Forum Discussion
rhagfo wrote:
I just wonder how this would have sold if Ram actually put into production!
Probably not well. For starters it's ugly as sin, as all the Rams are IMO and in this case even uglier than the run of the mill standard Ram, which I did not think possible. It looks like a cross between a Channel Cat and a Concrete block.
2nd it would cost one somewhere in the neighborhood of $575.00 to fill it up, at least in my neck of the woods at present.- ^^^ If you simply set the cruise on a steep hill with a heavy trailer there will be times that your truck’s electronics will apply the wheel brakes as needed to make up any additional braking that the EB falls short of being able to produce. So, say you have a 21,000 lb trailer on behind and you are coming down a steep grade. You set the cruise at 55 mph hoping the EB to hold you at 60 mph. At 60 mph your truck might be in 4th gear at 3600 rpm and the computer periodically applies the wheel brakes. It’s not a terrible situation but if I’m in that situation I’d rather let my truck speed up to 65 mph if it needs to, let my engine rev to its redline and see if utilizing the full capacity of the EB could hold it back …..If not I’d slow down till the truck dropped to third gear then let it rev and try again.
cummins2014 wrote:
Both of my EB equipped Silverados are the same.Have to set the cruise at 5 MPH lower than the speed one wants. For the steeper grades with hairpin turns and the need to change speed a lot, I like the manual mode.I just click it down a gear or two for the slow speed turn, and upon exiting to the straighter section click it up a gear or two. Using the cruise on such roads just isn't practical. Using it as it is designed, it performs great. I never need to touch the brake pedal.4x4ord wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
On this particular test they choose to utilize cruise control which I recall the GM's did really good in this mode in years past.
Knowing how the exhaust brake and how cruise works kinda matters. I know with any truck I've ever had, stepping on the brake pedal cancels cruise.... With my Ford if I set cruise and let it apply the brakes automatically I can count brake applications by watching when the trailer brakes are applied automatically as they did in this video. As soon as I brake manually (say to slow for a sharp curve or because I find the set speed to be a little fast) cruise is cancelled and has to be reset. If I set the exhaust brake to automatic and let it do its thing the computer will exercise enough back pressure to hold the truck back to the speed it was going when the brake pedal or accelerator pedal was last released. If maximum exhaust braking is not enough to maintain the desired speed the wheel brakes (truck and trailer) are used to slow the combination down a little anytime the engine reaches redline. If while set to "auto" I find 4th gear is too fast for the exhaust brake to maintain speed down the grade I simply step on the brake pedal until the truck drops to third gear. When I take my foot off the brake it will try yo maintain that new set point and if 3rd gear is still too fast I can step on the brake again and slow to second gear. "Auto" exhaust brake is perfect for grade braking (better than cruise). If the exhaust brake is set to "on" the exhaust brake constantly tries to slow the unit even once it slows below my desired speed. "On" should be used for slowing down rather than for trying to maintain a desired speed on a downhill grade.
Wow, that's a lot of shifting ,braking etc . I have yet to come off a grade , regardless of how steep ,and need to apply the brakes on my 2014 Cummins 6.7 3500 . Only thing I have to do it is realize that my cruise will gain 5 mph , and then settle's in , and maintains that speed . I come off one in Idaho that's pretty long ,and steep . I like it at 55 , set the cruise for 50 .
Probably not towing the weight some are , my fifth wheel is only 15,500 GVWR , around 14,500 loaded these days . But the Cummins gets the job done nicely up ,and down the grades here in the mountain west .
My Momentum tips the scales at 21K, and the bed of the truck is filled to the max. Havn't weighed it, but it is heavy.cptqueeg wrote:
Does 12 gallons more fuel (and a local Ford dealer) make it worth buying a Ford for a long time GM fan?
We like the lonely stretches of NV a lot.
Well 12 gallon difference 36 vs 48 gallon.If it is fuel capacity one just needs a Ram!
Well current Rams have as large as a 55 gallon tank, but I am talking real fuel capacity like 170 gallons!! I just wonder how this would have sold if Ram actually put into production!
Ram Long Hauler4x4ord wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
On this particular test they choose to utilize cruise control which I recall the GM's did really good in this mode in years past.
Knowing how the exhaust brake and how cruise works kinda matters. I know with any truck I've ever had, stepping on the brake pedal cancels cruise.... With my Ford if I set cruise and let it apply the brakes automatically I can count brake applications by watching when the trailer brakes are applied automatically as they did in this video. As soon as I brake manually (say to slow for a sharp curve or because I find the set speed to be a little fast) cruise is cancelled and has to be reset. If I set the exhaust brake to automatic and let it do its thing the computer will exercise enough back pressure to hold the truck back to the speed it was going when the brake pedal or accelerator pedal was last released. If maximum exhaust braking is not enough to maintain the desired speed the wheel brakes (truck and trailer) are used to slow the combination down a little anytime the engine reaches redline. If while set to "auto" I find 4th gear is too fast for the exhaust brake to maintain speed down the grade I simply step on the brake pedal until the truck drops to third gear. When I take my foot off the brake it will try yo maintain that new set point and if 3rd gear is still too fast I can step on the brake again and slow to second gear. "Auto" exhaust brake is perfect for grade braking (better than cruise). If the exhaust brake is set to "on" the exhaust brake constantly tries to slow the unit even once it slows below my desired speed. "On" should be used for slowing down rather than for trying to maintain a desired speed on a downhill grade.
Wow, that's a lot of shifting ,braking etc . I have yet to come off a grade , regardless of how steep ,and need to apply the brakes on my 2014 Cummins 6.7 3500 . Only thing I have to do it is realize that my cruise will gain 5 mph , and then settle's in , and maintains that speed . I come off one in Idaho that's pretty long ,and steep . I like it at 55 , set the cruise for 50 .
Probably not towing the weight some are , my fifth wheel is only 15,500 GVWR , around 14,500 loaded these days . But the Cummins gets the job done nicely up ,and down the grades here in the mountain west .- Bottom line, looks like GM is selling all the Duramaxes they make, even the new Chebbies with the family truckster front clips, so I suppose they don’t need to spend that extra little R&D to figure out how to install a bigger fuel tank (actually they could just buy them and make one of the aftermarket guys an OE supplier for $0 R&D, but I digress…).
However this is something GM should have kept up with or at least get on the ball. Considering it’s a real world great convenience, unlike the Ford that will back your truck up to the trailer ball within an inch or 2 of being in the right spot to actually drop the trailer on it, still requiring you to go back and move the truck once more….Hahahahaha FishOnOne wrote:
On this particular test they choose to utilize cruise control which I recall the GM's did really good in this mode in years past.
Knowing how the exhaust brake and how cruise works kinda matters. I know with any truck I've ever had, stepping on the brake pedal cancels cruise.... With my Ford if I set cruise and let it apply the brakes automatically I can count brake applications by watching when the trailer brakes are applied automatically as they did in this video. As soon as I brake manually (say to slow for a sharp curve or because I find the set speed to be a little fast) cruise is cancelled and has to be reset. If I set the exhaust brake to automatic and let it do its thing the computer will exercise enough back pressure to hold the truck back to the speed it was going when the brake pedal or accelerator pedal was last released. If maximum exhaust braking is not enough to maintain the desired speed the wheel brakes (truck and trailer) are used to slow the combination down a little anytime the engine reaches redline. If while set to "auto" I find 4th gear is too fast for the exhaust brake to maintain speed down the grade I simply step on the brake pedal until the truck drops to third gear. When I take my foot off the brake it will try yo maintain that new set point and if 3rd gear is still too fast I can step on the brake again and slow to second gear. "Auto" exhaust brake is perfect for grade braking (better than cruise). If the exhaust brake is set to "on" the exhaust brake constantly tries to slow the unit even once it slows below my desired speed. "On" should be used for slowing down rather than for trying to maintain a desired speed on a downhill grade.sayoung wrote:
ktmrfs wrote:
about the only thing I saw worth any difference between the two was the fuel tank size. Extra 12 gallons in the ford is nice.
I gotta stop way before 36 gal much less 48:o
well I agree on that part as well, BUT rest stops are quick. I figure a gas stop is at least 20 minutes by the time you exit, get to the pump, pump get back on the road, often 30+ minutes. And then there is gas stop planning.
Much rather be able drive all day with only a fuel stop either in the AM before we leave or at the end of the day when we arrive or close to it.
36 gallons is marginal for that when towing, 48 gallons.. perfect.
As I mentioned in another post I'd gladly pay extra for a larger tank. Aftermarket tanks are way to expensive.
Course the downside to >35 gallons is Kroger shuts off the discount and stops the pump at 35 gallons, safeway at 25 gallons. So that plays into fuel stops as well.ktmrfs wrote:
about the only thing I saw worth any difference between the two was the fuel tank size. Extra 12 gallons in the ford is nice.
I gotta stop way before 36 gal much less 48:ocptqueeg wrote:
Does 12 gallons more fuel (and a local Ford dealer) make it worth buying a Ford for a long time GM fan?
We like the lonely stretches of NV a lot.
Probably not... My dad is a dyed in the wool GM man. Ain't no fuel tank going to change that. Although he does miss the dual tanks from the square body generation.
