Ford or Ram?

Copperhead14

Observer
I vote ram mega cab(rear seats recline for comfort) with the cummins. I had the 2500 mega cab 6.4, it was ok. Traded it for the mega cab cummins. Love the new setup.
 

js9234

Observer
The "locker" in the Ram works very well and the 6.4 Hemi has plenty of power on tap.
Personally, if you're gonna go with gas I would go with a 3500 or 350 with either power plant. They're both good. If you go Diesel, I would definitely go Ram. Can't beat the Cummins overall. I use mine on all kinds of trails and is very surprising where you can take them with just bigger tires.
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
The "locker" in the Ram works very well and the 6.4 Hemi has plenty of power on tap.
Personally, if you're gonna go with gas I would go with a 3500 or 350 with either power plant. They're both good. If you go Diesel, I would definitely go Ram. Can't beat the Cummins overall. I use mine on all kinds of trails and is very surprising where you can take them with just bigger tires.

Im glad you've had good luck with it, mine has been horrible. It's bad enough that I'm going to switch to Ford. That's not rational but it's what I'm going to do.
 

Saharafire

New member
I have a 14 crew cab tradesman 2500 4x4 with the 6.4 hemi in it and love it. I don't see how people are saying the power doesn't transfer from paper. Mine has plenty of power for anything I've put it through from towing my tractor and equipment to my boat. The truck is very quick unloaded also. Suspension flexes we'll also. I have my wife, a three year old, and a seven year old and there is more than enough room for grocery shopping or most anything you need to haul inside with them. I'm very happy overall with mine. It has 3.73 gears with 35x12.50 big allterrains on it and consistently gets 15 during normal driving and will get 18 of your easy on it. Between the Ford and Ram gas engines I'd no question pick the 6.4 over the Ford 6.2.
 

p nut

butter
I have a 14 crew cab tradesman 2500 4x4 with the 6.4 hemi in it and love it. I don't see how people are saying the power doesn't transfer from paper. Mine has plenty of power for anything I've put it through from towing my tractor and equipment to my boat. The truck is very quick unloaded also. Suspension flexes we'll also. I have my wife, a three year old, and a seven year old and there is more than enough room for grocery shopping or most anything you need to haul inside with them. I'm very happy overall with mine. It has 3.73 gears with 35x12.50 big allterrains on it and consistently gets 15 during normal driving and will get 18 of your easy on it. Between the Ford and Ram gas engines I'd no question pick the 6.4 over the Ford 6.2.

18MPG on 35's??? That is some awesome MPG.
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
18MPG on 35's??? That is some awesome MPG.
Yeah that must factor in the Flux capacitor.
All the testing has shown the 6.4 even with mds to get slightly worse than the Ford 6.2, and the Ford 6.2 is not very good on gas. Motor trend just did a comparison between the 2 trucks, the Ford out pulled it and got better mileage doing it. Also the Ike gauntlet is another good test that has shown the 6.4 not to perform in the real world quite as good as it shows on paper. I think it's a great truck, just one step behind the Ford IMO.
 

Saharafire

New member
I keep the MDS turned off. It definitely does not like the lager tires. You can turn it off by putting the trans in 6th on the gear shift selector. It will get 18 on long trips running 60 in flatter areas. Like a trip to Florida. That's also with me actively trying to get good mileage. 15-16 is what I average the vast majority of the time. Mine really does pretty well to be as big a truck as it is and a gas engine.
 
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Choff

Adventurer
As side of all options and motor diff. -it comes down to comfort behind the wheel, what do you want to sit in for hrs behind the wheel !!!!
 

Saharafire

New member
I will say the 6.4 likes to rev. It makes most of its power from about 3k on but you can definitely feel the power and touque when it hits 3k. It's a good engine.
 

TwinStick

Explorer
You guys are silly to NOT buy a PW because of payload. Springs---thats all you need to add or replace. I towed 10,500 lbs with my 5.7L Hemi with no issues at all. The hitch weight of 1150 lbs empty, squatted my truck to the ground. I just added a set of Hellwig Load Pro 35's. Worked great. For the new ones, just use reg 2500 rear coils or have a custom pair made. Around $1300 for Carli leafs that are designed to carry +1500 lbs at all times. Coils would be about the same or less. I would not trade the capabilities of my PW for a 1 ton. EVER. I have since traded it on an 18' 3500 lb Starcraft AE One Extreme. Left the helper springs on, still works great. Truck don't even know this camper is back there. Hemi's LOVE to rev. Mine makes good power @4200 + rpms. I have climbed long steep hills with the 10,500 lb toyhauler in 3rd gear @5500+ rpms. Yup, she was a singing, but i was able to maintain 55 mph up the hill, which was the speed limit. I gotta think the new 6.4L would put my 345hp 5.7L to shame.

2008 Dodge Power Wagon w/G-56 6-speed manual.
 

IPA

Observer
You guys are silly to NOT buy a PW because of payload. Springs---thats all you need to add or replace.

Except that springs won't do anything to change the GVWR listed by the manufacturer, or the fact that RAM specifically recommends against hauling a slide-in camper with the PW.

Believe me, I'm not some goodie-goodie who is afraid of ever breaking any rules, but when it comes to an investment as big as a new truck that I plan on having for a decade at least, I'd like to know that I'm not going to void my warranty in the first year, and that I'm not putting myself at any additional legal risk in the (admittedly unlikely) case of an accident where I'm hauling a FWC and I'm 1000 pounds over the GVWR and someone gets seriously injured and they hire some shark lawyer to go after me for everything they can get.

For me personally, I'm confident that the regular 3/4 tons with some modest suspension improvements & a rear locker have all the off-road capability that I need, and still maintain the true (legal) 3/4 ton payload and towing capacities. Probably won't be as good in the technical stuff as the PW, and maybe not as cool, but I'm OK with that.
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
Except that springs won't do anything to change the GVWR listed by the manufacturer, or the fact that RAM specifically recommends against hauling a slide-in camper with the PW.

Believe me, I'm not some goodie-goodie who is afraid of ever breaking any rules, but when it comes to an investment as big as a new truck that I plan on having for a decade at least, I'd like to know that I'm not going to void my warranty in the first year, and that I'm not putting myself at any additional legal risk in the (admittedly unlikely) case of an accident where I'm hauling a FWC and I'm 1000 pounds over the GVWR and someone gets seriously injured and they hire some shark lawyer to go after me for everything they can get.

For me personally, I'm confident that the regular 3/4 tons with some modest suspension improvements & a rear locker have all the off-road capability that I need, and still maintain the true (legal) 3/4 ton payload and towing capacities. Probably won't be as good in the technical stuff as the PW, and maybe not as cool, but I'm OK with that.

I agree 100%. These days you can't be careful enough, there is a shakedown artist looking for a payday around every corner.
 

TwinStick

Explorer
There are many, many people running a 4wc in the bed of Power Wagons. No one has ever had an issue. There were 2 people who did it/have done it/are doing it full time all across the country . Hell, one even has a blog about it. 3" lift, 37's, Aluminess bumpers. It is a white 4th gen.

Same frame (actually stronger-more cross members), same axles (minus the lockers), same brakes, same tires. Not sure what you think won't hold up. I am not saying to grossly overload it at all, but there is a huge difference in carrying loads & carrying loads safely. The 1 ton helper springs helped my truck carry it's max load MUCH more safely & was MUCH easier to drive it at max load. 3rd Gen PW's actually have the 1 ton axle shafts inside the 10.5"AAM 14 bolt. They are 1.53" vs the 1.23" of a reg 2500 10.5"AAM 14 bolt.

If your truck is level in the rear at max load (or even a little above level), it makes it a world better to drive vs it squatted to the ground & your headlights pointing at the tree tops.
 
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