Proper sized camper for Ram 1500 Ecodiesel

Clutch

<---Pass
Ive had my 2015 tradesman for 22000 trouble free miles... last 14,000 miles my economy has been 23.4mpg

I get 16-17 towing a big 7x14 enclosed trailer loaded down.
Ive gotten 32mpg on 150 mile trips to cincinatti and if im not in a rush can get 28mpg all day long..
.


That's pretty good. I have been finding some good deals on the WT models...so it does have me intrigued. It may not handle a slide in, but it would handle a FlipPac...and if they are getting high 20's mpg wise...seems like a great road tripper.

https://www.cars.com/for-sale/searc...&page=1&perPage=50&searchSource=GN_REFINEMENT

I do wonder how well they will hold up in the long term. 100'000-200'000+ miles on them...or do you ditch it before the warranty runs out?
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
there are a few 100,000 mile engines out there already. initial designs did have some issues and those law of average failures. but overall its a fantastic platform.

I haul my flip-back (see my sig) and a 300lb toolbox every day. probably 6-700lbs on the bed daily...I only got the airbags for the 14ft enclosed trailer..just so its not squatting..

Ram put a soft rear spring in the 1500's. they ride unloaded amazing! However today I saw a truck setup similar to mine with a hemi towing a trailer the same as mine. she was on the bump stops...and I know PERSONALLY that a hemi will tow a 26ft 16,000lb trailer all over the united states without any trouble (other than being THIRSTY!)

I wouldnt hesitate to put my old 8ft skamper in the bed...air the bags...and go...(but I dont have the slide in anymore)..
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
My primary concern with anyone attempting to haul a slide in with a 1/2 ton is the axles.

You can worry all you ant about suspension if that's what you want to do, but from a safety standpoint that it the wrong thing to do.


The 1500 Ram has a semi-float rear axle with a pathetic GAWR of just 3900 lbs.


They are light duty trucks. Just because they have a decent power plant in them doesnt mean they are anything more than light duty.


ecodieselCC.JPG
 

Clutch

<---Pass
there are a few 100,000 mile engines out there already. initial designs did have some issues and those law of average failures. but overall its a fantastic platform.

I haul my flip-back (see my sig) and a 300lb toolbox every day. probably 6-700lbs on the bed daily...I only got the airbags for the 14ft enclosed trailer..just so its not squatting..

Ram put a soft rear spring in the 1500's. they ride unloaded amazing! However today I saw a truck setup similar to mine with a hemi towing a trailer the same as mine. she was on the bump stops...and I know PERSONALLY that a hemi will tow a 26ft 16,000lb trailer all over the united states without any trouble (other than being THIRSTY!)

I wouldnt hesitate to put my old 8ft skamper in the bed...air the bags...and go...(but I dont have the slide in anymore)..

Thanks for the reply.
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
The 1500 and the Colorado / Canyon seem to closer in payloads than any full size rigs. I think the Colorado/Canyon even have higher ratings. The Mercedes Metris Minivan out rates the 1500. Kinda sad
 

boxcar1

boxcar1
Isn't all all how you spec them? I have seen the WT model here for under $30K. Seems like a good deal to me. Found a couple "barely used" for around $25K.
And just why do you think that is?
Could it be that the owners of sed trucks ( and I use that term lightly ) have become frustrated with there trucks lack of truck and are now dumping them in cheap.
Look. Swapping safety ( yours and everyone else on the road ) for a few miles per gallon is a ridicules and somewhat arrogant argument .
Thinking that a trouble free truck is one with a 22,000 mile clean service record is sticking your head in the sand .
Yes, economy is an aspect of the build ( or rig ) in question . But only one of the considerations and is by no means as important as the safe load carrying capacity of the rig.
All of the extra range in the world will do you no good if your axle leaves the truck at the first washboard you cross. Or if you can't stop the load on a steep incline without over heating your brakes.
Most new 1/2 tons are nothing more than cars with the look, feel and cost of a truck.
Very few were designed to CARRY any kind of a load . And any that can carry even a light load ( say 1000lbs ) in the bed with a normal fuel and passenger load are defiantly not diesel.

Figure dad at 200lbs, mom at 130, 3 kids at 100 each ( average ) the dog at 50, and gear at a conservative 200lbs. Now add fuel , 7.1 lbs per gallon x 21 ( diesel ) = 149.1 lbs now deduct that 1,029.1 lbs from the best load rating provided in a 1/2ton Dodge crew cab truck = 1,710 lbs for a net grand total of 680.9 lbs in bed.
I think you now understand the problem.......
 
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Clutch

<---Pass
And just why do you think that is?
Could it be that the owners of sed trucks ( and I use that term lightly ) have become frustrated with there trucks lack of truck and are now dumping them in cheap.
Look. Swapping safety ( yours and everyone else on the road ) for a few miles per gallon is a ridicules and somewhat arrogant argument .
Thinking that a trouble free truck is one with a 22,000 mile clean service record is sticking your head in the sand .
Yes, economy is an aspect of the build ( or rig ) in question . But only one of the considerations and is by no means as important as the safe load carrying capacity of the rig.
All of the extra range in the world will do you no good if your axle leaves the truck at the first washboard you cross. Or if you can't stop the load on a steep incline without over heating your brakes.
Most new 1/2 tons are nothing more than cars with the look, feel and cost of a truck.
Very few were designed to CARRY any kind of a load . And any that can carry even a light load ( say 1000lbs ) in the bed with a normal fuel and passenger load are defiantly not diesel.

Figure dad at 200lbs, mom at 130, 3 kids at 100 each ( average ) the dog at 50, and gear at a conservative 200lbs. Now add fuel , 7.1 lbs per gallon x 21 ( diesel ) = 149.1 lbs now deduct that 1,029.1 lbs from the best load rating provided in a 1/2ton Dodge crew cab truck = 1,710 lbs for a net grand total of 680.9 lbs in bed.
I think you now understand the problem.......

What if hubby weighs 165 lbs, the wife is 110 lbs...and they have no spawn and a dog that is too old to travel? :elkgrin: If you stay under payload, aren't you being safe? Payload is similar to my Tacoma, if you load it like a Tacoma, you should be ok. A minimalist truck that gets decent mileage sounds good to me. I envision a RCLB with a topper, that has a payload of 1296#, towing is 8050#... that would work for me, since we have no kids and the dog is too old to travel anymore...though a double cab 6.4' bed might be a touch more practical, for tossing MX gear bags in the cab...payload is 1240#...so still in the ball park of being more than enough for what I would use it for...hauling dirt bikes, camping...and a commuter. Be the same has my Tacoma, but gets 10-12 more mpg's HWY.


Price-wise...think you missed my point, you were complaining they are a $50K truck, they aren't really....maybe with a bunch of fluff on they are, but the dealer down the road from me has the WT model for under $30K. It is all how you spec them, and what the dealer is selling them for...you don't have to pay $50K for one. Barely used ones for $25K...that sounds about right...since you loose money as soon as you drive them off the lot. Tacoma's are one of the few that you don't loose "too much" money on.

I am long time Toyota owner, you can run those up to 200-300,000 miles without much fuss. Reliability is concern with the Ram, especially when the DEF system takes a dump, not a cheap repair. Why I asked if it was own only while under warranty vehicle. (then ditch it before the warranty is up)..kinda like a VW or Audi....
 
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Clutch

<---Pass
With a topper it's doable but the PO wants a hard side camper.........

Yep, thought we came to the conclusion already that a hard side wouldn't work. I even posted a link of Ram's camper guide back in the thread. (post #11)

We are just now BSing about the Ram Ecodiesel in general...at least I thought we were.
 

leelikesbikes

Adventurer
the eco diesel is cool, but when loaded down the mileage sure suffers. on a recent trip with a buddy of mine who owns one we were towing a 12' enclosed with three dirtbikes in it, going 80mph in a headwind, and averaged 10mpg. he can go 80 and get 20mpg empty. my dodge 2500 hemi with 37" tires will get 10 all day long going 80 and towing my trailer, but it only gets 12-13 empty. for a commuter and super light duty hauler i think they are awesome, but i wouldnt put a truck camper in one.
 

Lance990

Observer
the eco diesel is cool, but when loaded down the mileage sure suffers. on a recent trip with a buddy of mine who owns one we were towing a 12' enclosed with three dirtbikes in it, going 80mph in a headwind, and averaged 10mpg. he can go 80 and get 20mpg empty. my dodge 2500 hemi with 37" tires will get 10 all day long going 80 and towing my trailer, but it only gets 12-13 empty. for a commuter and super light duty hauler i think they are awesome, but i wouldnt put a truck camper in one.

I have read that some of the emissions standards involve measuring how much pollution is coming out of the tailpipe at idle. Obviously, smaller displacement and fewer cylinders will put out fewer harmful emissions. But in the end, there is no replacement for displacement. A good example is the 7.5L vs the V10. The BBF 7.5L has a bore of 4.36" which is a huge amount of space in which to try to get a controlled burn. The V10 has smaller bore at 3.552" and it is easier to control the burn in a small space and therefore make things more efficient. Same thing with the Ecoboost and EcoDiesel. One big advantage of diesels is direct injection which is what the EcoBoost and EcoDiesel engines both have. Fuel can be injected multiple times to help the burn and cool the chamber for the next cycle. The goal is to have as even of a torque curve as they can throughout the RPM range.

Just my two cents...
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
having personally put 15000 miles a year for 3 years on a 1500 ram quad hemi towing a 26ft enclosed we only ever for 6-8mpg...at 65..

my ecodiesel doesnt see that kind of towing duty...its usually hauling tools with occasional towing a trailer...it works out financally better than anything else I have owned.

if people want to get really picky...I know of several competitors who bought semi's...they were able to tow anything they wanted and get 10-11mpg...


what works best isnt always what works best all around..
 

Clutch

<---Pass
my ecodiesel doesnt see that kind of towing duty...its usually hauling tools with occasional towing a trailer...it works out financally better than anything else I have owned.

Me being the bean counter I am. The numbers work pretty good, if you can grab one for $30K. It is the out of warranty repair is what worries me, (feel the same about the EcoBoost)

I average roughy 18K miles a year, and run 91 in my vehicles...current diesel cost are real close in my area. $2.13 Premium $2.05 Diesel. sooo...according to my fuzzy math...about $687/year savings
if I go diesel. (20mpg vs. 30mpg)


what works best isnt always what works best all around..

best thing said in this thread yet.
 

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
Me being the bean counter I am. The numbers work pretty good, if you can grab one for $30K. It is the out of warranty repair is what worries me, (feel the same about the EcoBoost)

I average roughy 18K miles a year, and run 91 in my vehicles...current diesel cost are real close in my area. $2.13 Premium $2.05 Diesel. sooo...according to my fuzzy math...about $687/year savings
if I go diesel. (20mpg vs. 30mpg)



best thing said in this thread yet.

I drive 35-50,000 a year...

at 25mpg vs 13mpg gas...I actually make $150 a month off owning a brand new diesel ($800+ payment vs $300 payment)...I used to spend 600-750 in gas a month..now I spend 100-150 a month in diesel..and I drive a truck that doesnt have 280,000 miles...was a no brainer for me...
 

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