New Heartland owner - now new truck...advice?

[skozub01]

We just bought a 2018 Heartland Wilderness 2850BH and can't wait to hit the road. We've been researching and weighing options for nearly a year and we finally jumped in. The dry weight is 6,742 lbs, and the rig is 32' 9" long tip to toe.

Currently we have a 2015 Toyota Tundra 4x4 but it's a lease and goes back to the dealer in April. The next truck I buy I want to keep for the long haul.

I was originally going to get another Tundra (2018 Limited Crewmax 4x4), but I've started looking at Diesel options. Clearly there is no difference in terms of towing capacity with a Diesel vs. a gas engine, but is it really worth the added cost, the additional power and the lesser comfort options? My biggest concern is if I stay with the Tundra and regret that decision once we start towing the new rig.

We live in Colorado and want to take it up into the mountains - is the Tundra going to struggle pulling that size trailer to the point I regret the decision? I know the Tundra can pull it but will it be a tough go? The other option is to go with a gas version of the Ford F250 to get more torque and higher towing capacity but is that worth it?

We are new to towing and I don't want to regret which truck I get. Cost is still a concern however with most Ford F250 Lariat units pushing the $60k+ price tag. I'd need to get these down to something far more manageable to make it work.

Any advice?

Go with Tundra and save money on the cost, go with Diesel and spend a fortune with less comfortable ride, go with different gas truck and get more torque?

We will use the trailer for weekend and occasionally longer trips but won't be full timers at all. I also have to commute to and from work so towing isn't going to be the trucks primary purpose. Thanks!

2018 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4x4
horsepower - 381 hp @ 5,600 rpm
torque - 401 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm
curb weight - 5,680 lbs
GVWR - 7,200 lbs
towing capacity - 9,800 lbs
tongue weight - 980 lbs
gross combined weight - 16,000 lbs

2018 Ford F-250 Lariat 4x4 (Diesel)
horsepower - 450 hp @ 2,800 rpm
torque - 935 hp @ 1,800 rpm
curb weight - 6,372 lbs
GVWR - 11,200 lbs
towing capacity - 17,500 lbs
tongue weight -1,800 lbs

 

[danemayer]

Hi skozub01,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum.

Take a look as the RPM at which each truck develops max horsepower.

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[PondSkum]

30+ ft rigs are big, and I don't know if I'd want to pull one with a 1/2 ton truck. I've pulled a 31 ft bumper pull with my previous Ram 2500, and don't think it would have been a fun ride in a 1/2 ton. I see people pulling them around all the time, but it's all about how comfortable you are with it.

If you've already tested it behind your current Tundra, and feel comfortable with it, then I don't see why you couldn't get another. But my personal opinion would be to go up to a 3/4 ton gas truck at a minimum, especially since you said you are in the mountains. Diesel would be my number 1 choice.

My experience with choosing a truck was that originally I said "A 3/4 ton will be more than enough truck for what I plan to pull." So I bought a 3/4 ton, then 2.5 years later, I came across a great deal on a sweet toyhauler that I couldn't pass up. This past weekend, I traded my 3/4 ton for a 1 ton dually so that I can pull that monster.... LOL

Moral of the story: Decide which truck "should" do what you want it to do, then buy the next one bigger!!

 

[Shortest Straw]

Reverse your thinking for just a minute and ask if the vehicle you want will stop that big trailer. I think you would be well suited to get a 3/4 ton with that big of a trailer. Now to me the difference between a gas and diesel depends on how often you will be towing. Weekend stuff from time to time would lead me to say a gasser would be fine. If you plan on taking longer trips more and more, then a diesel would be better. Our current neighbors have the same model you have and pull it with a 1/2 ton chevy short box. They hate every minute of it but that may just be personal preference.

 

['Lil Guy']

IMO I would go with a 3/4T diesel truck, especially if you pull in mountainous or hilly terrain. My Ram 3/4 was pretty nice and the ride wasn't bad, especially with a trailer behind it and the low end torque makes for an easy pull, even in the mountains. Considering the extra baking power, extra pay load and better fuel economy, this would have to be my choice

 

[kf5qby]

When towing torque is king, it is not about HP. Diesel Engines produce huge amounts of torque at low RPM. This means they can be geared higher and pull heavier loads more efficiently.

That being said, what is your daily commute like? Diesel's do not like short trips where they do not warm up completely.

My tow vehicle requirements are very simular to yours. I have owned Diesels in the past but this time ended up with a 2500 RAM 4x4 with the 6.4L Hemi. It is better for short trips but still makes a lot of torque at relatively low RPM. Plus it is designed to tow 12,500 lbs and can carry up to 3300 lbs of cargo. I get around 20MPG on the highway and 12MPG in my normal day to day driving when not towing. Towing, I get around 11MPG.

The Tundra would probably be able to handle that trailer pretty easily.

 

[Bob&Patty]

At least a 3/4 tn and diesel. Then buy more truck than you need, you never know when you will move up to a bigger trailer. then you need a bigger truck. Don't ask how I know.

 

[kab449]

You will have room to go bigger and heavier with the Ford Diesel. I have the truck you listed and it pulls The Bighorn 3160EL effortlessly. It will play with the trailer you have now.

 

[skozub01]

Thanks everyone - this has been super helpful. I'm going to look closer at 3/4 ton pickups and will need to juggle the diesel vs. the gas option. I'd prefer diesel but I'm not sure I can swing that additional cost at the moment and still get everything I want.

Super appreciate all the advice!

 

[Power247]

Our previous TT was a different brand but very similar floor plan and weights as your Wilderness. We pulled it with a 2009 Ram 1500 that I thought it handled fine.. until I upgraded trucks. The over all feeling of control is so much better in my 2500. I may not always own a diesel but I'm so spoiled now that I could not go back to a 1/2 ton as long as we own a camper.

Greg
2012 | RAM 2500 | CCSB | Custom tuned by Double R Diesel
2016 | Heartland Pioneer | DS310

 

[SNOKING]

A modern diesel with it's exhaust brake is the way to go living in Colorado and wanting to play in the mountains. The RAM 3500 SRW with the Aisin transmission like I have is the real deal. The Aisin tranny has lower 1st and 2nd gears to get a load moving, and the 3.42 gears make it a freeway cruiser empty. 80 MPH is a low 1750 RPM. The 2500 RAM does not come with the Aisin tranny. Trucks like mine or other SRW 350/3500' open the door for future larger trailers, and you said you wanted to keep it a long time. We tow a 39'4" 16K trailer and meet the rating numbers, which a 250/2500 would not. We tow in 5th gear, with 6th locked out, and in tow haul it will not shift to 6th unit 65 MPH and we do not tow that fast.

We had our last truck 14 years and hope to have this one that long.

Chris

 

[Jim Posz]

One more idea is to get the F-250 Power Stroke diesel in the XLT trim package rather than the Lariat. We replaced our old truck last fall with a new 2017 F-250 XLT diesel and got a nice, really powerful unit with all the options we felt we needed for a lot less money than some of the units we saw on the lots. I'm OK with cloth seats and doing without a sunroof. We ran across a loaded up Silverado gas half-ton for over $70,000 sticker, which was about $15,000 more than the sticker on the 3/4 ton diesel truck we ended up buying.

 

[skozub01]

Thanks for all the advice. We went with a 2017 F350 diesel. Have had it for a couple weeks now and absolutely love it.


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[alwaysbusy]

Have been on both ends of this.

We used to tow with a 2006 Dodge (oooops, is one still allowed to say that?) well, before they were Fiats, LOL......a 2006 Dodge 2500 Hemi. We towed a 27ft tow behind toy hauler. The truck was at it's max capacity weight wise. We would tow the interstate mountains of WV and VA which are some long hard pulls. We still joke about it to this day, about doing what I call the donkey "HeeHaw". The truck would get down to 40mph, change gear and the RPM's would shoot up. Truck would increase speed and it would do the opposite, RPM's down, and we would cycle through this over and over before reaching the top. Now don't get me wrong, the truck did what it was supposed to do and it was a good truck. It didn't help that these were in my younger years and I had a Flowmaster on it too.......and it drove us nuts as we were screaming when pulling hard (another bad decision I made). Life changes, went diesel and as long as we're towing and have a need, will not go back to gas.

On another, I work with a true Tundra die hard fan who has owned several. He is a diesel mechanic actually who works on and has much experience with the big 3; we poke and jive a lot about our trucks. He utilizes his Tundra as a daily driver but uses one of the deisels he has access to when it comes time to hauling. In his opinion, there's no comparison to be made.

 

[NYSUPstater]

Quite the jump from the Tundra, but congrats. Bit more to do's w/ a diesel, but you won't regret it. One thing which I'm sure you have is a WD hitch. Reason I say this is based on own experience. In addition to our RV in sig, I also have a 4 place V-nose snowmobile trailer w/o a WD hitch. Trailer weighs 2500 by itself and w/ 3 sleds, is north of 4000 lbs. Am about the same length w/ it as I am w/ the RV. The sled trailer will let you know it's behind you whereas I don't get that from the RV other than the weight difference.