Towing and camping with the 6.4 Hemi

[moparguy]

We just returned from a 2900 mile jaunt with the 2015, 2500 6.4 Hemi. Pulled the wife's TrailsWest 3 horse with living quarters, hauling 2 horses and gear from Southern Arkansas to Pegosa Springs Co, then up 550 through Silverton and Ouray to the Uncompahrague National Forrest just out of Montrose Co where we horse camped for 10 days way back in at a trailhead I've been hunting off of for the past 17 years.

Overall the truck was very OK. It was however fully loaded pulling what is actually a sorta light trailer that with two horses is around 11K. But with all tires bumped up to 80 psig it felt stable and was a easy riding/driving rig. Fuel (excuse me, ment to say gas) consumption is likely going to come in around 10 mpg. I haven't got around to adding up all the tickets yet. Worst thing was seeing diesel up to 50 cents cheaper than gas, factor in I usually ran the highest octane available and the price difference was sometimes much more.

All and all, the truck does what I want, and the trip was great and we sure brought back better horses than we left with. That said, after riding with my Cajun bud in Pegosa Springs on his mule,,,,,horses are a distant second on mountain trails.

 

[Tuesdak]

How was the power on the grades? I have been wondering how the 6.4 was doing.

 

[wyosteve]

I have 4 long ears and once you go that route, you'll never go back!

 

[moparguy]

JDoremire, power was adequate. Not new 6.7 Cummins power but up to the task. I'd say it compared very well to my 95 5.9 that's likely making 300 hp or so. If you know Raton Pass this may be helpful, I got sorta trapped by traffic behind a loaded truck headed west up the pass and he was going about 20 mph, on the steepest part of the pass I pulled out to go around in first gear, accelerated up to 30 (at 4k rpm) and held that easily to the top. It would still accelerate and may have held 40 (at 5k rpm), I just saw no need to work things any harder. If I'd had the 2014 2500 6.7 I was driving last year it'd likely been going 60 at the top (or more).

If I had a big trailer or pulled in the big mountains often, it'd be Cummins for sure. It does appear the 6.4 is going to be very capable of meeting the wife's towing needs and it's a certainly a nice daily driver when need be.

 

[Tuesdak]

Been up it with a 160 HP TBI V6 and a 200 HP MPI V6 towing a small trailer. (That sucked.) It's similar to The Rim out here and a impressive engine killing grade for sure.

 

[crispyboy]

Glad to hear the 6.4 is doing it's job. Your killing me with those pictures........ AWESOME!!