Both will do the job if the truck is spec'd for the load but the more miles you do (especially when not in the flat lands) the more you will appreciate the Diesel.
As for the 4x4 or 4x2 fight only you really know the answer to fit your needs. 4x4 will have more dive line friction that will have a slight effect on fuel economy. But if you prefer boondock/off the beaten path locations the 4x4 will make more sense. We RV'ed for 5 years with a 4x2 before purchasing our current truck and never had a problem. But again it is all about your lifestyle, for us RVing is all the luxuries of home while away from home, not "camping". Nothing wrong with "camping", just not our thing. We only stay in sites with full hook-ups and solid ground. So a 4x2 works fine for our needs. So make the decision on what will work for your needs.
As for maintenance I personally found using synthetic fluids reduced my cost in the long run. On my last 7.3L Ford I would change the oil once a year. I would change the filter (plus 2qt of oil for filter) before each big trip or every 5k miles. Had oil analysis done 3 or 4 times before I quit. Each time I was told the oil was fine (20k avg miles on the oil) with no signs of wear or metals in the oil. I was only changing the oil then due to my own mental hang-up of 20k miles and the fact the oil was a year old even though I could keep going on the oil. The same with the transmission. Original transmission with 200k miles with at least 20%~25% of the miles hauling heavy. When I sold the truck last year the buyer was so impressed he paid my asking price with no issues. Well over blue book.
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