Reflection Reflections

[wvyverberg]

Hello - This is Wes & Cathy Vyverberg, just traded in our 2022 Imagine XLS 22RBE couples camper on a new 2025 Reflection 337RLS. The RBE was great for the 2 of us but when we added our new yellow lab pup Milli to the mix along with a craye it started to feel small so we knew it was time to take the plunge and get a fifth wheel with more room. We have a permanent site in the finger lakes where we love to vacation but are hoping to broaden our horizons going into retirement starting with regional trips and who knows maybe even head out west to see the sights and ride the rides. Wanna visit national parks and zoos and take in all the country has to offer. Our F150 is not gonna cut it so we we soon be looking to upgrade to a suitable tow vehicle!

 

[COGrandDes]

Congrats on your new purchase. We love our Reflection and live in CO. The 337RLS is a big and heavy camper. I would suggest a SRW 1-ton truck to ensure you are covered with cargo capacity. Enjoy!

 

[wvyverberg]

Our 337 is 14k gvwr. Trying to decide between f350 srw 7.3 gas or 6.7 turbo diesel?

 

[Soundsailor]

Welcome to the forum, hope you have many happy times in the new coach.

 

[Chaps2018]

Matching up your trailer to a prospective truck's payload capacity is #1 consideration. You will be surprised how that narrows the field of choices.

Beyond that, we have found two other key factors to consider when choosing diesel vs gas.

Traveling on steep grades (both up and down)--MPG, fuel tank range, engine running at high RPMs (cabin noise, wear and tear), ability to maintain speed when climbing grades, speed control coming down the grades (ie, transmission vs diesel exhaust brake).

Fuel tank range--this is a big consideration for folks who drive long distances. Getting refueled in your truck/5th wheel is not a trivial task. With a diesel engine you can go to truck stops (high fuel prices) but if you have a gas engine, finding fuel stations that you can maneuver through is a constant worry. Not to mention, the further north and west you travel, fuel stations get more scarce.

You can get a 50gal tank option from the factory or add a 2nd tank in the bed (Diesel-only), (btw, also eats payload capacy). To get around the fuel tank range problem. In our diesel(s) we average 10mpg towing our 14k GVWR trailer. If you choose gas, the MPG will be around 8.

We travel around 10k mi/yr so these are important considerations for us. If you only plan to travel locally it may not be important to you.

 

[redfernclan]

Welcome aboard!

 

[WhittleBurner]

A 337 has a heavy pin once fully loaded, IF you are not going to go on long extended trips without a lot of mountain driving you might get away with a 350/3500 SRW but If it were us looking we'd look at a Dually for the 337 or any bigger trailer We'd likely head straight to the 450 for the great turning radius,

 

[lineman1234]

Our 337 is 14k gvwr. Trying to decide between f350 srw 7.3 gas or 6.7 turbo diesel?

I just went from a diesel to a gas 3500 cheby. The simplicity of the motor is great compared to the diesel. Any HD gasser will tow just fine, it doesnt have to be a race up a hill, and people live just fine every day towing without an exhaust brake like on the diesel.

Just brows what vehicle your looking at, on forums, like a diesel forum and check out gasser forums as well, you will learn the ins and outs of whats best for you using it.
What brakes or doesnt brake, costs of emissions parts out of warranty get nasty on a diesel.

On the diesel i had a plumed in transfer tank, on the gasser i have a pump in transfer tank, so fuel is no worry. The good thing of having a gasser and gas transfer tank, is i know have quite a bit of generator run time with a 45 gallon gas transfer tank vs when i had the diesel. As i have a gas gen.

 

[Second Chance]

Our 337 is 14k gvwr. Trying to decide between f350 srw 7.3 gas or 6.7 turbo diesel?

We towed our 337 with an F350 DRW 6.7 diesel. If you plan on heading out west with your new fiver, you'll be happier with the diesel. All three major brands make good ones.

Rob

 

[reubenray]

Hello - This is Wes & Cathy Vyverberg, just traded in our 2022 Imagine XLS 22RBE couples camper on a new 2025 Reflection 337RLS. The RBE was great for the 2 of us but when we added our new yellow lab pup Milli to the mix along with a craye it started to feel small so we knew it was time to take the plunge and get a fifth wheel with more room. We have a permanent site in the finger lakes where we love to vacation but are hoping to broaden our horizons going into retirement starting with regional trips and who knows maybe even head out west to see the sights and ride the rides. Wanna visit national parks and zoos and take in all the country has to offer. Our F150 is not gonna cut it so we we soon be looking to upgrade to a suitable tow vehicle!

Welcome - it is surprising how much our pets cost us money. My last three rvs were planned for our Yorkie comfort and space.

 

[goducks14]

Living on the west coast in the PNW I won't tow over 10K loaded without a diesel. I'm constantly in the hills or mtns. The exhaust brake alone is worth the upgrade.
Sure a gasser is fine but on a long 2 week to several month trip where you're spending days at a time on the road the diesel is a much more relaxing tow vehicle.
I'm overkill with a 3500 diesel and a 9200 lb TT but I towed the same TT with a gasser and hated it. Mainly hated the mpg part where I was limited on distance before fill up. The lack of an EB was also a downer. Once you get west the fuel stations get fewer between.
I started out with a diesel 14 years ago, switched back to a gasser then back to a diesel. The new 7.3 gas is a game changer but with that heavy of a 5er I still think I'd stay diesel.

 

[Dutchman2]

You will need a 1-ton for the 337RLS. We just upgraded from a 3/4 ton GMC/Duramax. We knew we were over this trucks GVWR rating. We just hit the scales with the new truck and we do not pack to heavy as were only going for a couple of weeks. The pin weight was surprising at 2,900 lbs. This is with full propane and 30 gallons of fresh water. Only other adder were MORyde pin box and two electric bikes on the back of the FW. With the 1-ton we still have a cushion before the 12,100 GVWR is a concern. We love the diesel for going up the hills and the exhaust brake going down them.

Dutchman2

 

[MtnGuy]

1st of all, welcome to the forum !!

There has been a bunch of good advice already in this thread, and thought I would add to that.

We pulled our 2017 Reflection 337RLS for 22,000 miles through 36 states with our 2017 F350 Lariat CCSB 4x4 with the Power Stroke engine. We had no problems with that combination.

We had 2800 to 2900 lbs on the tongue and over 12,000 lbs total ready to travel. IMHO, that requires A 1 ton SRW at a minimum. Or truck did great, but I was getting close to the GVWR of 11,500 lbs. Because of the extra 800 lbs or so that the diesel and assorted coolers weigh over the gasser, you get more cargo carrying capacity with the gas, giving you some leeway towards reaching the GVWR.

When we bought our truck the option was the diesel or 6.2L. Plenty of people used the 6.2L for medium sized trailers, but I heard you had to make the engine scream on the hills. Not so for the diesel.

The newer Ford 7.3L gas engine would be an option. I have heard good results from that mated to the 10 speed. We have a 2022 F250 with the 7.3L in our Fire Co utility truck, and it does a great job pulling our UTV and boat trailer, but the jury is out for pulling a 5th wheel with the large frontal area with that engine. Many people do with good results.

The diesel tends to be more expensive to maintain and can be problematic with poor fuel. It needs DEF, and I also use a fuel additive to further lubricate the high pressure fuel pump. Also the water separator needs to be checked every 1000 miles or so.

Another consideration is where you plan on traveling. The diesel makes short work of the Rockies and Appalachians, and is especially nice with the engine brake going downhill.

The big advantages of the diesel are the power, better fuel mileage than a gasser, the engine brake, and the ease of fueling at truck stops because of being laid out for big rigs.

For me, the postives out weighed the negatives, and I am glad I went with the diesel. My truck is probably overkill for our current 2024 Imagine XLS 22 MLE, but no need to trade in a perfectly good truck that I have set up for our travels.

 

[COGrandDes]

The gas vs diesel topic on these forums has to be one of the most popular and regularly discussed topics. If you search you will find lots of posts and opinions on why one is better than the other. From what I read and my experience...those who pull with a diesel never go back to gas. I'm in that camp and would never think of going back to gas. The list of diesel advantages is long and offers a much quieter and more comfortable pulling experience. Who wants to listen to a gas engine race at high rpm going through the mountains and pulling hills when the diesels are humming at 1600-1800 RPM? Not only is the cab noise much lower, but since the engine is working at much lower RPMs.....engine life is also being prolonged and extended. Diesel fuel has lubricant in it which helps the piston rings as they scrape the cylinders to make HP and torque where gas is a solvent and is constantly wearing those cylinders out. Racing to the top of a hill is not the goal but having power in reserve to respond to vehicles that stop suddenly on a huge hill or mountain pass---can be a safety issue. I've had to quickly maneuver around slow vehicles that are having issues or even come to a complete stop on a steep mountain pass. The diesels quickly regain their speed and allow you to efficiently merge back into the traffic flow.

The best advice is to look at both options and ask yourself---how much weight is being pulled and where will the truck spend most of it's time---at sea level or any elevation. Remember that gas engine HP and torque numbers are published at sea level not high altitude. Here in CO, naturally aspirated engines are derated by 30% at 5,280 ft above sea level to start with. The higher you go...the deration gets extreme. The new diesel engines are like locomotives since they have very capable turbo chargers and have endless power and many benefits to consider including the exhaust break as others have noted. Weigh all the options before dismissing the advantages of a diesel. Unfortunately, there are some complex emission systems now on the diesels and YES, DEF is required but there are an awful lot of diesels on the roads pulling very large loads with very happy owners!

 

[CedarCreekWoody]

Put me in the diesel loving group for towing experience.

 

[wvyverberg]

You will need a 1-ton for the 337RLS. We just upgraded from a 3/4 ton GMC/Duramax. We knew we were over this trucks GVWR rating. We just hit the scales with the new truck and we do not pack to heavy as were only going for a couple of weeks. The pin weight was surprising at 2,900 lbs. This is with full propane and 30 gallons of fresh water. Only other adder were MORyde pin box and two electric bikes on the back of the FW. With the 1-ton we still have a cushion before the 12,100 GVWR is a concern. We love the diesel for going up the hills and the exhaust brake going down them.

Dutchman2

Thanks for sharing. We are hoping to snatch up a leftover 2024 F350 SRW 6.7HO!

 

[wvyverberg]

Congrats on your new purchase. We love our Reflection and live in CO. The 337RLS is a big and heavy camper. I would suggest a SRW 1-ton truck to ensure you are covered with cargo capacity. Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing. We are hoping to snatch up a leftover 2024 F350 SRW 6.7HO!

 

[Mechanic Bob]

Thanks for sharing. We are hoping to snatch up a leftover 2024 F350 SRW 6.7HO!

My son ordered a F350 King Ranch with the 6.7HO the end of January2024 and just took delivery last week (11/12/24) I was told the delay was because of the King Ranch option and the component parts.
Good luck in your search.