Post Your Tow Rig! - Page 8

xj_man_646 · 03-22-2018, 07:31 AM

Wow. 4 years and 6,000 miles. That's insane

nblehm · 04-03-2018, 10:46 PM

Man I am super impressed with this truck. Borrowed it to get my dead truck in moab. Got 17 mpg going 80 (as much as possible) with an empty trailer on the way out. And ended up averaging 12.4 mpg on the way home through the mountains. Pulled Vail pass at 60 mph loaded and Eisenhower hill at 60. I want smashing on it either. Truck just settled in to about 3500-3800 rpm in 5th gear and climbed probably 1/3-1/2 throttle. Towed straight at 80 with the jeep on the trailer. I liked the 8 speed, gave plenty of options for going down passes and controlling speed. Would recommend.

Blue XJ · 04-04-2018, 09:52 AM

You got lucky with that one, that's similar mileage to what mine gets not towing anything. I've been hovering right around 14mpg mostly highway lately, and 17 if I do all higway

freerider15 · 04-04-2018, 01:08 PM

That's damn good!

I couldn't pull more than 40 or so on the climbs back from Moab on Vail Pass or Eisenhower, with it floored.

The readout had me at about 9mpg average towing. My 7.3 gets about 12.

The truck still drove great, but definitely was a dog on climbs.

nblehm · 04-04-2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freerider15

That's damn good!

I couldn't pull more than 40 or so on the climbs back from Moab on Vail Pass or Eisenhower, with it floored.

The readout had me at about 9mpg average towing. My 7.3 gets about 12.

The truck still drove great, but definitely was a dog on climbs.

Yeah I was expecting 45 or so on the climbs. I wasnt hammering it either. Itd drop to 5 maybe 4 gear, and just go. I was more than expecting to slowly drive the passes because I wasnt going to hot rod a newish borrowed truck.

Cobound · 04-04-2018, 02:02 PM

Damn, my Ram 1500 only gets 14 locally...it's the one thing I'm disappointed with, fuel mileage.

My buddy just picked up an '18 Duramax before our trip, had like 500 miles on it when we left, over 5k on it now

I think he pulled 12-14 towing the JK on an aluminum trailer...said he got into the 20s in regular driving

That truck is pimp as hell tho! So damn comfy. Didn't even know the trailer was back there, down the highway or over the pass. He had an older Ram Megacab before that, and wanted another one but it was like $10k more than the Chevy...hard to justify.

Anyway, I have no plans on moving away from mine any time soon, but I do wish it got better fuel mileage.

champ · 04-04-2018, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nblehm

Man I am super impressed with this truck. Borrowed it to get my dead truck in moab. Got 17 mpg going 80 (as much as possible) with an empty trailer on the way out. And ended up averaging 12.4 mpg on the way home through the mountains. Pulled Vail pass at 60 mph loaded and Eisenhower hill at 60. I want smashing on it either. Truck just settled in to about 3500-3800 rpm in 5th gear and climbed probably 1/3-1/2 throttle. Towed straight at 80 with the jeep on the trailer. I liked the 8 speed, gave plenty of options for going down passes and controlling speed. Would recommend.

Do you know if that truck has the 3.21 or 3.92 gears?

Contemplating on getting into a Ram.

nblehm · 04-04-2018, 05:11 PM

I'm not sure, I'll ask. That experience made me want

I did the actual math not just trusting the read out. 17.2 on the tank to moab. 10 on one tank and 13 on the other.

Blue XJ · 04-04-2018, 06:10 PM

Dang, I filled up last night, 14.7 with 90% of that tank was highway driving. Towing my camper I'm happy to pull double digits! Maybe something is wrong mine.

xj_man_646 · 04-05-2018, 07:59 AM

That is surprisingly low for a newer truck, IMO. My 2005 GMC regularly gets 15+ with remote start idle time, mostly city driving.

When the 5.7 Hemi first came out, one of the jokes was that it made small block HP, but got big block MPG

. Admittedly, I do not have any seat time in a newer 5.7 truck, only newer EcoDiesels. We were typically seeing 26-29 MPG empty and 18-20 MPG loaded down with those trucks, on the highway.

FWIW, depending on the year of the vehicle, you can trust the cluster MPG calculation. One of the manufacturers was in trouble some years ago for inaccuracy related to the vehicle-displayed MPG calculation, and they're required to maintain a certain level of accuracy now (with OEM components and tuning, anyway).

Cobound · 04-05-2018, 11:12 AM

Yeah, I could be wrong on his mileage towing, I didn't really pay that much attention, just know it worked like a dream and got into the 20's w/o towing.

Mine, on the other hand, as you mentioned, terrible mileage

Blue XJ · 04-05-2018, 01:49 PM

Terrible mileage, but far from small block power at least

nblehm · 04-05-2018, 10:05 PM

Man, I've been contemplating all day about getting a new truck. The ram really made a good impression on me. I'd have to ditch a couple cars to make it happen though. Wouldn't mind a sierra with a 6.2

bbaCJ8 · 04-06-2018, 10:39 AM

I'm right there with you guys, the Hemi is no joke. Every time I drive a Hemi Ram at work, even with 35-36" tires, I'm damn impressed. I still like the F150 better all around, but the 5.0 is a small V8 that likes to rev. Not sure how I'd like it towing a big camper, where the Hemi has a lot more low end grunt and shouldn't need to rev like mad to do the job.

Blue XJ · 04-06-2018, 12:24 PM

You'd think, but mine barely gets out of 5th while towing. 68-70 on the highway is about 3200rpm for me, it never shifts.

bbaCJ8 · 04-06-2018, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue XJ

You'd think, but mine barely gets out of 5th while towing. 68-70 on the highway is about 3200rpm for me, it never shifts.

Well yeah, it's still a gasser, but I'm worried a 5.0L would want to spin 4k+ to do the same thing.

champ · 04-06-2018, 02:20 PM

And to think... my little 'ol 'torque-less' 5.3 happily sits at 2200rpm in 5th and downshifts into 4th @ 3200rpm on a larger hill.

bbaCJ8 · 04-06-2018, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by champ

And to think... my little 'ol 'torque-less' 5.3 happily sits at 2200rpm in 5th and downshifts into 4th @ 3200rpm on a larger hill.

Depends what you're towing. My 6.0L 2500HD doesn't work too hard pulling my 1 ton TJ on trailer. Towing my ~8k 30ft camper it works WAY harder. It's either screaming or shifting far too often on the highway, its happy place is 3rd gear about 60mph and single digit MPG pretty much no matter what. I don't like going that slow, especially on the highway. Going to try towing with my wife's 09 5.3 Tahoe this year. I'm hoping the aero advantage and 6 speed work well. Adding helper bags, brake controller, and trans cooler so it's not overtaxing it.

nblehm · 04-06-2018, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by champ

And to think... my little 'ol 'torque-less' 5.3 happily sits at 2200rpm in 5th and downshifts into 4th @ 3200rpm on a larger hill.

Larger hill in the midwest is what 200 ft 2% grade?

champ · 04-06-2018, 04:30 PM

Biggest one locally (that I can think of) is a mile of 7%.

03-22-2018, 07:31 AM	#141
xj_man_646 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: MN Posts: 27,752	Wow. 4 years and 6,000 miles. That's insane __________________ - James I like diesels

04-04-2018, 09:52 AM	#143
Blue XJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,857	You got lucky with that one, that's similar mileage to what mine gets not towing anything. I've been hovering right around 14mpg mostly highway lately, and 17 if I do all higway Last edited by Blue XJ; 04-04-2018 at 06:08 PM.

04-04-2018, 02:02 PM	#146
Cobound - The Don - Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MN Posts: 49,188	Damn, my Ram 1500 only gets 14 locally...it's the one thing I'm disappointed with, fuel mileage. My buddy just picked up an '18 Duramax before our trip, had like 500 miles on it when we left, over 5k on it now I think he pulled 12-14 towing the JK on an aluminum trailer...said he got into the 20s in regular driving That truck is pimp as hell tho! So damn comfy. Didn't even know the trailer was back there, down the highway or over the pass. He had an older Ram Megacab before that, and wanted another one but it was like $10k more than the Chevy...hard to justify. Anyway, I have no plans on moving away from mine any time soon, but I do wish it got better fuel mileage. __________________ To each his own. Not all those who wander are lost. The great irony - triggered snowflakes accusing triggered snowflakes of being triggered snowflakes

04-05-2018, 07:59 AM	#150
xj_man_646 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: MN Posts: 27,752	That is surprisingly low for a newer truck, IMO. My 2005 GMC regularly gets 15+ with remote start idle time, mostly city driving. When the 5.7 Hemi first came out, one of the jokes was that it made small block HP, but got big block MPG . Admittedly, I do not have any seat time in a newer 5.7 truck, only newer EcoDiesels. We were typically seeing 26-29 MPG empty and 18-20 MPG loaded down with those trucks, on the highway. FWIW, depending on the year of the vehicle, you can trust the cluster MPG calculation. One of the manufacturers was in trouble some years ago for inaccuracy related to the vehicle-displayed MPG calculation, and they're required to maintain a certain level of accuracy now (with OEM components and tuning, anyway). __________________ - James I like diesels

04-05-2018, 11:12 AM	#151
Cobound - The Don - Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MN Posts: 49,188	Yeah, I could be wrong on his mileage towing, I didn't really pay that much attention, just know it worked like a dream and got into the 20's w/o towing. Mine, on the other hand, as you mentioned, terrible mileage __________________ To each his own. Not all those who wander are lost. The great irony - triggered snowflakes accusing triggered snowflakes of being triggered snowflakes

04-03-2018, 10:46 PM	#142
nblehm Needs moar dagger Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 26,785	Man I am super impressed with this truck. Borrowed it to get my dead truck in moab. Got 17 mpg going 80 (as much as possible) with an empty trailer on the way out. And ended up averaging 12.4 mpg on the way home through the mountains. Pulled Vail pass at 60 mph loaded and Eisenhower hill at 60. I want smashing on it either. Truck just settled in to about 3500-3800 rpm in 5th gear and climbed probably 1/3-1/2 throttle. Towed straight at 80 with the jeep on the trailer. I liked the 8 speed, gave plenty of options for going down passes and controlling speed. Would recommend.

04-04-2018, 01:08 PM	#144
freerider15 shoplifter fail Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,725	That's damn good! I couldn't pull more than 40 or so on the climbs back from Moab on Vail Pass or Eisenhower, with it floored. The readout had me at about 9mpg average towing. My 7.3 gets about 12. The truck still drove great, but definitely was a dog on climbs.

04-04-2018, 05:11 PM	#148
nblehm Needs moar dagger Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 26,785	I'm not sure, I'll ask. That experience made me want I did the actual math not just trusting the read out. 17.2 on the tank to moab. 10 on one tank and 13 on the other.

04-04-2018, 06:10 PM	#149
Blue XJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,857	Dang, I filled up last night, 14.7 with 90% of that tank was highway driving. Towing my camper I'm happy to pull double digits! Maybe something is wrong mine.

04-05-2018, 01:49 PM	#152
Blue XJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,857	Terrible mileage, but far from small block power at least

04-05-2018, 10:05 PM	#153
nblehm Needs moar dagger Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 26,785	Man, I've been contemplating all day about getting a new truck. The ram really made a good impression on me. I'd have to ditch a couple cars to make it happen though. Wouldn't mind a sierra with a 6.2

04-06-2018, 10:39 AM	#154
bbaCJ8 old and boring Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 34,051	I'm right there with you guys, the Hemi is no joke. Every time I drive a Hemi Ram at work, even with 35-36" tires, I'm damn impressed. I still like the F150 better all around, but the 5.0 is a small V8 that likes to rev. Not sure how I'd like it towing a big camper, where the Hemi has a lot more low end grunt and shouldn't need to rev like mad to do the job.

04-06-2018, 12:24 PM	#155
Blue XJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 3,857	You'd think, but mine barely gets out of 5th while towing. 68-70 on the highway is about 3200rpm for me, it never shifts.

04-06-2018, 02:20 PM	#157
champ not cool enough Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: IA Posts: 2,618	And to think... my little 'ol 'torque-less' 5.3 happily sits at 2200rpm in 5th and downshifts into 4th @ 3200rpm on a larger hill.

04-06-2018, 04:30 PM	#160
champ not cool enough Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: IA Posts: 2,618	Biggest one locally (that I can think of) is a mile of 7%.