I recently completed a 3,000+ mile trip towing a 6x12 Uhaul box trailer and thought I would post some observations.

Truck Specs
- 2010 RAM 1500 Hemi 4x4 Big Horn Quad Cab
- Class IV receiver hitch
- 3.92 LSD
- aprox 1,000 pounds loaded in the truck
- aprox 800 pounds loaded in the trailer

Trip Details

I started in Orlando Florida and drove to Portland Oregon about 3,050 miles. Along the way I drove through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon.

Terrain - Flat, Rolling hills, Steep grades, Continental devide 7,000+ elevation, desert, moutains.

Traffic/Road Construction - Rush hour traffic really wasn't an issue but I hit quite a few 45mph construction zones.

Weather - I saw heavy rains HEAVY like slow down to 25mph with the wipers on high on my way out of Florida. It was freaking 95 degrees all the way to Nebraska so I had the air conditioner blasting. Then I hit a 50mph head wind for about 200 miles in Wyoming which I swear that whole state is uphill. When you have to downshift to go down a hill that's a head wind.

Average MPG 12.11
High MGP 13.31 (Idaho/Eastern Oregon)
Low MGP 10.36 Wyoming into that head wind.

I didn't see much ECO mode towing this trailer unless I was going down a hill. I used the Tow/Haul mode maybe 20 miles of this trip, the truck towed the trailer without any problem in normal mode.

My only complaint was that it would drop 4-5mph below my cruise control speed before downshifting and then shift down a couple gears instead of just one. The Tow/Haul mode held the lower gear longer than was required. I could probably get the best gas mileage driving it manually.

The truck was freaking awesome overall. I have driven coast to coast several times so I have some trips to compare this to. The truck was comfortable, no *** ache and I drive up to 15 hours a day. I typically feel pretty beat up after 15 hours in the saddle so I was surprized to still feel fresh after a 15 hour sprint just across the Oregon border. I could have kept going but darkness and the number of dead deer along the road forced me to call it a day.

This trailer may as well have not been behind me. The truck had zero problem towing it and I was doing the max speed limit plus 4 all the way 69-79mph.

Handling well I'm still alive. No joke either I came around a corner coming into St. Louis at 70mph in rush hour traffic and there was a recliner sitting in the middle of the highway. The truck and trailer handled that panic dive to the shoulder without issue.

Scary moment of the tirp - In Wyoming, in a single lane 45mph construction zone cross over to the oncoming side of the freeway, that was all uneven pavement, out of the corner of my eye I spot a freaking tractor trailer doing at least 65 freaking passing me. There wasn't enough room for both of us so I dove left into the work area and this idiot nearly lost his rig into the barrels.

Anyway this trip was a great test of my truck and I love it even more now!

 

i drove last week from los angeles to indiana.. 1980 miles..

had a 65" tv in the back, large klipsch floor speakers, computer and various other home stuff.

worst part of the trip was the hair from my german shepherd and yellow lab.. lol.. try lowering the windows at 80 mph... hair flew everywhere lol.

even though my truck is lowered it still didnt bottom out as much as i feared it might with that weight out back.

nice to hear you made it safe.

 

You'd a done better in the hills without the cruise on, I've tried mine in the hills just not towing, and although it's better than my 06 Chevy was, it still will downshift more than needed, and downshift to third to slow you, then it stays in 3rd forever. Thats ok if you need to slow down, but manual is the way, and I'm glad I got a choice and option to put it in all gears. Unlike the Ford that lets you put it only in 1,2,3, and D (6th) Whats empty trailer weight? What octane?

 

I've been pulling a 16 foot box trailer loaded down, probably total weight of 6-8000 pounds if i had to guess, plenty of power in the hemi but can't do over 60 comfortably because the trailer gets pretty squirrely. i think the suspension just won't hold it. Hopefully I won't have to make too many more trips with it, but i am wondering if airbags would help me out?

 

If things get 'squirrely' I'd say you need to check out the tongue weight. Make sure you're around 10-15% of total trailer weight. When the tongue gets light weird things happen with the trailer and tow vehicle dynamics. And that's not a good thing. Too much weight on the tongue can be bad too. Rob

 

Yeah that was my sense, manual was smarter than the computer. But driving up to 1,100 miles a day cruise control was a manditory knee saver. I used 89 octane all the way. The few (very few) times I was able to get gas without 10% ethanol gas mileage improved.

 

Makes sense, I have heard this from others as well. I had *******ly no *** puckering squirrely stuff from the trailer except when I hit a couple big *** potholes and that was a trailer tire issue. And I was hauling *** up to 80mph. No way I was hauling as much weight as the other guy though.

 

Oh, definetly cruise for the flat lands. I can leave Springfield Mo. drive south to Ozark, and soon after I know here comes that (down) hill, off goes the cruise, from there. It's one thing to downshift to 3rd for trailer towing on a steep hill, but it seems they coulda made it use 4th, instead of third, atleast for when it's the truck itself.
If he is having problems with the Trailer getting squirrelly, sounds like to me, not enough on the front of the trailer 60/40 %, I would think the truck is front squirrrelly, to much tongue weight. Be best to weigh per axle, at a truck stop=cat scales.

 

And yeah, I believe in 89 for towing. Running empty through Kansas, Illinois, Florida? Just use 87, no stress on the engine there. And I try to avoid the 10% alc like the plague. Getting harder to. I also believe the E85 has it's place, in the fuel cell of a racecar! vs. the price they want for racing fuel. But it's next to worthless on the street. Works good with high compression.

 

Great info. Your low MPG towing a trailer, was what I used to get with my unloaded 2500 QC on the highway....