Looking for input to compare to my crappy gas mileage....
2009 Ram Crew 4x4 Hemi
Towing 24' Tritoon (guessing boat/trailer=4000lbs?

Running the speed limit (65-70) I averaged 7.7 mpg on the trip down, 8.0 return trip.

Shouldn't I be getting better mileage than that? Truck is 100% stock w/ 30K miles.

My old 2003 Ram w/ 318 used to get around 10.5-11 mpg towing my old street car (total around 4000lbs)

Thanks

 

65-70 MPH towing a big freaking sail - sounds about right. Slow down to 55-60 and you should get 12-13.

The worst milage I ever got was towing my dads pontoon. Towing my boat which weighs another 1000 lbs I get better mileage. Its not the weight it is the shape.

 

2009 hemi quad cab trx4. I pull a 7,500 lb travel trailer and I am getting 9 to 10 mpg. My very best was 10.7 mpg. Leaving Alaska in a few days and pulling the camper all the way to Louisiana, going to spend at least $2500 on gas I am sure.

 

Oh yeah, I only go 55 mph tops

 

I pull a 4800lb dry weight camper with my 09 cc big horn. I've upgraded my filter with a k&n drop in, replaced my muffler with a magnaflow 14" 3"in/dual 2 1/4" out. And the best part I bought was a superchips flashpaq 3865 tuner. Most bang for your buck. When towing I use the tow tune, sometimes the 91 tune. ( I like the 91 tune more) I also disable the MDS when towing. I hate it when as soon as you hit any kind of chsnge in the rods mds kicks in and out. I find with the mds disabled the truck uses all 8 cylinders and all 400+hp&tq to pull my camper up and down hills through twists and turns and never misses a beat. I think it puts less strain on the drivetrain especially the trans kicking in and out of gears. This way I pull around 2,000 rpm around 61mph constantly and don't really change Rpms it just pulls with the cruise on through the hills. And I get almost 11mpg. Off the line from stop signs/lights you can't even tell it's back there with the 40-50hp gains. Shifts are so much better. And everyday driving is so much better and fun. I gained a minimum of 2mpg with the 91 tune and mds disabled every tank whether I get on it and hot rod it or not. With mds on I found it does a little better on mileage. Especially the highway/interstate. The best it shown on evic is 17.6 whereas with mds it was over 22 for over 30 miles with cruise on maintaining speed. But on the highway. If I did 50,60,70,80, or 90 my truck showed 17.2 on the interstate and averaged 16.5 with the 91 tune. Tuner is least expensive on amazon. Just under $300, muffler was $75 , plus $50 to have local shop weld it in after removing the old one. K&N drop in $50est. So for under $500 you can increase your overall performance and mileage. The programmer takes less than 15 minutes to change tunes. The only downside is you have to put it back to stock tune when you take it in for service such as oil changes and what not. The dealer flashes the ecu, checks diagnostics, they cannot detect your programmer! But if you don't flash it back to stock, and then take it in and they flash your truck, next time you go to use the programmer it may not recognize your vehicle. So think about it. Take 15 minutes to flash it back to stock before oil changes or risk spending hours on the phone with customer service trying to figure out how to make it work again. Your call. So in my honest opinion. I wouldn't drive this truck without a tune. One day I have more $ lying around I'm redoing the exhaust from the cats back. A less restrictive exhaust with a borla muffler and borla tips custom built. My truck sounds great and gets compliments all the time.

 

Wow - paragraphs, learn what they are and use them.

Your comment about the MDS is odd, since you should be in tow haul when pulling your 5K+ load. MDS doesn't come on in tow/haul mode.

 

What RPMs are you turning? You probably have the 3:92 gears and are turning close to 3000 RPMs. I have the 3:21 rear end and tow about 3500 lbs (big wide and tall wind sail but an ultra light 19 ft camping trailer) . I put the truck in TOW/HAUL, lock out 5th gear, pretty much 1 to 1 ratio all the way with cruise control set to 65MPH and turn about 2200 RPM. I get around 10 to 11 always and sometimes 12. One time I got 8 but I was crossing northern Nevada East to West and had a super strong head wind with lots of hills that forced me to 2nd gear a lot of the time up the hills.

Try keeping the RPMS below 2500.

 

09 SLT Hemi , tow a. 21' pontoon , it's around 8-10 , big sail

6200 # TT. The best I ever got is 10

 

I sincerely apologize for my lack of grammar. It has never been my strong suit.
My truck has 20" wheels with 3.55s. I pull around 2100rpm at 61mph with the 91 SC tune and in tow/haul mode. I do use it even with the programmer. Sometimes.
Perhaps I'm mistaken about the mds. I disabled mine due to the "fuel saver" light going on and off. I did not like the way the truck felt when it would cycle on and off constantly with the change in incline. If the fuel saver light and mds are two different animals then perhaps I learned something. All I know is when I disable the mds with the tuner my truck comes alive! I didn't buy it for mileage. I bought it to be a truck. The upgrades I have done allow it to perform better. It does a great job towing my travel trailer and making trips to the hardware store.