Ram experts needed for tow rig input

shelby27604

shelby27604

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Location
Efland NC
I am doing research for my next tow rig, it needs to be a crew cab and a stick shift, all signs point toward a cummins powered rig.
On to the questions.
-Crew cab long bed or mega cab 6'5" bed? I have a a large dog that goes everywhere with me, the fold flat of a mega cab looks very appealing, but I tend to prefer long beds for functionality.

-2500 or 3500 I see the 2500 has rear coils while the 3500 has leaf springs, I currently drive a 2nd gen 2500 I am very happy with the overall ride (leafs in the rear), but would probably toss a set of air bags in the back of a coil sprung truck. Any other 2500 vs. 3500 differences?

-Turning radius, my current quad cab, long bed has a very respectable turning radius (stock 245 tires). I have heard the turning radius got worse on the 3rd and 4th gen trucks, any truth to this?

-Transfercase, any issues with the electric shift versions? MOST manuals have the manual shift, but 30% give or take seem to have the electric shift transfercase (of which, I am not a fan, but I am not sure I would let it be a deal breaker)
 
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My wife and I have a pair of Mega Cab Cummins mine is 3500 DRW here is a 2500. Turning radius is the same between them and I will never own another body style after having the space that a Mega Cab offers with the seats up or down.
I admit there have been some times a long bed would be nice. I’d like to have a drag up tank in the bed but it won’t work with my sliding 5th wheel. I’ve just learned that if I’m towing I’m gonna have to fill up more often at the station.
I know that’s a silly thing but sometimes it’s the little things people don’t think about. Manual trans is gonna be the unicorn though but at least Ram had them the longest out of anybody.

EDIT: if you really want to see what’s available search out in Texas. If you’re gonna find a deal it will be out there. Fly in they pick you up. Out if the dealership that afternoon. 2 days drive and you’re back home.
Just don’t go now or you’ll spend 2 weeks in Texas in quarantine.
 
Just a few comments to add in for consideration. I never had a mega cab, but my old man does. Leg room IMHO is exactly the same as my crew cab. If you’re looking for something that will fold flat, consider getting the package tray option. They’re pretty stout, wrapped in carpet, and lay perfectly flat. Only lower to the ground than the seats of the mega cab (for dogs that jump in). My 2015 2500 had the coils and the ride quality made my old mans 2014 3500 seem like a miserable ride. I’d recommend driving both styles, one after the other, and feel the difference. If you have to have manual, I’m not gonna try to convince you otherwise. Just a few facts though. The manual is de-tuned and has less HP and torque than the auto. The AISIN is definitely the unicorn and considered to be the superior piece.
 
I was between a handshaker and what I ended up with (Aisin with the floor shift tcase) when I got my '18 dually. I'm in the quadcab longbed crowd because of the toolbox and still needing to be able to put the dirtbike and other things in the bed with the tailgate up when pulling the camper. Couldnt do that with the megacab. I liked the megacab because we have 3 dogs, but two are smaller so it wasn't a necessity. I never saw the fold flat part to be a deal breaker. I typically put our bags on the floor and then the dogs just lay on the back seat. Work function was more important.

Turning radius was really good on stock pizza cutters and still is even on 285/75's. Tight parking lots suck, but its a dually. I just park out in the back 40 anyway usually.

Ride quality feels a ton better than my 2nd gen dually I had as does the whole truck.

No input on the electronic vs manual tcase other than I am pretty sure the manual box still has electronic actuators on it because I can hear a motor run when I shift into 4wd.
 
What are your plans for use? If considering a slide in truck camper or any payload in the bed you want a 3500 SRW at a minimum. The coils are not good when mixed with a high center of gravity heavy load. I have the 2500 in an 2018 MY it is great. Has android auto and all the goodies. Last year for manual though if you have to have a handshaker.
 
The Texas trucks are hit and miss...while they usually have good deals, if fleet maintained can be great used trucks. Others can be absolute shit missiles covered in armorall because they spent their whole life on right of ways and in the oil fields.

Big stupid bumpers are cool. Fear no deer.
 
tsconver said:
I have the 2500 in an 2018 MY it is great. Has android auto and all the goodies. Last year for manual though if you have to have a handshaker.
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It's got to be a handshaker.....I had a 4th gen. 5.7l/ZF8 speed that was great, but it just didn't feel like a truck. I am ok with the detuned engine, the aftermarket tunes and mods can fix that if I need it, and it is a healthy margin of added longevity until then.

Probably no slide in camper, I have a 14k tilt deck that I use for everything from Crew cabs, misc. vehicles, and tractors. For the most part, the cummins would be Overkill.

What mileage would you all recommend avoiding? I see a lot on the market right at 120k, are people dumping them because the next gen. just dropped, or is there major service due?

I have no doubt I will jump on a plane, or get a 1-way rental to go get the truck that meets my needs, and I am fine with that.....too many squatted bro-dozers on the market around here anyway!
 
I'll 2nd going to TX for a truck. Or anywhere not in salt country really. Always thought that would be a cool trip anyway. My buddy bought a Duramax from TX. Buying a ticket for him and his buddy and driving back still saved him over $5k for similar trucks around here.

I looked at 2500 and 3500 and didn't see a single manual.
Used Ram 3500 Mansfield TX
 
shelby27604 said:
It's got to be a handshaker.....I had a 4th gen. 5.7l/ZF8 speed that was great, but it just didn't feel like a truck. I am ok with the detuned engine, the aftermarket tunes and mods can fix that if I need it, and it is a healthy margin of added longevity until then.

Probably no slide in camper, I have a 14k tilt deck that I use for everything from Crew cabs, misc. vehicles, and tractors. For the most part, the cummins would be Overkill.

What mileage would you all recommend avoiding? I see a lot on the market right at 120k, are people dumping them because the next gen. just dropped, or is there major service due?

I have no doubt I will jump on a plane, or get a 1-way rental to go get the truck that meets my needs, and I am fine with that.....too many squatted bro-dozers on the market around here anyway!
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14k tilt deck and you are getting close to the limit for a 2500 Gen 4 Ram. My 2500 crew cab is rated at 17k towing. The mega with manual and 4x4 is only rated at 14k. The motor will pull it but the rest of the truck is not rated for it. Some people says it matters from an insurance standpoint. The DMV does not care as long as the tires are rated for the loads and the tags are weighted for the loads.

The main issue is the gearing by the way. You cannot get anything but 3.42 gears in a SRW axle. Go to a DRW axle with 4.10s and the capacity jumps to 30k

Here is a good chart for all the options and configurations,
https://www.ramtrucks.com/content/dam/fca-brands/na/ramtrucks/en_us/towing/2018 Ram 3500.pdf
https://www.ramtrucks.com/content/dam/fca-brands/na/ramtrucks/en_us/towing/2018 Ram 2500.pdf
 
I have a 15 mega cab 2500. In the 4th gens the mega has a longer wheelbase than the crew cab short bed, but a shorter wheelbase than a crew cab long bed. The leg room for the back seat is the same between all cabs, but the mega seats recline and fold flat. There is also no storage compartments in the floor like the crew cabs. To my knowledge no mega cabs have a floor shift transfer case, but I haven't had any problems with my truck going into 4wd with the electronic shift. 13 up trucks did go back to a disconnect front axle (CAD). My truck has the factory air ride in the rear instead of coils, but it also has a leveling kit and 37's so I can't comment on the factory ride. IMO it rides good, but I daily drove a 93 W250 for years so anything was an improvement. I looked for a long time and only found one mega cab that was manual, and it didn't meet my other criteria. Mine has the 68RFE and has 120k on it with no problems, but I drive like I have some sense and keep the tuner on 1 or 2. I know one day it will need a trans but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I don't need a long bed, so I never really looked at them, but went with the mega over the crew for the storage behind the seat. This is my second mega and I don't think I'll have a Ram truck that isn't a mega.

Duane
 
2014+ 2500s have coils in the rear or air suspension (no leafs)(auto leveling, also push a button to lower the rear and back under a trailer then air back up, pretty cool)

3500s are leaf rear, but were available with factory airbags (rear only) and auto leveling from like 2014+ or 2015+
 
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They're not air ride on all four corners, just the rear.

Duane
 
CLRracer said:
To my knowledge no mega cabs have a floor shift transfer case, but I haven't had any problems with my truck going into 4wd with the electronic shift.
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Dang, in my searches, I hadn't put that together, I just assumed most of the G56 mega cabs were higher equipped....but it does look like the mega cab option means you can't get a manual linkage transfer.....

A local dealer has a crew cab and a mega cab, the crew isn't a long bed, but I can get a feel for the available space. I wonder if you can swap the fold and tumble mega cab rear seat into a crew cab?

As for mega cab availability with a G56, they aren't the norm, but they aren't hens teeth by any means.....now years ago I found an LLY Dmax with a ZF6 in an extended cab long bed.....that was rare (Drove to New Bern Cash in hand, only for the seller to back out). I am sure they are out there, but I have only seen a hand full of non-regular cab Duramax rigs with a ZF6, and I think 99% were LB7's.
 
Definitely not as rare as a duramax with the zf6! But I was being pretty picky with my options so I didn't see every available truck either when I was looking. And I really don't know why they don't offer the manual shift in the mega cabs, but I don't think it's ever been an option. My 06 mega was electronic shift too.

Duane
 
I think the key to push button 4wd shifters is do your best to actually engage it once in a while, some regular use should keep it from getting hung up. That said I'd much rather have manual, but its getting harder and harder to find these days, specially on high end models.
 
CLRracer said:
They're not air ride on all four corners, just the rear.

Duane
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Correct. The wires in my head got crossed between the 1500 and 2500.
 
My 2015 2500 quad cab handshaker deleted Dodge/Ram thingie has been a great truck.
Tows a 4500# camper, rig/trailer @ 9k# and has towed a 36' GN @14.5k. Towed each just fine. No complaints with coils in the back. I did add Sumo Spring progressive bump stops.
The 3.42 ratio is a bit steep for the heavier loads (over 12k) on grades, but a regear is always an option.
Post delete I'm consistently getting 21.x mpg empty and 11-12 towing 9k at interstate speeds.
Would do again.
 
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