Pick WinterDeere's next truck

[Jstpssng]

If I can back up straight inline with the trailer I can get pretty accurate without the camera. If something is in the way and I have to back up at an angle the camera makes it much easier. I’ve also hit the trailer too hard and knocked the jack off the 6x6 block which is annoying. Overall the camera makes it much easier. And a backup camera is pretty cheap it’s not like they’re a big financial burden. I can’t think of a single good argument against having one.

I'm not arguing against them I just don't find them that helpful when hooking on to a trailer.

 

[4570Man]

Two problems with backup cameras. First, they are government mandated when they should be optional, which is complete BS.

Second, as soon as you install that mandated camera, you now have to have a computer screen on the dash, which, aside from being ugly, now gives them a place where they think they need to put all the other controls that worked better as buttons and knobs, which now have to have all the associated electronic systems to actuate what used to be basic functions.

I lied, three problems, now, all that stuff that has to be run through the computer is more complicated and expensive.

Backup cameras reduce accidents plain and simple. The government already regulates every part of vehicle production. Why would they not mandate a low cost solution that prevents accidents? You can claim that that the government should leave vehicle production alone and let the free market work itself out but obviously that’s not going to happen. Even a minor bumper tap cost thousands of damage to repair. Even if nobody got hurt you should appreciate a low cost solution saving potentially thousands of damage.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

@WinterDeere curious if you stopped at Ford and looked at them in person?

Or just were happy with RAM, and once you drove it, decided to skip Ford?

 

[sunandsand]

Backup cameras reduce accidents plain and simple. The government already regulates every part of vehicle production. Why would they not mandate a low cost solution that prevents accidents? You can claim that that the government should leave vehicle production alone and let the free market work itself out but obviously that’s not going to happen. Even a minor bumper tap cost thousands of damage to repair. Even if nobody got hurt you should appreciate a low cost solution saving potentially thousands of damage.

I think another reason for backup cameras is so SUV "drivers" don't back over munchkins playing in the driveway or over the toys/bicycles they leave there.

Many newer suburban lots are small, sometimes only 40 or 50 feet wide, and the houses are close to the street. Kids can't play in the street, so they wind up playing in the driveways, which isn't exactly the safest place to play.

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[Hay Dude]

I bet he buys a Ram.
Who wants a aluminum can 1/2 ton with a 4 banger, when you could have a steel Ram with a big ol pushrod 6.4L Hemi V-8 and a serious ZF transmission?

(I know Ford makes good trucks, just havin a little fun).

 

[WinterDeere]

I Google-mapped Ford dealerships, and found that other than one relatively tiny dealership, there are no major dealers anywhere near as close as Ram. Already having owned two Ram's and six cars total from my local Dodge dealership, and getting what I feel is a pretty reasonable price on the Ram 2500, I decided to bail on checking out Ford. I'm sure they're great trucks, but I'm pretty happy staying with my Ram dealership.

I'm just waiting on trade-in evaluation. Once I have that, and can decide how I'm disposing of the old truck, I'll be ordering a new Ram.

I had planned on Granite Chrystal Metallic, same color as my Charger, but now I'm leaning toward Molten Red Metallic. Sample Google image of each, below:



I'd prefer the black wheels that come with the Night package, but just on principle, I'm not spending $2k+ for some OEM black wheels and badges.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I had planned on Granite Chrystal Metallic, same color as my Charger, but now I'm leaning toward Molten Red Metallic. Sample Google image of each, below:

View attachment 5442749 View attachment 5442747

I'd prefer the black wheels that come with the Night package, but just on principle, I'm not spending $2k+ for some OEM black wheels and badges.

The red is SHARP! And I personally don't like the blackout packages -- a little chrome or shiny stuff looks good on a sharp vehicle. Certainly wouldn't pay extra for the blackout deals.

 

[Hay Dude]

I Google-mapped Ford dealerships, and found that other than one relatively tiny dealership, there are no major dealers anywhere near as close as Ram. Already having owned two Ram's and six cars total from my local Dodge dealership, and getting what I feel is a pretty reasonable price on the Ram 2500, I decided to bail on checking out Ford. I'm sure they're great trucks, but I'm pretty happy staying with my Ram dealership.

I'm just waiting on trade-in evaluation. Once I have that, and can decide how I'm disposing of the old truck, I'll be ordering a new Ram.

I had planned on Granite Chrystal Metallic, same color as my Charger, but now I'm leaning toward Molten Red Metallic. Sample Google image of each, below:

View attachment 5442749 View attachment 5442747

I'd prefer the black wheels that come with the Night package, but just on principle, I'm not spending $2k+ for some OEM black wheels and badges.

 

[dieselscout80]

Yeah, the rotary knob is RIDICULOUS !

It’s taken me a while to get used to my Ram’s rotary shifter.

What would make it better is a means to limit it to forward and reverse without say pushing in or pulling out on the knob.

I would not want to plow snow with it like it currently is, but with detents I would.

I can’t tell you how many times I have put it in park when trying to reverse.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I didn’t know the Ram 2500 Rebel also came with an airbag rear suspension, coil springs and an e-locker? The other/optional features were really nice.
I’m not 100% certain, but there was an internet article that mentioned it.

I’d be all over that Ram.

 

[Highlandr]

The red is SHARP! And I personally don't like the blackout packages -- a little chrome or shiny stuff looks good on a sharp vehicle. Certainly wouldn't pay extra for the blackout deals.

Ditto all that.

 

[WinterDeere]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I didn’t know the Ram 2500 Rebel also came with an airbag rear suspension, coil springs and an e-locker? The other/optional features were really nice.
I’m not 100% certain, but there was an internet article that mentioned it.

I’d be all over that Ram.

I guess that is one thing I should re-evaluate, before signing on the dotted line: airbags. The whole reason I'm switching from 1500 to 2500 is hitch weight, my trailer tends to end up nose-heavy. There are many reasons for that, some of which I've corrected too recently to have a chance to have really re-evaluated how it hangs.

I guess I need to spend a little time on Ram's site, figuring out hitch pin weight ratings for each configuration, and evaluating the cost of adding air bags. I know that sometimes adding options like this is more cheaply done by just starting all over with a different trim level/model, which I'd like to avoid.

 

[Hay Dude]

IMO, if I were in your shoes, it sounds like you want the toughness of a 2500, but the ride of a 150/1500.
The coil suspension and airbags could give you a ride closer to a 1500, but then be adjusted for load capacity when you tow a trailer.
Look at the Rebel package.

 

[WinterDeere]

IMO, if I were in your shoes, it sounds like you want the toughness of a 2500, but the ride of a 150/1500.

Nope. There's nothing I hate more than a soft ride, in any vehicle. Every truck I've ever built myself rode like an unloaded dump truck... on purpose.

The coil suspension and airbags could give you a ride closer to a 1500, but then be adjusted for load capacity when you tow a trailer.

Okay, not interested in that. Stiffer = better, no matter what we're discussing.

I also found their glossy brochure on towing capacities, and that shows standard configuration is 15k# towing at 10% tongue weight, with no mention of weight distributing hitches. My max tongue weight is going to be under 1500#, so we should be good.

The way they got me on the 1500, was listing towing capacity with 3.92 rear at something like 13,200 / 10%, but then sneaking a little fine print about "WDH recommended over 6000#" at the bottom of the page. I didn't see that, until after loading up my trailer and seeing that hitch weight was definitely going to be an issue.

 

[dieselscout80]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I didn’t know the Ram 2500 Rebel also came with an airbag rear suspension, coil springs and an e-locker? The other/optional features were really nice.
I’m not 100% certain, but there was an internet article that mentioned it.

I’d be all over that Ram.

The all 2500s can have the rear air suspension and it seems to work well from what I can tell (I have rear coil springs). The only 2500 that doesn’t is the pure Power Wagon version (unlockable sway bars front and rear, winch and locking axle front and rear).

The 3500 also have an air ride rear suspension, but they have both airbags and leaf springs, but they have a different set of leaf springs than the standard 3500 leaves.

On the 3500 the air bags carry the weight until you put enough weight on it to engage the leaf springs. From what I’ve heard they ride really nice compared to the all leaf spring rear suspension setup.

The lowering setting doesn’t work as well on the 3500 as it does on the 2500.

On the 2500 the lowering setting drops the rear down more, so it’s great for trailer hookups and putting stuff in the bed. Where the 3500 sets down on the leaves and doesn’t drop much unless you have weight in the bed.

 

[Hay Dude]

I like the Rebel package because I’m pretty sure it has an E-locker, too.

Just thought I’d mention it.

This ‘26 2500 Cummins Warlock had it too.

 

[WinterDeere]

They actually have a 2500 Warlock sitting out front of the dealership, in that clay gray color, all blacked-out. Nice looking truck, but so tall it comes with nerf bars plus a second row of electronic drop-down steps. I'm 6' tall, and I think the door handles are at my forehead height.

I used to love tall trucks like that, but they suck for speeding around our winding country roads, and getting in and out of the bed is a chore when you're not 20 anymore.

Then again, maybe someone just parked it with the air suspension cranked to max height?

Looks like the Warlock is a good bit cheaper than Big Horn with 4x4 and offroad package, but it has standard un-heated vinyl seats, stripped-down interior, etc. I'm not looking for a luxury car, but I do like heated cloth seats and at least a basic set of integrated phone controls. I'll ask the dealer about optioning up a Warlock with the stuff I want (mostly heated cloth seats), but suspect the Big Horn 4x4 with offroad package hits more of the key points for me.

The only other thing I have to decide before signing is Level 1 Plus versus Level 2 trim package. I think that adding the offroad or Sport package negated some of the reasons I had originally chosen Level 2, but my memory isn't great, there may have been some other thing that nudged me from one toward the other. There are too many options, and too many different ways of ending back at the same place, in their configurations and trim levels.

 

[WinterDeere]

Hey, you guys who have airbag suspension... I know you can adjust ride height using the air bags. Would this allow me to squat the truck enough to get under a standard 6' 8" garage door opening?? I'm not sure if Dodge measures to the roof or the antenna dome, but I know my 1500 just barely clears the door opening, despite listed height being quite a bit less than 6' 8".

I don't want a softer ride, and I don't need the air suspension to handle my trailer weight. But if it'd allow me to get this truck into my attached garage on snow days, or into a parking garage where it otherwise might not fit, that'd be worth something.

 

[nforktractor]

I like that Molten Red, after purchasing don't forget (if not on from the factory) to add fender flares, rear wheel liners, also first change of fluids, an upgraded rear end differential cover (i.e., MAG-HYTEC, or similar), front differential cover and transmission pan (greater heat dissipation and extra additional fluid).

 

[dieselscout80]

I like the Rebel package because I’m pretty sure it has an E-locker, too.

Just thought I’d mention it.

This ‘26 2500 Cummins Warlock had it too.

View attachment 5442779

I think the rebels have the e-locker in the rear axle only, but I’m not certain.