I will start off by saying I am not really in the market for a "tow rig". I don't need a diesel. I don't need a 2500. I realize this is a tow rig forum, but you guys live with these trucks every day and I didn't know where else to ask.

I am looking to replace my 2000 Land Cruiser. My main use for the truck will be DD/family vacation vehicle. I do have a 16' trailer I use for mowers and landscaping and around the house use. I may be purchasing a small (5x8 or so) enclosed trailer for vacation use also. I am currently considering the mega cab with the hemi or the max cab with the 5.7. Do any of you guys have a mega cab hemi? What kind of mileage are you getting out of it? It seems the info on these is kinda sparse...most guys get the diesels it seems. Also, how does the interior hold up in the dodge's? I have only owned toyotas and looking at the dodge the interior felt very "low bidder" to me. Everything felt and looked cheap to me when compared to the tundra.

I will not be towing vehicles with this. I will not be towing bobcats or backhoes or any other equipment with this. I am up for a new job that would nearly triple my current pay and this new truck is my reward to myself. It will be my first new vehicle. I want something that rides well and will be a joy to own.

The reason for looking at the "super sized" cab trucks is I have 2 children, a 2 year old and a handicapped 6 year old who rides in a very large car seat, and my widowed mother travels with us, so I need the very wide back seat and lots of leg room for trips. We have outgrown the land cruiser and i don't want another SUV. I really wanted a longer bed, but I do have the big trailer so the 5.5' is enough for my needs.

Cliff Notes:

What gas mileage are you getting in a hemi mega cab?

How is your current body style dodge interior wearing?

What would you buy if you were in my shoes(between these two trucks, not some other vehicle)?

I don't own one, but if I was in the market for a tow-vehicle, the only thing holding me back from considering the 1500 Mega Cab would be the lack of a full-float rear axle. If you are not towing another vehicle, however, that is not a consideration.

I would shop around, though, through all the 4-door 1/2-tons out there now, including the new Toyota and maybe even the Nissan, as they all would be capable of being equipped to tow what you're talking about. How big the interior seems, and how useable it is, will be a subjective matter, so you're the only one who can make that determination.

If mileage while not towing is also an issue, I'd also look into what the second-tier V-8 motors are putting out in terms of power and mileage, especially if they're dropping the 290hp 3-valve 4.7L V-8 into the Dodge trucks.

I'm a Dodge man at heart but from what I've heard the hemi's get around 18mpg on the highway. As far as interior room goes, I would also suggest looking at the new Tundra's. I've been in both trucks and I have to say the Toyota has more interior room. I don't know what the Tundra gets for mileage but when I test drove one I did notice it had way more power than the hemi. Just my $.02:)

I don't own one, but if I was in the market for a tow-vehicle, the only thing holding me back from considering the 1500 Mega Cab would be the lack of a full-float rear axle. If you are not towing another vehicle, however, that is not a consideration.



Didn't someone on here say that the Megacab 1500's DO have 2500 running gear? Very recently? Or, was it just the 4x4 1500's? I'm guessing that because the cab is so heavy, the payload would be next to nothing were they to rate them the same GVWR as other 1500's.

i own a mage cab 2500 4wd diesel 6spd manual............ and i love it.

i use it for camping, towing and whatever else. just this last weekend i towed my rig up to tahoe. i had the better half, our 5 year old and all three dogs in there and we still had plenty of room.
the part i like best is that the rear seats fold down at a 60-40 split. so i can have the 40 seat still up with the 5 year old in the baby seat and the platform provided by the 60 seat being folded down allows enough room for the dogs.
the back seats also offer enough room for a tall guy to sit comfortably and not hitting the drive's seat with his knees.

the only downfalls i've seen so far is that the interrior is not as nice as the gms or fords and the turning radius is fairly large. i can live with that.

i would'nt trade mine for anything.

Didn't someone on here say that the Megacab 1500's DO have 2500 running gear? Very recently? Or, was it just the 4x4 1500's? I'm guessing that because the cab is so heavy, the payload would be next to nothing were they to rate them the same GVWR as other 1500's.

I'm quite sure that the 4wd's get the D60 front axle, but I don't know if they'd put a full-float rear in a 1500; I don't even know if the gas 2500's get the full-float (I'm sure the diesels do).

The Dodge website would probably spell out those details.

They are 8 lug, and its not a 60 front, its a AAM.
For the rear being full floating or not, I dunno. Dodge/AAM do not have a SF 8 lug axle, i'd assume they are using the same as the 3/4/1 tons.

I'm quite sure that the 4wd's get the D60 front axle, but I don't know if they'd put a full-float rear in a 1500; I don't even know if the gas 2500's get the full-float (I'm sure the diesels do).

The Dodge website would probably spell out those details.

OMG... Will you quit making shit up. You obviously don't have any personal knowledge of this, so STFU. No one needs your god damned guesses. :shaking:

1500 MC 4x4 gets 2500 drivetrain like TEX stated was JUST recently discussed. Which includes 10.5 FF" and 9.25 HP front end.

OMG... Will you quit making shit up. You obviously don't have any personal knowledge of this, so STFU. No one needs your god damned guesses. :shaking:

1500 MC 4x4 gets 2500 drivetrain like TEX stated was JUST recently discussed. Which includes 10.5 FF" and 9.25 HP front end.


He's right all three, 1500, 2500, 3500 share the same front axle, its the rear that changes with options. Though the 06 or 07 1500 hemi running around town does have a 8 lug semi float, don't know whom makes it, but I assume its a AAM axle; it was one of the first in the area so it might be an early edition before they just stuck with the 10.5". The 07 build list shows a 10.5" axle listed for the 1500, I assume is full-float. The 2500 lists a 10.5" for hemi's and 11.5' for the Cummin's spec'd trucks.

OMG... Will you quit making shit up. You obviously don't have any personal knowledge of this, so STFU. No one needs your god damned guesses. :shaking:

1500 MC 4x4 gets 2500 drivetrain like TEX stated was JUST recently discussed. Which includes 10.5 FF" and 9.25 HP front end.


Nah; I prefer to just keep making shit up... :flipoff2:

:shaking:

I was responding to the last thing the original poster asked:

What would you buy if you were in my shoes(between these two trucks, not some other vehicle)?

and giving some reasons why.

Yeah; a 9.25HP is not a D60. Mea culpa.

And if the Megacab has a full-float rear axle, well, good for anyone that buys one!

It also means that the 1500 Mega-Cab might be worth looking at in the far future as a good used truck to buy as a tow-rig.

And I did see that post, and since I don't see parts for a semi-float 10.5 AAM axle in the AAM catalog, I'm inclined to believe that even the 1500 did receive the full-float. But since somebody above says he saw an 8-lug semi-float on a Dodge, and since companies are not beyond cutting costs to match their competition's offerings (like the 8-lug semi-floats used by the other two), I'd have to hear more than just somebody on the internet saying that all AAM 1050 axles are full-float before I believe that all AAM 1050 axles are full-floaters.

But since a Megacab will serve this guy's truck needs whether it's a full-float or a semi-float, it really doesn't matter, does it? :D

I still think he should look at the other brands and see whether his kids will fit better in the back.

Check out http://www.dodgeforum.com/forumid_106/tt.htm where there's a thread with pages and pages of people listing their mpg in the 3rd gen Rams. I know that I can get 18 or so with my 2004 1400 Quad Cab but the 07 HEMIs (I believe) have the MDS which will shut down 4 cylinders when on the highway to conserve fuel. I don't know if this goes for the Mega Cab as well but the website or dealer brochure would be able to give you definite answers.