What's the most you've hauled/towed with your HD's?

[loveracing1988]

How much did the trailer and mini excavator weigh? Just curious because im either renting that or a bobcat in a mounth or 2....or 3....befor winter.

The excavator was 7800 pounds if I remember right and the trailer I would estimate at about 2000 pounds.

 

[U&A]

The excavator was 7800 pounds if I remember right and the trailer I would estimate at about 2000 pounds.

Wow. A plan jane mini excavator weighs that much hu. I was guessing in the 6,000's. Cant wait to try it out now. How big was the bucket... 1/2 yard ?

 

[loveracing1988]

Wow. A plan jane mini excavator weighs that much hu. I was guessing in the 6,000's. Cant wait to try it out now. How big was the bucket... 1/2 yard ?

Well the pictures are in this thread. It was one that dug 10' deep if I remember right. I had them put the 1' wide bucket on because of what I was doing but it could take up to a 24" bucket.

 

[jaflowers]

So the data logging showed there was torque management? You wouldn't still happen to have the file. I would love to look at it.

Totaled the 1500 in January, hence the new truck and step up to the 2500. I no longer have any of those files and gave my uncle the tuner for his CTD truck. Sorry.

 

[U&A]

no pictures again, shame on me, but last Friday I took a tandem axle 7x16 trailer packed to the brim to the land fill. still not a lot of weight at all, the CGVW was just over 10,000.

on a side note

has anyone noticed a difference in trans temps going into T/H mode? just curious as it is supposed to cool better when in T/H mode.

 

[U&A]

renting a bobcat this weekend. Im assuming the total weigh of the trailer and cat will be around 9,000 depending on the trailer they give me. I'm PUMPED to pull this thing with the new truck. will post results of my towing opinions.

 

[RoadDog66]

has anyone noticed a difference in trans temps going into T/H mode? just curious as it is supposed to cool better when in T/H mode.

I have the same question. I hate using the T/H mode personally. I'd rather use the gear selector with the the truck in 5-/5+ because it seems to shift so much better that way. I mean it's a very noticeable difference to me at least.

I watched the gauges while towing on the grades under both conditions and didn't notice any big differences between T/H and not. The hottest I saw the oil get was 246°, the trans was 176°, and the coolant was 222° and then the coolers would kick in. This was towing around 10.5K. My normal non-towing numbers are around 206° oil, 168° trans, and 204° coolant.

However, if its truly better to use T/H mode I'll use it.

 

[MN-Ram]

I have the same question. I hate using the T/H mode personally. I'd rather use the gear selector with the the truck in 5-/5+ because it seems to shift so much better that way. I mean it's a very noticeable difference to me at least.

I watched the gauges while towing on the grades under both conditions and didn't notice any big differences between T/H and not. The hottest I saw the oil get was 246°, the trans was 176°, and the coolant was 222° and then the coolers would kick in. This was towing around 10.5K. My normal non-towing numbers are around 206° oil, 168° trans, and 204° coolant.

However, if its truly better to use T/H mode I'll use it.

I spoke with the guys at my dealership's service department, and they said as long as the truck is not constantly shifting, it doesn't really matter. I was only asking if I needed to use T/H for 4k lbs. I always use T/H once I get into weights over 1/2 the truck's capacity. I figure, that way, if there is some sort of mechanical failure, it's under warranty.

 

[RoadDog66]

I always thought the T/H just held shift points longer & with the Ram also used engine braking. To me it works the engine/trans 10x harder in T/H than it does not using it. In T/H it downshifts harder, uses 2nd & 4th primarily and skips 3rd, and barely uses 5th on the flats. Not using it , 3rd & 5th gets used as normal, just no engine braking. That's why I prefer not to use it.

Hopefully somebody with more knowledge than me of the system can advise.

 

[Iron Outlaw]

Personally I like tow haul mode when pulling a good but of weight. Seems to be better Than not using it

However in our 2009 diesel work Truck i do not use,it because of such harsh shifts and crazy downshifts.

 

[15BlueStreak]

I'm not saying this is correct but this is my theory on the tow haul. The reason the shifts are firmer in tow haul is due to increase in fluid pressure in the Valve body similar to a shift kit that you would put in an older mechanical Tranny like a C6 or th400. They would increase fluid pressure and flow and provide better engagement in the clutches which is a good thing not bad. Less slippage if you know what I mean. It may not heat the Tranny up not using tow haul but it may shorten life of clutches in the transmission letting them slip more towing heavy loads. So I use tow haul and shift it manually when in the hills. Roaddog66 how does your tow the fiver? I thought I saw some posts that you are towing a 11k fiver with your hemi.

 

[loveracing1988]

I'm not saying this is correct but this is my theory on the tow haul. The reason the shifts are firmer in tow haul is due to increase in fluid pressure in the Valve body similar to a shift kit that you would put in an older mechanical Tranny like a C6 or th400. They would increase fluid pressure and flow and provide better engagement in the clutches which is a good thing not bad. Less slippage if you know what I mean. It may not heat the Tranny up not using tow haul but it may shorten life of clutches in the transmission letting them slip more towing heavy loads. So I use tow haul and shift it manually when in the hills. Roaddog66 how does your tow the fiver? I thought I saw some posts that you are towing a 11k fiver with your hemi.

Slipping equals heat. If it isn't heating up it isn't slipping.

 

[15BlueStreak]

Slipping equals heat. If it isn't heating up it isn't slipping.

Yes I agree with that. But we may not be seeing a heat problem yet not using tow haul due to not much age on the transmission? Maybe after towing a lot of miles with heavy loads it may start to arise. As the clutches age and slip more there may be more of a reason to use tow haul. Me personally I like a firm shifting automatic. That's why I run a shift kit in my 77 ford it gives it much more positive shifts than just kinda gliding into the next gear. I just wish ram would give more of an explanation on operation in their manual. Plus give me an actual manual instead of a cd. Smh.

 

[RoadDog66]

... Roaddog66 how does your tow the fiver? I thought I saw some posts that you are towing a 11k fiver with your hemi.

It tows pretty darn well even having 3.73's. It's under 10.5K loaded up and under 2K on the pin. The engine bogs in 2nd after upshifting from a dead start because of the huge 1-2 gap, but once at 3K rpms all is good. The engine works on the steep grades to pass semis, but usually 3rd at 4K rpms pulls right on thru (unless in T/H, then it wants 2nd). As I mentioned its the wonky T/H mode that seems to be the only issue.

 

[drittal]

. Me personally I like a firm shifting automatic. That's why I run a shift kit in my 77 ford it gives it much more positive shifts than just kinda gliding into the next gear.

The 727 I built for my 68 shifts so smooth under light load that with the stall you don't even notice gear changes.

Once you put your foot into it tires break loose on 1-2 shift at at anything near or above half throttle. Lol


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[15BlueStreak]

It tows pretty darn well even having 3.73's. It's under 10.5K loaded up and under 2K on the pin. The engine bogs in 2nd after upshifting from a dead start because of the huge 1-2 gap, but once at 3K rpms all is good. The engine works on the steep grades to pass semis, but usually 3rd at 4K rpms pulls right on thru (unless in T/H, then it wants 2nd). As I mentioned its the wonky T/H mode that seems to be the only issue.

That's good to hear! I would like to get a 5er someday in the 12k gvwr. So most will be in 9-10k dry range. We don't tow in the hills but once or twice a year so doing high revs is no concern to me. Our current tt weighs around 9k loaded up and is 37.5ft. Tongue to bumper. Our truck handles it flawlessly except for that darn 1-2 shift.

 

[River19]

The 1-2 gap while towing doesn't bother me that much as I'm always towing horses so I'm usually not trying to hustle them from a dead stop, but once in 2nd I regularly run away from a 2012 F350 with the 6.2 and a 1500 Silverado we tow with when we all have similar loads. I can accelerate the 6-7500lbs I tow (+1000-1500lbs payload) to any speed I want uphill past semis in 3rd.......just a matter of how deep into the gas tank I want to go. Power isn't the problem, at all.......

I've never encountered the gear hold mode that was ever present during Danno's favorite video and I enjoy towing with the 6.4L immensely.

 

[RoadDog66]

That's good to hear! I would like to get a 5er someday in the 12k gvwr. So most will be in 9-10k dry range. We don't tow in the hills but once or twice a year so doing high revs is no concern to me. Our current tt weighs around 9k loaded up and is 37.5ft. Tongue to bumper. Our truck handles it flawlessly except for that darn 1-2 shift.

Yea we had a 33ft 7K loaded pull behind before this. The 12K GVWR 5'er pulls as easy as it did and nets the same mpg's.

 

[drittal]

Leaving for Glacier NP/Flathead Lake/Lake Ronan tomorrow afternoon with my camper loaded with a RZR and ATV plus my parents traded in their TH and gave us their recliners they bought for it because the new one doesn't need them. Whee!

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[U&A]

this is my heaviest tow so fare. it was slightly heavier than i thought it was going to be too. the trailer and bobcat together were almost dead on 10,000lbs. had the weigh-safe ball mount set just a hair over 1000 lbs tongue weight. sits pretty good. thought id throw in some pics of what i did with the Cat as well. made the first wall for my gun range (ran out of tires ). staggered stacked tires filled with dirt and then dirt piled in front and behind it. Cleared out ALL of the woods in front and behind it. man was that a chore removing all the trees and brush. made another road access point from part of the property that is on the other side of our neighbors house and connected it to my back yard. were the bobcat sits in the first pic is the end of the trail form the other road access. (to many pics to show all.. sorry). cleared part of the trails on the 20 acres (no pics )

TOWING:
the truck did GREAT! there was a little voice on the back of my head that made me worried from all the doom and gloom that some (danno) talk about on hear. breaking was great (trailer did have beaks) handling was excellent and felt very comfortable. no awkward feeling of the trailer pushing the truck around like i had on my 1/2 tone with even a small load. Power, to be hones was better than i imaged. I kept up with traffic perfectly well and it wasn't going overboard with the RPM's either. never went to far over 3,000 rpm's. I ended up using T/H for everything but the highway. once I got up to speed (about 60) I took it off to drop the RPMs. with the T/H mode off, there were no bogging issues but you have to be smart and turn it back on when necessary.

never checked MPG because i didn't really care, but there are plenty of accounts for that. Temps actually stayed almost exactly the same as in town DD. Oil temp never broke 218 Fahrenheit and trans temps stayed the same as DD.

most impressive part for me was the breaking and suspension. the truck just works. in the end, for a gas 1 ton..... I think i made the right choice going RAM.