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Towing with new 6.4L

mkmsr

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My question is how often do you plan to tow the trailer. I always viewed the flat front trailers as a destination trailer. Maybe you tow it to a location at the beginning of the season and home at the end of the season. Never seen people use them as a regular travel trailer moving from location to location on a regular basis.

That being said mt 3500 CC 4x4 SRW 4:10 gears pulls my 7k trailer at 2000 rpm and averaging 9-9.5 mpg.

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Redcold

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My question is how often do you plan to tow the trailer. I always viewed the flat front trailers as a destination trailer. Maybe you tow it to a location at the beginning of the season and home at the end of the season. Never seen people use them as a regular travel trailer moving from location to location on a regular basis.

That being said mt 3500 CC 4x4 SRW 4:10 gears pulls my 7k trailer at 2000 rpm and averaging 9-9.5 mpg.

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It will make the trip from Alaska to America two or four times a year. Trips to camp half a dozen times once in America. Not weekend-type trips, out for two or three weeks, remote areas.
 

gimmie11s

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It will make the trip from Alaska to America two or four times a year. Trips to camp half a dozen times once in America. Not weekend-type trips, out for two or three weeks, remote areas.

Sounds like a blast! Safe travels
 

jsalbre

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I wonder if a rooftop wind deflector would help.
 

406Linetrash

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I just have to ask, what I am I doing wrong? I have a "22 2500 Limited 6.4 3.73. Picked up the new TT, a WRC sheep camp, 9300lb 31 ft. Coming across western Utah from Mt Pleasant to Grantsville, mainly on UT 6 and UT 36. Hilly but no real grades. Averaged about 5 mpg at 55-60 mph. Used Tow/Haul mode the whole way. Seems like running about 3500 rpm the whole way.
Honestly, thinking about trading for a Cummins, but am willing to be educated before I throw a bunch more money at the problem (me!!).
It’s the wind resistance of the trailer. And terrain. I just got rid of my 6.4 and went back to Cummins. This was my experience as well in the mountain states region. 5-8 mpg pulling my fifth wheel in this terrain. I was fine when we were doing occasional trips. But we’re using it too much. I couldn’t handle it anymore. Even my empty mileage was bad.
 

MEGA HO

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It’s the wind resistance of the trailer. And terrain. I just got rid of my 6.4 and went back to Cummins. This was my experience as well in the mountain states region. 5-8 mpg pulling my fifth wheel in this terrain. I was fine when we were doing occasional trips. But we’re using it too much. I couldn’t handle it anymore. Even my empty mileage was bad.
It is just depressing to see under 10 MPG on a computer, and I don't care that diesel costs more..
 

406Linetrash

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It is just depressing to see under 10 MPG on a computer, and I don't care that diesel costs more..
I’m not at all turning this into gas v oil burner.

I’m 100% with you. The range of the tank made it seem even worse.

Gas serves its purpose. And I’m sure a bunch of people with diesels would be better served with a gas. For MY use. The money is a wash. We’ll see on my first tow trip next week. But so far I’ve doubled my empty mileage
 

Redcold

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It’s the wind resistance of the trailer. And terrain. I just got rid of my 6.4 and went back to Cummins. This was my experience as well in the mountain states region. 5-8 mpg pulling my fifth wheel in this terrain. I was fine when we were doing occasional trips. But we’re using it too much. I couldn’t handle it anymore. Even my empty mileage was bad.
Thanks! That's what I finally figured out after hauling the TT in a bunch of different configurations and over a least some flat land.
It's funny how much things can change in a few weeks. The whole reason for the TT was to haul the dogs with me. Now I am without dogs, and about to put the TT and the Ram on the market. I think a new adventure is in order.
 

raven_dt

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It’s the wind resistance of the trailer. And terrain. I just got rid of my 6.4 and went back to Cummins. This was my experience as well in the mountain states region. 5-8 mpg pulling my fifth wheel in this terrain. I was fine when we were doing occasional trips. But we’re using it too much. I couldn’t handle it anymore. Even my empty mileage was bad.
Not to mention being at 5000ft+ elevation. What octane fuel were you running? If you were running 85 then the engine was probably retarding timing to avoid knock further reducing power. Any head/quartering wind will ding your mileage too.
 

406Linetrash

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Not to mention being at 5000ft+ elevation. What octane fuel were you running? If you were running 85 then the engine was probably retarding timing to avoid knock further reducing power. Any head/quartering wind will ding your mileage too.
89. Always used it pulling. It had a few tanks of 87 in it empty through Idaho where that’s mid grade. But I tried to stick to 89 as much as possible. I always thought it was a weird mid year manual switch to 87 is ok. Mine explicitly said 89 or could experience knock. Seemed like a sales boost statement to me.
 

raven_dt

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89. Always used it pulling. It had a few tanks of 87 in it empty through Idaho where that’s mid grade. But I tried to stick to 89 as much as possible. I always thought it was a weird mid year manual switch to 87 is ok. Mine explicitly said 89 or could experience knock. Seemed like a sales boost statement to me.
Sorry 406 my comment was for Redcold.
 

sanda

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89. Always used it pulling. It had a few tanks of 87 in it empty through Idaho where that’s mid grade. But I tried to stick to 89 as much as possible. I always thought it was a weird mid year manual switch to 87 is ok. Mine explicitly said 89 or could experience knock. Seemed like a sales boost statement to me.
I've been towing/camping since 1975. When I started all our tow vehicles still had carbs. There was a huge difference in power and mileage between octanes. Since the fuel injection age I have experimented with different grades of gasoline both towing and running empty. Over numerous tests with many different tow vehicles I can find no difference in power or mpg. These tests include pulling 8800# TT over 10000' mountain passes. I live at 5000' elevation and our regular octane is only 85. I tow often at sea level for weeks at a time and still can't squeeze any more power or mileage out of the higher octanes. The only improvement I see is when i find non-ethanal gas. I have experienced up to 2 mpg improvement and much better performance with it but its hard to find and don't really know if the price difference is justified. Just my .02 cents.
 

raven_dt

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I've been towing/camping since 1975. When I started all our tow vehicles still had carbs. There was a huge difference in power and mileage between octanes. Since the fuel injection age I have experimented with different grades of gasoline both towing and running empty. Over numerous tests with many different tow vehicles I can find no difference in power or mpg. These tests include pulling 8800# TT over 10000' mountain passes. I live at 5000' elevation and our regular octane is only 85. I tow often at sea level for weeks at a time and still can't squeeze any more power or mileage out of the higher octanes. The only improvement I see is when i find non-ethanal gas. I have experienced up to 2 mpg improvement and much better performance with it but its hard to find and don't really know if the price difference is justified. Just my .02 cents.
Don't use 85 octane in your modern vehicle. Here is the actual science behind it:
 

phrogman

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Just finished a 4k mile trip towing my enclosed 7x14 enclosed trailer. Using 87-88 octane, the lie-o-meter ranged from 8.5-11.5. I hand calculated the mileage one time and it was off by a .5 which is close to normal so I didn't bother with it again. I would guess my actual average over all for the trip is 9.5. My speed varied from 65-75. I had about 1k worth of cargo and passengers on board with 6-7k estimated weight of the trailer. Not bad but I was hoping for better with a light load. Mods that would affect mileage are a leveling kit with 35x11.5-20 ATs and a Borla catback.

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phrogman

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I forgot to add, it's a 22 6.4 CC 4x4 SB w/3.73 gears.

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