RAM 5500 Chassis

[Hay Dude]

NICE rig..

Thanks coobie!
I, too find myself raising the question of gas or diesel, until I look at torque specs-especially at low RPMs. It’s not even a contest. Diesel slaughters gas in low RPM torque, which is why diesel tows so much better and saves fuel while doing it. Gas engines have come a long way, but so have Diesel engines. Everyone is so geeked-out about newer gas engines, but Diesel engines have undergone significant improvements, too.
This new RAM will also tow more weight on each trip than my previous truck, saving me hauling trips and saving me money.
I have no choice other than diesel with the trailers I’m towing and I own 10 other vehicles and machines powered with Diesel engines, so it helps keep the fuel situation simple.
Once you get Diesel vehicles in your “blood”, it’s hard not to continue. I can barely stand to sit in a gas truck :laughing:

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I bought nothing but diesel pu's from 1982 on, in 2012 I bought a gasser, and to be honest, I'm not going back to diesel. Like was said above, these days, you have to be on the road ALL the time to make a diesel worth it...

The other day when I bought gas, it was $.95 cents a gallon, diesel was $2.15. I wouldn't live long enough to make the cost of a diesel "break even" when you consider ALL the cost for one these days...

Last year I bought a new gasser and I'm very happy with it.

SR

 

[Hay Dude]

I bought nothing but diesel pu's from 1982 on, in 2012 I bought a gasser, and to be honest, I'm not going back to diesel. Like was said above, these days, you have to be on the road ALL the time to make a diesel worth it...

The other day when I bought gas, it was $.95 cents a gallon, diesel was $2.15. I wouldn't live long enough to make the cost of a diesel "break even" when you consider ALL the cost for one these days...

Last year I bought a new gasser and I'm very happy with it.

SR

Or towing above what gas is rated for.....

 

[Snobdds]

I live up at 6500 feet and tow regularly up to a 9500 foot cabin. Gas motors are dogs up here. Having to keep the motor at >4500 rpm to keep enough HP to climb up and down these long hills is tough on a gas motor. They don't have enough duty cycle to keep the engine cool enough at high rpm. The side of the road is always littered with overworked gas trucks hauling campers every summer. Diesels makes it effortless. That is why Wyoming must be the highest % of diesel truck owners in the world. Everyone has one.

Towing is not my determining factor, I want turbos to cram as much thin air as possible into the motor.

 

[4570Man]

I’m guessing a 5500 gas burner is completely different from a pickup gas burner. I’ve got a 6500 gas truck. The engine is designed for continuous use at high rpm with the cooling ability to match. You can run it as hard as you want for as long as you want and it never moves off 190 degrees.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Yup, this new generation of big gas motors, is a game changer...

SR

 

[Snobdds]

I’m guessing a 5500 gas burner is completely different from a pickup gas burner. I’ve got a 6500 gas truck. The engine is designed for continuous use at high rpm with the cooling ability to match. You can run it as hard as you want for as long as you want and it never moves off 190 degrees.

They still fail too. I see so many class a gas motor homes with a chassis like a 6500 that are overheated.

Long steep hills will show the weakness in any truck...cooling is the biggest.

 

[4570Man]

They still fail too. I see so many class a gas motor homes with a chassis like a 6500 that are overheated.

Long steep hills will show the weakness in any truck...cooling is the biggest.

I run the poor 366 in the 6500 hard and it’s never hit 200 degrees. I take it up 10 mile long hills at 4000 pretty often. One of my buddies has an identical truck that he runs it even harder than I do and it made it to 240,000 miles before it finally gave up.

 

[Harry Palmer]

I appreciate the comments regarding the differenced between gas and diesel. I live in New Mexico at about 4000 ft. but I travel to Colorado to see one of my sons and to visit relatives. I can go either way, but I doubt I'll be driving more than 5,000 to 8,000 miles a year anymore. I'm getting older, with more physical challenges than when I was a young sprout serving in the Army during the Vietnam War. Both my wife and I are doing well now, but we've spent our share of time "visiting" the local hospitals. Back in the day, a gas engine didn't have the ability to tow or haul very much at speed. I owned a '99 Chevy 2500 pickup and towed my fifth wheel trailer, but when I needed to climb a 6% grade over a 15~ mile stretch on US Highway 70, I would slow down from 70 to 40 mph. When I traded the Chevy off at 155,000+ miles, I bought a Dodge Ram with the Cummins. It does extremely well hauling over any road but especially the high roads in Colorado. Here's another question for you. Does it harm a diesel to sit without being run for several months? Does the new DEF break down? If so, over what time span? My wife is not against a diesel, but I sure hate to spend the extra $10,000 to buy a new truck with the diesel; I can find, I think, a used truck which will do the job as well. What say you?

 

[Hay Dude]

I appreciate the comments regarding the differenced between gas and diesel. I live in New Mexico at about 4000 ft. but I travel to Colorado to see one of my sons and to visit relatives. I can go either way, but I doubt I'll be driving more than 5,000 to 8,000 miles a year anymore. I'm getting older, with more physical challenges than when I was a young sprout serving in the Army during the Vietnam War. Both my wife and I are doing well now, but we've spent our share of time "visiting" the local hospitals. Back in the day, a gas engine didn't have the ability to tow or haul very much at speed. I owned a '99 Chevy 2500 pickup and towed my fifth wheel trailer, but when I needed to climb a 6% grade over a 15~ mile stretch on US Highway 70, I would slow down from 70 to 40 mph. When I traded the Chevy off at 155,000+ miles, I bought a Dodge Ram with the Cummins. It does extremely well hauling over any road but especially the high roads in Colorado. Here's another question for you. Does it harm a diesel to sit without being run for several months? Does the new DEF break down? If so, over what time span? My wife is not against a diesel, but I sure hate to spend the extra $10,000 to buy a new truck with the diesel; I can find, I think, a used truck which will do the job as well. What say you?

First, thank you for serving our country :m1helmet:
Are you referring to a storage tank? Yes, you can put additives in diesel to aid with storage.
If you simply enjoy driving a diesel truck, BUY ONE! You only live once! And you can’t take it with you, right? Gas trucks are fine, but let’s face it, diesel is just so much more like a real truck feel, right?

I read too many people here trying to reason through purchases for all the practical reasons. And of course practicality IS important, but geeze, a guy has to have some enjoyment in life. People rip each other here mercilessly for their purchase decisions.:laughing: I have a neighbor with a 6x6 military truck and he has a 1 acre lot. He just enjoys the truck. He restored it and it looks like a show piece. Besides, when the Chinese finally invade, he has a way to bug out! :laughing:

Who cares if you only drive 5,000 miles per year? Nothing feels & pulls like diesel power! :thumbsup: it doesn’t have to be purchased solely for towing or fuel economy. Enjoyment is a legitimate reason, too!
If you want a used diesel truck that’s reliable for low cost, Id suggest an 06-07 Chevy/GMC with a Duramax Diesel. I had one and it was fantastic. Avoid any of the Fords made from 2003-2011. They had problems (ask me how I know). Knowing your budget would help.

I don’t know you, but it sounds like youd enjoy a diesel truck. :drink:

Funny how these threads always turn to diesel versus gas.