Nice truck. Interested to hear your gas mileage with camper. I removed the previously mentioned restrictive exhaust components on my '16 CTD and recently averaged 17.5mpgs on over 7k miles with the camper on.NorCalHawk said:CarlG,
Well you're not alone. Last week, I pulled the trigger and ordered a new truck. I sat on the fence with legs dangling on each side. The payloads are very good on the 2500 Ram with the 6.4L Hemi. Better on the 3500. Depending on your load/tow, you may need to enhance the rear suspension on the 2500, and probably not on the 3500. I read countless articles and opinions from experienced truckers and those who have owned both coils and leafs on their trucks. There are pros and cons for both. But, I like having a little more than I need, especially when boondocking.
But, the bottom line is, get the truck you want and the truck you believe will get the job done "and" get you back home. For my situation, (Hawk loaded 24/7, no extreme towing) and 500 bucks more it was a no brainer. I bought a 2016 Ram 3500 Crew, SLT, 6.4L Hemi, with 4.10 gear ratio.
Good luck with your decision.
I will definitely go with a one ton on my next truck.BrianG said:Don't start with any restrictions from day one, get a 1 ton. You'll thank all that give you this advise later.
Congrats NorCal! I'm assuming you'll have no issues fitting your tundra built Hawk on the ram?NorCalHawk said:CarlG,
Well you're not alone. Last week, I pulled the trigger and ordered a new truck. I sat on the fence with legs dangling on each side. The payloads are very good on the 2500 Ram with the 6.4L Hemi. Better on the 3500. Depending on your load/tow, you may need to enhance the rear suspension on the 2500, and probably not on the 3500. I read countless articles and opinions from experienced truckers and those who have owned both coils and leafs on their trucks. There are pros and cons for both. But, I like having a little more than I need, especially when boondocking.
But, the bottom line is, get the truck you want and the truck you believe will get the job done "and" get you back home. For my situation, (Hawk loaded 24/7, no extreme towing) and 500 bucks more it was a no brainer. I bought a 2016 Ram 3500 Crew, SLT, 6.4L Hemi, with 4.10 gear ratio.
Good luck with your decision.
From what I know, yes, the airbags are for load stability vs. payload capacity. I've played with pressures and have noticed some difference when the camper is on.NorCalHawk said:Thank you for your comment. This will be a good truck for my purpose. I drive for a local Ram dealership as a transporter, so I have the opportunity to drive their trucks, new and old often. I have seen on the average, ~16-17 MPG with the 6.4L Hemi in both (new) 2500/3500. With the camper loaded I'm guessing that mileage will drop to ~13-14(?) at best (conservative driving which I do). Not so bad considering I'm averaging ~12-13 with my Toyota Tundra. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't air bags simply "level" ones hauling load and they do not increase payload/capacity. Also, the new (4th gen) 3500's are not as rigid as the older (2nd/3rd gen) models, plus with my camper onboard may help smooth out some of the bumps. Did you have any issues adding after market air bags to your 2500 with coils?
Tell me about it! Everything's a compromise - it's tough figuring out the perfect fit.CALIcamperdad said:I have gone circles trying to sort out the ideal combo.
Just curious... what's the difference between a hawk built for a tundra and one for a 1 ton?NorCalHawk said:No problem with fit...I ordered a full size Hawk knowing in the near future I would upgrade my '02 Tundra to a full size 3/4 or 1T truck. The fit will be right on. In fact, the fit will be better than my set up now. I also had airbags on the Tundra, but even so, I still had some bouncing and side to side movement...too much I thought.