Well I within the past few weeks have been moving things down to Florida as my family and I are starting at living down there. We drove my wifes car down last time and no problems, I would hope not since its a 2006 Taurus with almost no miles on it. It made it fine but this week was the Durangos time.

I was a bit worried because lately it's been running a bit rough and the drive from Tennessee is a 13 hour drive, so to say the least I was worried. We packed up the cargo trailer I use for work (20 ft x 7 ft) with most of our big furniture and decided t head out.

I gave the D an oil change with a fresh new Mopar filter, changed the transmission fluid, changed the rear diff lube, and did a SeaFoam cleaning out of the intake and cylinders. It sure did throw out a bunch of smoke so thats good and made it all clean!

Not sure who's made the trip on I-24 thru Chattanooga over Monteagle, well its steep grades and I saw 2 tractor trailers on the runaway ramps. Also, I forgot to mention I had to double pull a trailer behind the cargo trailer so had a total of 30 ft behind me, because I had to pull my 2 toys (Suzuki GSX-R 750 and Yamaha R1 bikes). There was quite a bit of weight and I had to trailer brake controller set to high so I wouldn't chance it.

Well, it made just fine and ended up gettin an average of 12 mpg!!!! I was pulling about a total of 8,000# and it did great. No overheating the slightest bit and the transmission did great.

I am so proud of my truck and it is still hard at work even with the original transmission and original engine (minus engine upgrades to powertrain) and nothing but fluid changes its whole life. It just ticked 126,000 on the odometer and I'm so proud of the truck.

Just another reason to own a Dodge. Especially with a 360 motor, pulling 8,000# and still making 12 mpg!!!

 

Welcome to Florida. I hope ya'll like it down here.

 

Hell ya brother!

Nice to see ya made it without issues!......especally with that LBS load!

I was thinkin the same thing when i loaded about 7,500 lbs behind my truck after I bought it used, but well takin care of with 134k on the clock. I had it checked out by me, and double checked with my buddy (he costs a lot of $$$$$......BTW), but I installed Redline and ATF+4 at a cost of $500 (well worth the cost of a bad *** professional to look at it), anyway as I took Donner Pass out of California (from 71Ft to about 7,100 ft in like 37 miles) with a fully loaded carrying water trailer in 100+ degree's with the A/C on and averaging 60 mph or better with a 3.55 rear end and 33" tires, WTF can ya ask for? Ya it costed me 5MPG's, but hot damn!


It's just gunna get better with my new reloaded 4.10 gearing, pullin doubles with that same trailer and about 4500 lbs of inboard 18' boat travlin behind!....Pushin the limit, and havin fun.....LMFAO!.....God I love Mopar!

 

Good info to know. In a couple months the wife and I are moving to the St. Pete area, Pinellas Park to be exact. I won't be pulling 8000lbs, don't have that much. We are tired of the Illinois winters, want to live in a warmer climate.

 

Thats a pretty wild trip.....I remember the I-24 area...about three months after I purchased the D I made my first major road trip.....Spring break 2007....Indianapolis-Clearwater, FL....VIA Louisville, Bowling Green, Nashville, Chattanooga-Atlanta-Tampa..... nice trip... I was making about 18-20 MPG with four adults and luggage, A/C on....and about 75MPH..

Glad it was dependable for you.......sounds like you helped the process with proper preventative maintenance......

 

That's actually where I just moved to is St. Pete. The Tennessee weather was rough and business as a mechanic just isn't the same when it's freezing out and no one wants to bring their vehicle in.

Keep an eye out for me when you're down here. Just look for the only Durango with an exhaust in the area, or the white D with the middle fog lights setup (see sig picture). LOL


Amen to that brother!