poor power pulling a trailer

[PettitR]

1996 2500 ram td - automatic tran- no mods 80,000 mi. This ram is a beauty and alone performs well. 21mpg-- smoothe responsive etc. We hooked up a 2000 prowler travel trailer 7000lbs and it is a complete dog!!-milage dropped to 10 mpg on a 2000 mi trip over all types of terrain and conditions. Bucking a head wind in the Columbia River Gorge was a terrible experience as the rig barely made 55mph and was floor boarded most of the time. I realize a stock rig won't perform like the mod equipped rigs but it seems to me that I'm not getting average performance. Any help and/or suggestions from experienced operators out there?

 

[BigMike]

I used to pull a 26' travel trailer with my truck and had exactly the same experience you did. Driving up the gorge with a strong headwind, I could barely keep it at 55. Travel trailers are not very aerodynamic, at least mine wasn't. Just a square box into the wind. When the wind wasn't blowing, it pulled just fine. Since then, I've bought a 5er. They are much more aerodynamic and I get as high as 12 mpg pulling 13000 lbs. Bottom line, I don't think it's your truck. Just the nature of the aerodyamics and poor driving conditions. BTW, lots of gas engine owners would kill for 10mpg

 

[BigMike]

I used to pull a 26' travel trailer with my truck and had exactly the same experience you did. Driving up the gorge with a strong headwind, I could barely keep it at 55. Travel trailers are not very aerodynamic, at least mine wasn't. Just a square box into the wind. When the wind wasn't blowing, it pulled just fine. Since then, I've bought a 5er. They are much more aerodynamic and I get as high as 12 mpg pulling 13000 lbs. Bottom line, I don't think it's your truck. Just the nature of the aerodyamics and poor driving conditions.

 

[Deezul1]

Check fuel pressure before the injection pump. I had the exact same problem and it was a bad overflow valve that wouldnt let the lift pump build enough fuel pressure. Pull the spring and measure it, it should be . 500. If not stretch it to . 550 and try it and if it is better get a hold of Piers as he has the best price on the valves.

 

[dpuckett]

I pulled a 24x7. 5 box trailer (bumper pull) up and down I-25 from Denver to Cheyenne in the spring- fall of 2000. I had a 92 D350 CC, auto, 3. 54, all stock, and got 12-15 pulling, 20-22 empty, city/hwy. Trailer weighted 4000# empty, and was loaded to 10-11K on a daily basis. Average speed was 75-78 on interstate, and I kicked out of OD at under 55.



What gear were you in, and what RPMs were you turning? If you were trying to go in OD at 55, you werent turning enough RPMs to keep the converter tight enough to not heat things up. Ok, I know the idea, someone with more experience in auto help me out here. Try a valve adjustment, and a fuel filter with some injector cleaner in it. THEN GET SOME GAUGES!! That ought to be mandatory for ANYone pulling anything with a turbodiesel, regardless of I-6 or V8. I'd think even stock, you should have been able to climb hills in 3rd or 4th and maintain a decent speed, and get in the low teens. Even with horrible aerodynamics, that isnt a whole lot of weight. Maybe TTs drag more than even flatnosed box trailers? With the low miles on your rig (i admit a bias against older low mile vehicles), it may just need the crap cleaned out of it and run hard a little now and then.



Daniel

 

[sfr1047]

Stock 96 auto

I think you are doing just fine with a stock 96 automatic. I had a 96 2500 5 speed which was 215 HP and I got 10 mpg towing 10,000 lb. Letting it breath better with an afe pro guard 7 air filter and a 4 inch exhaust system will help. I drove a motor home up the Gorge once into a head wind and could only hold 45 mph. I thought I was going to run out of gas before I got into Portland.

 

[Foxtrotter]

Have your boost pressure checked while under load (driving and pulling) to make sure it is up enough (I don't know the correct PSI off hand). If there's a leak in the hoses somewhere your boost will be low and this will make a huge difference that you may not see with just regular driving.

 

[dpuckett]

I think the 175/180 hp engines build ABOUT 18-19 psi max. One thing I forgot was to check your timing- the gear has been known to slip on the pump shaft, or so I've read here. I think a lot of guys bump it up to about 16deg.

 

[crabman]

Check This

Still have your CAT? If so, take it for a long walk and loose it! Way to much restriction in the exhaust sysem.

Check other things posted too.

crabman