Appreciation of new new Diesel power.

FireGuard wrote:

My 21’ Ragen TH is probably around 7k lbs empty and tows like a rock.
With my HO Ram Cummins I’m not going to say I can’t even feel it, but I never feel I’m lacking power...
Today, I used my buddy’s 01 Ford 250 with stock 7.3 Powerstroke to tow the trailer .....most of the way 47 mph up the Grapevine was all I could get.
With 250 Hp this engine was pretty impressive back in 01.
With my Ram I can accelerate up the hill....
Again, I’m not saying one is better or worse, just different.

The power increases in modern diesels is fantastic. That '01 Ford was making 250HP, 505 ft-lbs torque when it was new. Your Ram makes 385HP and 900 ft-lbs torque.

The Ram is making 54% more horsepower than the 7.3 Powerstroke and 78% more torque. Yes there are emissions systems to deal with in the RAM but those power increases make all the difference in the world. As you found the Powerstroke is perfectly capable of doing the job, but the power of the RAM plus 2 extra gears in the transmission translates into a lot more power to the ground.

You're also right about the integrated exhaust brake in the RAM. I towed the Rockies last year pulling my 16K 5er and that brake was AMAZING on the declines. In a day gone by exhaust brakes were only aftermarket options. Now they are OEM installed because they recognized how vital they can be for towing. So yeah, the newer trucks are better than a 17 year old Powerstroke.....but that doesn't make the PowerStroke bad. It just means that newer technology equates to more power and improved options.


KJ