I am a long time GM guy and started out looking for something similar to what you are looking for. I had in mind what I thought was my wants and needs.

My wants, Dually with 8 Foot Bed, leather seats with console, spray in bedliner, 5th Wheel Puck Mount, 2 Wheel Drive, light color inside and outside, good tow capacity, nice sound system.
I did not want, Sun Roof, Dark interior or exterior color, 4 Wheel Drive.

I got the same line, if you want this you cannot have this, is was getting pretty frustrating. I originally was looking for a Double Cab (what GM now calls a extended cab) for some of the same reasons (shorter overall wheelbase with 8 ft bed and only the two of us) and found it is only available in certain trim levels and configurations.

I expanded my search to the other brands and models, ended up ordering a 2018 RAM 3500 after finding out it was a better fit for what I was looking for.
Ordered a 3500 Crew Cab, 8 Ft Bed (RAM HD is not available in extended cab), Air Ride rear suspension (not offered by the other manufactures, ride is awesome for a 1 Ton Truck), Aisin Transmission (Comparable to GMs Allison), 4:10 Axle Ratio with 30,000 lb tow capacity (not available in GM product), Pearl White exterior with Tan / Brown trimmed interior, Keyless Start, Laramie package (includes leather interior, Power fold Mirrors, Power rear window, upgrade sound system, heated mirrors, etc).
I opted not to get the Rear Window defogger (had on last truck, never used it), 4 Wheel Drive (had in last truck, never used it), convenience package (automatic dim headlights, rain sensing windshield wipers), Navigation system, (I prefer to use my RV Garmin, plus dealer said Navigation is already in the radio and if I changed my mind in the future, stop by any dealer and they can activate it for the same cost as ordering it new). Not ordering these options saved me thousands of dollars on the window sticker.
Window sticker was 68,000 price with our price before trade with Tax / Tag in the upper $50k then dealer gave us higher than typical book trade value or about $7,000 higher than other dealers had offered for our 2012 GMC (close to what the local used car lots were listing similar GMC's for) so we wound up in the upper $20k difference out the door to move from our 2012 GMC SLT 3500HD with 115,000 miles to a new 2018 RAM Laramie 3500.

To be absolutely honest, I never saw myself buying a Chrysler / Dodge product (and I have taken a lot of ribbing from family and friends), but so far we have been very happy with our choice, the RAM / Cummins is a different animal from our previous GM Duramax Diesels and has taken some time to get used to driving it but love towing with it and the ride unloaded and loaded. Have been impressed with the Fit and Finish of our RAM, we have a little over 7,000 miles on it now and no issues at all.o

-- Edited by Rob_Fla on Friday 2nd of March 2018 04:50:49 AM

All of the manufacturers make good trucks now. I'm a Ford guy for a couple of reasons, but I did test drive a GMC diesel with the Allison and I have to say that combination was very solid feeling in the the drive-train department . . . very solid and smooth shifts (I almost bought it). 

Just as a reminder, unless things have changed since I did my research into trucks, going by the manufacturer's "tow rating" is a misleading standard.  It is very likely that if one were to load up to the manufacturer's tow rating, they would be overweight on GCVW (Gross Combined Vehicular Weight) and GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating.)

When we purchased our 2008 Ford F450, it was the highest rated truck of any that were less than F550/5500 series trucks.  I can guarantee that if I were to have a trailer that weighed what they stated was the tow rating, I would definitely be overweight.

Terry

Cummins12V98 wrote:

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" Aisin Transmission (Comparable to GMs Allison), 4:10 Axle Ratio with 30,000 lb tow capacity (not available in GM product), "

Anyone looking at a GM truck simply ask the Salesman "WHY" does the GM 3500 Dually have only 23K towing and the RAM has over 30????

I will give MY opinion on this. Remember GM has recently raised the HP and TQ so that can't be the reason. The Allison is a good trans but it's at the end of it's life as far as towing capability.

The AISIN is a truck medium duty trans as it is used in MANY non RAM MD applications. The Allison MD trans is NOT the same as the PickUp trans.

Plain and simple if GM could SAE rate their trucks to tow the same as Ford and RAM they sure would!

-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Friday 2nd of March 2018 10:58:17 AM

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 But 30k is not 5th wheel towing. Pin weight would way past axle rating. Also 23k isn't working either. So that is a mute point. I don't have a preference though. I had a ton of problems with my 2012 Chevy. Glad it's gone. 

5k pin put my rear axle over 10k. Have you ever weighted your truck? Also my Teton is just shy of 21k

Glenn West wrote:

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You stated your axle rated at 9750. Tires are not your limiting factor. Chassis and all figures into this.

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 Come on Glen, the whole truck is engineered and SAE tested at that number.  Your GM had issues because it was not rated for your load and as you said it was not doing the job so you went to a larger truck.  

I have zero issues climbing or descending miles or 14% grades on very winding roads.  NEVER have felt like the RV was pushing the truck.

Glenn West wrote:

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Too many on drink the Kool-Aid on here about Ram Trucks

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 Well Glen please explain your comment.  Personally don't like Kool-Aid. ;)

What I've never quite understood is what effect an "SAE rating" had on the weight capacity of a truck.  Is that different than what the door sticker of the vehicle states?

As I just posted elsewhere, just going by manufacturer's numbers can be risky.

I need to state that the following needs to consider that the trailers weighed were DRV Suites models, most all of which are/were heavy trailers.

"There was a couple that went around to rallies and other events and weighed RV's wheel by wheel, in other words, getting the weights on each and every wheel, including the weights on the trucks towing those RV's.  His last year of weighing was 2010, so that needs to be considered as well.  He posted a "summary" in a pdf file showing the weights of the various models and sizes of trailers.  Then he had this to say about the weights on the trucks:

100% of single rear wheel (SRW) trucks were overweight on GVWR, based on the sticker on the door.

60% of dual rear wheel (DRW) trucks were overweight on GVWR, based on the sticker on the door.

It was eye-opening to see that he stated that 60% of duallys were overweight.  It made me glad that we had a 2008 F450, which was better suited for the weight of our fifth wheel.

He also stated this:

28% were over the tow vehicle's RAWR, based on the sticker on the door.

24% were over on the tow vehicles tire capacity rating.

30% had underinflated tires for the load they were under."

Granted, the capabilities of the trucks have gotten better in most cases, but one really needs to be careful of what happens with a heavy trailer and a truck not up to capacity.  A lot of research into both the RV's and the truck's weights needs to be done to be sure we are safe.

Terry

Cummins12V98 wrote:

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RonC wrote:

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Actually, you gave your opinion ... which isn't a fact.

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Tell me what I said was wrong.  Also please explain how I can load to my RAWR and NOT be over my GVWR.  FACT is 14K is the limit in Class 3 pickups. 

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 I agree that 14,000 lbs is the class 3 limit ... what you said ”wrong” was that the Ram was rated at 14,000 to keep it in the class 3 rating ... that is your opinion, not a fact.  There are many inexperienced people who read these posts and you put a weight ticket up that showed your GVW at 15,520 ... 1,520 lbs over your vehicle’s GVWR.  It’s OK for you to exceed your ratings, but other, less experienced people might follow your lead and it might not work out all that well for them.

Treading dangerously here, but it occurs to me that one can load upto one axle rating or the other but not both in order to be under the GVWR. Much like you can load a trailer too much on a single axle but still be under the trailer's GVWR. It would be good to know, exactly, why GVWR is apparently lower than the combined ratings of front and rear axles. Inquiring minds want to know.

I'd have to side with Ron here, "that RAM was rated at 14000 GVWR to stay in class three" is an opinion. It could well be true, but there are no facts to back it up. It seems a credible assertion. RAM et al may have other factors that limit GVWR to a number that is less than the combined axle ratings.... the frame comes to mind for one. But we are simply guessing without facts. I think Ron is not accusing you of being wrong about the 14000 number or even why it exists and neither am I, but without a solid source (Mfr engineering dept data eg.) to back it up... it is in fact an opinion, nothing more. Not trying to gang up on you Cummins, I respect your input and experience. 

JMHO, Brian

I think that Cummins does have some truth to his statements about the 14K rating of the trucks, including the newer Ford F450's.  As an example, our F450 is a 2008 model, whose GVWR is rated at 14,500 lbs.  As such, many want it to be licensed and insured as an MDT, which the older F450 technically was considered because of the 14,500 lb rating.  In addition, when we went to insure the F450 on one occasion, the insurance company wanted us to e-mail them photos of the pickup, both outside and inside, so that they could see that it was a pickup and NOT a commercial truck.

One can check Wikipedia to see the weights of trucks in relationship to their classification.  Because the Class III category truck ends at 14,000, those would cost less to tag and insure.  Now, if licensing bureaus and insurance companies would consider the use of the truck instead of an arbitrary weight with regards to licensing and insuring, it would make things simpler, plus one could buy a bit heavier truck for safety reasons for RV'ing instead of having to be nearly commercial rated.

Wikipedia Classification of Trucks

Terry