Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Max towing number released

ib516 wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Have any of you ever towed a 7K TT with a 200 HP diesel? I own a 200 (with exhaust and the pump turned up maybe around 225??) HP diesel and tow a 7K TT with it. In the big hills I get down to less than 30 MPH.

Now I know this thing will have about 40 HP more or so and more gears so maybe around 35 on big hills with a 7K TT. Then add in the extra ton and you're back to less than 30 MPH again. :E

IMHO they will sell quite a few of these things in 1 or 2 years and then word will get out about performance and sales will drop in the toilet unless they turn the HP up.

Like it or not; believe it or not, performance sells in trucks. If not, the Cummins would still be at 175 HP.

It's a new age. People expect to run 60 to 65 MPH up hills fully loaded. People think if your truck drops a gear or two on hills it is struggling. :R

Guess we will see how thing go for this new oil burner.

While you do have a point, don't forget you are towing with a 4 speed auto, and this new Ram 1500 has 8 ratios.

Ya I know, and I accounted for that in my rant. :B

But as you know, gears add no power, just torque. So the 8 speed is not going to make this truck go up a hill faster (oh, maybe a few miles an hour because it will keep it in the power band a bit better than my 4 speed).

Here is what's going to happen in a tow off between the EB and the new oil burner.

The only advantage the oil burner will have is fuel mileage. It won't even have the advantage at altitude because the EB is also turbo'ed. 125 HP is a HUGE advantage.

If anybody has a tow off between the new oil burner and the EB, (and you know they will :E)it's going to come out exactly the same as the 6.5 diesel and the 7.4. gas tow off. The diesel will get smoked!!

The guy with the EB will be able to drink 2 beers before the oil burner gets to the top of the hill. To me, I don't really care how fast I make it to the top of the hill. But after reading many posts on here about towing, it looks like I'm in the minority when it comes to towing slow up hills.

Now, are they going to turn this thing up in a few years like GM did to the Duramax? Only time will tell. 300HP in a half ton would be pretty cool IMHO. :C