28,500 lbs Ford vs Ram 1 ton DRW

mich800 wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
It is right that the Ford and Ram put down the same power but it looks as though Ford had to do it in 4th at an average rpm of 2050 where as Ram did it in 3rd at an average rpm of 2400. And Ram used 12% less fuel doing it according to the dic.

I don't know where you got that info but if true explains a lot. They both make peak power around 2,800 rpm. So this tells me the Ford didn't have enough power to pull 4th gear and would have been much better in third. This is assuming what you stated is accurate.

They measure the time from a acceleration ramp in Dillon to the west entrance to the Eisenhower tunnel. The distance is 8 miles. 8 miles in 11 minutes 40 seconds is an average of 41 mph. The elevation gain over the entire route is 2300 feet. Average grade is about 5.5%

The upper part of the hill gets steep so the trucks would have been maybe around 36 mph. The lower part would be maybe 48 mph.

The Ford 4th gear ratio is 1.15:1 the Ram has a 3rd gear ratio of 1.34:1.

In third gear the Ram would travel 46 mph at 2680 rpm and slowing to 36 mph would pull the engine down to 2100.

That same speed range is a challenging place in the Ford's gears. At 46 mph 3rd gear is 3060 rpm in the Ford......So it would have to be in 4th and around 2350 rpm. When the hill gets steeper my guess is that the Ford would pull down to 1900 rpm and 37 mph before dropping to 3rd.


Edit: I haven't towed anything with my 2017 yet but I was playing around with it a bit tonight and it seems more eager to downshift than what my 2011 Powestroke did. I think it will downshift on a hill from 4th to third at 2100 rpm and 42 mph. That would jump the rpm up to 2775 rpm in third at 42 mph.