First RV tow with the new 2013 RAM 2500

[Bug Out]

I got the 5th wheel hitch and Firestone airbags installed yesterday and hooked the RV up to her today..... Drum roll... ... ... . Mind you, my 2012 3500 Dually max tow with overloads sagged a tad with the same RV hitched to her... ... . Drum roll... ... ... The air bags only had 20lbs in them. I wonder now if I even needed them... Oh well. She pulled a tad sluggish off the line(3:42 gears)

and I was being gentle as she has only 500 miles. I'm old school and believe in the 1000 miles rule before running her hard on hills for the real deal. I had it in 4th around town as anything higher the engine sounded like poop. On the freeway, 5th gear at 65 gave me 2000 RPM. 6Th gear at 65 actually made the engine sound like it was lugging at 1500 rpm's approx. The engine temp actually went Up a few 3-5 degree's when in 6th. I dropped it into 5th and it was the same as having a 4:10 gears with a 6spd manuel. 2000rpms. Unless doing 70+ which I don't do with a 40' 5th wheel @ 17KGVW , 5th gear will be it .

I forgot to add, the transmission got up to almost 200 degree's around town. Pulled on the freeway for 40 miles mostly flat, transmission stayed at 185-195, engine from 190-208 degree's. I infrared the rear axle after 40 miles and it came back at 195 degree's. All good. In a couple weeks, I'll give her a run to Flagstaff and see what she does on the Camp Verde hills on I-17. .

 

[Cummins12V98]

I pulled from Phoenix to Camp verde 55 or more with 28K combined. Then from there to Flagstaff I hit 51 for a while but mostly 55 or more on the grades.

My opinion you should have stayed with the Dually with that size of load.

 

[HBarlow]

What gear will you use to tow at 55mph - the legal towing speed limit in CA? Have you weighed the truck's rear axle when loaded with that trailer?

 

[Bug Out]

12V98, I would have loved to kept the dually, but all my travel plans went out the window. I'm only towing within 100 mile 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.

 

[BILLUA]

The take away I understand is that if towing with 3. 42 gearing, sluggish off the line and can only use 5 of the 6 speeds of the 68 RFE... Got it!

 

[Bug Out]

Empty this truck is awesome on the freeway... . 80 MPH under 2K RPM... . But the engineers rated it for towing 17400LBS but last years truck, identical drive trains with 4:10's was rated 16800K towing... go figure.

 

[EDankievitch]

How was your MPG's towing?

 

[Bug Out]

Below 10 that I could see. Had my eyes glued on the transmission temps, now that it has I think just a single transmission cooler unlike my 2012 max tow. Once a do a real pull I'll post my findings.

I am showing 17+ around town and 20MPG on the freeway empty.

 

[rscurtis]

That 20 MPG figure is nothing to sneeze at. Looks like the SCR was the way to go.

 

[RonD]

Well He has a whole 500 miles on the truck, I think I would wait a few months for the answer, I think the Factory was talking about one more MPG

That 20 MPG figure is nothing to sneeze at. Looks like the SCR was the way to go.

 

[Cummins12V98]

The take away I understand is that if towing with 3. 42 gearing, sluggish off the line and can only use 5 of the 6 speeds of the 68 RFE... Got it!

Not true at all. I accelerate just fine with 28K combined load. At 62 in 6th I am about 1375 rpm, tows great on flat and hilly areas. I do hit 5th when the grades get a bit steeper. I tow all the time in SoCal and always tow at 62 no problem with the law.

 

[BILLUA]

You say it's not true. . I based my post off the OP's comments... Enjoy yours... I'm enjoying mine very much!

Cheers

 

[RVTRKN]

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.

A buddy of mine has an 01 2500 CTD and has towed for years with something similar. Nice looking setup and BTW, I wouldn't be towing it in sixth at 1375RPM

 

[Bug Out]

Let me clarify my "sluggish off the line" comment. I noticed a difference in how much sooner the last truck with 4:10's would star moving up in RPM vs this one to shift into 2nd gear. Its not that this one is not coming off the line, but there is a mechanical difference.

As far as my truck at this point towing in 6th at 65, I noticed a low vibration/groan noise which was not something I had experienced before. When I put it into 5th, it the noise went away and of course the RPM's went up. In the future, after more mile are on and I have more time, I will evaluate how it tows more in 6th. But for now while it is "still breaking in" as far as I am concerned,( I know THEY say no break in required) I'm not going to put undue stress etc on the drive train.

Beyond that, I'm loving the truck. The MPG are great so far too.

 

[RVTRKN]

Lugging a CTD is very bad for a lot of reasons, but the worst is EGT, less air more fuel for a diesel equates to high EGT. If you lug a CTD you better install a pyrometer in your exhaust manifold. Sweet spot for the CTD is around 19-2100 RPM.

 

[CBari]

RVTRKN you may have just hit the nail on the head why almost all of the new trucks are only offered in the 3:42 gear set. They will be lugged more which will increase the EGT and hopeful keep the hole exhaust system hotter thus requiring less regeneration and the associated problems with it.

 

[RVTRKN]

I would still run a pyrometer to see, but there are still other negatives to lugging a CTD.

 

[AClayton]

I came south on 17 from Flagstaff to go into Phoenix back in March and was only pulling a 6k lb RV and that route tightened my truck up pretty good. I had plenty of power but had to drive off the engine coolant gauge... . went up to 215*. Nothing bad or to worry about really... ... but I just downshifted 1 gear and slowed to 55mph and that made the truck happier. Good luck on your new truck..... I am very interested in mpg figures empty and towing as time and miles pass. The newer trucks are becoming more and more appealing to me.

Alan

 

[Cummins12V98]

The only time mine feels like it is lugging is when I forget to hit TH and EB at40 or so it will go into 6th.

 

[Bug Out]

Aclayton, I towed the same 5th up the I-17 Camp verde hill with the dually max tow/4:10's and I could have got up to freeway speed and more, but got behind a slow poke semi... . The transmission temps on it never went over 200. I'm curious to see how this one handles it. Engine temp was fine.