How well does your truck pull 8,000 pounds

[Unreal Summit]

I pulled an 18 foot trailer with 2 razors and other miscellaneous stuff today on a 80% highway about an hour each way. I was running 70-75 most of the time. Until the hills if they were 6 or 7% grade I would lose speed sometimes down to 60mph. Now if I pushed the go pedal nothing happened untill it kicked down and was screaming and starting to haul a$$. Now my brothers 99 with a built trans, 100 horse injectors and an edge ez. Don't have this issue. He just mashes a little and rolls on.  Is it normal or something a tuner could help? Or am I asking for more than I should be? I ain't saying it was horrible just that it started to lose speed when I didn't expect it to. No loss of power or dead pedal just not picking up speed.  Sorry for the long post.

Edited December 23, 2018 by Unreal Summit

[Me78569]

Stock 2nd gens are not power houses.

 

 

Throw some 7 x .010's and a quadzilla adr on it.

[Mopar1973Man]

235 HP at the flywheel isn't much power. 

 

Like I'm also running 7 x 0.0085 injectors, Quadzilla Adrenaline pulls like a dream. 

 

1 hour ago, Unreal Summit said:

Now my brothers 99 with a built trans, 100 horse injectors and an edge ez.

 

Bad combo really. The 100 HP injectors need better control of fueling and timing than what the Edge EZ can do. Remember canned tuner like the Edge EZ are designed for stock only injectors. The timing needs to be advanced more for larger injectors and fuel curve needs a bit of lag time to allow for boost building. 

 

This where the Quadzilla shines over the other tuners. 

[Unreal Summit]

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

235 HP at the flywheel isn't much power. 

 

Like I'm also running 7 x 0.0085 injectors, Quadzilla Adrenaline pulls like a dream. 

 

 

Bad combo really. The 100 HP injectors need better control of fueling and timing than what the Edge EZ can do. Remember canned tuner like the Edge EZ are designed for stock only injectors. The timing needs to be advanced more for larger injectors and fuel curve needs a bit of lag time to allow for boost building. 

 

This where the Quadzilla shines over the other tuners. 

Yes it is a bad combo it's just how he bought the truck and the best thing I have to compare to.  I know they are not very strong in stock form. But I didn't know if that was normal or I had something going on. I plan on getting a quad and some injectors later for mine. Lift pump first tho.   

[Mopar1973Man]

You on the right path take care of the weak points first then add your power accordingly.

[Unreal Summit]

Right. Thank you!! I appreciate your time and efforts on this site. As well as Me78569!

[pepsi71ocean]

6 hours ago, Unreal Summit said:

I pulled an 18 foot trailer with 2 razors and other miscellaneous stuff today on a 80% highway about an hour each way. I was running 70-75 most of the time. Until the hills if they were 6 or 7% grade I would lose speed sometimes down to 60mph. Now if I pushed the go pedal nothing happened untill it kicked down and was screaming and starting to haul a$$. Now my brothers 99 with a built trans, 100 horse injectors and an edge ez. Don't have this issue. He just mashes a little and rolls on.  Is it normal or something a tuner could help? Or am I asking for more than I should be? I ain't saying it was horrible just that it started to lose speed when I didn't expect it to. No loss of power or dead pedal just not picking up speed.  Sorry for the long post.

 

My 99 as set up in my signature can haul up and down the 4-6% grades like a beast. But when i first bought the truck I was in the right lane with my 4-ways on because i couldn't climb hills worth a darn. These in stock form can't haul in O/D for anything.

[015point9]

Completely stock in a 01 3/4  auto with 4:10 rear end, I've got gauges and an airdog fuel system and that's it as far as extras,  everything else is stock.  RV loaded is about 9500 pounds.  Been allover US.  Someday I'll get more power but for now I dont go over 1250 egt's and I just blend in with the large trucks on long upgrades.  Exhaust brake for downhill side comes in handy..  

 

When I do upgrade   I'm leaning toward edge EZ and rv275 injectors.  That is after I get trans beefed up.  And I'm not sure if I'm the right track or not as far as extra power goes.    

 

My RV tires are ST and load range E,

I forget the speed rating but tires seen 70 once or twice that's about it.  With 14% tongue weight on hitch.  Tows good, very little away.  Bringing up tires and tongue weight because higher speeds alot of damage happens if a tire blows out.  As in under carriage, siding etc.  

 

 

  

[Mopar1973Man]

I'm the smaller moded truck of the group with the 7 x 0.0085 injectors, Quadzilla Adrenaline, and HX35/40 turbo. The biggest factor is the 3.55 gears and the 245/75 R16 tires I run. This now changes the final gearing to 3.69:1 and takes less fuel to make huge amounts of torque. 

[Unreal Summit]

That's what I was looking for I thought the truck done good like it was but wanted to be sure. I one day get a little more power added but I just want it to be reliable and good on mpg. Lift pump, Quadzilla, injectors, and maybe a hx35. Should be more than I'll ever need. 

[KATOOM]

I run an EZ and RV275's.  A "mild" combo compared to what others run but tows like a powerhouse.  But you cant add power to your automatic transmission without doing something to help it too...or replace it with a built unit.  All depends on how much power you end up adding and what you're towing.

[015point9]

23 minutes ago, KATOOM said:

I run an EZ and RV275's.  A "mild" combo compared to what others run but tows like a powerhouse.  But you cant add power to your automatic transmission without doing something to help it too...or replace it with a built unit.  All depends on how much power you end up adding and what you're towing.

Katoom...

I'm thinking about same set up.  Pulling grades on I-5 near CA OR border, any egt problems and what speeds do you see and overall mpg...any info helpful.  (I think we're about same towing weight.)

[KATOOM]

22 minutes ago, 015point9 said:

Katoom...

I'm thinking about same set up.  Pulling grades on I-5 near CA OR border, any egt problems and what speeds do you see and overall mpg...any info helpful.  (I think we're about same towing weight.)

 

I absolutely love the towing power.  If there was anything I could change it would be gearing...or should I say, the lack there of.  I would love to have at least a couple more gears.  Or something like a splitter I use only for towing.  Granted I have 3.54's but I dont tow enough to justify giving up overall driveability for 4.10's.

 

Anyways... Yes, I tow a 14k-15k toy hauler (depending on what we're taking with us or how much water I have in the tanks), and I pull through these northern CA hills in 4th gear.  I run the hills at 65 mph hoping that I can get to the top without having to downshift into 3rd.  Generally that means pulling those grades WOT and watching my EGT's climb but strangely maxs out in the 1200*-1250* range.  Boost is in the 30 psi range and the engine is pulling hard.  Sometimes I'm amazed at how well this truck does too...

 

I keep a close eye on the engine temps because at those EGT's the engine will start to climb fairly quickly.  If the ambient temps are hot enough (usually 90*-110* summer heat) then the engine can reach about 215*-220* before I let off and drop into 3rd.  If the hill isnt miles long or steep enough then I'm to the top before all that happens.

 

Which brings me back to more gears because if I had a couple more options then this truck could pull that weight vertically.

 

Hope that helps. 

 

 

[NIsaacs]

My results with EZ/RV's mirror's Katoom, I used it for 12 years, awesome torque but a little shy on the HP, for passing.

[Mopar1973Man]

3 hours ago, KATOOM said:

If there was anything I could change it would be gearing...or should I say, the lack there of.  I would love to have at least a couple more gears.  Or something like a splitter I use only for towing.  Granted I have 3.54's

 

Ditch your 285's for 245's that problem goes away. 

[dripley]

I ran Banks tuner, 75 hp and tapped the pump, with the RV's puling 15k 5th wheel and did good job. 6 to7% grades could be done in 5th at 50 t0 55 mph. It was a good set up. I did switch ovet to a Comp, but only ran it levels 2 and 3 wnen towing with very similar results. Mileage was around 11 or a touch over with good power. 

 Funny thing about wanting a couple more gears is when a 4 speed I was always looking 5th, got 96 Dodge with a 5 speed and starting looking for 6th. Now i have had a 6 speed for 17 years and still occasionaly find myself looking for 7th. 

 I do wish I had a gear between 5th and 6th for towing. 

Edited December 25, 2018 by dripley

[KATOOM]

6 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

 

Ditch your 285's for 245's that problem goes away. 

 

I feel that would only exacerbate the lack of gear options dilemma since reducing my tire size to 245's would effectively make 4th gear about the same as 3rd and 1/2 gear...  That means I'd have to tow slower in 4th gear or push the RPM's higher to keep up with slow lane traffic because there's no way I can or would tow that much weight in 5th gear.

 

I simply need a 7 speed manual transmission.

[NIsaacs]

A 7 spd. would be awesome, however, it don't help the gap between direct and top gear. When you tow heavy, a gear between them would be great, 500 rpm is too much gap.

 

The auxiliary 3spd in my Ford is great, 27% under and 15% over. 15% is 300 rpm, 27% is about 500 rpm. The 5 spd Clark I have in it also has a good overdrive gear .80 v/s my NV5600 .73. With 4.10 gears and double overdrive, I am real close in overall ratio as my '01 Dodge with 3.55's. including tires size difference's.

[2000Ram2500]

Back in August we picked up the rest of my things and trailer from storage because we finally found a storage place here after living here a year. Stopped at the scales and combined we were over 18k lbs. Trailer has 2 quads, a buggy, an old yamaha, spare parts, every tool i own, and the front is converted for camping. Its pretty packed for a 24' enclosed.

 

Anyways Im stock aside from the mods i've got in my signature and at a disadvantage with tires and gearing being what they are. Coming up and over Palomar mtn in southern cali is always a tough grade. Had to pull over and let it cool down before i even got started up the hill. Then driving through the desert it was 110 degrees and we were driving with the windows down and the heater on because the slightest incline would send the temp up if i had the A/C going. Once we got to smooth road that i could really maintain speed on we were able to use the A/C. It was an overnight run so it was dark we didnt leave until 4 pm so it was quite literally 110 at night in the desert. There were some cool spots. Believe it or not 105 feels cool compared to 110 there is a real noticeable difference.

 

Got into AZ and got to the steep grade before Yarnell and It pulled it okay i guess. The coolant and trans temps settled in well above the comfort zone but they stopped going up to i maintained speed at 15 mph the whole way up. If i remember right the coolant was like 235 and the trans was like 240 coming up that hill. Im just going off memory. I'd be curious to know what my EGTs were but i havent had a chance to tap the manifold yet.

 

This was with the edge set to tow mode with the sub level set to 2. I knew it was a heavy trailer and i knew it would be really hard on the truck so i went easy on it. Kept my following distance maintained speed as best i could to try to keep everything smooth. I've yet to see any mechanical issues arise from this thankfully. Just this stupid fass i gotta replace

[KATOOM]

2000Ram2500, thats HOT and doesnt sound right for only pulling 10k...  As I mentioned above, my house size triple axle toy hauler I drag around is heavy and big and I've towed it in 111* summer heat with the AC on full blast while pulling some long hills.  Your transmission is either heating the engine up or your radiator is partially clogged or your clutch fan isnt working as good as it should...or a combination of all three.