I am looking to buy a used truck and was looking for advice on towing capacity. I do not have a rig yet but am looking to get something around 15k gross weight. Are there any gas engines that can pull that safely, or do I need to get diesel? Any help would be appreciated.

A one ton gasser (may need a dual rear wheel) may do it but you'll get horrible mileage and crawl up steep grades. There is a reason most of us get diesels. Why don't you want one?

Initial and maintenance costs seem to be a lot higher. Just so you know I'm leery of any used vehicle because they are expensive and you don't know all the issues that come with it. Thanks for your response.

Initial costs are higher but you'll recover that when you sell the vehicle. The higher maintenance costs are a persistent myth. I was worried about it when I got our diesel but it just isn't true. The newer model trucks, built after 2011, have much higher towing limits than older versions. At least for diesels. I'm not familiar with the gas engine market. Trucks built by all three manufacturers have been robust with few problems. Which could not be said for some earlier models.

I don't buy the 'alot higher' MX costs. Oil changes are less frequent than Gassers (although oil capacity is alot higher), which pretty much makes it a wash. Fuel filter changes on the RAM CTD (as example) is every 15K, and price of fuel filters is not that big of a deal. DEF fluid (for later model diesel's) is an additive cost, but not that bad really.Once you go diesel, you wont want to go back.Mike

towing capacity | Good Sam Community

Huntindog
Explorer
Feb 07, 2017
mkirsch wrote:
agesilaus wrote:
Initial costs are higher but you'll recover that when you sell the vehicle.

This is also a myth. If you hypothetically spend $8000 more for a diesel up front, you will NOT get $8000 more at resale time. You will get a proportionally reduced amount based on the overall value of the vehicle.
The main thing is that if you are trying to sell a gas truck with 150K,,, it will be a hard sell.

Selling a diesel with 150K is easy. It is just getting broke in.
transamz9
Explorer
Feb 07, 2017
mkirsch wrote:
agesilaus wrote:
Initial costs are higher but you'll recover that when you sell the vehicle.

This is also a myth. If you hypothetically spend $8000 more for a diesel up front, you will NOT get $8000 more at resale time. You will get a proportionally reduced amount based on the overall value of the vehicle.

If you figure in the maintenance if done by the book it will be real close. Sure the cost of a service for a diesel is a little more than it's gas counterpart but by the book intervals the diesel will go longer in between services not to mention full savings. In the long run they cost no different to operate.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Feb 07, 2017
agesilaus wrote:
Initial costs are higher but you'll recover that when you sell the vehicle.

This is also a myth. If you hypothetically spend $8000 more for a diesel up front, you will NOT get $8000 more at resale time. You will get a proportionally reduced amount based on the overall value of the vehicle.
Big1
Explorer II
Feb 07, 2017
My gasser max tow is 15,650 lbs with the 4.10 gears but I wouldn't want to tow that often, payload is 3000 lbs, truck in my signature.
MFL
Nomad II
Feb 07, 2017
To answer the question, any of the big 3 have a gas engine capable of towing a 15K FW, if you are talking late models with proper gearing. IMO, the Ford with 6.2 engine, 4.30 gears would be best choice.

That said, if I planned to tow more than a 12k scaled weight FW, I'd get a diesel.

Jerry
KD4UPL
Explorer
Feb 07, 2017
Using a gas powered truck to pull that much weight isn't really a safety issue. It's a question of how fast do you want to accelerate and how fast do you want to go up hill?
There may be some SRW 3500 trucks that are rated for that much weight but I would want a dually. I must assume you're talking about a FW if it's 15,000 pounds.
The RAM 6.4 Hemi would be my pick of the gas engines right now. You can even get it in a 4500 or 5500 cab and chassis if you want to really upgrade the payload from a regular 3500 pick-up.
Walaby
Explorer II
Feb 07, 2017
I don't buy the 'alot higher' MX costs. Oil changes are less frequent than Gassers (although oil capacity is alot higher), which pretty much makes it a wash. Fuel filter changes on the RAM CTD (as example) is every 15K, and price of fuel filters is not that big of a deal. DEF fluid (for later model diesel's) is an additive cost, but not that bad really.

Once you go diesel, you wont want to go back.

Mike
agesilaus
Explorer III
Feb 06, 2017
Initial costs are higher but you'll recover that when you sell the vehicle. The higher maintenance costs are a persistent myth. I was worried about it when I got our diesel but it just isn't true.

The newer model trucks, built after 2011, have much higher towing limits than older versions. At least for diesels. I'm not familiar with the gas engine market. Trucks built by all three manufacturers have been robust with few problems. Which could not be said for some earlier models.
ajacobs1112
Explorer
Feb 06, 2017
Initial and maintenance costs seem to be a lot higher. Just so you know I'm leery of any used vehicle because they are expensive and you don't know all the issues that come with it. Thanks for your response.
ajacobs1112
Explorer
Feb 06, 2017
Initial and maintenance costs seem to be a lot higher. Just so you know I'm leery of any used vehicle because they are expensive and you don't know all the issues that come with it. Thanks for your response.

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