2014 Ram 2500 6.4L Tow Review

[e-light]

Today I took my new Ram for its longest tow to date, a 350 mile trek through Ky and and the Smokey Mountains ending the day in NC. This was a good test with light to heavy rain all day, low visabilty and lots of elevation and long sweeping turns at grade. Overall the Ram performed amazingly.

The cargo was my 8000 lb travel trailer, my family of four and my 60 lb pit bull. The 6.4L hemi handled the workload with ease. On flats I was able to run 60-65 at around 2000 rpms in 5th gear. On slight grades 4th gear and 2500-3000 rpms did the trick easily. On severe grades 3rd gear at 3000-4200 rpms was the ticket. 99% of the time the truck stayed between 1900 and 2500 rpms. The low rpm torque is evident, especially coming from a Tundra that loved to rev.

The transmission is also great. In tow mode it holds gears perfectly up grade and downsifts to utilize engine braking on the way down. On severe grades I used the manual mode to hold gears up and down the slopes. I rarely had to use the brakes, only when slower vehicles left me pinned in a lane. And this was all the way through I40 and the Smokey Mountains to Ashville. Quite a workout for sure. The Ram handled it with ease.

Temperatures stayed consistent all through the trip. Coolant running 195-210, oil temp 195-215, trans temp stayed at 160-165.

I am extremely happy with my purchase. I love my truck.

A shot at the campground this evening.

[e-light]

music69 wrote:
It sounds like you towed the same camper with a Tundra previously? I'd be curious to hear a comparison between the two. Folks like to debate the 2500 vs 1500 topic all the time, but it's good to hear from someone who towed the same trailer with both. I'd be most interested in "stability" between the two, more so than power.

I did tow the same trailer with the Tundra. I had a prodigy p3 controller that was adjusted good and firestone 5k airbag...same pro series 10k wdh with 1k bars. The Tundra did much better after the airbags were installed. Dips and bumps at highway speed were much smoother with the airbags. Before the air bags the Tundra kind of had this jerky feeling as the tongue weight bounced.

I never felt 100% confident in the Tundra because I knew i was exceeding the payload. Pre air bags I always felt on edge and extremely aware of everything with the truck. Engine, tranny and rear gearing wasnt an issue. The motor had to rev more and shift more but it was adequite for the job.

I guess the biggest difference is the stability of the ride. The Ram handles the weight with ease and it quickly instills confidence. The Tundra was fine for the most part, but like I said I was on edge the entire time while towing. You could feel every defect in the road, wind really pushed the rig around and caused the white knickle feeling. Knowing we do a lot of trips through the smokeys and appalacian mountains I just didnt look forward to those trips. I was constantly looking for ways to make the Tundra safer, air bags, rear antisway bar, e rated tires, etc.

I didnt plan on getting a new truck. My brother found the dealer for me and when I found my truck and made an offer they accepted it. Really its a much better fit for my trailer. Payload is the issue for me. With kids and dog we load up the gear.

But Im sure the Tundra would have made it on this trip. Some of the combos ive seen at this campground got me scared. Some kind of weight enforcement is seriously needed. Ive seen 3 F150s towing 5vers...and thats not as bad as what pulled in today. An Explorer pulling a massive 34' travel trailer. Downright scary sight...

[RR24]

e-light wrote:

RR24 wrote:
e-light, Looks nice, is that a Tradesman or SLT model? also what would be a ball park figure out the door on a nice truck like that be?

Thanks

Hi thanks, not sure what total with taxes was. Its a tradesman model, sticker was $42k and change, got it for $30k and change. It has 6.4, 4.10, 4x4, power windows, remote locks, uconnect 3, chrome package, 10,000 gvw, trailer brake, carpet delete...prob some other stuff too. Pretty much every thing i needed and nothing I didnt. Love the vinyl floors. The wife didnt like at first. After a few days on the road she is a big fan. Two children cause no harm :). Cleanup with a broom...

Dont get me wrong, id love to have a decked out Ram! Just couldnt afford it right now. When this one is paid off I promise a loaded Cummins is coming home with me 🙂

Wow thats about a 28% discount, sounds like a heck of a deal to me.:B

[music69]

It sounds like you towed the same camper with a Tundra previously? I'd be curious to hear a comparison between the two. Folks like to debate the 2500 vs 1500 topic all the time, but it's good to hear from someone who towed the same trailer with both. I'd be most interested in "stability" between the two, more so than power.

[e-light]

TBRam wrote:
I received the first email today stating production is scheduled and have a VIN # assigned. Thanks for the update e-light. I'd be interested in a hand calculated mpg too just to see how it compares to the on board computer calcs. The DW accura errors by 5 mpg on the high side which ain't bad.

The evic on my truck is only off by a lot when the trucks idles excessively. Back home it was still freezing so it took 10-15 minutes to defrost. Evic was showing 10 something, actual millage was over 13. Down here and on the road evic is within .5 every tank. Pulling my camper at 60-65 mph i get 9-10 and thats through the mountains with tow/haul and cruise. Here at Myrtle Beach its darn near totally flat and the truck loves it. Paired with the 40-50 mph highways and almost no traffic I got 16.1 hand calculated. Back home there is rarely a flat stretch and truck gets around 13 city i think. From what i can tell mds will do u real good on the flats. Its kicks in and stays in here where its flat. Back home by the time it kicks in there is an incline to throw it off.

[e-light]

ib516 wrote:
I'm so jealous...

Lol, yours will be here soon 😉 cant wait to see it!

[e-light]

RR24 wrote:
e-light, Looks nice, is that a Tradesman or SLT model? also what would be a ball park figure out the door on a nice truck like that be?

Thanks

Hi thanks, not sure what total with taxes was. Its a tradesman model, sticker was $42k and change, got it for $30k and change. It has 6.4, 4.10, 4x4, power windows, remote locks, uconnect 3, chrome package, 10,000 gvw, trailer brake, carpet delete...prob some other stuff too. Pretty much every thing i needed and nothing I didnt. Love the vinyl floors. The wife didnt like at first. After a few days on the road she is a big fan. Two children cause no harm :). Cleanup with a broom...

Dont get me wrong, id love to have a decked out Ram! Just couldnt afford it right now. When this one is paid off I promise a loaded Cummins is coming home with me 🙂

[TBRam]

I received the first email today stating production is scheduled and have a VIN # assigned. Thanks for the update e-light. I'd be interested in a hand calculated mpg too just to see how it compares to the on board computer calcs. The DW accura errors by 5 mpg on the high side which ain't bad.

[ib516]

I'm so jealous...

[45Ricochet]

Man I lost you E, no pic's at 1900 on 4-1-2014 😞

Well it is the internet, got them on next click 🙂 Sweet ride!

[RR24]

e-light, Looks nice, is that a Tradesman or SLT model? also what would be a ball park figure out the door on a nice truck like that be?

Thanks

[e-light]

transamz9 wrote:
Looks great E!

Thanks! Go Cats! Bring that trophy to the bluegrass state for the 3rd yr in a row!

[transamz9]

Looks great E!

[e-light]

Some more truck p0rn

[Bigfoot_affair]

e-light wrote:
Just a mpg update. Mds kicks butt here on the flat lands of myrtle beach. Its kicks in on every road and keeps economy way up. If u live in a flat area you can get 20 mpg with a light foot and cruise. At 45 with mds, 6th gear and about 1200 rpms, evic shows 22-30 mpg. Lovin this truck.

Also enjoy walking around and see what everyone else is pulling. Best one today was a white crewmax tundra pulling a massive 5ver. My wife was like see ur tundra would have worked just fine. I had to explain payload to her again...

22-30mpg, instant mpg, we want to know your average mpg hand calculated! Instant+EVIC = BS!

[e-light]

Just a mpg update. Mds kicks butt here on the flat lands of myrtle beach. Its kicks in on every road and keeps economy way up. If u live in a flat area you can get 20 mpg with a light foot and cruise. At 45 with mds, 6th gear and about 1200 rpms, evic shows 22-30 mpg. Lovin this truck.

Also enjoy walking around and see what everyone else is pulling. Best one today was a white crewmax tundra pulling a massive 5ver. My wife was like see ur tundra would have worked just fine. I had to explain payload to her again...