Traded in the Sierra!

[Camper_bob]

For this behemoth!

Step bars are on the way, hopefully will have them installed before our trip this weekend!

[drk98]

Congrats.... I have the same truck but diesel... You'll love the towing difference over the 1/2 ton.

Your input late last year was just the ammunition I needed to convince the wife to trade our 1/2 ton in for the 3/4.

[Blue Deuce]

Great looking set up! I love my Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi! Get her dialed in and you'll love the set up.

[Iraqvet05]

Congratulations, Bob! I'm looking forward to your feedback on the towing experience now that you stepped up to a 2500 and the 6.4. Did you have to mess with the WDH much?

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Iraqvet05

Congratulations, Bob! I'm looking forward to your feedback on the towing experience now that you stepped up to a 2500 and the 6.4. Did you have to mess with the WDH much?

Thanks!

Actually, the WDH is what's giving me grief now. When I went to pick up the trailer from storage, I reconfigured my WDH back to the arbitrary starting point in the manual (5 washers, hitch ball at height of coupler with level trailer, not measured yet, but eyeballing looks okay). It was REALLY hot out there and I was REALLY tired (from landscaping all day), so I hooked it up, stepped back to take a look and called it good. I'd do some fine tuning in the driveway.

On the drive home, the front end felt a little floaty. Got it home and went back to 7 washers, and could barely get the spring bars on. Went to 6 washers and measured. According to my measurements, this is where it should be, so I took it on a short test-drive and the rear felt loose; front planted nicely.

It almost feels like it would be better if I left the bars off all together!

So, for now I'm thinking of going back to 5 washers for my next trip. I'll take it to a CAT scale on the way out of town, and take some measurements to see that it's actually level. If it feels loose out on the road, I'll bring my tools with me and do a "trail side" adjustment. At this point, I know I need to upgrade the hitch, but being that I just blew my wad on this nice new truck and some accessories, it's not in the budget yet...

Anybody got any great ideas I could try?

[sully585]

bob, i'm having the EXACT same issues with my hitch since i upgraded from a 2013 Silverado 1500 to a 2015 Silverado 2500. i had to flip over the shank to get the ball low enough. both the ball hitch and trailer coupler sit at 25 inches when level. if i hitch up and use the first link in the chain, the front end feels too light. moving down one link in the chain fixes the front end problem, but i can tell i'm putting alot of strain on the round bars. and when i take the round bars out i noticed that i've worn grooves into the tops of the round bars where they swivel against the hitch head. i'm pretty sure i need to adjust something, i just haven't figured out what to adjust yet. lower the ball? use washers to change the angle of the ball in relation to the coupler?

if anybody has any suggestions, i'm all ears.

[bcmorr]

Great looking truck it's identical to mine, only difference is mine has long box. My last trip nearly full fresh water tank my trailer weighed around 11,500 pounds, the ram handled it great and the 6.4 never got above 3k rpm even when accelerating. Have 2500 miles on mine and really enjoy it hope you like yours congrats!

[Jmooney]

Very Nice - Congrats

[tugboat95]

I'm drooling.

[fielro]

Nice truck, congrats

[Subaru297]

Are you bothering with getting the recommended mileage on the truck before towing?

I had about 380kms on our new truck before hooking up the trailer. Well short of the 1500kms called for

I wish I could've driven a 6.4 before ultimately buying our Ford but the Ram dealer only had 5.7's on the lot. Ram had a slightly nicer ride but I liked the interior of the Ford better.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Subaru297

Are you bothering with getting the recommended mileage on the truck before towing?

I had about 380kms on our new truck before hooking up the trailer. Well short of the 1500kms called for

I wish I could've driven a 6.4 before ultimately buying our Ford but the Ram dealer only had 5.7's on the lot. Ram had a slightly nicer ride but I liked the interior of the Ford better.

I actually got really close to the 500 miles recommended before towing (like 487 or thereabouts). I can't say I am abiding by the 50 mph towing for the first 500 miles restriction listed in the manual. I have maybe about 150 miles at or around 50 mph, but about 150 miles averaging around 65-67 mph.

This truck tows like a dream. Most of the time, I've got my arm on the door with a couple fingers on the wheel and the cruise set. The truck hardly shifts at all when my GMC would shift down to 3rd or sometimes 2nd going up a slight grade AND I lost 15 mph while doing it! Going down the other side, or coming to a stop, the engine braking is nice too (it's no diesel exhaust brake, but it's nice). It's just a complete difference in comfort and security. I'm actually afraid of forgetting I'm towing a trailer and getting complacent. That could never happen when I was towing with the GMC (I was ALWAYS on my toes), but I could see it happening with this rig.

The RAM will hold 67 mph without even trying, and the trans fluid temp barely got over 170 (if it ever did, I didn't see it). It is EXTREMELY obvious this is what this truck was MADE for. I look forward to getting some miles on the clock and breaking the motor in nicely so I can see some better fuel economy figures. Of course, that assumes I can keep my foot out of the tall pedal; this thing loves to GO!

[Jmooney]

[QUOTE=Camper_bob;297547]I actually got really close to the 500 miles recommended before towing (like 487 or thereabouts). I can't say I am abiding by the 50 mph towing for the first 500 miles restriction listed in the manual. I have maybe about 150 miles at or around 50 mph, but about 150 miles averaging around 65-67 mph.


On the New Diesels they actually want you to Tow and Tow hard for the first 6000 miles to break the engine in.


Interesting difference

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Jmooney

On the New Diesels they actually want you to Tow and Tow hard for the first 6000 miles to break the engine in.


Interesting difference

It is an interesting difference. I've heard MANY different theories to "break-in" for this truck. Some said "what? break-in? what's that?" The sales person I bought from (I know, grain of salt) said something along the lines that trucks are built to such tight tolerances that there's virtually no break-in required and to not worry about it. Users have said they just drive normally, nothing special, just use it like you're going to use it. Some say drive it like you stole it; break it in HARD.

The regular part of the manual says 300 miles, but offers no special instructions other than to stand on it (within the rules of law) while driving down the road for the first 300 miles. In the towing section it says not to tow in the first 500 miles, then don't tow any faster than 50 mph for the first 500 miles of towing.

I've tried to abide by the manual as close as I can, but it's the towing under 50 mph for the first 500 miles of towing that's creating a problem for me! LOL!

[Subaru297]

I do believe most engines/vehicles built nowadays don't really need a break in period like they used to. That being said I just drive it normally and try not to do any constant speed for the first few hundred kms. By the time I got the truck it has a 200+kms from demos and/or service techs transferring the vehicle between dealerships anyway. I doubt they follow proper break in procedures.

I did a bunch of research on towing before complete break-in and the conclusion I came to is that it is the rear differential that needs the break in not the engine before towing. Something about the gears can develop a bit of a vibration if not bedded properly.

But as said I towed before broken in and see no ill effects.....