Need some input on rpm and gears while towing.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Kyle Peters

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Posts
5
Reaction score
1
Location
NW Iowa
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7
2020 5.7 Laramie Longhorn with 5000 miles. Just went 440 miles towing a 14' enclosed trailer with some wind. 220 miles empty and 220 miles with maybe 2000# in trailer. I averaged 7.8 miles per gallon going 60-70 mph using the adaptive cruise control. Now I am used to a 3.5 ecoboost in my Ford f150 but man this hemi never got into 8th gear and spent a lot of time in 6th gear at 2500 to 3000 rpm and occasionally went into 5th and up to 3500 rpm. I could see the gas gauge move!!!! Is this normal? I am not loving this at all.
This reminds me of the old chevys in the 70's where they would be screaming 3-3500 rpm going down the road at 60 mph.
I really like the truck but Jeez.
It would be nice to hear what others have experienced.
I did notice the transmission shifts a lot even with no load like when pulling small grades and such. I would think modern engines should be able to pull a little better than that.
Am I missing something? I switched back and forth from trailer mode when towing and I didn't see a lot of difference.
 

dhay13

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Posts
3,212
Reaction score
2,792
Ram Year
2018
Engine
2500 6.4L Hemi 4.10's 'Off-Road'
Were you using tow/haul? If so that should lock 8th out so it won't get there anyway.

I can't really say about your setup but I had a 2007 1500 with a 4.7 and 3.92s and towed a 14x7 tandem axle enclosed Haulmark trailer that weighed maybe 3000-3500lbs and mine (5 speed) stayed in 3rd almost the whole way on the highway turning about 3500 RPM the whole way. The weight wasn't the issue, it was the big brick behind me in the wind.

Now I towed my sons 7500lb 26' travel trailer with my 2013 1500 5.7 3.55's and only got about 7 MPG but we are talking a much heavier load now.

To me it seems a little extreme for your 5.7 with only 3000 or so lbs but others with similar experience should respond here soon
 

McBroom

U.S.Marine Veteran Retired 88-2000
Military
Joined
May 25, 2017
Posts
5,860
Reaction score
7,392
Location
Denison Tx
Ram Year
2018
Engine
Hemi 6.4L
Sounds like you had some heavy head winds and maybe a weak tank of gas. Single axle or tandem axle trailer. 2wd or 4wd?
I just returned from an 1600 mile trip with a 14' enclosed single axle trailer. 1st tank with empty trailer and got 11.2. Man I was not happy.
Next tank was 16.4 on the way back I got close to 18.5 fully loaded with house hold goods. 1st tank was 93 Oct too. The rest was 87 oct I decided the 1st was bad gas. My truck is 2wd

Black 20 Ram
 

tron67j

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2019
Posts
2,796
Reaction score
2,829
Location
Maryland
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Did you use the trip computer for your mileage or did you self calculate from fill up to fill up? And what were your numbers each way, not averaged? I would suggest doing a run with nothing but your self, running at a normal for you speed. Run a couple hundred miles and the after refill calculate your number. This will at least give you a base to work from. Good luck.
 

Ohio5pt7

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2018
Posts
2,207
Reaction score
1,784
Location
Ohio
Ram Year
2018
Engine
5.7 hemi
My 18 5.7 crew cab 4x4 would average 11s pulling my TT which is close to 7500lbs prior to the lift. That's 400+ miles each way.

Sent from my KYOCERA-E6920 using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
K

Kyle Peters

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Posts
5
Reaction score
1
Location
NW Iowa
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7
It's a 4 wd and the computer calculation was very close to hand calculation. I normally run ethanol as that is all my local place has. But it sounds like the rpms and the gear selection is not abnormal. I realize it's not going to go into 8th gear when towing but I will have to see what happens next time. I was just shocked to hear that engine wind up like that all the time. Like I said earlier my ford ecoboost didn't do that. I actually love that engine in the Ford. If I had that engine in my RAM I would be tickeled pink!!!!!
Oh by the way did I mention I have 3.92 rear end.
 

crash68

ACME product engineer
Staff member
Administrator
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Posts
10,701
Reaction score
16,709
Ram Year
2015
Engine
3.0 EcoDiesel
It's the wind load that has the bigger effect when towing. I can tow a 24' enclosed car hauler (3K lbs empty) getting about 16 mpg, where as my 18' boat 3200 lbs it's about 20 mpg.
As for the Hemi rpms while towing, the torque peak is 4K rpms so the engine needs to rev. My EcoDiesel peak is 420 ft/lbs @ 2K rpms and I think your EcoBoost had a similar low rpm torque band.
The torque band and having a high rear axle ratio are contributors to the transmission shifting gears a lot.
 

pacofortacos

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Posts
3,564
Reaction score
4,341
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7
They do downshift early, I would prefer it wait and lug a bit also, but you can't control it.

The wind mixed with crappy winter fuel and cold temps (cold air is dense) will really drop the mpg.

On my 16, I have dropped as low as 9.5 mpg in the midwest due to the winds and fuel - and this is not towing. Also, some of the rolling hills out there are a much steeper grade than it looks.

You would get into 8th and stay in 7th longer if your speed was a bit higher.

Unless they changed the programming, tow/haul doesn't lock out any gears - it just limits the shifting and will hold a gear longer before up shifting.

And using cruise will really cause a bunch of shifting of gears as it wants to hold a specific speed - doesn't let it drop below and if you go down hill it shifts to slow you down.
I personally prefer the older style that pretty much gave a +/- 3 mph cushion.
 

Dot B

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2021
Posts
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
Ram Year
2021Ram Warlock Quad Cab
Engine
5.7L Hemi
If a person used a SuperChip tuner and tuned the engine for hauling, would it help the shifting and rpm’s. 2021 Ram 1500, 5.7 Hemi, preminum fuel with tow/haul on.
 

Travelin Ram

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Posts
1,840
Reaction score
2,982
Location
Somewhere in NA. Probably. We travel a lot.
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.4
The more gears in a transmission, the more it’s going to shift. That’s the whole point of having so many gears so the designers can get the engine where they want it on the power curve. That said, 7.8 is spectacularly bad for a 14’ trailer.

You’ll never find a naturally aspirated engine to give you comparable torque like forced induction. The EcoBoost can apply more torque when needed just by spooling the turbos, but a NA engine needs a gear change to get more torque to the wheels when you encounter a grade. It’s the nature of the beast.
 
OP
OP
K

Kyle Peters

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Posts
5
Reaction score
1
Location
NW Iowa
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7
All good information, thanks. I guess this is just the nature of the beast.
 
Top