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Towing with new 6.4L

BGaero

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Needing input on this - I have a 2021 2500 6.4 with 8 ft bed, and 3.73s. Max payload is 2849 lb / 14,020 5th Wheel hitch max trailer rating per the VIN.
Looking at a 5er = 2365 hitch wt / 11,041 Dry wt. at 39 ft. We have a TT now (7,000 lbs) but debating on going to the 5th.
Should we forget the 5er and stay with the TT? Never had a 5er before. Of course, the RV dealer says no problem.
‘19, 2500, 6.4, 3.73’s. I have a 12k 5th wheel, pulls it fine but mountains out west might be a slow go.
 

snocam

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So a quick tow report. I bought my 2021 ram 2500 6.4 with 3.73 gears on July 22. Came out of a 22 f350 7.3 that had a driveshaft failure. Left for Maine the day after, towing my 18 ft vnose box trailer camper conversion, it's 22ft to the hitch, roughly 6k loaded. Over the past 9 days we put on 1200 miles, mostly towing. The truck performed fantastic. It's also on a dealer installed aev lift and 37s! I realize that's not ideal for towing, but I had no perceived loss of power, never felt like I needed lower gearing. It was a comfortable trip with mixed interstate and backroads along with some logging roads around moosehead lake. I realize it's not a really heavy trailer, but it was a long tow nonetheless. The truck has been programmed for the tires, shifted smooth. Now, time to put the beast to work. We'll see how it handles my dump trailer and tool trailer. So far I'm very happy with my purchase. I didn't wake up on the 22nd planning to buy a new truck, but had I not done it, my vacation, 7 months planned, would not have happened. It's amazing what family time is worth!
 

Rockcrawlindude

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So a quick tow report. I bought my 2021 ram 2500 6.4 with 3.73 gears on July 22. Came out of a 22 f350 7.3 that had a driveshaft failure. Left for Maine the day after, towing my 18 ft vnose box trailer camper conversion, it's 22ft to the hitch, roughly 6k loaded. Over the past 9 days we put on 1200 miles, mostly towing. The truck performed fantastic. It's also on a dealer installed aev lift and 37s! I realize that's not ideal for towing, but I had no perceived loss of power, never felt like I needed lower gearing. It was a comfortable trip with mixed interstate and backroads along with some logging roads around moosehead lake. I realize it's not a really heavy trailer, but it was a long tow nonetheless. The truck has been programmed for the tires, shifted smooth. Now, time to put the beast to work. We'll see how it handles my dump trailer and tool trailer. So far I'm very happy with my purchase. I didn't wake up on the 22nd planning to buy a new truck, but had I not done it, my vacation, 7 months planned, would not have happened. It's amazing what family time is worth!
Pics of the setup with the trailer
 

Rockcrawlindude

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That’s sharp. I have 3.73s and my trailer is 20’x8.5’ should be around 7-7.2k loaded. Did you happen to track mpgs at all? I don’t care too much about mpgs until they start to dip too far into the single digits.

I was thinking about going to 37s debating waiting for Yukon to release gears
 

snocam

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That’s sharp. I have 3.73s and my trailer is 20’x8.5’ should be around 7-7.2k loaded. Did you happen to track mpgs at all? I don’t care too much about mpgs until they start to dip too far into the single digits.

I was thinking about going to 37s debating waiting for Yukon to release gears
So my whole trip avg was around 10.5 to 11 mpg. I was worried about the larger tires, they haven't been a problem at all. The truck is programmed for the 37s, I believe that really helps. I'm liking the truck more every day. I'm doing a trip in a couple weeks to Jericho Mountain state park in NH with my son. They have mostly atv trails, and we are bringing our can am outlander to ride, but they have some other trails for jeeps and full size rigs, I might try some of the tamer stuff.
 

copcarguy

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Because of the fuel prices, I too put the cruise @ 65 and folded the tow mirrors down as well when not towing. The truck’s showing 23.2. Even if it’s a little off that is amazing IMO for a 3500 CC LB 4x4.

E45E306B-BE06-46E2-B503-E2C89F7D5A96.jpeg
 

gimmie11s

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Because of the fuel prices, I too put the cruise @ 65 and folded the tow mirrors down as well when not towing. The truck’s showing 23.2. Even if it’s a little off that is amazing IMO for a 3500 CC LB 4x4.

View attachment 42085


lol going down hill with the truck in neutral? (99mpg current)

Some of the posts on this forum crack me up.
 

copcarguy

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lol going down hill with the truck in neutral? (99mpg current)

Some of the posts on this forum crack me up.
I’m not BS-ing, actually when going downhill if you shift to neutral you’ll use more gas. If you take your foot off in gear (or coast downhill in cruise) the truck shuts off the fuel flow automatically. It goes from ECO mode then to fuel shut off and it shows 99 mpg. Neutral idles the truck on 8 cylinders.
 

Rockcrawlindude

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Should probably discuss most of the unloaded highway mpg over in the Hemi mpg thread and keep this one about towing with a Hemi.

For me, Doesn’t really matter what I tow I get 10mpg while towing if it keep it 68 or under. 70+ I dip into single digits.
 

Redfour5

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So far, since March when I purchased new, my 22 is about one third tow miles (total miles 3200) and I tow a 6700 loaded one slide travel trailer with an 800 lb tongue weight with a Fastway E2 stabilizer hitch. I live in MT and do at least two passes ( 7 to 8000 foot range) every trip. I run at 65 to 70 depending upon roads and I'm getting between 8.5 and 9.0 (lyometer) generally speaking towing. The Truck is not a daily driver mostly dedicated to the transfer station duty, towing and light off roading on national forest roads. I get in the mid to upper teens mpg around town...
 

gimmie11s

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So far, since March when I purchased new, my 22 is about one third tow miles (total miles 3200) and I tow a 6700 loaded one slide travel trailer with an 800 lb tongue weight with a Fastway E2 stabilizer hitch. I live in MT and do at least two passes ( 7 to 8000 foot range) every trip. I run at 65 to 70 depending upon roads and I'm getting between 8.5 and 9.0 (lyometer) generally speaking towing. The Truck is not a daily driver mostly dedicated to the transfer station duty, towing and light off roading on national forest roads. I get in the mid to upper teens mpg around town...

Not bad. Your combo probably handles that trailer easily. Very nice.
 

Redfour5

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Not bad. Your combo probably handles that trailer easily. Very nice.
It does. I had a 21 1500 5.7, 3.73. I was within specs and it did the job but you were never allowed to forget it was there and wind gusts sucked. The 2500 is planted with more oomph and frankly towing the mpg's aren't much different with the edge to the 2500.
 

Riccochet

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2020 2500 6.4 CCSB 3.73 pulling a 2015 Flagstaff 27VRL at 31' and roughly 8000# using an Andersen WDH. I get 7-8 mpg pulling through the foothills and mountains of NC, and about maybe 9-10 mpg heading to Myrtle on much flatter ground. I generally keep my speed at 65 or less, truck is unmodified.

The truck and hitch handle the trailer well. A lot better than the two 1500's I had prior.

Wife follows me in the Gladiator pulling our bass boat.

PXL_20210508_221506526.jpg
 

brodon

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My experience towing with the 6.4 was that the engine did not impress me anymore than the 1/2 ton trucks, but the fact that it was a 2500 with heavier duty suspension and brakes as well as the overall size and weight of the truck made it much more stable and confident. I wouldn’t want to tow more than 9-10k lbs regularly with it though. But I have to pass through mountains any direction I go, so it would Be fine in less steep areas.
 

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