RJKK

Time to start looking for a new tow vehicle. Anyone have thoughts/experience with the Ram 3.0 Diesel? Specs look OK, but wondering about real world experinece.....
Depending on the event I'm pulling either a 24' Featherlight enclosed or the little 3110 open trailer, with an F250 presently.
Thanks!

lowside67

My codriver has a Ram Ecodiesel and we have done lots of towing with that truck. We pull a 30' ATC aluminum gooseneck with a light load (formula car) but it's absolutely phenomenal. It gets great gas mileage and the transmission is smooth and intelligent. I have been so impressed with it that I am thinking about buying a Jeep Grand Cherokee with the same drivetrain to pull my trailer.

-Mark

RJKK

Thanks Mark that helps. They just seem a little more versatile for other uses. I find I drive the 250 less and less since its total overkill for things other than towing and the occasional big haul.

Rich_Jenkins

Following for future reference.

My tow experience is with a '16 Ram 2500 w/Cummins and a 30' Airstream Flying Cloud, connected with a ProPride Pivot Point Projection Sway Control hitch, for 2+ years extended travel across the US. Definitely interested in what you find out, since we may opt to go to a smaller TT (aprox 5-6K trailer / 5-600 lb hitch) next time.

LuigiVampa

I personally like overkill because you never know what you will be towing in the future.

Currently, I have a 2019 Ford F350 diesel pulling a 27 foot Pace steel trailer with an Equal-I-zer sway bar hitch. It tows like there is nothing back there, and probably doesn't need the load leveling hitch, but it increases ride comfort.

How many of us started by driving to the track, than an open trailer, than an open trailer with a tire rack, than an enclosed trailer and who knows what is next?

RossP

2500 Diesels can tow just about everything these days and still maintain decent DD capability. If I was looking for a new tow rig, it would be a 3/4 ton diesel.

Igooz

I would personally stay away from an engine made by VM Motori or Fiat? Not sure which; to me it does not matter.
We operate a few hundred tractor / trailers and after 35 years of diesel engine "experiments" by the OEMs, I will stay away from such brands.
Stick with the norm FWIW.

nathan1

I just totaled my 2015 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel on black ice in January but I had 40K+ miles of towing a 22" Aluminum Enclosed that usually weighs ~ 5,500-6,000lbs loaded. I tow 30k+ miles per year and have owned almost every iteration of truck over the past 20 years. I used 3/4 diesels (mostly Cummins) prior to converting to 1/2 ton trucks starting in 2013 (F150 Ecoboost, then a Ram Hemi, then the EcoD, now I have a new Ram with a HEMI) as the 1/2 ton truck have gotten so much better than they ever were. With that said, HANDS down a 3/4-1-ton truck is ALWAYS a better towing platform with brakes and suspension to manage that rare 1% situation (emergency manuever, high winds, etc) but in the real world I found I needed to balance my desire for day to day ease of use, ride quality, purchase cost, fuel mileage and the ability to park it in my garage which is only 20' deep.... So 99% of the time I am happy with the 1/2 ton, but I would never tow the full rating so many of these have and I keep my speeds down (max tow speed of 65mph) as I have seen too many towing disasters over the years which were usually a combo of overloaded, driver inattention and going too fast. So dedicated tow rig= 3/4 ton! Mix of daily driver with some inherent compromise for a tow rig= 1/2 ton.

As it relates to the Ram Ecodiesel, pro's and con's

Pro's

• Amazing fuel mileage whether empty or towing. Highway (West coast, lots of hills, 10 over) it would get a very consistent 25mpg. Hypermiling it would get 28-30mpg. Around town 22-23. Towing the above trailer 15.5 mpg.
• Comfortable highway towing rig- Made excellent torque so it rarely shifted out of 8th gear, just effortless.
• 8-speed auto is great, always knew what gear to be in.
• I had zero issues with the truck, very reliable (however they get creamed on the forums for not being so. My experience was excellent)

Con's

• Inadequate Cooling system- If you live in a hot climate, with lots of hills and you are going to tow heavy it will struggle. During the summer months I had to watch oil and coolant temps when pulling the typical 6-8% grades here out west if temps were above 80 (only when pulling the trailer). I would regularly see oil temps in the 260 range and water temps in the 230's. They derate at 266 oil temp, which I never hit but I was always on the line so I usually pulled out of it (this is pulling at 65 flats/60 hills). So I would add an oil cooler if you live somewhere hot.
• Cold Blooded- Like a typical diesel they are cold blooded, luckily I drive 90% highway but if someone had a short commute (sub 10 miles) I think a gas truck would be a better option.
• Higher initial costs, higher costs of diesel fuel and higher service costs- Just something to factor into your ownership costs. For example I just bought a brand new 2019 Ram 1500 since wrecking the EcoD. They were discounting the HEMI trucks ~$5k more, plus they were $4k cheaper to begin with. Factor in gas being 30% cheaper in my neck of the woods, lower service costs, etc and I decided to go HEMI. (For what it is worth the HEMI is effortless fast, sounds good, has plenty of power but it is constantly shifting under tow load as it spins much faster to make torque 3-4k rpm climbing hills vs 2200 rpm. It gets 17 empty and 10 towing. So pros and cons.

Hope that helps, feel free to PM if you want to talk directly.

177mph

Great info Nathan. Thanks for the information

lowside67

I think one of the most compelling reasons to consider a 1/2 ton truck is that they ride far better when not towing. Not to offend and 3/4 or 1 ton truck owners, they have come a LONG ways, but the reality is that a big part of their higher capacity is stiffer springs to accommodate the payload and that adds a lot of stiffness in a day to day.

Our old trailer was a 16x7 bumper pull @ 3500lbs loaded, the new one is a 30x8 gooseneck @ 4500lbs loaded and the EcoDiesel is completely indifferent to both. We tow regularly from WA to CA to visit tracks there and you can set the cruise control at 75mph and the truck will simply never slow - in fact, we had to be careful as we would very regularly catch up to traffic going up large grades as our truck would comfortably maintain 75mph while most would be slowed by the hill.

-Mark

Manda Racing

My $47k f150 Lariat eco boost developed a rod knock and that was that after towing 20’ enclosed a year.

now it’s a 2015 Ford 250 super duty King Ranch however if I had to do it over I’d get a Chevy or something that gets better than 15 around town. At the pump guys with Them are saying they getting around 30.

I bought mine with 11,000 miles going to hit 30k anyday mostly all towing. Only problem— replaced the def sensors.

mark boschert

I have towed a 24 ft enclosed steel Pace car hauler with SPB (~8000 lbs loaded) with my 2017 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel for 2 years and 18ooo towing miles with no problems. The 2020 has more HP and torque which would be great as well as a larger oil cooler which is needed for towing. Green Diesel (Michigan) offered a great tune which was stopped by EPA but will soon have a new EPA compliant box (no ECU flashing) which will increase HP 30, torque 60, and increase mileage. I average 70-75 mph towing with no problems or instability although I sometimes am slow on long grades which shouldn't be an issue with new model. I highly recommend the self leveling factory air suspension for great ride when not towing and level stance when towing. I get 22 mpg in city, 28 mpg on highway at 75mph, and 12-17 mpg towing (12 at 75mph, 17 at 55mph in CA).

mark boschert

Actually diesels were invented in Europe, Vittori motor was awarded 10 best motor award a few years ago, and has a great record in Europe.

loungin

Does anyone here tow with a large SUV like a Tahoe or a Expedition, etc? Or is a truck a must?

rnh204

I tow with a QX80 and a cayenne diesel. The qx has a 5.6 V8 gas engine. I don't think a truck is a must.

I tow an enclosed trailex with a m3 race car now total weight probably around 6k. Most of my towing was with the QX and always stable and no issues. But the gas mileage sucked. Avg like 8-9 mpg and had to fill up every 200 miles with a 22 gal tank.

I only towed once with the cayenne diesel and toes just as well as the QX but I got 15-16 mpg so fill ups at the 300-350 mile intervals. That was great for my one long tow to road Atlanta which for me is 12-13 hours.