Ok need a little advice. Currently own a 2002 Dodge diesel HO 2500 4x4. I am 58 and planning on retiring @ 62. I want to buy my last truck and get it paid for before I retire. Don't haul a lot ,but every summer we load up the cab over camper and hook up a trailer to haul a couple of four wheelers for a month in Montana. Have a friend who I will 2 or 3 times a year help haul hay 32' trailer with 300 square bales I have a 20' bass boat that I pull to the lake every 2 months or so. 90% of the time I put less than a 80 miles a week on my truck. I am looking at a 2014 2500 4x4 Tradesman crew cab with the 6.7  6 speed automatic (68 RFE). May end up with toy hauler after retiring and do the summer in the mountains and winter down south thing hauling it around. Does this sound like the right truck for what I want to do ?

 

Another quick ? The four wheel drive selector is either manual stick or electrical with a knob on the dash. I am  old school and like the stick but is there really a difference?   

 

Thanks Rob

Sounds like you already own the cabover camper and if this is true then you most likely know the weight of the unit when you are loaded and head out for Montana.  The 2014 Ram 2500 trucks have a nice interior compared to previous years so you'll have a nice ride.

 

What you will need to watch though is that there will be a payload capacity for the model of truck you decide to go with and as you might guess it won't be unlimited.  While I am not exactly sure on that model I think it is somewhere between 2900-3100 pounds (depending on configuration).  The most likely limit in determining that payload will be the tires. If your loaded camper is heavier than the rated payload then you would need to look seriously at upgrading the tires/wheels, going to a one ton dually or getting a lighter camper.  

 

If your camper weight fits within the payload spec then you would be golden.  Pulling a trailer of 4-wheels behind would likely be no problem because the truck has over a 17,000 pound tow rating.

hard to beat the truck you already have, they are stout and simple. if it were me I would maybe spend a little money on the truck you have you have to make it nicer/more comfortable than buying a 60 thousand dollar new one. maybe do some sound deadening and have the seats refoamed or something.... alot cheaper than buying a new one too.

 

plus the new ones have all the emission junk on them which really needs to be deleted, which will add on to the cost of the new truck.

 

I also prefer having the stick for 4x4, less electronics to break and cost money.

Edited June 11, 201410 yr by panzerq

Ram does not recommend a slide in camper with the 2500 as it has the rear air ride suspension and is so far inboard the high center of gravity of a slide in causes instability. You will need a 3500 srw truck For that. Not sure if you have looked into them much but the Aisin transmission is available in the 3500 srw and drw is the most capable transmission on the market. If you can afford it the truck it is very stout and I would have no reservations about buying one if it was in my budget. The 13 and up 3500s are the most capable and most refined trucks Ram has built to date.There is a ton of info out there check out Cummins Forum or TDR if you happen to be a member over there.