First RV tow with the new 2013 RAM 2500

[WalterJ]

Hey Cummins12V98; IMHO based on 8 yrs towing, my best power & mileage is OVER 2000 RPM. As you can see from my sig. , very different trucks, however same principle applies to working it, use whatever gear that keeps you in the power band. In Tow Haul, w/3. 73 Diff, I'm @ 2100 RPM driving 60 MPH. If really nice flats open up, I punch out of Tow Haul & the Cumins humms @ 1700 RPM; any hills in my future & I'm back in Tow Haul.

 

[AH64ID]

The only time I am at full throttle is above 2500rpm. It won't hold full throttle at lower rpm it just down shifts. I can see if you had a stick you could do some damage!

Defiantly. I won't let it go WOT below about 1900-2000 with my 6 speed, it's easier on everything to slow down a few mph and pull the hill in one gear lower and 2300-2500 rpms.

Hey Cummins12V98; IMHO based on 8 yrs towing, my best power & mileage is OVER 2000 RPM. As you can see from my sig. , very different trucks, however same principle applies to working it, use whatever gear that keeps you in the power band. In Tow Haul, w/3. 73 Diff, I'm @ 2100 RPM driving 60 MPH. If really nice flats open up, I punch out of Tow Haul & the Cumins humms @ 1700 RPM; any hills in my future & I'm back in Tow Haul.

What size tires are you running?

Is the 04. 5 tow/haul a OD disable or a true tow/haul?

 

[Bug Out]

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to pulling the 5th up that hill. This post has gone way sideways... Sorry guys.

The trans is not a weak spot! Mine stays very cool on long 6%grades. You will be pleased at how well it will tow in all conditions. I was about 2,800 rpm at 55 in 3rd. It was mid 80's and trans was mid 170's. I do have a MagHytec pan and AMZ/OIL.

I left Vegas to go to Pahrump about a week ago. I drove thru town for quite a while then from there it is all uphill. When I hit the steepest part it stayed steep for a long ways. I looked at trans temp it stayed at 210 and did not move and the engine temp was 222, I was holding 2nd gear locked at 41 mph. That is the first time in 23K that it hit 2nd. I think the highway is 160 does anyone know what the steepest grade is heading to Pahrump? If I would have left 15 and climbed 160 without going thru town first I would say the trans temp would have been around 190.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to pulling the 5th up that hill. This post has gone way sideways... Sorry guys.

Let us know how it does.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to pulling the 5th up that hill. This post has gone way sideways... Sorry guys.

Let us know how it does.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Hey Cummins12V98; IMHO based on 8 yrs towing, my best power & mileage is OVER 2000 RPM. As you can see from my sig. , very different trucks, however same principle applies to working it, use whatever gear that keeps you in the power band. In Tow Haul, w/3. 73 Diff, I'm @ 2100 RPM driving 60 MPH. If really nice flats open up, I punch out of Tow Haul & the Cumins humms @ 1700 RPM; any hills in my future & I'm back in Tow Haul.

These trucks with 6 speeds are a different animal.

I keep the rpm up when climbing, I usually down shift a little sooner than the computer would. I run at 62 with the cruise on but down shift before the speed drops and then shifts and uses fuel to catch up.

In my opinion I get good fuel mileage 9. 5 West Coast towing hand calc 28k combined with 3:42. My Dad has the same truck but has 3:73 and 2wd also 25K he averages 9. 8. So for 3K more weight and 4X4 I am doing good.

 

[Trophy1]

12V98, I would have loved to kept the dually, but all my travel plans went out the window. I'm only towing within 100 radius of Phoenix now, at the most. I have maintained (2) vehicles for years, one daily driver as the dually stayed parked until used for pulling. Its not feasible anymore. This is now the daily driver and tow vehicle. Once the RV is right side up, I'm going down in size.



HBarlow, I'm guessing 5th gear at this point. I stay out of Cali unless I'm forced to go. . Born and raised and left there at age 45, 8 years ago. I hate the place now. . It resembles a 3rd world dump in most big cities due to the political climate there, IMHO.



I just went thru the CAT scales this morning with the truck, me and hitch, 1/2 tank fuel. front axle 4540, rear axle 2920 total 7460. I'm sure I'll be over the "posted " rear axle weight by a few pounds, but Like I was saying, so little use of the RV now I'll let it go. The 3500 P/U is identical to the 2500, brakes etc etc, except overloads(have Firestone bags on this one) which give it enough to carry this RV.

Pray you don't get in an accident as lawyers love to drag out the fact you were running over capacity of your tow vehicle and therefore it's your fault even if it isn't. One heck of a chance to take, just my 2 cents

 

[RVTRKN]

Trophy1, if you look, its only his truck without RV, Bug Out is not giving the info on the RV so how does he know? He doesn't, he is basing it on advertised numbers and if he is over the DOT ratings of his truck an attorney might have a case against him. Dodges GCVWR has no bearing on DOT only Dodge and warranty concerns. I weighed my Arctic Fox with my 2500 for just that reason and it was within legal DOT axle ratings. My commercial insurance agent tried to tell me the same crap when I registered my C&C for 26K GCVW saying I was not legal over the GCVWR from Dodge and he ate his words.

 

[Bug Out]

Trophy1, Just for info, the truck is rated to tow 17,400 pounds. The gross combined vehicle weight rating is 25,000 pounds, which is 2000 pounds more than my 2005 dually was able to gross combined weight with. Based on Chrysler stating this vehicles capable of towing that much, with a combined gross of 25K, I feel confident I can keep my vehicle under the weight ratings. I gross combined vehicle waited with this RV 24K. That was with the Dooley before. I have already checked with the parts counter and found that the 3500 brakes, rotors, brake pads, axles, and all the running gear are identical. The only difference between the 2500 and 3500 single rear wheel is overload springs.

 

[AH64ID]

The only difference between the 2500 and 3500 single rear wheel is overload springs.

They went back to overloads on SRW trucks?

 

[Bug Out]

Don't quote me, but I believe the SRW 3500 has a extra set of leafs that I call overloads. Either that or they rate the carry capacity more by magic. That could be too since 3:42"s tow 17. 4k in 2013 and in 2012 only 16. 8k... .

 

[goodguys75]

one on the freeway, my transmission temp dips into the 160-165 range all day long on flat roads..... but i have a double deep pan.....

 

[Bug Out]

Depending on how my transmission temps act while I'm towing the heavy fifth wheel on Hills, I may go to the double deep pan myself.

 

[AH64ID]

Don't quote me, but I believe the SRW 3500 has a extra set of leafs that I call overloads. Either that or they rate the carry capacity more by magic. That could be too since 3:42"s tow 17. 4k in 2013 and in 2012 only 16. 8k... .

3rd gen's the 3500 SRW used the 2500 main pack (4/1 configuration) with the DRW overloads (which were really useless with stock tire ratings). For 4th gen's they ditched the overloads on a 3500 SRW and installed the DRW main pack (3/1 configuration). That provided a little stiffer ride than th 3rd gen, but a more realistic load carrying capacity.

When overloads were an option on 3rd gen's the difference in RAWR was only 200 lbs between 2500 and 3500 SRW, and it was all a paper rating. The tires/axles were the same and the main leaf pack was the same. Based on personal experience with a 3500 SRW and weights the overloads did not contact the perches in a static condition until the RAW was above the tire limit of 6390 lbs, which is above the OEM 6200 lbs. The rating is different for marketing, pure and simple.

On the 2013's the RAWR is 6200 or 6,010 (2 sources) for 2500 and 6,200 or 7000 (2 sources) for 3500 SRW, the 3500 SRW must have the 18" tire option as the standard as the 17" tires will not allow for a 7,000 RAWR. I don't know if they 3500 SRW has a overload again or not, but I would guess not, there isn't much need for on a a SRW.

Really if the truck is SRW the limit is the tires, and nothing more.

What I really want to know is what front axle the 3500 has with a 6,000 lb FAWR.

 

[Bug Out]

I sure your right . The 17's on mine are rated at about 3100. + a few pounds. Approx 6200. I tipped the scales at (guessing-not at home with scale receipt) 2500 -+ a few pounds. My pin weight is about 2500 so I'll be close to max.

 

[AH64ID]

Your truck is light, I hit the scales at 3380 on the rear yesterday with an empty bed but a 2/3 full toolbox with my normal stuff. The OEM's are rated at 3195 lbs, or 6390 for the rear axle.

 

[Bug Out]

I'm at work and trying to do these post on my telephone. I just found the post where I had put the rear axle weight. It's actually 2920 pounds not 2500 as I put in the previous post. .