looking for. But I like my 3/4 ton and even if I didn't need it, I'd still keep it. It's my daily driver, and it's plenty comfy for me.

Mike

That's sort of my opinion too. I don't understand how heavy duty trucks are brutally uncomfortable to some. Maybe my usage is different but I don't have any issues with mine as a daily driver.

[Quantum82]

You can order LT tires from as a factory option on the F150. I believe it's a $350 upgrade.

As long as you buy an F150 with a decent payload rating, you'll be fine.

[Walaby]

1/2 ton will be fine with what you are looking for. But I like my 3/4 ton and even if I didn't need it, I'd still keep it. It's my daily driver, and it's plenty comfy for me.

Mike

[goducks10]

Any of the new 1/2 tons will give you enough truck for that TT along with better mpg and ride. I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[larry_barnhart]

Dougie123 wrote:
Thanks all. I appreciate the feedback.

Because my truck has 4:10 rear, it gets 15mpg highway keeping it around 65mph, , 11-12 around town. I drive it very conservatively, and it has never seen a plow blade, etc.

I bought it new, but it has given me a lot of issues, and it only has 56k miles on it. In that time, the major things are: 2 drive shafts, torque converter, all new rear brakes at 30k, and all new front brakes at 50k miles. So I have not been happy with it’s reliability.

The 150 does have a much better ride, but I don’t want to go back to “porpoising” and “floating” down the highway when towing. (I run 300lbs of tube sand and low pressure (45psi) rear tires when not towing to try and soften the ride).

I’m looking at having to put about $10k into a 2015-2016 The Ram is payed off.

If that was a truck we owned it would be gone. More issues might not be over. sorry for you folks.

chevman

[Lwiddis]

At today’s gas prices how long will it take you to pay the new truck off?

[JIMNLIN]

Anyone hearing alarm bells or seeing red flags switching to a f-150 for a new TV?

Many thanks!
Doug

Good idea. The wife wanted a 2500 Ram 6.4 hemi 4x4 till she drove one on our county roads. The truck rode twice as rough as my older '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins 2wd same cab style.

The F150 EB should get you a huge increase in mpg for your daily commute vs the rough riding fuel thirsty 6.4 hemi.

F15o has 19 different GVWRs from 6000 on up to 8200 lbs
and 5 different RAWR from 3300 up to 4800 lbs.

Be careful when selecting a payload package.
Some F150 owners with the 7050 gvwr and 4050 rawr package with 2000+ lb payload have overloaded their trucks rawr by using those numbers in the bed.
Doing the math shows these trucks rear axle is weighing in the 2300-2400 lb range depending on cab/4wd vs 2wd selections/etc ....now add that 2000 lb gvwr based payload = 4300-4400 lbs on the rear axle/P tires.
If your looking for a 1800-2000 lb payload in the bed the F150 with the 4550 or 4800 rawr is a better choice.