son heading home towing camper

[pat leary]

I have a 2018 ram 1500 with a 3.92 rear gears and 5.7 engine pulling a trailer has a lot to do with mpg. Pulling my trailer I'm averaging 14.1 mile to the gallon lite weight.And when pulling I average 60 to 65 miles per hour,anything over that and you can see a change in mpg.

 

[buddy guy]

i read the earlier post about people blasting by you and it being dangerous. driving is dangerous with or without a trailer with questionable driving skills, pple in such a rush to get everywhere and distracted drivers. but i think the point is this is more about the truck and trailer driving speed and the issues of driving too fast. the rest is an added hazard but i agree that 55 to 60 is safest for towing a trailer.

 

[dhay13]

He said a guy passed him on a curve about an hour out from his destination. He said the guy had been tailgating him for awhile. I told him to slow down and let the guy go. He said he did but the guy still waited until the curve to pass him.

 

[JoeNation]

So, i Just got back from South Carolina. 700 miles and the truck averaged 9.4 mpg for the whole trip. i ran with cruise set at 65 mph. I reset trip B just before Mountain climb on 70 coming into Breezewood, turnpike to Bedford, up 99 to 22, then 422 to New Castle. That portion I averaged 8.2 mpg. No loss of power and pulling the Rt 22 grade @ 55 mph truck held 3100 rpm for the 8 miles up to Gallitzin. I really enjoy pulling the 5th wheel with the Ram and it never felt underpowered. The range I am seeing is between well above 170 miles per tank

 

[dhay13]

View attachment 175838 So, i Just got back from South Carolina. 700 miles and the truck averaged 9.4 mpg for the whole trip. i ran with cruise set at 65 mph. I reset trip B just before Mountain climb on 70 coming into Breezewood, turnpike to Bedford, up 99 to 22, then 422 to New Castle. That portion I averaged 8.2 mpg. No loss of power and pulling the Rt 22 grade @ 55 mph truck held 3100 rpm for the 8 miles up to Gallitzin. I really enjoy pulling the 5th wheel with the Ram and it never felt underpowered. The range I am seeing is between well above 170 miles per tank

New Castle? hmmm....I am very close to there. I live in Ellwood, my daughter lives in Neshannock and my step-son lives in Shenango. small world...lol.

My son said his would read about 250 miles/tank but with there being so few fuel stops where he is he was filling up about every 170 miles. Didn't ask him what his overall average was but it seemed to be about 8.5 or so roughly based on the numbers he told me. A few stretches he got close to 10 but a few he got under 7. Overall it was about a 1500 mile trip and he said the truck had plenty of power, he just thought the mileage sucked. I asked him what he expected driving a huge truck pulling a huge trailer with 4.10 gears...lol. I'd bet his camper was about 8000lbs (6600dry and he filled the fresh water tank before he left so about 200lbs extra there), truck had about 700-800lbs in it including him plus whatever the truck weighs. Not sure how much it weighs but guessing maybe 6500lbs? So I bet overall he was close to 16,000lbs.

 

[JoeNation]

Ah another Cake Eater! lol

 

[Randy Grant]

You're pulling a fifth wheel with a 1500? Better you than me!

Towing since the 80s. All types and weights. Last one was a 05 Duramax 2500 and a 16000# fifth wheel. 22500 at the scales. Now towing 9000. Softer suspension is a little different, but no problems.

 

[doubleM]

That’s about normal, how fast is he driving?


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper St MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Redline 5W-30 RP 10-48
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

Looks like you have a Royal Purple 10-48 in your Durango? I thought all used a 20-820. Just curious as I am about to buy several of them to have on hand.

 

[Roadmaster]

What octane is he running in the truck? I get better mileage with 89 octane.

 

[AFMoulton]

Looks like you have a Royal Purple 10-48 in your Durango? I thought all used a 20-820. Just curious as I am about to buy several of them to have on hand.

There is not enough room in the Durango for a 20-820, it’s engine compartment is a little cramped.


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Arsenal 18x9 +12mm
Cooper St MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Redline 5W-30 RP 10-48
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[dhay13]

What octane is he running in the truck? I get better mileage with 89 octane.

At first he was running 87 but after a couple of stops he switched to 91 or 93

 

[Shiva]

At first he was running 87 but after a couple of stops he switched to 91 or 93

He wasted fuel driving fast and now the cost for Premium fuel pops up?
Is your son a millionaire?

 

[dhay13]

his company pays for his fuel, tires and oil changes and towing that heavy of a load i told him he should be running at least 89

 

[Shiva]

That's good. I think 89 is the minimum you'll find in Ontario.

 

[dhay13]

on top of that he didn't get home from his old site until 1:00PM Saturday (3 hours away and they made him report to the office Saturday morning before he left) and had to be at the new site 1500 miles away by 3:00PM Tuesday for a meeting. it was a 22 hour drive so he left at 9:00AM Sunday and made it there about noon Tuesday, 3 hours before his meeting. He had to spend Saturday prepping the camper for the trip and loading up everything he would be needing for the next few months. They really didn't give him any time at all for this trip. Pretty unreasonable in my opinion but it is what it is

 

[Shiva]

First place I'd be looking to work at. The well being of your employees is the determining factor for success of your company.
We should all work to live...not live to work.
Showing his dedication is a good selling point for him to move on to a better company.
If it's a large firm I'll bet they have high employee turnover.

 

[dhay13]

Well he is headed home. Left Watford City, ND about 10:00 this morning their time. Last I heard from him was about an hour ago and he had just filled up in Alexandria, MN. Getting about 8 MPG towing his ~8500lb camper and has about another 500-700lbs in the back seat. Been on the road about 10 hours so far today. His dash read -2*F. Said if he doesn't have the defrost on his side windows gets iced up. So he has to leave it on defrost and he was getting cold cause it wasn't blowing on him...lol. Said he has put about 600 miles on it so far today. He said he plans to pull over at a rest stop when he gets tired and take a few hour nap in the truck. On the way there he slept in the camper on the way but no heat now and it would be too cold.

 

[68PowerWagon]

Aaah to be young again. That whole adventure sounds like something I would do when I was younger. What type of work does he do?

 

[AFMoulton]

Have him stop and turn the furnace on in his camper, even if he winterized it, it will still have enough water in the toilet valve to freeze and cause a huge problem when he goes to turn the water back on. I speak from experience.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[68PowerWagon]

Have him stop and turn the furnace on in his camper, even if he winterized it, it will still have enough water in the toilet valve to freeze and cause a huge problem when he goes to turn the water back on. I speak from experience.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

Oh good point. But the blower motor likely will have to have shore power to work wouldn't it? Or will it run awhile on 12V?