Just towed my TT with new diesel

[Wxguru]

Holy hell......I can't stop the grinning. First time I have pulled our 7500lb TT with our 2012 Ram CC 4x4 with the 6.7L engine. Up grades of as much as 8% and I was able to effortlessly hold 60-65mph...and then the exhaust brake on the same grades....I was able to go down those grades...granted with only 7500lbs and never touch the actual brake! I don't know how the truck determines how much to kick in on the brake, but a time or two it downshifted and the exhaust brake really ramped up and was actually slowing us down the grade without touching the foot brake. I had to actually feather the throttle to keep my speed up a bit so we didn't hinder traffic behind us.
I know alot of you guys have had this for a bit...but I am a diesel virgin....lol
A thing of beauty...just had to share....the stupid grin is here to stay I think! 🙂

[Wxguru]

If I could, I would actually move to the Neihart area....the Little Belts are beautiful thru there.....I could spend eternity there. 🙂

[john_bet]

Wxguru,MrKoje, Yes Great Falls is a very nice place. Our DD and family have lived there since '94. We visit often, usually coming in from the east from Eddies Corner. The hill out of Belt valley does not slow us down,in fact I can accelerate up it. Love my stock 5.9L. We will be back in Oct. this year and May of next. Take care.

[EPenney]

Welcome to the Dark Side :W

Just wait until you get to pass a Prius when towing up a 6% grade, instead of the Prius passing you. That'll put a grin on your face. :B

[Retired_andLove]

I pulled my 11,000 lb 5er last week for the first time with the new to me 6.7 Ford. All I can say is that it is a good thing I have mirrors. Otherwise I would forget it was back there. Not a long pull and on flat ground but I 11.4mpg. I'm happy with that. It was also the first time to use the B&W Companion hitch. Happy with that too.

[Wxguru]

MrKoje.....my wife is from Great Falls....all her family is from there...and the Livingston area. Her grandparents still live in Great Falls. I would love to move there someday...beautiful country.
All,
I do intend to put a much bigger load behind it in due time. I am doing my due diligence, I didn't buy an oversize trailer requiring an upgrade to a new truck and have to be slammed with the "double whammy" purchase that some unfortunate souls get into. We love the TT, and have plenty of power to spare. I will be upgrading to a 5er...probably in the next 3 years or so...about the time I pay off the new truck.

[Wxguru]

And here is that thread:
2010 Dodge 6.7L issue/problem

[Wxguru]

Dave H M, I was yanking around that load with a 2003 1500 4X2 for 2 years....so this is a monstrous difference.....I was near max on the payload. And while I know it wasn't hurting the truck, the truck was screaming up the hills and was a chore just to hold 45mph....
For those asking about the switch to the 2010....there is a post on here somewhere...I will see if I can find it.

[Saildogs]

Diesel virgin is a great description. Although we are very familiar with diesels in boat, we have a steep learning curve on the new Ford F250 diesel.

We spent part of Saturday making certain the hitch and trailer were lined up correctly, testing connections, etc., and then doing a test tow so the brake controller could be adjusted.

Both of us tow so we both test drove. I had to merge onto the highway and all I can is OMG! What a great experience towing the trailer will be with the diesel.

The truck needs 1000 miles on it before the first real tow on June 7 so I told my husband to just make himself drive the truck to work these next two weeks. LOL You can bet if the truck would fit into the garage where I park for work it would be sitting there now.

Diane

[rhagfo]

Helmsey wrote:

Wxguru wrote:
Holy hell......I can't stop the grinning. First time I have pulled our 7500lb TT with our 2012 Ram CC 4x4 with the 6.7L engine. Up grades of as much as 8% and I was able to effortlessly hold 60-65mph.....

Welcome to the diesel tow club 🙂
It took me a week or two for the grin to go away the first time I towed with my diesel. Funny thing is, it comes back about every time I hook up and go!

Yes we have gained another convert! That is usually all it takes is one tow!

[Helmsey]

Wxguru wrote:
Holy hell......I can't stop the grinning. First time I have pulled our 7500lb TT with our 2012 Ram CC 4x4 with the 6.7L engine. Up grades of as much as 8% and I was able to effortlessly hold 60-65mph.....

Welcome to the diesel tow club 🙂
It took me a week or two for the grin to go away the first time I towed with my diesel. Funny thing is, it comes back about every time I hook up and go!

[billyjoeraybob]

Once you tow with a diesel there is no going back! Mine pulls my 13K with ease! DW no longer freaks when we are on the road. She has even mentioned that she might like to drive with the camper hitched up.

[4x4ord]

Olde Volks Place wrote:
Hi all, I will be ordering a diesel TV in the form of a 1 ton 15 psg Chevy Express Van in the N F and saw this post and wanted to ask what are the benefits to a Diesel over a "gaser" as a TV ?

I am familiar with a Jake Brake but I thought that was on a Tractor Trailer only, is it on all diesel powered engines.

I live in Ga and we do not see harsh winters BUT is it a good idea to go ahead and order the van with a "block heater" just in case we are ever in a cold climate.

I have never owned a diesel nor do I know any one with one to ask these questions of.

thanks for your time and to the OP ENJOY your new rig.

The advantage that the diesel has over a gasoline engine is becoming less as the turbo charged gasoline engines are being developed. The torque that the diesel is being praised for here should really be awarded to the turbo rather than the fuel type. As well, the diesel lacks ability to hold back on a down grade so an exhaust brake is required. Conventional gasoline engines use a throttle plate which is not required in a diesel. Although the purpose of the throttle plate is to restrict the air and therefore fuel, it also produces vacuum, when closed, which allows the engine some hold back capacity that a diesel, without an exhaust brake, lacks.

The Jake Brake that you speak of on the highway tractors is a very effective engine brake. It opens the exhaust valve close to top dead center on the compression stroke releasing the energy of the compressed air before it has an opportunity to push the piston back down on the power stroke. The exhaust brake used in the pick up trucks is a restriction installed in the exhaust manifold that produces a little back pressure which offers enough engine braking to effectively hold back the small loads that a pick up is designed to tow. In the case of Ford and GM this restriction is produced using the turbo vanes - the Ram uses a little butterfly valve.

[mrkoje]

rhagfo wrote:

mrkoje wrote:
I know how you feel - I love pulling with the Cummins as well. It makes a big difference here in Montana where there are a lot of hills to climb.

mtofell1 wrote:
It's funny reading this.... you're grinning about holding 60-65 up a hill. With my "older" 2006 Duramax I still do the same thing regularly. I've been doing it so long I forgot how good I have it 🙂

I couldn't imagine going back to the days of putting my foot to the floor at the bottom of the hill only to hear the truck struggle and weeze to hold 50.

Welcome to the wonderful world of happy towing..... and thanks for reminding me how good I have it 🙂

You guys are not even making your Diesel break a sweat! You are all pulling TT with GVW around or under 8,000#, do like Cummins12V98, and put 18K behind it!

Heck I pull an 11K+ 5er with my 01, and still pull most hills at 55mph+, with 3.55's that is where the torque comes in!

You're right, my Cummins doesn't break a sweat at all and that's one of the reasons that I got it to begin with over the HEMI. I'm pretty much busting my payload as it is right now the way I go out with the biggest offender being the atv and soon to be 2 atvs that there is no way I would *want* to tow with a gasser again. The diesel is just too damn nice. I'm done with the feeling of pushing the gas pedal through the floorboard and going 30mph up steep grades! :B

[rhagfo]

mrkoje wrote:
I know how you feel - I love pulling with the Cummins as well. It makes a big difference here in Montana where there are a lot of hills to climb.

mtofell1 wrote:
It's funny reading this.... you're grinning about holding 60-65 up a hill. With my "older" 2006 Duramax I still do the same thing regularly. I've been doing it so long I forgot how good I have it 🙂

I couldn't imagine going back to the days of putting my foot to the floor at the bottom of the hill only to hear the truck struggle and weeze to hold 50.

Welcome to the wonderful world of happy towing..... and thanks for reminding me how good I have it 🙂

You guys are not even making your Diesel break a sweat! You are all pulling TT with GVW around or under 8,000#, do like Cummins12V98, and put 18K behind it!

Heck I pull an 11K+ 5er with my 01, and still pull most hills at 55mph+, with 3.55's that is where the torque comes in!

[goducks10]

Turn the tow haul mode off when descending longer roads. If you just use the gear selector on the shifter it won't keep down shifting on you. Also turn off the cruise control if you're using it when descending. It too will cause it too downshift prematurely.