15BlueStreak
Senior Member
Well I finally have time to report from our camping trip to Dandridge Tenn. I live in Nw Ohio near Sandusky. We pulled our 2017 Jayco TT 324bhts. Dry weight from factory 8900, I would say 9300 to 9900 loaded. Trailer is 38ft tongue to tail. I used an equalizer 14k 4point hitch. Hitch performed flawlessly. Truck first tank averaged 7.5mpg as the headwind in Ohio was decent and I think my foot was in it a little more. The rest of tanks pulling were 8.5 to 9mpg. Speeds ranged from 60-65. Trip home was 65 most of way and yielded almost 9mpg. My knee jerk reaction to the truck pulling hills was I didn't like it and said diesel here I come. Well as the days have passed and talking to my lovely wife we say the truck is staying. Majority of hills in deep Kentucky and through Tenn. 3rd gear was needed to maintain 55-60 mph. Climbing Jellico hill I just set cruise to 55 and let truck work. It climbed in 3rd gear at around 3500rpm all the way. Oil temp reached 230 I think and trans temp reached 180. It was the only time I saw the temps climb and heard engine fan kick on. It shifted a lot from 5th to 4th to 3rd when going through these rolling mountains. I suppose I could locked out 5th but was trying to net best mpg I could. I would say the truck performed as a gas truck should and I have to accept this. It is easy to expect more low end pulling but have to remind myself that's not what its designed for! This is about as extreme tow as I have done with anything. Our friend that went with us has a 2015 duramax dually. He averaged 11-12mpg pulling 12k 5er. He did have an issue with truck on way home. His speed was limited to 55 due to egr problem. I hope this review helps some people on the fence. I think maybe this truck and I have finally gelled after 2 years I hope. I may look into a pedal commander to see if it will help some lag in the low gears. Stay safe everyone. This hemi is staying I hope.
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