Project Built for Towing

[LT.]

Suspension lift is on. It really does not look any different nor, does it ride any different. Just a simple leveling kit up front (which is nothing more than a spacer above the coil spring) and a two inch block in the rear. Even the stock shocks are long enough. It took about an hour and a half from start to finish. It took longer to read the directions and find my tools than it did to do the install.

LT.

 

[Bart]

Pics??? We need pics....

 

[LT.]

Pics??? We need pics....

Okay, okay. I'll see if I can take some tomorrow. If you just look at the truck you would not notice the lift at all. It still has the factory rake and the stock tires. I can't afford to replace all seven right now. They will be cell phone pictures so I will have to see if someone will post them up for me. I am computer stupid.

LT.

 

[ChestonScout]

send them to me and I will post them

 

[ChestonScout]

Oh ya!

 

[LT.]

Thanks ChestonScout for posting up the pictures so quickly. I thought that I should do an update on how well the truck is responding to the modifications. The ride is just like stock which is perfect for us. The two inch lift from Tuff County is exactly what I was needing. I may go more but, for now it is perfect.

I filled up the truck and did mostly highway and interstate driving with one small trip down the hill to take the flatbed to get the wiring worked on. I just filled up again and thought I should post up the impressive numbers. The over head has been saying 19 mpg to 19.2 mpg. I just crunched the numbers and I drove 530.1 miles and used 23.295 gallons to do it. So unless my math is incorrect that makes it 22.7559 mpg! Holy crap! I know the over heads are usually optimistic at best but, really? This is the first I have heard of one being wrong the other way.

There may be some margin for error here. The pump did shut off and I was able to squeeze my max of $75.00 worth into the tank. I was not able to see the fuel in the filler neck like I usually would have done. So, before this gets too out of hand let's assume that there was room for a few more gallons in the tank. If I was able to squeeze another gallon and make it 24 gallons the fuel mileage would be 22.0875. Another gallon would make it 21.204 and another gallon would make it 20.3884. This would be figured with 26 gallons of fuel. The pump shut off at a touch over 22 gallons of fuel. So squeezing another four gallons might be possible but, these are still very impressive numbers no matter how you look at it.

LT.

 

[ChestonScout]

Im jealous. My pooperduty is lucky to get 15

 

[LT.]

Don't be too disgusted. The 7.3 is a big motor and it is in a rig that is tall and aerodynamically challenged.

LT.

 

[LT.]

Okay, time for a little update. The truck now has a little over 11,000 miles on her and today I did the heaviest haul I have ever done. Total load weighed an astonishing 52,300 lbs. And before I get any hate mail, yes, I did break it up into two separate loads. Each load was around 26,000 lbs on the trailer. With a trailer weight of 9,000 lbs it was a healthy load. Okay, so on to the big question. How did it do? I only was able to average around 10 mpg, tranny temp spiked up to 180 degrees, water temp spiked up to 217 degrees, and EGT's held to no more than 1250 degrees. 1250 is where the defuel level is set, I also have the water temp set to 220 and the tranny to 200 degrees. And now for a drum roll please.............. I was able to maintain the posted speed limit at all times. Now for the bad news. At times the speed limit was down to 25 mph. Most of the time it was between 55 and 70 mph.

So, if there was ever a concern that the new Dodge does not have the load capacity to match Chevy and Ford we can now lay that to rest. Yes, the numbers do not support the weights but, the new Dodge can hold its own with the others. In fact, I will make a bold statement here. I believe that the new Dodge is just as good as the others and it costs less doing it. The HP and TQ numbers do not add up to what Ford and Chevy are posting but, it will keep up. I would be willing to put the Dodge against either Ford or Chevy. Here is a picture of part of one load.

LT.

 

[LT.]

I just finished a trip of about 1,350 miles or so unloaded and thought I should post up some numbers and impressions. I ran the whole trip with my fuel turned up to the max. The truck did fine when the roads were in good condition and I averaged a little over 65 mph the whole way including my one fuel stop. I also averaged 20.4 mpg over the whole trip and was trying to maintain 70 to 75 mph while moving. When the roads get rough, as is the case here in Northern New Mexico, I think my front shocks need to be replaced with some longer ones. I don't have any death wobble but, I can tell that the front end could use some better valving.

The trip overall was kind of a blur. I did get to see some of the family, Sprueitt and family and ChestonScout and family. It was great to get to see them even for just a short while. The whole trip was done in less than 46 hours.

LT.

 

[mbryson]

I just finished a trip of about 1,350 miles or so unloaded and thought I should post up some numbers and impressions. I ran the whole trip with my fuel turned up to the max. The truck did fine when the roads were in good condition and I averaged a little over 65 mph the whole way including my one fuel stop. I also averaged 20.4 mpg over the whole trip and was trying to maintain 70 to 75 mph while moving. When the roads get rough, as is the case here in Northern New Mexico, I think my front shocks need to be replaced with some longer ones. I don't have any death wobble but, I can tell that the front end could use some better valving.

The trip overall was kind of a blur. I did get to see some of the family, Sprueitt and family and ChestonScout and family. It was great to get to see them even for just a short while. The whole trip was done in less than 46 hours.

LT.

I'd buy those numbers with my truck if I could keep it under 65. On highway I likely knock out 17-18 mpg on the interstate. (overhead is telling me 21-22 ) I don't go over 80, but am never below 70 mph. Mine's the 555 motor that's supposedly good for 24-26 mpg, but that would have to be at 51 mph with a tail wind?

I daily drive mine in about half freeway-half city driving and get 14-15 mpg. I'd like to see if I got some better mileage if I could still get the older fuel?

 

[LT.]

I'd buy those numbers with my truck if I could keep it under 65. On highway I likely knock out 17-18 mpg on the interstate. (overhead is telling me 21-22 ) I don't go over 80, but am never below 70 mph. Mine's the 555 motor that's supposedly good for 24-26 mpg, but that would have to be at 51 mph with a tail wind?

I daily drive mine in about half freeway-half city driving and get 14-15 mpg. I'd like to see if I got some better mileage if I could still get the older fuel?

One of the really great advantages to the newer rig is the new transmission. Also it really helps that this rig is still rolling on stock rubber and only has a 2" lift on it. At 75 mph I am only turning 1800 rpm's and at 65 mph I am only running at 1600 rpm's. The Cummins motor seems to respond well around these rpm's. Here are my exact numbers. I traveled 1,339 miles and I used 65.4 gallons of fuel. This gives me 20.47400 mpg. What I did not show was how much it cost me to go that far. About $260. Ouch!

LT.

 

[LT.]

I just ordered a small part for my tranny. It is from BD Diesel and is supposed to increase my line pressure to help with the slipping. Here it is. http://www.dieselperformance.com/index.php/product/index/217P

I will report back with any results.

LT.

 

[jeffsclan]

Have you noticed any slipping or is a preemptive strike ?

 

[LT.]

Have you noticed any slipping or is a preemptive strike ?

To answer your question this is just trying to make the tranny live a happier and longer life. I have not noticed any extra slip in the tranny. But, there is a fair amount in first gear getting the truck and trailer moving. It has done this from day one and I read that this product is supposed to help with that. I have no complaints about the truck what so ever. I would like to keep this one longer than I did the last few and I am hoping that this will help things last longer. I am also looking at a Mag-Hytec tranny pan and a rear differential pan. Again, just trying to keep everything happy and in check.

LT.

 

[jeffsclan]

It sounds like your playing it smart. It should last you a long time. I enjoy your updates and thoughts on these new rigs.

 

[LT.]

It sounds like your playing it smart. It should last you a long time. I enjoy your updates and thoughts on these new rigs.

Thank you. If you ever get the chance to check one out do yourself a favor, and check them out. Because once you sit in one and get a chance to drive it you will want one. Any of the big three has great heavy duty trucks. I prefer Dodge over either Chevy or Ford.

LT.

 

[LT.]

I received my order from BD Diesel today and got the tranny module installed. I spend more time looking for the plug than I did installing it. Very easy install that took about 30 seconds to finish. I did take the truck out for a little in town test and it seems to be working as advertized. I noticed less time in between shifts, and it seemed faster off the line. This leads me to believe that I am getting a slight bump in line pressure and the tranny is not slipping as much especially in first gear. One issue that I will need to monitor and maybe even address is how close it is to my big exhaust pipe. The plug was warm and the exhaust tubing was plenty hot. I hit my de-fuel level a couple of times messing around. The real test will be when I hook up to my big, heavy flat bed trailer and pull it up the mountain. I have a log book of my measured tranny temps. I will have to see if I notice a drop in tranny temps for the same trip.

I can't help but wonder if my truck is holding the gears better if my EGT's will climb at the same time. I think that they would but, I will see.

LT.

 

[mbryson]

I just got back from another long haul to Idaho Falls and back. Same great mileage on the way up, I was empty. And on the way home I towed my Big Tex flat bed trailer with my pop up camper on it and my Beater on it. I averaged 10 mpg loaded on the way home. Not bad, I was towing somewhere in the neighborhood of 18,000 lbs.

LT.

LT, do you still have this camper/gooseneck setup? With my shortbed, I'm seriously considering this type of deal.

 

[LT.]

LT, do you still have this camper/gooseneck setup? With my shortbed, I'm seriously considering this type of deal.

I sure do! All of us wheelers have the same problem. How do we get our off road rig, and a place to stay all where we want to go. Some of us use motor homes, others use their off road rig as the transportation, and others stay in a hotel. ChestonScout and Sprueitt had a similar set up some years ago. ChestonScout used a bumper pull trailer and Sprueitt used a smaller goose neck trailer. I liked these ideas a lot but, I thought Sprueitt had too much weight up too high and I did not like the idea of pulling so much weight off of the receiver hitch. This was a compromise between the two. The flat bed trailer is a little heavy and, it is also way over kill for what I use it for most of the time. The camper is easy to pull up onto the trailer now that I know how to do it. I can do it by myself in about 15 minutes now. If you look into doing this I would suggest using a lighter trailer if you can get away with it. Perhaps a trailer that is rated for about 14,000 instead of 22,500. This is the best way that I know of to get everything together in the same place. If my off road rig is broke I can use the tow rig to run around in. If I need to use the flat bed by itself, no problem. I highly recommend this set up to everyone. It is the best compromise for me.

LT.