Current truck: 2016 Ram 3500 CCLB SRW 6.7 Aisin 3.42 axle
Previous truck: 2012 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman QC 3.92 axle
Camper: 2012 Keystone Sprinter 266rbs 7500 scaled before two kids. Guessing 8000lbs with twp kids.
Im not part of the "RAM Mafia" and will tell you truthfully what I feel are the good bad and ugly.
I purchased this truck mainly because the qc was not working with the rear facing car seat and with another one on the way there wasnt a way I could move my seat up. I went with the 1 ton as I get a lot of firewwod from different locations and felt bad for what I was putting my last truck through. I also went with the 1 ton for future uogrades to a fifthwheel as the current tt has no bunks and that will need to change in the future.
I took this TT approx 10-12k miles with my last truck any where from Maine to Pennsylvania. This year we didnt travel too much bc the wife was too pregnant and then when my daughter was born it was hardvwith her and another one only 11 months older. We did manage to get out to Hershey PA and to Lake George NY and a couple smaller local trips.
The truck took some getting use to. Its not like driving a gas truck especially with the exhaust brake. The truck averages about 2.5mpg better overall while empty and while towing all while weighing 2700lbs more. Overall im happy and would purchase again but ive only owned it 8 months and 6500miles. Ive expericed zero issues so far. I also have a company vehicle so its not used during the week.
Engine:
Sounds like a real truck. The exhaust brake is awesome. I drive pretty much 99% of the time with tow/haul engaged and the exhaust brake on full which elimates almost all braking down to 20 or so mph. The high idle feature is neat and quite useful. Ive used this quite a bit even in the summer bc I live on a hill which is 12% in spots and a mile long. Helps warm the turbo so the exhaust brake works as soon as I leave the driveway. Power it seems is getting better. I had times while pulling on the highway when going up a 3-4% grade where it would downshift to 4th. This is non existant now and will go to sixth now. I usually lock sixth out but I was trying it my last trip because the truck just felt better after some miles. Since that first trip where it dropped tp 4th ive yet to have to do that unless my speed warranted it. Ive also hauled a dump trailer fully loaded to 14k and it just didnt do well going up the hill. It did fine when in high gears but I think the torque management is pretty drastic in the lower gears.
This truck does move when you stomp on it and just keeps pulling till you get scared and let off. It feels quicker than the numbers show.
Transmission:
The Aisin provides pretty firm shifts whether in tow haul or not. I usually just keep in tow haul becuase it downshifts sooner allowing the exhaust brake to work more. There was a weird delay in shifts between 2nd and 3rd but it seems to have gotten better and seems common. Ive never experieced any jerky or weird shift. The truck does like to shift at no more than 2100rpms which puts you pretty low in the rpm range when trying to pull a hill once downshifted (1400-1500). As stated the hill I live on is steep and you can only go about 30mph due to the turns. It wants to shift to third but its just too low and the truck will shake slightly if left in that gear. I simply lock it in 2nd and the issue is gone. I wish I didnt have to do thid but not the end of the world. I dont just stomp on it because this truck does get up and go and would go faster than the roads allow which force you to slower speeds up this hill which doesnt have any running start.
Suspension:
I use my truck for quite a few other things like home projects and firweood. I think the truck sags a little more than I like but does seem progressive. I wish it sat like a 2500 which is about 1" taller when empty. Ive thought about installing a 1" larger block but figured id take this out if we upgrade to a fifthwheel in the future which was the plan when I bought this truck. Trucks drops very comparable to my FIL 2012 F350 but I do like that he has the upper overload which was removed a couple years ago from the SRW trucks. The newer trucks just sit more level than they ever use too. The truck does ride rougher than my FIL F350 which has a gvwr of 11.4k. Im not sure if its bc my truck is rated for 12.3k or just the way it is. We both run nearly the same tire pressure and both have the plow pakages and same axle ratings fromt and rear.
And finally.
Previous truck: 2012 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman QC 3.92 axle
Camper: 2012 Keystone Sprinter 266rbs 7500 scaled before two kids. Guessing 8000lbs with twp kids.
Im not part of the "RAM Mafia" and will tell you truthfully what I feel are the good bad and ugly.
I purchased this truck mainly because the qc was not working with the rear facing car seat and with another one on the way there wasnt a way I could move my seat up. I went with the 1 ton as I get a lot of firewwod from different locations and felt bad for what I was putting my last truck through. I also went with the 1 ton for future uogrades to a fifthwheel as the current tt has no bunks and that will need to change in the future.
I took this TT approx 10-12k miles with my last truck any where from Maine to Pennsylvania. This year we didnt travel too much bc the wife was too pregnant and then when my daughter was born it was hardvwith her and another one only 11 months older. We did manage to get out to Hershey PA and to Lake George NY and a couple smaller local trips.
The truck took some getting use to. Its not like driving a gas truck especially with the exhaust brake. The truck averages about 2.5mpg better overall while empty and while towing all while weighing 2700lbs more. Overall im happy and would purchase again but ive only owned it 8 months and 6500miles. Ive expericed zero issues so far. I also have a company vehicle so its not used during the week.
Engine:
Sounds like a real truck. The exhaust brake is awesome. I drive pretty much 99% of the time with tow/haul engaged and the exhaust brake on full which elimates almost all braking down to 20 or so mph. The high idle feature is neat and quite useful. Ive used this quite a bit even in the summer bc I live on a hill which is 12% in spots and a mile long. Helps warm the turbo so the exhaust brake works as soon as I leave the driveway. Power it seems is getting better. I had times while pulling on the highway when going up a 3-4% grade where it would downshift to 4th. This is non existant now and will go to sixth now. I usually lock sixth out but I was trying it my last trip because the truck just felt better after some miles. Since that first trip where it dropped tp 4th ive yet to have to do that unless my speed warranted it. Ive also hauled a dump trailer fully loaded to 14k and it just didnt do well going up the hill. It did fine when in high gears but I think the torque management is pretty drastic in the lower gears.
This truck does move when you stomp on it and just keeps pulling till you get scared and let off. It feels quicker than the numbers show.
Transmission:
The Aisin provides pretty firm shifts whether in tow haul or not. I usually just keep in tow haul becuase it downshifts sooner allowing the exhaust brake to work more. There was a weird delay in shifts between 2nd and 3rd but it seems to have gotten better and seems common. Ive never experieced any jerky or weird shift. The truck does like to shift at no more than 2100rpms which puts you pretty low in the rpm range when trying to pull a hill once downshifted (1400-1500). As stated the hill I live on is steep and you can only go about 30mph due to the turns. It wants to shift to third but its just too low and the truck will shake slightly if left in that gear. I simply lock it in 2nd and the issue is gone. I wish I didnt have to do thid but not the end of the world. I dont just stomp on it because this truck does get up and go and would go faster than the roads allow which force you to slower speeds up this hill which doesnt have any running start.
Suspension:
I use my truck for quite a few other things like home projects and firweood. I think the truck sags a little more than I like but does seem progressive. I wish it sat like a 2500 which is about 1" taller when empty. Ive thought about installing a 1" larger block but figured id take this out if we upgrade to a fifthwheel in the future which was the plan when I bought this truck. Trucks drops very comparable to my FIL 2012 F350 but I do like that he has the upper overload which was removed a couple years ago from the SRW trucks. The newer trucks just sit more level than they ever use too. The truck does ride rougher than my FIL F350 which has a gvwr of 11.4k. Im not sure if its bc my truck is rated for 12.3k or just the way it is. We both run nearly the same tire pressure and both have the plow pakages and same axle ratings fromt and rear.
And finally.
