Hello everyone! New to the forum and looking for advice from those with much more knowledge and experience with diesel than I have. I'm considering a new, bigger truck, and want some feedback as to if I should/need to go diesel or should consider 3/4 ton gasser.
My current truck is '05 RAM 1500 Hemi. I used to only use it to tow my 22' Glastron ski boat, but bought a 27' fiver last winter. The 5th wheel is a Keystone Sprindale 249FWBHSSR. Dry weight 6301lbs, and carrying capacity 1804lbs, with a pin weight of about 1150lbs. I've had the truck and 5th wheel fully loaded and weighed at a truck scale. I was just barely within my GAWR, which is generally my biggest concern. I have the weight slips in my truck, but can't recall off hand how heavy the whole load was.
I live in Kansas, so it's mostly flat, but I towed to Arkansas and Oklahoma and Missouri last year. Any slight hills and I'm working that 1500! The Hemi has power, but I'm sure I'll burn through a transmission this year if I keep towing the 5er, not to mention brakes, etc. I have a tranny and oil cooler and LOVE my Ram! But don't want to tear it up and have lots of $$ in repairs. It's pushing 80k miles now.
I'd also like to be able to take the family camping in Colorado, Georgia, etc, but am not sure I want to tow more than 400 miles or so with the 1500. So I've decided to look at 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. Initially only 3/4, but keep finding killer deals on 3500/350s. The thing is that I do drive this thing around town also. I have a motorcycle that is my primary transportation 4 months of the year, but have to drop off/pick up kids and stuff and would have to do that in the truck unless I bought a $1k cheapo for around town, which is an option.
If I tow only in spring/summer mostly and tow a ~8200lb 5er, and want to be able to tow long distance, but still need to be able to drive around town, should I be considering a diesel or stay with gas? It's legal to tandem tow in Ks also, but my wife thinks that is crazy!
Lastly, are there any major issue that I could be overlooking? I will do my own upkeep unless needs very specialized tools or something.
My current truck is '05 RAM 1500 Hemi. I used to only use it to tow my 22' Glastron ski boat, but bought a 27' fiver last winter. The 5th wheel is a Keystone Sprindale 249FWBHSSR. Dry weight 6301lbs, and carrying capacity 1804lbs, with a pin weight of about 1150lbs. I've had the truck and 5th wheel fully loaded and weighed at a truck scale. I was just barely within my GAWR, which is generally my biggest concern. I have the weight slips in my truck, but can't recall off hand how heavy the whole load was.
I live in Kansas, so it's mostly flat, but I towed to Arkansas and Oklahoma and Missouri last year. Any slight hills and I'm working that 1500! The Hemi has power, but I'm sure I'll burn through a transmission this year if I keep towing the 5er, not to mention brakes, etc. I have a tranny and oil cooler and LOVE my Ram! But don't want to tear it up and have lots of $$ in repairs. It's pushing 80k miles now.
I'd also like to be able to take the family camping in Colorado, Georgia, etc, but am not sure I want to tow more than 400 miles or so with the 1500. So I've decided to look at 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. Initially only 3/4, but keep finding killer deals on 3500/350s. The thing is that I do drive this thing around town also. I have a motorcycle that is my primary transportation 4 months of the year, but have to drop off/pick up kids and stuff and would have to do that in the truck unless I bought a $1k cheapo for around town, which is an option.
If I tow only in spring/summer mostly and tow a ~8200lb 5er, and want to be able to tow long distance, but still need to be able to drive around town, should I be considering a diesel or stay with gas? It's legal to tandem tow in Ks also, but my wife thinks that is crazy!
Lastly, are there any major issue that I could be overlooking? I will do my own upkeep unless needs very specialized tools or something.