Ram Tradesman?

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: dustyroads
I believe the current f150 is heavier than chevy and dodge. I think the new fords with aluminum will just be more like the current silverado in weight (?)

Please correct if I'm wrong...but I thought the ford's were needing a "diet".


Correct. Similarly optioned Fords weigh several hundred pounds more than a GM truck. Ford needs a diet.

They also are lacking in the warranty department.

The 8 speed/Hemi combo is a killer deal, and will get great mileage too.


A knock against the new 5.3 is it requires premium and a couple guys on the truck forums who have hooked the engines up to a scanning tool and ran them said they saw a lot of retardation under throttle at 87, much less with 91 or 93. So its a high octane motor.

Not a good idea GM its a work vehicle not a Corvette.

Score one for the Hemi

 

[dave1251]

Chrysler recommends 89 Octane for the 5.7. GM does not recommend using anything but 87. I would not take stock in what Lingenfelter recommends. Lingenfelter is not GM.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: dustyroads
I believe the current f150 is heavier than chevy and dodge. I think the new fords with aluminum will just be more like the current silverado in weight (?)

Please correct if I'm wrong...but I thought the ford's were needing a "diet".


Correct. Similarly optioned Fords weigh several hundred pounds more than a GM truck. Ford needs a diet.

They also are lacking in the warranty department.

The 8 speed/Hemi combo is a killer deal, and will get great mileage too.


A knock against the new 5.3 is it requires premium and a couple guys on the truck forums who have hooked the engines up to a scanning tool and ran them said they saw a lot of retardation under throttle at 87, much less with 91 or 93. So its a high octane motor.

Not a good idea GM its a work vehicle not a Corvette.

Score one for the Hemi


But does it get better mpg on premium?

 

[hattaresguy]

See if this link works, I like the GMC front ends. Not wild about the stock wheels but a set of take offs from a higher spec model on Ebay will fix that. ][]GMC[15SIPU4WD[]][]]&doorCodes=2&a...5&Log=0]GMC

 

[supton]

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=368039395

 

[supton]

The wheels look fine to me.

I would test drive it first. I know the newest 5.3 vs your old 4.3 is no comparasion, but 3.08's just seem too tall to me. I'm probably nuts, torquey motor with a 4.02:1 first gear, but still.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: supton
The wheels look fine to me.

I would test drive it first. I know the newest 5.3 vs your old 4.3 is no comparasion, but 3.08's just seem too tall to me. I'm probably nuts, torquey motor with a 4.02:1 first gear, but still.


All our 3500 fleet vans used to come with 3.73's, but now with the six speed trans' ridiculously low first gear they ship with 3.42's.

It's a really 'short' first gear and would be GREAT for towing!

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
A knock against the new 5.3 is it requires premium and a couple guys on the truck forums who have hooked the engines up to a scanning tool and ran them said they saw a lot of retardation under throttle at 87, much less with 91 or 93. So its a high octane motor.


I think you'll find that a lot of engines retard timing to some degree on 87 octane, even if that grade of fuel is what's recommended. There has to be some level of adjustability built into the system to account for different environmental and other conditions.

I'd personally much rather have an engine that is "restrained" on 87, but has the ability to adjust for better fuel or a wider range of conditions, than an engine that is giving you all it has on 87 octane without any potential for greater performance on different fuel, or with a narrower range of timing adjustability.

Every modern vehicle I've owned has demonstrated an objective improvement (watching the timing advance on a scan tool) when using 93 octane vs. 87 octane, including my previous 2011 Camry and our current 2008 CR-V. These are pedestrian vehicles...but their powertrains have a good amount of flexibility.

 

[whip]

I haven't priced new trucks lately, but is there really a $10,000 difference in similarly equipped truck? Is this MSRP, or after discounts? The last time I shopped, there was less than a $1,000 difference.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted By: supton
But does it get better mpg on premium?


According to GM truck owners. No.

For the Ram from experience the recommended 89 octane provides best performance in the fuel economy department.

87 in a HEMI Ram is a experience that leaves a lot to be desire in performance and fuel economy.

 

[leeharvey418]

Originally Posted By: dave1251
I doubt the 2015 F150 will be available next month.

You are right to be doubtful.

I think Ford's philosphy of slow, incremental change on the P221 and P415 platforms bit them in the rear when it came time for drastic change on the P552. The engineers had gotten used to creeping along and suddenly had to run.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: supton
The wheels look fine to me.

I would test drive it first. I know the newest 5.3 vs your old 4.3 is no comparasion, but 3.08's just seem too tall to me. I'm probably nuts, torquey motor with a 4.02:1 first gear, but still.


Its rated around 7k with the 3.08 and 10k with the 3.42. I own nothing that needs towing so I'd prefer the highway gears. The most it will ever tow would be an aluminum boat that weighs 800 pounds or an ATV trailer that weighs 1k. I never noticed even my old 3.23/4.3 combo dog down much even with almost 2k pounds in the back; so I figure this truck has almost twice the HP and doesn't weigh all that much more so I should be good.

Supposedly GM has a very short first gear in the new 6spd and the final drive ratio with the 3.08 is close to the old 4spd with 4.10's, and even lower with the 3.42.

I like this truck, if tomorrow is slow maybe I'll go look at it.

 

[cptbarkey]

i have 1100 miles on my 2014 crew with the 8 speed / hemi, and i've driven 80% city and i'm getting around 17mpg. it is very difficult to keep out of the gas pedal, in fact, 80% of the time i do not. after 3 weeks, i am still giddy.