Towing with new 6.4L

[Gondul]

TT is like 8-9k... I'll use in the mountains, or when I first get rolling on city streets until I hit the interstate.
Then I'll usually just turn it off and lock out 8th... if it starts hunting between 6/7 (which it usually won't) then I'll lock out 7th as well.

 

[LeRamona]

Asking for opinions: when you tow “smaller” trailers around 4,000 lbs or less, do you use Tow/Haul? In hilly terrain or when I want more engine braking I definitely turn it on, but I’ve noticed on absolutely flat roads when towing my smaller trailers in Tow/Haul the truck usually won’t go into 8th gear with the cruise set at 65. Turning off Tow/Haul in that situation she’ll immediately shift to 8th, and even engage “ECO” occasionally too. I’ll go from 9-10mpg to 12-13.

I’ve looked online and there’s no set number I can find when Tow/Haul use is mandatory.

Our travel trailer come to around 4K loaded and we towed it last weekend. I noticed that the Tow/Haul mode was unnecessary for such a light trailer. The engine did well and most of the time we were at around 2k RPM or below. I started with Tow/Haul turned on and the RPMs were at 2,500.

 

[Riccochet]

Our travel trailer come to around 4K loaded and we towed it last weekend. I noticed that the Tow/Haul mode was unnecessary for such a light trailer. The engine did well and most of the time we were at around 2k RPM or below. I started with Tow/Haul turned on and the RPMs were at 2,500.

For something that light I wouldn't use tow/haul either. My bass boat is around that, never use it. I do, however, manually select 8th gear so MDS doesn't turn on.

 

[LeRamona]

For something that light I wouldn't use tow/haul either. My bass boat is around that, never use it. I do, however, manually select 8th gear so MDS doesn't turn on.

How do you do that? I tried using the gear selector but didn’t seem to do anything. I didn’t get a manual with the truck.

 

[Riccochet]

How do you do that? I tried using the gear selector but didn’t seem to do anything. I didn’t get a manual with the truck.

When you put it in drive click down on the gear selector, then click up to 8. Leave it on 8 and MDS won't engage. It'll operate normally throughout the gears, just won't activate MDS.

 

[LeRamona]

When you put it in drive click down on the gear selector, then click up to 8. Leave it on 8 and MDS won't engage. It'll operate normally throughout the gears, just won't activate MDS.

Thanks.

 

[TEHolmes]

Towed my new camper this weekend out to the campground for a final year outing. Really impressed with the 6.4 power. Camper is just shy of 9700#'s empty at 1400# tongue weight. With clothes and gear its probably closer to the 10,500# mark. With the weight distribution hitch we barely felt the 20mph crosswinds we hit on the way out.

Hills and straightaways made no difference with towing or stopping, the truck barely acted like there was a 38' foot camper behind it. Still getting a bit of a bounce despite the air suspension but I assume thats normal, never felt like it was bouncing out of control or anything.

 

[LeRamona]

Towed my new camper this weekend out to the campground for a final year outing. Really impressed with the 6.4 power. Camper is just shy of 9700#'s empty at 1400# tongue weight. With clothes and gear its probably closer to the 10,500# mark. With the weight distribution hitch we barely felt the 20mph crosswinds we hit on the way out.

Hills and straightaways made no difference with towing or stopping, the truck barely acted like there was a 38' foot camper behind it. Still getting a bit of a bounce despite the air suspension but I assume thats normal, never felt like it was bouncing out of control or anything.

Impossible! Diesel fanboys will scream at you because anything over 2,000lbs, requires a diesel.

 

[Dave01]

Impossible! Diesel fanboys will scream at you because anything over 2,000lbs, requires a diesel.

I think what you mean is 10,500 lbs. requires a Ram 5500 with drw and tires inflated to 450 psi.

TEHolmes, glad you had a good experience. Between the weight and size of that camper that's a pretty solid test of the 6.4/8 speed.

 

[LeRamona]

We are trading our Geo Pro for an Ember 22ETS with a gross weight of 7k. I’m expecting my 6.4 truck will handle it just fine.

 

[Jeffmc306]

Impossible! Diesel fanboys will scream at you because anything over 2,000lbs, requires a diesel.

We have a 2019 RAM 2500 6.4 and tow. 27’ Airstream Globetrotter. I found going over bridges the rear end would bounce. Fixed it by installing Bilsteins and a pair of SumoSprings. They don’t work until there’s a load on the truck and eliminated the bounce - no rebound.

 

[TEHolmes]

We have a 2019 RAM 2500 6.4 and tow. 27’ Airstream Globetrotter. I found going over bridges the rear end would bounce. Fixed it by installing Bilsteins and a pair of SumoSprings. They don’t work until there’s a load on the truck and eliminated the bounce - no rebound.

Thats great info, how does the truck handle when not towing? I expected the 2500HD would be a bit of a rougher ride and since mine is now my daily vehicle I have been wondering if this would help with not only the bounce but the daily commute?

 

[LeRamona]

Thats great info, how does the truck handle when not towing? I expected the 2500HD would be a bit of a rougher ride and since mine is now my daily vehicle I have been wondering if this would help with not only the bounce but the daily commute?

I'm also exploring upgrades for the rear axle to minimize bounce/bumpy ride. Our driveway is over 1/4 mile long then another 1.5 miles of county road before we hit the blacktop. There are areas where the rear bounces a lot when going over rough patches.

 

[Redfour5]

We are trading our Geo Pro for an Ember 22ETS with a gross weight of 7k. I’m expecting my 6.4 truck will handle it just fine.

Will hardly break a sweat. Now you at the gas station...every 200 miles...

 

[LeRamona]

Towing the Geo Pro with about 4,500-5,000 lbs., with gear and full tank of water, plus a spare 30 Gallon water tank in the bed, generator and fuel, I managed 10.5MPG on our last yearly fall camping trip last month. The campground is exactly 120 miles from our house, and we did the round trip with one tank of gas and still had just under 1/4 tank left. At 10.5MPG, theoretically, I could drive about 325 miles per tank. We drove down from 7,300 ft in elevation down to 6,000 and back up to 7,300 at the campground. Hill kills MPGs.

 

[Redfour5]

Towing the Geo Pro with about 4,500-5,000 lbs., with gear and full tank of water, plus a spare 30 Gallon water tank in the bed, generator and fuel, I managed 10.5MPG on our last yearly fall camping trip last month. The campground is exactly 120 miles from our house, and we did the round trip with one tank of gas and still had just under 1/4 tank left. At 10.5MPG, theoretically, I could drive about 325 miles per tank. We drove down from 7,300 ft in elevation down to 6,000 and back up to 7,300 at the campground. Hill kills MPGs.

Flatlander I'll bet... Try 7 to 8 mpg up here in MT. Oh and 8K lbs 1175 tongue weight. Does your trailer even weigh that much? I am being serious here. You could literally get a Ram 1500 with the six banger Pentastar if you wanted to and get even better gas mileage I'll bet. But I get it.

I had a 1500 with the 5.7 and a 6500/7K tow weight and pretty much maxed out on my payload. I had to get the 6.4 although within specs on the 1500. You could NOT relax for a moment with the 1500. Now, not a problem... AND you got room to grow... I ended up with a 1175 tongue weight loaded and right in the low 8,000's for total weight on my newest TT as of June. The truck is happy as can be as are we...

 

[LeRamona]

Flatlander I'll bet... Try 7 to 8 mpg up here in MT. Oh and 8K lbs 1175 tongue weight. Does your trailer even weigh that much? I am being serious here. You could literally get a Ram 1500 with the six banger Pentastar if you wanted to and get even better gas mileage I'll bet. But I get it.

I had a 1500 with the 5.7 and a 6500/7K tow weight and pretty much maxed out on my payload. I had to get the 6.4 although within specs on the 1500. You could NOT relax for a moment with the 1500. Now, not a problem... AND you got room to grow... I ended up with a 1175 tongue weight loaded and right in the low 8,000's for total weight on my newest TT as of June. The truck is happy as can be as are we...

I’m in the mountains in NM pretty much no flat land until you hit the Carrizozo area then hills towards the campground. Coming back after Carrizozo there is a 1,000 ft climb to our house. I keep it between 65-70 mph on the highway and posted limits in secondary roads.

 

[Redfour5]

I’m in the mountains in NM pretty much no flat land until you hit the Carrizozo area then hills towards the campground. Coming back after Carrizozo there is a 1,000 ft climb to our house. I keep it between 65-70 mph on the highway and posted limits in secondary roads.

OK you got me on speed. I tend to between 70 and 75 and that extra mph does make a big difference. When I got my new TT, I did get 9+ mpg driving 65 on my 500 mile trip home from the purchase point. It makes a big difference. And I've got the weight on you...

 

[LeRamona]

OK you got me on speed. I tend to between 70 and 75 and that extra mph does make a big difference. When I got my new TT, I did get 9+ mpg driving 65 on my 500 mile trip home from the purchase point. It makes a big difference. And I've got the weight on you...

I will be at or under 7k lbs. Wondering if the extra weight will be more noticeable or what really hurts fuel economy is the frontal mass of the camper and speed.

 

[Redfour5]

I will be at or under 7k lbs. Wondering if the extra weight will be more noticeable or what really hurts fuel economy is the frontal mass of the camper and speed.

"frontal mass of the camper and speed" are the main things I noticed. My last TT was a 29 foot Aspen Trail with a standard suspension. It was around 7K loaded 900 lbs tongue weight. I got the same mpg's with it as the new trailer a 30 foot Rockwood ultra lite I have noticed this year. I did put a road armor suspension on the Aspen Trail and it helped the driving characteristics, but the Rockwood has a torsion axle suspension and the smoothness and ride characteristics are much better out of the box.

So, I am pulling more weight, but definitely the mpg's are very close to the same... Not sure if the suspension is part of the equation or not. I have less sway and it tracks like it is connected now. Same tires as in Good Year Endurance.

One factoid I noticed was that I had aftermarket Endurances on my old trailer while the new one has OEM versions. I had a season and a half (8Kish miles) under my belt on the Discount Tire endurance's and they still had more tread on them than the new OEM's on the new Trailer. I thought that was interesting... I guess that's one way to cut costs is to reduce tread on OEM trailer tires vs after market. I'd say a good 10K year of life is about the difference for me as the driving consumer. AND, they put a China Bomb "Castle Rock" on as my spare tire... I guess the dealer could have done that, but didn't look like it.