Hi folks,

I'm new to the world of Dodges and Fifth Wheel towing but have been researching tow vehicles for over 6 months. Dodge seems to be the truck for me based on handling, comfort, quiet, and gas mileage.

We have purchased our fifth wheel. It is 33' long, 12,200 max loaded weight and 1900 # pin weight. We need a truck capable of towing this, and a Dodge 2500 appears to work, although pretty close on the payload.

We will use this truck for daily driving far more than towing for at least two years until we consider going full time. We will not have another vehicle once we go on the road and MUST have a vehicle capable of 4-wheelin' on some decently tough trails. For this reason alone, we would like a short bed and do not want a dually, although we realize even an SRW, SB will not go everywhere a Jeep will.

We are currently considering only manual transmissions and 1994-2001 trucks fit in our price range. In an ideal world it looks like we'd get the 2001 6 speed HO for the flexibility in towing and daily driving. However, we'd love to save $10,000 and buy an older, well-maintained 5-speed, but these are hard to find with a rear-end that seems suitable. Basically, the 3:54 is all that seems to be out there except for very rare vehicles.

Knowing all of the above, would you even consider a 5-speed with the 3:54? Is it economically viable to buy an older 5-speed with the 3:54 and put say a 3:73 or 4:10 in it? Or, should we just bite the bullet and pay the big bucks for the 6-speed HO (And would we be happy with that even)?

Thanks for all your help,

Dan Cooke

1995 Excel 33', 12,200#

 

Dec, I have a 02 ETH/DEE (HO/6 speed) and tow a 27' 5vr weighing in at appx 9000#. I had an auto for a year and traded for this truck and love it! ;D One thing I have read is that with the 5 speed the jump from 3rd to 4th or 4th to 5th (I don't remember which) was pretty big drop in rpm. My 6 speed is very evenly geared. Break the bank and get the HO/6 speed you won't regret it! ;D ;D ;D

 

Before you buy check on the price of a gear change, it's quite expensive. On my 96, the gears cannot be easily changed I'm told. I've got the option to buy a used complete banjo assembly with 4.11 gearing but I'm still waffleing about it. I'd opt for the 6 speed with 3.73 gears. It's odd but the 3.55 gears are almost universal in 2500 trucks, and Dodge recommends the 3.73 gears for towing.

 

Dan,
Se my sig for what I pull. Our weights are close to the same and you are right, you will bump the high end of capacity. Yes it pulls fine and yes it stops OK ( whoever ordered my truck speced the heavy rear brakes to start with)
However, I am maxed out on truck gross.
As far as a short bed, I think at 33 foot you will want a long bed truck for highway stability. And definitly think 4.10 gears. They don't give up that much in mileage empty but really add to ease of towing.
I'm personally looking now to replace mine with a one ton but 2 wheel drive 5 speeds are almost unheard of up here.
Bill

 

Thanks Bill1374, Ray &amp; Sixpack47 for your time and advice.<br><br>Bill1374: Why are you thinking of going to the 3500? Is there any particular problem with the 2500 and the load you are pulling that is driving that decision?<br><br>Regarding rear end gearing, does anyone have any cost info on changing rear-ends on a pre-2001 model? Since we are buying used, the only way we'll have any kind of choices in trucks is to stick with a 3:54 rear so I just don't see buying a truck with a higher rear as realistic. That leaves buying a 6-speed with the 3:54 to address some of the driveability issues or buying a 5 or 6-speed and changing the rear-end on it. Frankly, I'm not excited about buying a 6-speed HO for $25k and spending more money to up the rear-end, so I think we'd be looking at older 5-speeds. <br><br>Is anyone out there pulling a 12,000# fifth wheel with the manual trans. and 3:54 rear that hates it or loves it? Will the 6-speed make or break the towability? Are we just nuts, and no way in heck should we pull this trailer without a higher rear-end?<br><br>Thanks for all your help,<br><br>Dan Cooke<br><br>33' Excel 5th Wheel, 12,000#<br>Dodge 2500 in my future?<br><br>

 

Although I have an Auto, I really think the LB is the way to go with the weight you're describing. I run a 97 LWB 2500 (3.54)and tow a 13.5k fiver. I love the combination. It pulls nice and easy and seems very stable no matter where I am or what the weather conditions are.<br><br>Don Miller<br>97 2500 LWB SRW, #8 plate, Scotty II, 3k springs, 16 deg timing, full gauges (ISSPRO), in the mail... 370 injectors and a rip rook 4&quot; shorty exhaust. Can't wait for the weekend

 

With that kind of weight my 02 cents worth would be a 3500 with a 4.10 and a six speed. I had a 96 2500 auto, 3.54 before this truck and pulled a 13,500lb 5ver. What a mistake that was. I now have an 8,500lb 5ver (29' double slide which almost has as much room as my 35' triple slide did). I did get another automatic, but have upgraded TQ, tranny etc. and NEVER tow in OD.

 

I have an '02 2500 with 6 speed, and in a couple of years will be facing the same situation that you're in now. I had thought about a Gear Vendors under-drive, but after more than 20,000 miles of carrying my camper on good roads and bad, I'm just going to stick with what I've got. Gear spread with the 6 speed is even enuf, and the rpm range on the Cummins is wide enuf, that using 5th for heavy pulls, such as in the mountains, and 6th for cruising seems like it would be fine at any reasonable speed. My only gripe with MY truck, is that PIA accelerator pedal with the fly by wire hook up. Is there any way to stop the surging in low gears on rough roads ????? Lar.

 

Dan,<br> When I load up for travel, the truck grosses a little over 9200. Thats not real heavy but just enough that I don't feel 100% comfortable with it. As I said, it pulls fine and stops ok but I personally would be more comfortable with a little extra capacity.<br> Don't forget that with a 4wd, you have to change both the front and rear. That said, 3.54s with a standard would more than likely be ok. I have a friend with a 2000 3/4 4wd with 3.54s and auto. He pulls ok but can't handle hills as well as my 4.10s. Of course, I'm a litle ahead of him in power! The surprise was that at comparable weights, my mileage towing is about 1/2 mpg better than his, figured over 3000 miles.<br><br>Bill

 

DEC,<br> I just got back from a long trip (CA to IN) pulling a 32' triple slide 5er, WT 12,600 with my rig (see sig) and I had no trouble what so ever. It pulled great and stopped great. My avg. speed was 65 mph pulling in OD. When I approched a grade, I just kicked it out of OD and let the cummings do the rest. <br> Saying that, my .02 worth is to buy the 2500 with the 3:54 gears, take it easy, and don't drive beyond what your comfortable with. There were many folks on the road hauling what I was (sometimes more) with the same truck and it did not appear they were having any trouble with the load. I also am a daily driver when I'm not hauling my 5er. <br>Big dawg

 

When I bought my 02 sixer I was contemplating about the 4.10's or the 3.55's. I had a 97 ferd 350 with 4.10's and it pulled fine but my empty fuel economy killed me. I decided to go with 3.55's and it pulls around 10k with no problem in the mountains of alaska. My buddy has a 00 truck exactly like mine and has the 4.10s and same mods and when pulling he is no faster than me. He is in a lower end of 5 pulling up mountain and I am in upper end of 4th pulling up same hill. He cant pull away from me or the other way around. Now as far as empty fuel economy i have him beat by about 1.5 mpg. I am glad I went with the 3.55's. My .02 cents.

 

First and foremeost, a hearty than you to everyone that has responded. I don't know how anyone ever did this stuff without the aid of good folks on forums.<br><br>Based on all the replies it sounds like changing an older vehicle to 4:10's is not economically viable and we should definitely get a long bed. Sounds like the 6-speed with 3:54 would be the best compromise for daily driving and towing. Paying for that 1.5 MPG loss for the higher gears could get pretty painful over the long run, particularly with today's gas prices and doesn't seem necessary as others are pulling OK with the 3:54's.<br><br>We'll be driving a 5-speed with 4:10's this weekend for comparison to the 5-speed and 6-speed 3:54 we've already driven. Hopefully we'll find that &quot;perfect&quot; vehicle real soon so we can go enjoy our fifth wheel.<br><br>Thanks again for all the advice, and please feel free to tell me if you see flaws in our thinking thus far.<br><br>Dan

 

FWIW my 97 five speed 2500 with 4.10 axle got 22 mile to the gallon at 65 mph and 12.0 towing our 12,000 pound fiver. I never felt I paid a fuel economy penalty with the 4.10 but that sucker sure would pull. Good luck.<br><br>Casey

 

I have a 6 speed and 3.54 and am very happy with it. I pull about 10k. <br><br>With 3.54 I get over 20 mpg empty and tow at about 2000 RPM in 6th. The Cummins is a soft purr at that RPM. <br><br>With a 4.10 at the same speed the RPMs are a few hundred higher and I think the extra noise would get old on an all day drive. You would always be looking for another gear.<br><br>If I don't have enough power in 6th I just drop a gear. I have 6 of them to play with. These trucks will climb a cliff at idle in 1st regardless of the rear end so I've never seen the benefit of the 4.10.<br><br>Anyway just another opinion. Take it for what you paid for it.<br><br>Bobby

 

I can't help you with the wieght any as I have a one ton. However, I also have the five speed with a 3.55. I love it. I have been loaded as heavy as just under 35000# a few times. At that weight I was pushing it but the drivetrain did just fine. There is a big gap in the five speed between three and four, I just wrap it out a little higher than normal. Another option to look at with the five speed is a under-over drive, that well help close that gap between 3rd and 4th. If you can find a six speed in your price range I think you well be happier with that with the pulling, I do to much town driving and playing and don't want to shift that much.When I am loaded at 10-15000# my old truck don't even flinch. I think either way you go you can't really go wrong with a CTD.