Pulling camper for the first time

[SouthernBIGHORN]

I have a 2014 big horn cc 5.7, 8 speed with 3.55 gears, just bought a 19 foot camper wight is 3100 lb and wile towing it feels like my truck isn't performing like it should at 65 mph my rpm are around 2300 and at 70 mph I running about 2500 rpm is this normal just feels like the truck is struggling at high speeds


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[h2oman]

Well, first of all you are towing. At the risk of sounding like a Dbag, you're not supposed to be going 70 or at "high speed" with a trailer. While your trailer isn't very big it still acts like a big sail in the wind. At 70 mph I should think it would tax your truck.

 

[B-g-K]

A. You're towing something that has drag behind your truck, of course its going to tax your truck. You're essentially adding 50% or more of the trucks weight back to it.

B. were you in tow haul? That will hold gears longer

 

[smurfs_of_war]

^^ yup. Tow haul. Holds gears longer and locks your torque convertor quicker and longer. Saves your tranny and engine from trying to eat themselves. Lugging the engine will do your bottom end no favors with a load and a slipping torque convertor will rapidly overheat your transmission.

Nothing wrong with the rpm range there. Its a gasser. It works in the mid to upper rpm range when you load it. The computer systems onboard are smarter and faster than you or I. Let them do the work and you just enjoy the ride

 

[SouthernBIGHORN]

Ok so maybe 70 is too much but even at 55 to 60 felt sludges was and wasn't in tow/ haul and gears just stayed low and high rpm


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[smurfs_of_war]

What is the pressure in your tires? All aired up?

I used to pull a larger camper than yours with an F150 with 3.55s without this sweet 8 speed. Sure it felt like an aircraft carrier and wasn't going to win races, but not sluggish.
You got a pic of the set up? I'd bet your just catching a pile of head wind.

 

[Bigbird]

I pull a Winnebago 22' TT weighing about 4400 loaded with a 2014 RAM Pentastar V6, 8 speed and 3.21 gears. For comparison the engine turns 2150 in 6th gear and 2750 in 5th in tow/haul mode. It really pulls the trailer nice and of course, I can feel the load. I guess I'm not quite understanding what performance you were expecting when pulling a trailer.

 

[audio1der]

I use my manual shift mode, locked in 4th gear to keep the engine turning around 2,000+ rpms at all times. It helps. Make. Sure your tires are aired, and your WD hitch us setup correctly for YOUR truck and trailer combo.

 

[BoldAdventure]

What are you expecting it to feel like? Because sluggish can mean different things to different people.

 

[SouthernBIGHORN]

It might just be me not knowing what to expect for the first time towing something I will take a pic of set up tomorrow when I leave and head home tire psi was good wd has my truck with about 1 inch low in the back


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[smurfs_of_war]

Ah, that makes more sense. Well- just from what you've offered it sounds like it is performing exactly as expected. Campers create a huge drag from the frontal area- think of trying to push a piece of plywood through the water sideways, against the current. That's likely what you're experiencing. The truck will work harder to keep the mass rolling. Just put it in tow haul, set the cruise and enjoy the drive. The truck will look after itself.

 

[Andy578]

2500rpm @ 75 is actually pretty good. personally i'd never drive that fast while towing but the limits around here are 100km/h(50mph) tops anyway. you're always gonna feel it while towing, even with my empty car trailer i can feel it there but as you get into things that will catch air like your camper you'll really start feeling the wind resistance. you'll get used it just need more experience

 

[h2oman]

Readjust your WD hitch until you don't have sag. That will drastically reduce sway and give you more control. Should relieve some of the sluggish feel.

 

[B-g-K]

I do find it sort of strange you're feeling sluggish with that hemi with that small of a load. I've driven the hemi and its a hoss. My new 14 is an ecodiesel and this loves to hook up at tow something. Towed a 4500 lb load and it still averaged 17-18 mpg at 60 on the highway and it seemed to enjoy it.

 

[SouthernBIGHORN]

Ok back home tried something different drove home with tow/haul on the hole time also I take back what I said about truck felling sluggish
Wile driving the truck eng performs good but I have a 8 speed and never saw 8 the truck was in 6 90% of the time I saw 7 once so why did it shift up once I got to a steady speed both pics were after getting to that speed and about 10 mins of driving flat land


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[Andy578]

Ok back home tried something different drove home with tow/haul on the hole time also I take back what I said about truck felling sluggish
Wile driving the truck eng performs good but I have a 8 speed and never saw 8 the truck was in 6 90% of the time I saw 7 once so why did it shift up once I got to a steady speed View attachment 32906View attachment 32907both pics were after getting to that speed and about 10 mins of driving flat land


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in tow/haul it'll hold gears longer, depending on load mine doesn't shift till about 3000rpm. 7th and 8th are overdrive gears so you won't see them too often when under load

 

[BoldAdventure]

Yup, under load you won't see OD too often unless perfect conditions, flat smooth road with a tailwind.

 

[loveracing1988]

Your problem isn't the weight, it is the wind. Towing my dad's 14' v nosed enclosed trailer was a lot harder on my truck than 5500 lbs of salt on a car trailer.

 

[Andy578]

Your problem isn't the weight, it is the wind. Towing my dad's 14' v nosed enclosed trailer was a lot harder on my truck than 5500 lbs of salt on a car trailer.

car trailers pull quite well. i haven't had a lot of weight on mine yet just 3 ATVs so maybe 1700lbs plus the trailer is around 3500lbs total and i don't even notice it yet our silverado seems to struggle a bit with the same. pulled our boat the first time today and was pretty impressed how well the truck pulled it and i actually did fairly well on gas too at just under 17mpg

 

[audio1der]

The Hemi is a revving engine. It needs cadence (rpms) to make power. Lugging it at less than 2K rpms will hurt power and if done enough, the truck itself.