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Old 06-01-2018, 12:26 PM   #1
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First step...a new tow vehicle

We're planning for a 2019 5.0TA. We will also need a new tow vehicle and today I ordered a 2019 Ram 1500, quad cab 5.7 Hemi. From other posts I gather the turbocharged F150's are the most popular 5.0 TA TV's, with various diesels also ranking up there pretty high so I guess this puts me in the minority. We will be using this truck primarily for towing on long trips, lots of mountain driving in the western US. We spent 15 years huffing and puffing up and down the mountains with our old 1998 Ram - much less power than today's trucks but very reliable and got the job done.

In recent years Rams have been lacking in payload capacity, but the newly redesigned 2019's are lighter and our quad cab 6'4" box will have a payload of 1,980 pounds. Having spent many years on the road with a quad cab and 6-4 box we know that arrangement works well for us and are sticking with it. While the Hemi V8 doesn't get the mileage of other alternatives, for me power and durability were higher on the list. And it will certainly have more power (395 hp vs. 245 on our old truck) and get better gas mileage than we are used to (the old truck averaged maybe 9 mpg towing).

This will be a pretty basic truck by today's standards, but will seem luxurious to us compared to our 20 year old one. Had to order one to get tow mirrors, brake controller, and large gas tank - all must haves for us. It will be a couple of months until it gets here but I'll be happy to provide feedback after we've driven it for a while. And of course it will be next year until I can give a towing report. But we do hope to make a trip up to Chilliwack this fall as we get down to the nitty gritty of ordering our 5.0TA, and now will be able to take the truck up there for that and have ETI check out the hitch arrangement and sizing for our new trailer. I plan to have bed rails installed and, at least initially, use the Reese standard 5th wheel hitch we already have.
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Old 06-01-2018, 12:34 PM   #2
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Congratulations on your new TV!!! Sounds like you have capability to spare for your upcoming 5.0TA, sounds like a great choice for that trailer!!
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Old 06-01-2018, 12:40 PM   #3
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Which rear end did you ask for? I assume you got the 8 sp automatic with the 5.7 Hemi
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Old 06-01-2018, 12:43 PM   #4
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We purchased a 2018 F-150 Super cab for our upcoming 5.0 TA, primarily because nobody else was offering the available payload to match the F-150. The 2019 RAM definitely provides for more options and I can't help but wonder if it was available a bit earlier if we wouldn't taken a pretty hard look at it. Competition is good!

Good luck with the setup!
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Old 06-01-2018, 12:47 PM   #5
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That sounds like a great match to the 5er for many, many interesting roads.

Please post back with the door jamb payload. I would be about 400lb left over on mine, best case and no passengers.
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Old 06-01-2018, 12:59 PM   #6
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Congratulations on your new tow vehicle !
We have been looking at both the 2018 & 2019 Ram 1500 but with the new increased payload of the 2019 it looks like the way to go
Our 2014 Ram has been a good tow vehicle but it’s time to update to a new vehicle with a few more options and a few less miles
Good luck and good camping
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:07 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Which rear end did you ask for? I assume you got the 8 sp automatic with the 5.7 Hemi
I went with the 3.21 differential. The 8 speed transmission has been a great performer and the 2019's will have a new improved version. After a lot of research it really seemed like the 3.21 will do just fine pulling the 5.0, it's rated for 8,590 tow capacity so we will be well below that. The 3.92 would certainly have at least a small fuel efficiency penalty, and other than a little more oomph pulling out in low gears I doubt we'd ever notice or need the extra capability - it is rated to tow 11,690, kind of extreme overkill for us.

I have read that the 8 and 10 speed transmissions these days, especially in tow mode, are pretty great at automatically downshifting as needed when going down long mountain grades to keep you off the brakes....looking forward to that.
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:11 PM   #8
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Yes, the "tow" mode downshifts when needed.
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:13 PM   #9
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those high gear count automatics kinda scare me from a long term life perspective. I truly wonder how they'll stand up to 200,000 miles in 10 years of 50-50 towing, and how scary-expensive rebuilding them is likely to be ....
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:14 PM   #10
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those high gear count automatics kinda scare me from a long term life perspective. I truly wonder how they'll stand up to 200,000 miles in 10 years of 50-50 towing, and how scary-expensive rebuilding them is likely to be ....
Perhaps as long as the small turbo-v-6's being used so much these days for towing.
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:27 PM   #11
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My 2014 Ram 1500 has the 3.92 rearend . I much prefer it to 3.55 rearend that was in my 2011 Ram 1500 . When we purchase our new truck it will have the 3.92 rearend , just personal preference . My camping buddy has the 3.31 rearend in his Ram but all he tows is a boat and he is more than happy with it .
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:29 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
those high gear count automatics kinda scare me from a long term life perspective. I truly wonder how they'll stand up to 200,000 miles in 10 years of 50-50 towing, and how scary-expensive rebuilding them is likely to be ....
Long term reliability was a big factor in sticking with a V8 - my 1998 Ram still runs great and doesn't burn a drop of oil. I am diligent with maintenance and drive sensibly, probably the two biggest factors in how any vehicle holds up. And while my 1998 4 speed transmission worked well, it tended to be completely worn out at around 90K, I am on my third one. I assume that part of the longevity issue with it was that it was pulling a big load with a truck that was really underpowered for the job. The ZF 8-speed has been around for quite a while now - German in origin, started with BMW and now in very widespread use and at least so far has a great reputation.

As someone who keeps a truck a long time, I also feel trepidation at all the sophistication and complication on trucks these days and wonder about longevity...and repair costs down the road. But they're all that way to varying degrees now - I figure that the 5.7 Hemi and ZF 8-speed are a tried and true combination that haven't changed much in recent years beyond small tweaks and improvements, so should be as reliable as anything out there. Even Ram is adding a "partial hybrid" electric boost to their trucks later this year, and I don't want anything to do with it...at least not version 1.0.
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Old 06-01-2018, 07:10 PM   #13
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Hope to meet you at some point.
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Old 06-02-2018, 07:51 AM   #14
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Here is a picture of my Ram stats on the trip to pick up my Escape 19 in September 2016, seems the longer/more miles I put on it, the better it gets. Not bad avg 20 mpg on the trip out for pick up. My rear is the 3:21
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IMG_0645.jpg  
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