EcoDiesel, A Maiden Voyage

[katokahn99]

Mr.Asmith9, have you thought about doing a vehicle review for Fuelly?

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Mr.Asmith9, have you thought about doing a vehicle review for Fuelly?

No actually I haven't even considered it. I guess now that you mention it I could

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[Mr.Asmith9]

Next week I'll be driving south to visit Anchorage, the largest City in Alaska. its about 290 miles from where I live so about 580 miles round trip. Assuming the construction isn't horrible along the Parks Highway this will be where I get a solid Highway MPG for my truck. I'n hoping for 25mpg or more. I believe I'd achieve this goal without an issue if I didn't have a cattle guard effecting my aerodynamics. The road is relatively flat, so I've got some high hopes. Time will tell and I'll let y'all know.

 

[Statcher1]

Good luck dude. How's the little diesel treating you lately?


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[Mr.Asmith9]

Good luck dude. How's the little diesel treating you lately?

I haven't done much but wash her really and move her around the drive way lol. So nothing to really report. Anywhere I've gone I've been on my motorcycle.


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[airmad]

payload?

Hi.
I really enjoyed your story. Thanks.
I saw that you stated the payload at 1070 lbs or so, but the brochure that I have says that it is 1400-1470 depending on cab and box. Towing capacity is stated as 8900-9050 lbs. Just wondering where you got your figures.
Thanks.
Roy

 

[toofart]

Hi.
I saw that you stated the payload at 1070 lbs or so, but the brochure that I have says that it is 1400-1470 depending on cab and box.

That's the base payload of a Hemi RAM without options. Add things like 4x4s, ramboxes, 8.4" screens, amplifiers, heated seats, tow hooks and the weight goes up. The EcoDiesel is also about 150lbs heavier than the Hemi, and that comes off payload as well.

There's a sticker in your driver's door opening that shows tire pressure and max. payload for your configuration. That payload figures 150 lbs for a driver, so if you weigh 200, subtract 50 from the number there.

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Just wondering where you got your figures.
Thanks.
Roy

Hey Roy, Thanks for the question. I believe Toofart did an good job answering your question so I'll add on to what he said. I got my figured from the inside of the door panel like Toofart explained, I also got my figures directly from the RamTruck website. Here is a link. If you follow the link you will see on the right hand side a red button that says "look up my vehicle" under that search one can either input the vehicle vin, or do a manual lookup. See below for what mine says.

Toofart also mentioned that the Ram's information automatically deducts 150 pounds for the driver from payload and towing, meaning if you weigh more, or less you have to adjust your figures. On most if not all my posts where I gave you the max figures I had added the 150 that ram takes off. For example if you look down below at the attached image it states that my vehicles max payload is 859lbs after a 150lb driver. I count this as 1009lb payload. Same with tow capacity, 7350lbs is what the website shows, so add the 150 that they remove and 7,500lbs is what you get.

My truck once again is the Longhorn model. It's #2 in luxury, just behind the Longhorn Limited model. However I got almost every option that the Longhorn didn't come with so mine is quite literately the equivalent to the Limited and as Toofart mentioned every accessory reduces payload/towing capacity. The Base line SLT with the 3.0L Ecodiesel has a payload of 1706lbs and towing of 8,400lbs (after you add the 150 ram removes, see attached image)

Hopefully this answers your questions Roy and if not please let me know and I'll do what I can to help

---

While I'm on the same page and am uploading pictures of what my capacities are my truck's max weight rating per RAM is 6959lbs. However the sticker inside my door states it can be up to 7800lbs. (by putting the max weight of the front and rear axles together) So in all technicality my true max payload number is actually 1,850 lbs if you can manage to evenly distribute the weight over each axle. Ram gives us a safe working load type number. That also means Max towing is more then what Ram say's. I'm willing to bet I could tow over 10,000 lbs without issue.

As I was uploading the pictures I also noticed that RAM's website calls my truck the Limited not the standard Longhorn, that's funny.

 

[Ramzaq]

While I'm on the same page and am uploading pictures of what my capacities are my truck's max weight rating per RAM is 6959lbs. However the sticker inside my door states it can be up to 7800lbs. (by putting the max weight of the front and rear axles together) So in all technicality my true max payload number is actually 1,850 lbs if you can manage to evenly distribute the weight over each axle. Ram gives us a safe working load type number. That also means Max towing is more then what Ram say's. I'm willing to bet I could tow over 10,000 lbs without issue.

Thanks for the great write-up of your trip, really enjoyed reading it and glad you made it without any incidents.

Also, a great explanation of payload for these trucks. Right now we have to scenarios for payload, the sticker on the door as being the max legal payload and your description to achieve the numbers as the max number. I wish Ram would step up and tell us which is the one they want followed and why

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

I wish Ram would step up and tell us which is the one they want followed and why

I'm glad your enjoying the information! I believe ram is stating way less so they don't get sued when some one goes over there low ratings and something breaks. We know coffee is hot. But there is still a warning hot sign on them isn't there? And that's only there because people have sued and won because there wasn't.


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[airmad]

Payload , etc

Thanks for the explanation. I still don't see how they can put a figure of 1400 lbs in their brochure (Diesel, crew cab, 6'4" box) and 8900 lb towing if it's no where close. I understand options might add some weight, but 500 lbs? I guess the 4x4 takes up most of it. It would really suck to drop $50k on a truck expecting the payload and towing as shown in the brochure and get a real shock when you pick it up and read the label.
Roy

 

[toofart]

I understand options might add some weight, but 500 lbs?
Roy

My Outdoorsman 4x4 w/ skid plates and tow hooks has a curb weight of 5300 lbs, and a Laramie Longhorn is just under 6000. Pick your options wisely, if you want a Cadillac you get less truck, plain and simple.

But as Mr.Asmith said, people have been "overloading" RAMs since forever and they perform just fine. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you are seriously over.

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Basically what I have that Toofart doesn't, or what the out doorman doesn't typically come with, is the diesel engine, air suspension, sunroof, and leather seats. There are a few minor things to but that's where the weight difference really is.

My suggestion if your worried about payload and towing is to ignore the ramtrucks website and take a trip to your local dealer pop a door open and see what the max axle weight are, and the gross weight of the vehicle for the model you are interested in. If you want the diesel option it'll change just a hair. I don't know the exact weight difference from the hemi to the diesel but it can be easily found.

If I had a local dealer I'd go get some VINs and there max axle ratings, look the lot of them up on ramtrucks website to compare the difference and then give the average number to multiply what Ram says is your max. For example multiply mine by 1.69 and you get the max as per the door. It wouldn't be full proof but that night help people who are looking to buy easily guesstimate the truer number.

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[norfla71]

Great thread! Considering you have nearly the exact truck I've been considering, this is exactly what I was looking for. One question; someone asked about the air suspension early on, and I'm curious, as well. You gave good reviews for load hauling, but what about ride compared to coil springs?

Overall, is there anything you would have changed?

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Great thread! Considering you have nearly the exact truck I've been considering, this is exactly what I was looking for. One question; someone asked about the air suspension early on, and I'm curious, as well. You gave good reviews for load hauling, but what about ride compared to coil springs?

Overall, is there anything you would have changed?

Sorry for such a delayed response Norfla71, I've been rather busy with work the past few days. I'm also pleased to know that you are enjoying the thread and are getting some useful information out of it.

Technically that's two questions however I'll let it slide this time

As far as ride quality compared to coil springs is concerned, I don't have enough side by side comparison. I only really have access to my rig however, I'll see if my mom will let me dink around with her rig to do a nice comparison. Just down the road and back, a few sharp turns and some slight trail. If anyone has suggestions on things to try for that comparison please let me know.

Is there anything I would have changed... I presume you mean about my EcoDiesel specifically and the model/features I chose. In that regards there are a few things I choose that I didn't really need, like a sun roof but I wouldn't change that. Overall I honestly have no regrets on my purchase. Yeah it was expensive and I definitely didn't need most the options I purchased but I'm happy with them all as best as I can recollect. I still think the truck should shift into 8th gear a little sooner without my encouragement but perhaps that's just me paying to much attention.

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Made it to anchorage. Here are my stats for the drive. I'll post the stats for the return trip whenever I go home.

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[Statcher1]

Made it to anchorage. Here are my stats for the drive. I'll post the stats for the return trip whenever I go home.

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Looks pretty good to me man.


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[Kestrell]

Return Trip

Hello Mr. A Smith 9,
Did you make your return trip from Anchorage yet?
Interested to see the results.
Thanks,
-K

 

[Mr.Asmith9]

Hi Kestrell, I'll be making the return trip this evening and post an update either tonight or tomorrow morning.

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[Mr.Asmith9]

Well I think this is the best mpg I've seen yet. It was sitting at a high 23ish until about the last 100 miles then it started rapidly climbing to 25.2mpg. I'm very happy with this number. This is the reverse to the root I took down to Anchorage. I don't think I did anything different, however when I left Anchorage I was definitely speeding a little bit. 75 - 85 mph in some spots. I didn't do that on the way in so perhaps I could of seen even better then what I got.

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