rpm when towing
When towing with my ram diesel how do I tell when I should downshift. it seems to tow so easy, but slows when going uphill at 60 what should my rpm show.
Forum Discussion
What you're feeling drop off at 2500 rpm is the torque. The engine is still building HP till 2700 rpm. Exactly how much over 2700 before power drops off significantly I don't know. There is likely useable power till 3000.
So if you shift at 2500 where you feel the torque drop off you miss out on the peak hp.
Think of it like this: you are accelerating with foot to the floor in 3rd gear, at 2500 rpm you feel in the seat of your pants the engine seems to stop pulling hard so you shift to forth. Your rpms drop to 1450 which is very close to peak engine torque but you lost the torque multiplication of third gear so your rear wheel torque dropped off more than had you continued to rev your engine to 2900 - 3000 before shifting. To use your engine's full power you will use some rpm beyond the peak hp rpm.
So if you shift at 2500 where you feel the torque drop off you miss out on the peak hp.
Think of it like this: you are accelerating with foot to the floor in 3rd gear, at 2500 rpm you feel in the seat of your pants the engine seems to stop pulling hard so you shift to forth. Your rpms drop to 1450 which is very close to peak engine torque but you lost the torque multiplication of third gear so your rear wheel torque dropped off more than had you continued to rev your engine to 2900 - 3000 before shifting. To use your engine's full power you will use some rpm beyond the peak hp rpm.
