We recently received this question from Conrad.
I started a business with my dad in 2009. We use a 2008 Ram 2500 Cummins and love it. It hauls our 28-ft enclosed trailer across the U.S. for our onsite installations. We weighed the trailer fully loaded a couple weeks ago and it was 9,000 lbs. We doubt it will ever be heavier that that.
My question is: we are expanding and will probably need another trailer and vehicle. We don’t think we will be towing more than 9,000 lbs but you never know. This truck would be my new personal vehicle most likely and 95% of the time I will be doing basic driving (no towing). But we will need it to do some long hauling of 9,000-pound trailer to Texas and California. Do you think we should buy a diesel? We like the inline 6 design of the Cummins. Or how about a lighter duty truck like the F-150 3.5 Ecoboost? Trying to find a healthy balance of cost, ride comfort, capability, and safety on the long hauls.
Things we want to consider are:
- Long term stress on the engine (ex, is an Ecoboost engine going to hold up? or is a detuned Cummins diesel really a better option in the long run?)
- Stability on the road.
- Climbing through mountains with a trailer.
- Cost.
- Ride comfort.
Thank you for the question and prioritizing your considerations. Thousands of truck consumers are faced with these questions during their search for the perfect truck.
You are looking for an interesting balance between a truck that is a daily driver and a capable towing machine. Your 28-foot enclosed trailer that can weigh up to 9,000 lbs can be a towing challenge. This is a long trailer and it can be a handful on a windy day.
- We cannot comment on longevity or durability of truck engines or drivetrains. We are not yet able to do long-term testing across a significant population of trucks to make this determination. Naturally, an engine and transmission that have been in production and on sale over a longer period of time will tend to be more reliable.
- In general, a truck with a longer wheelbase and more curb weight will be a more stable towing platform. This points to a heavy duty truck, but the half-ton trucks are getting better and better at handling heavy loads. New technologies like sway-control help with stability. There is also an all-new player in town. The 2016 Nissan Titan XD is aiming to bridge the gap between the half-ton and the heavy duty.
- Climbing mountains with a trailer? A turbocharger (or two) will make this easier, but the latest naturally aspirated V8 engines are plenty powerful to climb the steepest and highest grades. Pay attention to the rear-axle ratios in order to get the desired towing rating, and keep track of the maximum payload capacities. The 9,000 lbs trailer will have a tongue weight of around 900 lbs.
- Truck costs can vary greatly. They depend on things such as sales volume and incentives. A fully optioned half-ton truck can cost as much as a more modest heavy duty.
- I am assuming that ride comfort is lower on your priority list. The general rule is: a half-ton truck will ride better empty than a heavy duty. When you load them up, both types of truck have about the same level of comfort.
- You did not mention fuel economy. Once again, this can vary greatly across various engines types and brands.
In the end, if you are planning to tow across country, keep your truck for many years, and put a lot of miles on the truck – then I would recommend a heavy duty truck with the diesel motor. It adds significant cost up front, but the heavier frame and the diesel engine will handle long-term abuse better than a light duty half-ton truck.
Here is the 2015 Ram 2500 HD Cummins taking on the Ike Gauntlet extreme towing test.
And here is the Ford F-150 EcoBoost towing comparison.
