If you have looked at my old posts, you will know that we have been looking for a while. Well at the Flint RV show we (she) has found the trailer that she likes and we are happy with. Its a little bigger than I want but having owned 30' and longer before not a big deal. I will be a needin' a bigger truck though and here is where my some of my questions are coming from. But for starters here is the trailer we like, it the Cougar 31SQB by Keystone. Looks like a 9000# trailer when its all said and full. So a 2500 is in my future.Questions:Does anyone own this trailer or a Keystone product and how do you like it?I will be getting a new 2500. I really like the Ram 2500 with the 6.4 and have read all the posts about it, i'm very impressed. Does anyone have a Ram 2500 6.4 and a trailer around the same size for some feed back as to towing and living with it on a daily basis. It will be my daily driver.Does anyone have experience with the new 2015 2500 Chevy/GMC with 6.0L. I'm a GM man and my 2003 1500 is a great truck, but it is time to go. The 6.0L is the weakest of the 2500 gas group. But maybe in my configuration it will be ok.Thanks in advance for all the thoughtful responses.Jim

GM's 6.0L has been the weakest since 2011. It's still a solid reliable engine/trans combo. If you like the rest of the truck, go for it.Only read one person on here with a 2015 GM HD and he has a couple issues with it.

The Ram 6.4 looks like it will may be a great engine, as was the 5.7, but I would wait a year or two for it to prove itself.I like my Ford 2013 6.2, but would not have jumped in right away in 2011.If you like GM, the 6.0 should be plenty strong with the 4.10 gears.Jerry

MFL wrote:The Ram 6.4 looks like it will may be a great engine, as was the 5.7, but I would wait a year or two for it to prove itself.I like my Ford 2013 6.2, but would not have jumped in right away in 2011.If you like GM, the 6.0 should be plenty strong with the 4.10 gears.JerryThe 6.4L had been around several years, it's just the first they're putting it in a 2500 truck. It's been very reliable in other vehicles (SRT models), and has been detuned some for the 2500. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one, as it isn't an entirely new engine. I have family with a Ram 2500 5.7L, and he has no complaints. He tows less than half of 9000# though.

I tow 9k lb TT with a '14 silverado 2500 6.0. It does just fine. I towed through the hills of East Tennessee last week with no trouble. The newer 6 speed transmissions are awesome. Put it in M5 and tow/haul mode and let her eat.

The newer generation GM 6.0 it 6sp is a proven power train. I strongly recommend the 4:10 axle if you are going to do serious Towing.

Finally got the wife to choose a trailer. Some questions?

teraandjim
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
We decided to wait and save a little money and get a 2500 sierra with the duramax. The 6.0L was just to slow and sluggish. My wife really likes the GMC interior and she likes the fact that my current GMC is 11 years old and is still going strong. So, 2016-17 will be the year to order the truck that I will be driving for the next 10-15 years. Thank you for all your input.
Jim
anaro
Explorer
Apr 01, 2014
I just finished truck shopping. I drove the chevy 6.0 and was not very impressed with how sluggish it felt. We decided to go diesel because we are looking at trading for an 11000 lb TT. We debated between the ram CTD and the silverado duramax. Went with the duramax but both were a nice drive and a good engine. I think at 9000 lbs you should be fine with either the ram or the chevy. I would pay reAl close attention to all weights on both vehicles (payload on tire loading sticker, hitch capacity, gvwr and gcwr). This Actually dictated what we got as the short bed and long bed chevy trucks did not have the same hitch capacity.
mowin
Explorer
Apr 01, 2014
Speedogomer wrote:
mowin wrote:
Speedogomer wrote:
teraandjim wrote:
I test drove a Chevy 2500 6.0 and a Ram 2500 6.4. I was very impressed with the Ram. While it was not as quiet as the Chevy, the Ram drove better and was more powerful. I'm currently a GMC owner for 11 years, I think there's a Ram in my future. Does anyone know if GM will be upgrading their HD gas engine in the next couple of years? I could hold of a year if there is a new HD gas engine in the near future. I would hate the wait but I'll drive the next truck as long as I did the last one, so getting a good look at all manufactures with equal power levels would be worth the wait.
Thank you for the information.
Jim

The Silverado/Sierra 1500 has a new 6.2L V8 with 420hp and 460 lb-ft. I see no reason why the 2500/3500 won't eventually get this engine.

The 1500 is a light duty truck. If and when GM puts the 6.2 in the 25/3500's it will most likely be detuned. Ram's 6.4 has been detuned for the HD's as well.

Ram dosen't offer the 6.4 in the 1500. Only in SRT performance applications. Yes the 6.4 is detuned in the 2500 for truck use, but only compared to the 6.4 in a SRT8 Challenger.

The Chevy 6.2L in the 1500 Silverado is also detuned already for truck use from its base as the Corvette engine. Even if it's detuned more, it will still be a huge improvement over the current 6.0.

Well aware the 6.4 is not available in the 1500. I do agree 100% that if the 6.2 is detuned further for the HD's, it will be a much needed improvement over the 6.0. I was not impressed with my 2011 3500 GMC 6.0 compared to my ram 6.4. GM, I sure, is already working on it.
Speedogomer
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
mowin wrote:
Speedogomer wrote:
teraandjim wrote:
I test drove a Chevy 2500 6.0 and a Ram 2500 6.4. I was very impressed with the Ram. While it was not as quiet as the Chevy, the Ram drove better and was more powerful. I'm currently a GMC owner for 11 years, I think there's a Ram in my future. Does anyone know if GM will be upgrading their HD gas engine in the next couple of years? I could hold of a year if there is a new HD gas engine in the near future. I would hate the wait but I'll drive the next truck as long as I did the last one, so getting a good look at all manufactures with equal power levels would be worth the wait.
Thank you for the information.
Jim

The Silverado/Sierra 1500 has a new 6.2L V8 with 420hp and 460 lb-ft. I see no reason why the 2500/3500 won't eventually get this engine.

The 1500 is a light duty truck. If and when GM puts the 6.2 in the 25/3500's it will most likely be detuned. Ram's 6.4 has been detuned for the HD's as well.

Ram dosen't offer the 6.4 in the 1500. Only in SRT performance applications. Yes the 6.4 is detuned in the 2500 for truck use, but only compared to the 6.4 in a SRT8 Challenger.

The Chevy 6.2L in the 1500 Silverado is also detuned already for truck use from its base as the Corvette engine. Even if it's detuned more, it will still be a huge improvement over the current 6.0.
mowin
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
Speedogomer wrote:
teraandjim wrote:
I test drove a Chevy 2500 6.0 and a Ram 2500 6.4. I was very impressed with the Ram. While it was not as quiet as the Chevy, the Ram drove better and was more powerful. I'm currently a GMC owner for 11 years, I think there's a Ram in my future. Does anyone know if GM will be upgrading their HD gas engine in the next couple of years? I could hold of a year if there is a new HD gas engine in the near future. I would hate the wait but I'll drive the next truck as long as I did the last one, so getting a good look at all manufactures with equal power levels would be worth the wait.
Thank you for the information.
Jim

The Silverado/Sierra 1500 has a new 6.2L V8 with 420hp and 460 lb-ft. I see no reason why the 2500/3500 won't eventually get this engine.

The 1500 is a light duty truck. If and when GM puts the 6.2 in the 25/3500's it will most likely be detuned. Ram's 6.4 has been detuned for the HD's as well.
Speedogomer
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
teraandjim wrote:
I test drove a Chevy 2500 6.0 and a Ram 2500 6.4. I was very impressed with the Ram. While it was not as quiet as the Chevy, the Ram drove better and was more powerful. I'm currently a GMC owner for 11 years, I think there's a Ram in my future. Does anyone know if GM will be upgrading their HD gas engine in the next couple of years? I could hold of a year if there is a new HD gas engine in the near future. I would hate the wait but I'll drive the next truck as long as I did the last one, so getting a good look at all manufactures with equal power levels would be worth the wait.
Thank you for the information.
Jim

The Silverado/Sierra 1500 has a new 6.2L V8 with 420hp and 460 lb-ft. I see no reason why the 2500/3500 won't eventually get this engine.
teraandjim
Explorer
Mar 30, 2014
I test drove a Chevy 2500 6.0 and a Ram 2500 6.4. I was very impressed with the Ram. While it was not as quiet as the Chevy, the Ram drove better and was more powerful. I'm currently a GMC owner for 11 years, I think there's a Ram in my future. Does anyone know if GM will be upgrading their HD gas engine in the next couple of years? I could hold of a year if there is a new HD gas engine in the near future. I would hate the wait but I'll drive the next truck as long as I did the last one, so getting a good look at all manufactures with equal power levels would be worth the wait.
Thank you for the information.
Jim
doxiluvr
Explorer II
Mar 29, 2014
We have a Keystone Sprinter 300 FKBS and a Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (2007). We have had no problems with the trailer (2006) and you don't even know it is behind the truck when we are pulling it. (See signature). I think you will be very happy with your new trailer and truck.
Buck50HD
Explorer
Mar 29, 2014
Here's another review. Not very scientific but shows how close all of these trucks really are. Sure, it's empty performance but most people drive these trucks every day, not just towing. My new 6.2 is about 3s slower 0-60 than my old ecoboost, which is very noticeable. A few tenths here or there on the SD/HD gas trucks is going to be difficult to notice.

Gas HD's - empty performance

0-60 times empty
6 liter GM: 9.96, 10.46
6.2 Ford: 9.24, 10.48
6.4 Hemi: 10.2, 10.54, 9.98

BTW, 6.2 for the win:B

Eco was 7s or better!
mowin
Explorer
Mar 28, 2014
I have a Ram 3500 SRW with the 6.4 and 3.73 gears. I havnt pulled my tt as its already on site for the season. I did tow my tractor which weighs in at 8k with the trailer. Very impressive. I traded a 2011 gmc 3500 with the same 3.73's, 6.0 for the ram, and I can tell you this ram will out pull the gmc with the same load. I'm getting 14's mpg around town.

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Finally got the wife to choose a trailer. Some questions?

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