Whats wrong with my truck??

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Ratket

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Location
Arizona-
Ram Year
2018 1500
Engine
Hemi 5.7
The 5.7"s don't have mds in the 2500"s. Unfortunalty the best thing u can do in my opinion are two things-
1 try to reset the computer.
2 run some fuel system cleaner through it. Call up bnd automotive and get thier aces 5. It's gonna be expensive but it will last you a long time and from what I have read it's the only one that addresses multiple issues. Try slowing down in all honesty that's gonna be the number 1 thing u can do.
 

reek

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Sacramento
Ram Year
2015 RAM 2500 CC 4x4, 72 D100, 73 D100, 01 RAM 2500 field truck
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Digging up an old thread here. We just picked up a brand new toy hauler thats 6400 empty. Add 1 full size dirtbike and 1 50cc bike and weekend gear and I should be around 7500lbs, and that might even be a little high guess. We took it down the freeway yesterday on the way home from the track. Going 62mph truck never left 4th gear and wouldnt think about shifting to 5th, rpms 2600-2700. MPG was 4.5!! hang calculated said 4.7!! this is nuts. The truck still does 14-17 mpg empty, which is awesome I think for such a big truck. I would never think it could be so low towing. We took some 55 mph straight flat country back roads and I got up to 5.2 mpg, still in 4th gear. I`m not really in a position to trade this thing in but somethings got to change!

this is a long shot but have you felt your wheels/rims on the truck and trailer after some miles of towing for heat? may be some brake drag and a simple maintenance issue. buddy of mine had this issue with his trailer, took a bit to figure it out.
 

pcschwenke

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Ram Year
2015
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Our 6.4 SRW 4x4 3500 with 4:10s and 9200lb trailer averages 8.7mpg . Within the past 2 weeks we drove over 1200 miles through Michigan and Wisconsin. During the trip I used tow haul and tried to stay under 65 mph. I thought this was pretty decent. I know of Chevy 6.0l and Fords which do much worse. The premium & Mid grade gas does improve mpg.
 

2015HD

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Location
Maine
Ram Year
2021
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Last week we pulled our 30' TT (~6,000lbs) on a 600 mile trip with occasional steep grades (not much flat land in Maine) and my EVIC showed an average of 8.9 MPG (I didn't hand calculate). I was running 60-65MPH for half the trip and 70-75mph the other half (highway). I was always in Tow/Haul mode. I got new ST tires last year with a speed rating M (81 MPH). I burn mid-grade gas and once every few months I add bottle of Red Line fuel system cleaner. I use a Reese Trunnion WDH and I run 70psi all around.

Not sure any of this helps but I figured I'd share my setup / millage results for comparison. I was thinking brake drag too.
 
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2500

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2012
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Yeah I`m going to check the brakes next time out. I reset the computer, going to get a new air filter, and I`m going to try mid grade gas. If I can get it to 8mpg at 60-65mph I`d be a happy camper!
 

zogg

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Location
Southern Illinois
Ram Year
2018 Ram Express Quad Cab
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I had a 2013 2500 with the 5.7 hemi and pulled an 8,000 pound travel trailer. I never went much over 65 mph and always got around 9 mpg. With a 6,000 pound truck and 8,000 pound camper I was pretty happy. If I went over 70 mph, the mileage would always drop to 7.5 or so.....I generally do not tow that fast
 

Richmond2000

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Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 5.7
the earlier posts of 8 MPG I would say maybe slow down + check tires ETC
but the update of 4.5 or so I would say something is WRONG that is IKE Gauntlet MPG
and the amount of DROP is worrying

what type of rear tires do you have and at whet PSI maybe they are being overloaded at there current pressure same for the tires on the trailer

I would wonder about stuff like engine compression and TCC lock up clutch slipping / trans clutch slipping

"frontal area" of the trailer effects FE at speeds where as WEIGHT is more effect on the HILLS
IE large light trailer SLOWDOWN
small heavy trailer slowdown less effect and will "make up" the fuel economy going the return trip
 

lchron36

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Jan 25, 2016
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Ram Year
2010
Engine
Ram 2500 ST 5.7
4.5 mpg is interesting to say the least. I have a regular cab 2010 2500 5.7 ST with 2.5 level in front and 1 inch blocks in rear running 3.73 gears and 35 inch tires I have never had mileage that poor. On my drives from KY to PA towing 5500ish and 700-1000 lbs in the bed I normally achieved 9.5-11.5 through the mountains and flat. Which honestly really surprised me. I was expecting to get 7-8 the first time I took this trip. The tires on the trailer are rated to 62mph, so I usually stick to 62-65 mph on average. Going down the mountains I would pick up speed for the next hill.

Going that slow added a lot more time on my trips, but I really don't feel like dealing with a potential blow out from heat buildup in the side walls of the trailer tires. All of my mileage is hand calced...I don't have the fancy gauges to tell me my mpg, don't need it. Around town empty I usually get 10-11 mpg, and highway unloaded is usually 13.5 - 14.5 running 74mph. If it is a strong head wind, it can be 12.5. I really would like to know what the heck is causing you to have such bad mileage.

When I tow highway I let tow/haul do its thing. And if there is a steep grade I don't usually try to fly up the mountain. I tend to just stay in the slow lane with the rigs and hope a driver doesn't miss a gear.
 
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