My wife and I really want to be the parents who expose our kids to the outdoors and nurture a love for nature. We recently decided that the best way to do this was to purchase a truck and fifth wheel. We started by shopping for the trailer that would best suit our family and chose a Sundance 3400. Since its GVWR is just under 14000#, we are leaning toward a 3/4 ton truck. I would love for you Heartland Owners to make a case for which truck I should get. I don't lean one way or the other; I just need something that is comfortable for my wife and three kids that will last a good long time.
Chose the Trailer - Need to Choose the Truck
- Thread starter LanceR
- Start date
jassson007
Founding Louisiana Chapter Leaders-Retired
Best advice? Go sit in all three. Take the family and have them sit in the positions they will be riding in and then decide and then go with whomever gives you the best deal.
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Helo LanceR and welcome to this great forum.
There are many people that have differing opinions as to what truck to own. Be it brand name or color or what ever.
Since you are looking at getting a truck I would recommend going to a 1 ton. The price difference is not much.
You could get a crew cab single rear wheel.
The crew cab for the kids in back and the single rear wheel to make you feel like a 3/4 ton if this will also be a daily driver.
Once you load the truck to include wife, kids, hitch and whatever else you will probably be at or near max GVWR.
I can tell you this. I have towed a much heavier trailer with a 3/4 ton eating up a lot of miles. Many others do it as well.
Never had a lick of trouble doing it nor felt it was unsafe. But it was always on my mind that I was overloaded.
I now have a 1 ton and feel relieved that I do.
Just my opinion.
Peace
Dave
There are many people that have differing opinions as to what truck to own. Be it brand name or color or what ever.
Since you are looking at getting a truck I would recommend going to a 1 ton. The price difference is not much.
You could get a crew cab single rear wheel.
The crew cab for the kids in back and the single rear wheel to make you feel like a 3/4 ton if this will also be a daily driver.
Once you load the truck to include wife, kids, hitch and whatever else you will probably be at or near max GVWR.
I can tell you this. I have towed a much heavier trailer with a 3/4 ton eating up a lot of miles. Many others do it as well.
Never had a lick of trouble doing it nor felt it was unsafe. But it was always on my mind that I was overloaded.
I now have a 1 ton and feel relieved that I do.
Just my opinion.
Peace
Dave
I choose the 3400 as well. My 2012 ram 2500 CTD pulled the trailer fine. My 12' had a GVWR of 20k. With this combo I was at the max. It will work and pull and stop the trailer well. However, looking toward the future I upgraded to a 14 3500 SRW. It gives you 25k GVWR. So you have more wiggle room. As stated above there isn't much difference in price between the 2 trucks. The GAWR for the 2500 was good on both front and rear but the GVWR is a tad over with the 3400.
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GOTTOYS
Well-known member
I recently traded out of a 2010 Dodge 2500 diesel and got a bigger truck. Buy the 3500 version. The price, the ride and fuel mileage is all about the same. I pull a trailer with a 14,000# gross weight. My truck and trailer combined weighed 19,800# across the scale with a 20,000# Maximum combined gross weight. Then I added an auxiliary fuel tank, more junk to the trailer and so on. I know my truck was overloaded by 800 to 1200 pounds if not more. I always worried about it especially in high winds and on mountain roads. I also worried about the effect of adding extra fuel. Finally decided to upgrade and am happy I did. Don't even consider the 2500. There is no advantage to buying it rather than a 3500....Don
lynndiwagoner
Well-known member
If you already owned a 3/4 ton Pickup I would say beef it up a little and go for it, but if you're buying new I would say a 1 T SRW Diesel would be fine. Enjoy.
Thanks everyone! There's some really good information here for me to consider. Since this will be my first tow vehicle, I certainly don't want to make a mistake. Will somebody help me understand how I migh "go overweight" if the GVWR of the Sundance is 13800# and the truck is rated to pull 16000# or more? What am I missing here? Admittedly, I know more about Ford and Chevy right now only because I haven't spent much time on Ram's website. I'm cool with going one-ton; I just want to have a clear understanding of why. Thanks!
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi LanceR,
Pulling 16,000 lbs is part of the equation you're solving. The other part is the payload rating of the truck; how much weight you can put on the hitch before you unbalance the truck or cause excessive wear and tear, or bottom out the suspension.
A 3/4 Ton truck will typically have a payload spec of around 2,500 lbs. A 1 Ton truck will have a payload spec of around 4,000 lbs. If your Sundance has a GVWR of 13,800, you should plan on about 20% of that weight sitting on the hitch, or around 2,760. It could go higher or lower depending on floor plan and how it's loaded, but 20% is a reasonable planning number.
Payload includes that 2,760, plus weight of the hitch, bed liner, bed cover, tools, pets, children, spouse and anything else in the truck. It would not be surprising if you were running between 3,500 and 4,000 lbs.
That puts you squarely into the 1 Ton payload range.
Actual payload specs vary tremendously based on configuration of the truck and how it's equipped from the factory. So you can't just look at the advertised "up to x,xxx" payload. You have to check the label inside the door of the truck you intend to buy.
To illustrate, I think Dodge was advertising their 2014 RAM 3500 Dually as having a payload spec up to 7,000 lbs. Ours has an actual payload of about 5,400 lbs. Plenty enough for our 4,100 lb actual load.
Last edited:
Jim.Allison
Well-known member
My $0.02 If you are the type that plans on upgrading your trailer in a couple of years, then get a 1 ton. There is just not that much price difference. TO ME It is hard to beat a RAM truck with 6.7 Cummins. I have always been a GM man, and I switched to Fords for a while and I still like both of them, but I own a 2013 RAM with a 6.7 Cummins and you can't twist it out of my hands. It is by far the best truck that I have ever owned and towing the Big Country 3650 RL is a dream.
The trucks are changing so fast its virtually impossible to tell you which one is going to be on top from one year to the next, and like someone said you gotta go look at all three. You will need to study it, because the likelihood of a car salesman knowing doodly squat about which truck you should buy is about 0%, some guys have gotten lucky and found someone that helped them. Get their brochures and take them home, and know everything about the truck you are going to buy then do not settle for anything less than what you set out to buy. I say this because I get crazy at a car dealership and wind up getting something less than what I wanted. Its easy to make this mistake. Make sure you are OVER on your payload capability. If you are not then your tow vehicle will be a slave to the trailer rather than the otherway around. Take 30 days to make your decision about your truck. What makes me an expert about how to choose a truck? Well look at what I'm pulling, and what I pull it with. I'm happy, but I could have done better, and If I would have been a member of this forum and posed the question you have posed, I would not have a 2500, I would have a 3500.
YouTube is a good place to go for reviews on trucks. Take them with a grain of salt though.
On all the trucks, I would definately go for the onboard navigation and control center. It really is a work center and makes driving much more comfortable.
We bought 4x4 simply because we want to be able to go where the roads take us, we drop the trailer off and away we go on our adventures. There are many jeep trails, and wilderness roads and 4X4 is a useful thing for us. To me a 4X4 is perfect for towing. Yes I have used it in some bad spots while towing my trailer. It is easy to get on a muddy or icy incline while towing, but I probably would not invest in 4x4 for that condition only. We chose the diesel, because we will be full timing for about 2 years and economy comes into play, but the best reason to buy a diesel is that you cannot get that amount of performance and economy out of a gasoline motor. For weekend getaways and two week vacations the diesel might not be right for you, its really your preference that comes into play.
You said a truck that last a good long while, the 6.7 Cummins should last about 500,000 miles without overhaul how is that for a good long while.
The trucks are changing so fast its virtually impossible to tell you which one is going to be on top from one year to the next, and like someone said you gotta go look at all three. You will need to study it, because the likelihood of a car salesman knowing doodly squat about which truck you should buy is about 0%, some guys have gotten lucky and found someone that helped them. Get their brochures and take them home, and know everything about the truck you are going to buy then do not settle for anything less than what you set out to buy. I say this because I get crazy at a car dealership and wind up getting something less than what I wanted. Its easy to make this mistake. Make sure you are OVER on your payload capability. If you are not then your tow vehicle will be a slave to the trailer rather than the otherway around. Take 30 days to make your decision about your truck. What makes me an expert about how to choose a truck? Well look at what I'm pulling, and what I pull it with. I'm happy, but I could have done better, and If I would have been a member of this forum and posed the question you have posed, I would not have a 2500, I would have a 3500.
YouTube is a good place to go for reviews on trucks. Take them with a grain of salt though.
On all the trucks, I would definately go for the onboard navigation and control center. It really is a work center and makes driving much more comfortable.
We bought 4x4 simply because we want to be able to go where the roads take us, we drop the trailer off and away we go on our adventures. There are many jeep trails, and wilderness roads and 4X4 is a useful thing for us. To me a 4X4 is perfect for towing. Yes I have used it in some bad spots while towing my trailer. It is easy to get on a muddy or icy incline while towing, but I probably would not invest in 4x4 for that condition only. We chose the diesel, because we will be full timing for about 2 years and economy comes into play, but the best reason to buy a diesel is that you cannot get that amount of performance and economy out of a gasoline motor. For weekend getaways and two week vacations the diesel might not be right for you, its really your preference that comes into play.
You said a truck that last a good long while, the 6.7 Cummins should last about 500,000 miles without overhaul how is that for a good long while.
Wmnmy
Well-known member
X2 I made the mistake of starting off with a 250 gasser then f250 diesel and now finally a 1 ton F350 king ranch which I should have gone with at first live and learn diesel of course...
'Lil Guy'
Well-known member
Bla Bla. I knew I wanted to upgrade to a 5er and went off to look at the trucks. I just couldn't make myself pull the trigger on the 3500 Ram even though the ride and price are comparable. Definitely wanted the SRW model. So off to the RV dealer with the new Ram 2500 CTD to pick out my new 5er. After time spent on this forum and doing research, I came to the reality of what I could safely tow with my truck. So now I'm shopping for the rig that will be safe behind my truck and that limited me . I opted for the E289 and love it compared to the original "Lil Guy'. However, it wasn't what I thought I would leave with. I'm still the 'Lil Guy' at the rallys. But it feels good behind my truck. If I could do it over again, I would own the 3500 SRW. Another advantage of the 3500 is you can get the upgraded power and transmission.
It all comes down to what you want and feel safe with. Most people here have a lot of knowledge and have lived the mistakes and choices we are making. The only thing I can tell you for sure is, don't let the RV dealer make your decision. He will sell you anything on the lot and guarantee your ride will handle it. Youi're dealing with payload here and all of the add ons to your truck, even though they might help the ride, won't change that. It's expensive changing vehicles and upgrading your RV 1' at a time like I'm doing. I wish I had listened the 1st time.
Good luck in what ever you buy and enjoy it.
Later and have a great day.
It all comes down to what you want and feel safe with. Most people here have a lot of knowledge and have lived the mistakes and choices we are making. The only thing I can tell you for sure is, don't let the RV dealer make your decision. He will sell you anything on the lot and guarantee your ride will handle it. Youi're dealing with payload here and all of the add ons to your truck, even though they might help the ride, won't change that. It's expensive changing vehicles and upgrading your RV 1' at a time like I'm doing. I wish I had listened the 1st time.
Good luck in what ever you buy and enjoy it.
Later and have a great day.
Lots of good info provided here by people with experience towing. I agree with them, if I was towing anything over 12k regularly, I'd buy a 350. Having a 250 will give you a slightly better ride unloaded, however towing your 5th wheel the 350 will ride like a Cadillac and you will not have to worry about overloading. You can go with a 3.73 rear ratio enabling adequate towing torque and a boost fuel economy over 4.10s.
I agree with as said, the salesmen at dealerships will tell you what you want to hear to sell a truck. Just remember, they are there to sell you a truck. Period. They don't always have the most technical or real world experience with them. That being said I work for Ford as a diesel specialist, feel free to PM me if you have questions regarding my experience with Ford Powerstrokes. I am not biased though, I like the Cummins as well! You can also check out this other thread, I've answered a few questions for other members.
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/50383-New-guy-on-forum-ford-diesel-tech
I agree with as said, the salesmen at dealerships will tell you what you want to hear to sell a truck. Just remember, they are there to sell you a truck. Period. They don't always have the most technical or real world experience with them. That being said I work for Ford as a diesel specialist, feel free to PM me if you have questions regarding my experience with Ford Powerstrokes. I am not biased though, I like the Cummins as well! You can also check out this other thread, I've answered a few questions for other members.
//heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/50383-New-guy-on-forum-ford-diesel-tech
jeffdee
Well-known member
I agree with all the comments and advice given in this thread. I just upgraded to a 1 ton DRW from a 3/4 ton SRW. I pulled a 10k TT for 4 years and then a 16k toyhauler for 17 months. The TT was an easy tow for a 3/4 ton SRW. The 16k toyhauler maxed out the truck. Towing in cross winds were the most stressing. Towing more than 90 miles in a day was very tiring. All the comments recommending a 1 ton DRW are not being understated. Towing a fifth wheel with a 1 ton DRW eliminates virtually all the stress when driving. New 1 ton duallys today are rated in the vicinity of 25k capacity. This will allow for RV upgrades down the road. I am sold on towing a fifth wheel with a 1 ton dully now.
Deciding on which make of truck is purely personal preference. Mine is for Ford, however I did shop all 3 makes. I found that all were comparable in quality, features, options and price (yes all were expensive). I got my best price during an end of the year clearance sale. When you do decide to buy, you will find that there are a lot of options and advice in researching the Internet. Once you are satisfied you are ready to trade, you can start with your local dealer. Hang tough with negotiations. I spent three days haggling so the salesman knew I was a serious customer and knew my price range. All in all, I had fun with the young man and got what I wanted at the price I was willing to pay.
Life does get better with age (LOL). This was my 2 cent retired engineer's assessment.
Deciding on which make of truck is purely personal preference. Mine is for Ford, however I did shop all 3 makes. I found that all were comparable in quality, features, options and price (yes all were expensive). I got my best price during an end of the year clearance sale. When you do decide to buy, you will find that there are a lot of options and advice in researching the Internet. Once you are satisfied you are ready to trade, you can start with your local dealer. Hang tough with negotiations. I spent three days haggling so the salesman knew I was a serious customer and knew my price range. All in all, I had fun with the young man and got what I wanted at the price I was willing to pay.
Life does get better with age (LOL). This was my 2 cent retired engineer's assessment.
Bob&Patty
Founders of SoCal Chapter
Get a 1tn SRW or DRW. Not much difference in $$$....ya never know if you will trade up for a bigger 5er at some point in time. Our BH weights 14K+ went from a 2500HD Chevy to a 3500HD DRW GMC. Wow what difference in towing and stability. What ever brand you chose...make sure you get a diesel engine. You will kill a gas engine pulling close to 22K GCVW and your fuel milage will suck big time. If you chose Dodge, make sure you get the Anisin (sp) trans because I guess its not standard with the Cummins engine. GM trucks have the "bullit" proof Allison and Ford has a good trans now and all standard.
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