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1500 or 2500? PLEASE Help a New Member!

6K views 34 replies 17 participants last post by  brad12kx 
#1 ·
Hello all. I just joined the forum, but have owned a few Rams over the years. I'm hoping someone out there could help me, please.

I am looking to purchase a new Ram for 2011, & am having trouble deciding whether I should get the 1500 or 2500. I primarily use it for transportation & occasional hauling & towing. I tow a 24-foot Wells Cargo enclosed car trailer with a car inside ('68 Charger), maybe 2-4x per year, max. I still want to tow safely, when I do. The trailer has electric trailer brakes, & I use 1000lb weight distribution bars. The car weighs approx 4000lbs, the trailer curb weight is around 3500. Any long-distance towing would be done in under a 6hr trip, max.

Bought my first Ram new in '98: Quad-cab Laramie 4x4 shortbed with the 5.9, 3:55 axle ratio. Towing capacity, if I remember correctly, was around 8400lbs. It pulled it OK, but struggled a bit on hills due to the 3:55's.

Next came a '97 Ram 2500 Quad-cab Laramie 4x4 shortbed, with a Hemi & 4:10's. MUCH better towing! Towing capacty on that truck was 10,850. Really towed nicely, but it turned out to be a lemon (don't ask) & I got rid of it under the NJ Lemon Law.

So... I am looking at another Hemi-powered Laramie 4x4 shortbed. If I go with the 1500, it will be the Quad-cab 4x4 shortbed with 3:92 gears & I was thinking the 20" wheels. If I'm reading correctly the towing capacity on that truck is 10,050 lbs. If I go with the the 2500, it would be the Crew-cab shortbed 4x4 with 4:10 gears. The towing capacity on the 2500 equipped like that is 11,600 lbs.

Do I need the extra power of the 2011 2500, or will the 2011 1500 handle it OK? The towing capacity on the 1500 seems only 800 lbs less than my old '97 2500, which towed great. My local dealer seems to think the 1500 will do fine, but then again that's coming from a dealer.
The only thing that's swaying me to a 1500 is that the incentives right now are really good vs the 2500. I just don't know 100% if it'll do the job.

Sorry for the long rant. Anyone have any input??
Thanks!!
 
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#3 ·
I would go with the 2500 as well. Last thing you want is a truck that can't do the job. Not to mention there is a post going around right now from a guy who bought a 1500 that does not tow the way he wants, and is quite pissed off. I am sure he will chime in shortly.

Go with the 2500, cause you just never know. Maybe they will let you test drive one with the trailer attached. I have done that before.
 
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#4 ·
I think the 1500 will do fine. You are talking a 7500# total tow which is under the max by quite a bit. Equip it with the load leveling bars, I assume you have brakes on the trailer, put a brake controller in the truck and yer good.

My only concern is your tongue weight. Do you know what it is?

You said "extra power" of the 2500. Does the 2500 have the HEMI or the Cummins?
 
#7 ·
Yeah OK, OK.
By "extra power", I should have typed "extra towing/pulling capacity" of the 2500.

I'm looking either truck to be Hemi powered, for the infrequency I tow I can't justify spending the extra $$$ on a Cummings when the gas engine will do what I need it to.

I'm not sure 100% what my tongue weight is, but I had a friend also tow my trailer who was used to towing his open car trailer. Compared to his, he said mine felt very balanced & did not sag his truck down at all. He towed it with an '06 1500 Hemi with 3:92's, his towing capacity was about 8900lbs, similar to my old '98 2500. It was a 3-hour trip, and although it did the job I felt it struggle once in a while. But the new ones have over 10,000lbs capacity.

I've also changed my mind somewhat, as after sitting in the rear seat I'm now considering a crew cab vs the quad cab if I buy a 1500. Not much room in the back of a quad cab, & my kids are getting bigger so I could really use the extra cab vs the extra bed at this point.

Looks like there's about a 50/50 split, similar to what I've been hearing/reading.
Keep 'em coming, I'd like to hear more!
Thanks!!
 
#11 ·
Since you don't tow a heavy load all the time ("two to four times max."), I would save my money and get the 1500 w/ 3.9 gears and 17 inch tires. You can always add something like this http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/60818-ram-air-bags.html if you need a little more towing capacity. This was just a quick search, I'm sure there are better kits out there.

I'm slowly creeping over to the 1500 side.
I've been hearing a lot too about the 20" vs 17" wheel debate. Any pros or cons to be aware of? I just like the styling better of the 20" wheel. Would I be OK with those to tow with??
 
#10 ·
My dad was looking at crew cabs since we're all "getting bigger" haha till I talked him into a quad cab. For the extra $3k I dont think its worth it for a cooler and a shorter bed, but he also will use the extra bed length more. My 24 yr. old brother is 6"2' and is more then comfortable in the back seat
 
#12 ·
I initially thought Quad myself, until I sat in the backseat of one. I'm under 6ft, and just thought it was extremely uncomfortable. Not legroom per se, but just the seat positioning. The Crew was much better.
I used to have to drive with the tailgate down half the time anyway with my other short beds whenever I was hauling stuff to the dump, carrying lumber/plywood from Home Depot, etc.
I plan on going to another dealer I'm comfortable with (got my wife's T&C there) this week. The sales guy was great. I'll probably test drive one & decide on Quad or Crew then.
 
#13 ·
I'm sure you would be ok towing a few times a year with the 20 inch wheels, and even 3.55 gears. The ride will be better with the 17 inch wheel and 3.9. I have read that the 20 inch tires are more expensive to replace, don't do so well off-road (I don't know the reasoning), and the ride quality is not as good (probably lack of sufficient side wall). Oh, and I think I read that the chrome is actually a plastic covering (but people don't seem to mind).

I have 17 inch wheels and don't have experience with the 20s, but the above is why I wanted the 17s.
 
#17 ·
I moved from 2 previous 2500 Hemi 3.73 to my current 1500 hemi 3.92. I regularly pull a trailer weighing in at ~6500lbs. I run a tongue weight of between 550 - 950Lbs depending on who packed the trailer. I install Timbren SES suspension enhancers to better handle the tongue weight.

I much prefer the 'empty' ride of the 1500. Power wise, non-issue. Even with 6500Lbs in tow, I can still win races :). Mileage, well.....it's a full size 4x4 pulling 6500Lbs with a maniac behind the wheel....it doesn't get mileage! :LOL: But when I drive like a calm rational and responsible person, I have got as high as 15mpg(us) pulling at 60mph.

For occasional towing, the 1500 will do fine. I would recommend the 3.92 gears, and either use a stabilizer hitch or some sort of rear suspension enhancement. As nice as the 1500 is, it does NOT carry a load anything like the 2500 does.....not even close.

Either way, these new Rams are a pleasure to own and drive. Good luck with your decision making process, I know how hard it is, I did mine last year at this time. :smielup:
 
#18 ·
Hey Brad, thanks for the insight.
When you say " As nice as the 1500 is, it does NOT carry a load anything like the 2500 does.....not even close." Are you referring to payload capacity??

I do see that the 1500 has considerably less payload vs the 2500, about 1000 lbs.

Thanks!
 
#19 ·
1000 Lbs on paper....2000 Lbs+ in reality. :)
 
#22 ·
It is better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it. I have an 09 2500 Quad Cab and love it. Hemi power and 4.10 gears. I had a travel trailer that I pulled with it. Now I have a fifth wheel and it is so much better then the trailer. If I had a 1500 I would have had to get a truck to.
 
#27 ·
I would go with the 1500. it will pull what you need and the ride will be better as you only tow a couple of times a year. the 2500 are a little stiff. I looking at mt 5Th dodge ram now and all my 1500,s have pulled my 16' covered tandem axel loaded with tools easily. My 3500 dually pulles it like its not even there. I think the 3500 was over likk but loved it for 2 years , but im wanting a change now. back to a 1500 big horn... woo hoo
 
#28 ·
I love my 1500 but loaded just in the box and 4 big persons in my truck it was hard going up a steep hill had it too the floor it went ok but just doent really see me with a trailer without alot of over heatting and in the slow lane. the quad cab is nice but too darn tight for my 15 and 18 year old in the back just no leg room at all . wish I would have gotten a 2500 and crew cab my ears are still red from the last trip if you dont need to drive it in the city alot I d go for the 2500 mine is 10 - 11 in the city tune to 91 oct alot of stop and go here short drives allso hope this helps
 
#34 ·
what gears do you have? 3.21, 3.55 or 3.92? you could switch to a 2500 but you'll get a couple of less hp....as stated in post #33 and the 2500 will also be heavier.

Well, I did finally buy a new 1500!
I sealed the deal the last day of March, at night before closing. The sales guy would do ANYTHING just to get me to sign the papers. The Ram they had on the lot was EXACTLY optioned just the way I was going to order it anyway. So, I got a screamin' deal on a truck I was going to buy just like I wanted it. 1500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab, silver monotone with charcoal leather interior. The only things I've added is an Extang tonneau cover and the Bed Rug from Mopar.

I actually towed with it for the first time last weekend, the trip was 2-1/2hrs each way. I pull an enclosed 24-ft Wells Cargo car trailer, combined weight with the car in it is probably around 7500-7700lbs. I also use a weight distribution hitch with 1000lb bars. I had to set the hitch up properly for this truck first, as the hitch height was different in my old2500.

It towed really, really nicely. I was very impressed & pleased with the towing performance of this truck. The integral brake controller works nice, & I had a few semi's pass me along the way and there really was not much sway at all. So far, I am really happy with this truck.

Here are a few pics of it with the trailer.
glad to hear it! truck looks really really good.

1500 Hemi = 390hp@5600rpm and 407lb-ft@4000rpm
2500/3500 Hemi = 383hp@5600rpm and 400lb-ft@4000rpm

They're just tuned differently.
Exactly, a couple of less hp/tq but tuned to shift the curves to the left for towing/hauling.
 
#30 ·
Well, I did finally buy a new 1500!
I sealed the deal the last day of March, at night before closing. The sales guy would do ANYTHING just to get me to sign the papers. The Ram they had on the lot was EXACTLY optioned just the way I was going to order it anyway. So, I got a screamin' deal on a truck I was going to buy just like I wanted it. 1500 Laramie 4x4 Crew Cab, silver monotone with charcoal leather interior. The only things I've added is an Extang tonneau cover and the Bed Rug from Mopar.

I actually towed with it for the first time last weekend, the trip was 2-1/2hrs each way. I pull an enclosed 24-ft Wells Cargo car trailer, combined weight with the car in it is probably around 7500-7700lbs. I also use a weight distribution hitch with 1000lb bars. I had to set the hitch up properly for this truck first, as the hitch height was different in my old2500.

It towed really, really nicely. I was very impressed & pleased with the towing performance of this truck. The integral brake controller works nice, & I had a few semi's pass me along the way and there really was not much sway at all. So far, I am really happy with this truck.

Here are a few pics of it with the trailer.
 

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#35 ·
Well, I did finally buy a new 1500!...........Here are a few pics of it with the trailer.
Great looking truck! The pictures do a great job of depicting a Ram in it's element. Not sure, but I think it's smiling. :D

1500 Hemi = 390hp@5600rpm and 407lb-ft@4000rpm
2500/3500 Hemi = 383hp@5600rpm and 400lb-ft@4000rpm


They're just tuned differently.
Yes they are! A have owned both 2500's and 1500's with the Hemi. The 2500 may have lower HP and TQ specs, but you have usable torque at lower RPMs, and a wider torque band then with the 1500. Although my current 1500 has both 3.92's and an automatic, so the lack of low RPM torque is somewhat masked, but still noticeable coming from a 2500. However, it is not enough of an issue to have me running out to replace it with a 2500. After all, you can't get the 2500 with a 'Sport' trim package anymore, and that is what had me shopping for the 1500 in the first place. :LOL:
 
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