Dusty,
Point A.
was in Tennessee and Point B. was into Wva with Virginia and Kentucky included. I found that since towing mode locks you into 5th gear as the highest gear, you could shift the tranny manually and use 6th for level and downhill towing without the ECO mode coming on, since ECO only comes on when letting the trans shift itself. Lots of hills and mountainous terrain between here and there so it was a very good example of what these newer Hemis are capable of mileage wise while towing a moderate load. I guess the total weight of atv's and trailer was somewhere around a ton. My friends 5.6 Titan wasn't even close in mileage to my Ram, nor were two others with a chevy 4.8 and the other was a 5.3 They were all about 2-4 mpg less than the Ram. They were also towing about the same loads as I was

 

Traded my 2010 Big Horn and took delivery of a new 2014 2WD Big Horn Quad with 5.7 Hemi, 8HP70 transmission, and 3.92 LSD.

Admittedly being easy on it during the break-in period. About 65% rural roads (50-55 MPH), about 25% around town, and 10% cross town expressway. No passing or sudden bursts of throttle, no speeds over 65. I thought the EVIC was reading crazy at 23.1 MPG average for the tank, but hand calculating brought it to an actual 23.2 MPG! Much, much better than the first 500 miles on my 2010.

Although equipped pretty much the same as my 2010, this truck is about 100 pounds lighter, and the tire pressure has been raised on the stock Wrangler SRA's from 35 to 39 pounds.

Eight speed transmission is GREAT!

Bests,
Dusty
2014 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP70, 3.92 LSD, factory dual exhaust, 20” wheels. Now at: 000323 miles.

 

2014 Ram Big Horn Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8-speed transmission, 3.92 LSD.


First thirteen fills (in succession), hand calculated:
23.21, 19.00, 19.50, 20.42, 19.57, 19.98, 20.09, 19.50, 19.10, 22.06, 20.35, 21.27, 18.73. Total average to-date is 20.01 MPG.


First tank was very light and easy driving. The rest represent normal for me which varies quite a bit: mostly rural and suburban, some moderate hills, around 10% expressway, 10% city. Last fill was unusually high stop-and-go driving.


Fills 8 & 9 had heavy use of air conditioning.


Regards,
Dusty
2014 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP70, 3.92 LSD, factory dual exhaust, 20” wheels. Now at: 004600 miles.

 

should be noted how you drive. I can increase/decrease my mileage by 2-3 mpg in how I drive. I drive with a "med" foot around town, stop & go. Run 75-85 min on the highway. If I drop the highway speed to 65-70 I'll get 2-3 mpg better mileage. I have 2012 2 wheel drive 5.7 with 3:55 gears. Tow heavy loads rarely so 3:55 work for me. whenever I lock tranny in 1 gear lower, regardless of speed i see mileage immediately drop so I don't buy into the theory 3:92's get better mileage than 3:55's. I do admit I'd rather have 3:92's if I was towing boat a lot.
I'm at 40,000 miles and will say I believe my mileage has dropped a mile or so around 30,000. Replaced plugs at approx. 35,000 miles but see no improvement in mileage. This drop started last winter, was thinking I'd see an improvement this summer, didn't! Oh well, still better than any other v-8 half ton I ever owned, (all fords).

 

Rusty, is your "factory dual exhaust" really dual or just 2 tail pipes from a single muffler like my 2012? They call mine "factory duals" but far as I'm concerned a single muffler is not true "dual exhaust".

 

My usual driving can be described as leisurely with 90% rural or suburban roads, less than 2% expressway. My young son recently bought a car from the Buffalo, New York area and three trips on the New York State thruway at 65 MPH plus brings the gas mileage down to just under 20 MPG. So the 3.92 gears hurt me at higher speeds. But with more start-stop driving and more 55 MPH roads and moderately hilly terrain the 3.92 gears benefit my normal day-to-day driving scenario. On occasion I tow 9600 lbs. of tractor and trailer, which is above the tow rating of this truck with 3.55s.


Bests,
Dusty
2014 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP70, 3.92 LSD, factory dual exhaust, 20” wheels. Now at: 010400 miles.

 

No, just one muffler and two tailpipes as shipped from the factory.


Regards,
Dusty


2014 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP70, 3.92 LSD, factory dual exhaust, 20” wheels. Now at: 010400 miles.

 

I am going to make the same trip to West Virginia again next week, but with a bigger atv in the bed and towing a tandem axle trailer with a 1300 pound SXS Kawasaki on it and gear. It will add at least 1000 pounds over what I towed the last trip. I will let you know how it is on fuel with the heavier load. Load should be between 3000 and 3500 pounds. Don't know for sure on the trailer weight, but taking a ton just in atv's

 

Just traded for 2015 Ram, 1/2 ton, 5.7 hemi, 3.92 gears. Seems to be pepier than my 2012 with 3:55's. But not much. I have no doubt it will pull the boat a little better, maybe. but it does seem to be getting about 1-1 1/2 mpg lower mileage than the 2012 with the 3:55's.

 

In theory with a lower axle ratio there will be less load on the engine at any RPM. My experience indicates that the 3.92 axle set makes a positive difference in around town or local highway driving. If I can stay at 55mph I usually get better mileage than others with the 3.55s in our local terrain, which is mixed flat to moderate hills. This past week all but about 5% of my driving was around town or on rural country roads and I averaged 20.96 mpg (hand calculated).


Last ten tanks: 20.96, 20.15, 20.96, 19.20, 20.33, 21.58, 21.75, 19.29, 19.33, 19.23.


Regards,
Dusty


2014 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP70, 3.92 LSD, factory dual exhaust, 20” wheels. Now at: 020981 miles.