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.
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.
More truck p0rn...Black Mountain, NC...at an awesome pizza joint called Pepperoni's, highly recommend if youre ever in the area.
Also a mpg update. Faced heavy winds and higher towing speeds meant rough milage today. Full tank through the foothills and the 7% grade going into NC, evic showed 7.3, hand calculated 6.8. Stunned it was so low. But It was windy as hell and I was running cuise at 65 most of the way and 60 up the steep grades. Saw at least 5 trucks pulled over with hoods raised on the way up the mountain.
My Ram handled the grade with relative ease. I controlled the transmission with the manual limiter up the grade and used engine breaking on the way down, didnt even have to touch the brakes...fuel milage is a little disappointing, but power is there and cant expect to do much better on a gasser. U want power it will cost u mpg
Also a mpg update. Faced heavy winds and higher towing speeds meant rough milage today. Full tank through the foothills and the 7% grade going into NC, evic showed 7.3, hand calculated 6.8. Stunned it was so low. But It was windy as hell and I was running cuise at 65 most of the way and 60 up the steep grades. Saw at least 5 trucks pulled over with hoods raised on the way up the mountain.
My Ram handled the grade with relative ease. I controlled the transmission with the manual limiter up the grade and used engine breaking on the way down, didnt even have to touch the brakes...fuel milage is a little disappointing, but power is there and cant expect to do much better on a gasser. U want power it will cost u mpg
