Posted: 5/7/2024 7:50:51 PM EDT
[Last Edit: PKT1106][Edited]
|
Heading west this summer with the camper. TV is a 2022 Ram Laramie with a 5.7L hemi and 3.21 gears. Rated for 817#/8170#. Camper is rated GVWR of 4835#. We're well within our limits at sea level, but what about at 10,000ft ASL? I believe the manual says de-rate 2% for every 1000ft of elevation gain. At 10k ft, that's 20% or so. Takes us down to 6536# towing capacity. Still within limits, but I wanted to know if there is anything else to be aware of when going higher above sea level and towing. Should we spring for the higher octane while at higher altitude? Thanks ETA: The manual for our truck doesn't specifically call out high altitude towing and a cursory search lead me to an article that said RAM was the only manufacturer adhering to the SAE Towing Standard, so they don't de-rate for altitude. |
|
Tow rating isn’t really about power. It’s more about braking and handling. You won’t need high octane. Fuels are generally lower octane up here. |
RIP Joker1
Lilly, countless other pups along with their new families and myself are forever thankful for your dedication
Lilly, countless other pups along with their new families and myself are forever thankful for your dedication
|
I tow near the max limit of my tow vehicle upwards of 12,000 ft. You won't be setting any speed records going through the passes, so just hang in the right or middle lane, watch your water temps. Zero issues or concerns. Denver premium fuel is only 91 octane. Don't need higher octane at higher altitudes. |
Ludwig Boltzmann, who spent much of his life studying statistical mechanics, died in 1906, by his own hand, Paul Bhranfest, carrying on the work, died similarly in 1933, Now it is our turn to study statistical mechanics...
|
Originally Posted By ACEB36TC: Watch the water temp and the tranny fluid. Do NOT be in a hurry going down the hill. Pump the brakes,,, use the tranny,,don't go into a 9% down hill grade over speeded. You'll do fine. Just take it EASY. We take our time. Usually hang in the right lane between 60 and 65mph, even on flat highway. Don't plan on getting in a rush, especially with the kids in the back seat. Seen too many videos of overweight towing and towing too fast. |
|
Originally Posted By PKT1106: We take our time. Usually hang in the right lane between 60 and 65mph, even on flat highway. Don't plan on getting in a rush, especially with the kids in the back seat. Seen too many videos of overweight towing and towing too fast. Originally Posted By PKT1106: Originally Posted By ACEB36TC: Watch the water temp and the tranny fluid. Do NOT be in a hurry going down the hill. Pump the brakes,,, use the tranny,,don't go into a 9% down hill grade over speeded. You'll do fine. Just take it EASY. We take our time. Usually hang in the right lane between 60 and 65mph, even on flat highway. Don't plan on getting in a rush, especially with the kids in the back seat. Seen too many videos of overweight towing and towing too fast. Forgive me if this seems overbearing, but also consider pulling off on scenic overlooks if available and let your brakes cool if you're unsure about how they're doing. If you're asking about towing at elevation you may not be prepared for how quickly your brakes can get too hot and stop working. Like ACE said, pump brakes, meaning push the brakes firmly(not floored) to drop your speed below your target speed, keep your transmission in a lower gear for engine braking, and let your brakes cool off as much as possible between applications. Your trailer weight is low enough compared to your rating, you should be fine. Keep the transmission in a gear that keeps the torque converter locked up to keep transmission temps low when climbing and let it rev. Depending on the road 60-65mph is pretty fast for downhill, I'd watch the truck speed limits for a general guideline of what your target speed should be. |
|
Originally Posted By Cpn_Ron: Forgive me if this seems overbearing, but also consider pulling off on scenic overlooks if available and let your brakes cool if you're unsure about how they're doing. If you're asking about towing at elevation you may not be prepared for how quickly your brakes can get too hot and stop working. Like ACE said, pump brakes, meaning push the brakes firmly(not floored) to drop your speed below your target speed, keep your transmission in a lower gear for engine braking, and let your brakes cool off as much as possible between applications. Your trailer weight is low enough compared to your rating, you should be fine. Keep the transmission in a gear that keeps the torque converter locked up to keep transmission temps low when climbing and let it rev. Depending on the road 60-65mph is pretty fast for downhill, I'd watch the truck speed limits for a general guideline of what your target speed should be. Yes, downhill I will make sure we keep a safe speed and not too harsh on the brakes. The 8 speed transmission seems to do a good job of slowing us down on previous trips. I've noticed its help a few times before going through WV, Va and NC on the way to Myrtle Beach. Some friends of ours used a Subaru Ascent with a 17ft Coleman camper last year and he is not as detail-oriented as I am. They made it and he said the vehicle didn't give them any concern. The Subaru is rated for 500/5000# and it is a 2.4L Turbo-Charged Boxer engine. |
I've dragged my 8600-lb trailer into the Rockies several times with my 3/4-ton Suburban. 6.0L gas engine, 3.73 gears, full complement of factory coolers. It's rated for 9300 lbs max towing. I'm right at my maximum rating of 16,000 lbs GCW. Eisenhower Tunnel - 11,100 ft, 7% grades, I-70 with 3 lanes Was I winning races? No Was I impeding traffic? No Was I faster than the big rigs? Yes It seemed to hit its sweet spot at 40 mph, in 2nd gear, at 4000 RPM. Still faster than the big rigs. Coming down, it was simple to control my speed with engine braking, only occasionally having to hit the brakes. Powder River Pass - 9,666 ft, single lane road with switchbacks Again, was I impeding traffic? No Coming down was more interesting. Was winding the engine as high as 6,000 RPM, while having to apply brakes at sharp switchbacks. The A/C stopped working half-way through the descent, and I'd thought I'd killed the compressor by spinning it too fast. Truck has a separate A/C belt, it's not run off the main serpentine. When we finally got down, I popped the hood and saw the A/C belt hanging off the crank pulley. Went to an auto parts store, bought a new belt for $11 and paid a local mechanic $50 to put it on (it's at the bottom and a PITA. Total down time: 2 hours. Plan far ahead, and apply the brakes in bursts, don't just ride them all the way down a grade. Learn the combinations of gear/engine speed that produce maximum engine braking. Then use your brakes to get to those points. Make sure you have a way to monitor the trans temp. That would be my biggest concern. Make sure you have fresh fluids with plenty of life left - oil, trans and engine coolant. Know your vehicle's limits, what temperatures it can handle. This was my worst, still within "reasonable" limits. 
|
Posterity! You will never know, how much it cost the present Generation, to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good Use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it.---John Adams
|
Originally Posted By PvtJoeBauers: Tow rating isn’t really about power. It’s more about braking and handling. You won’t need high octane. Fuels are generally lower octane up here. Braking & handling is an important part of it but from my experience listed ratings are absolutely about power. The desert mountain loop that is often used to set tow ratings is checking engine & trans temps while towing up a grade. The fact that axle ratio affects tow rating says it's 100% about how hard the engine and transmission are working. In regards to detailed towing information, I'm not sure about others but GM publishes a special applications guide that includes more detailed info. An interesting bit of info in the guide for my TV (older model GM) is that trailer weight can exceed the published limit if you don't exceed 25 mph. |
|
You are going to hate the 3.21 diff towing. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 6.2L HEMI with 4.10 diff. Towing a 22' Winnie it is acceptable going up high passes but fuel consumption goes way up. I also have a 3500 5.9L Cummins that races over passes with the same load. I live at 7600' in Colorado. |
|
Originally Posted By ACEB36TC: Watch the water temp and the tranny fluid. Do NOT be in a hurry going down the hill. Pump the brakes,,, use the tranny,,don't go into a 9% down hill grade over speeded. You'll do fine. Just take it EASY. ^^^^ This is exactly what I was going to say!! :-) ^^^^ Let the engine and transmission temperature dictate how fast, what gear and your RPM when going up a hill. As altitude increases the speed in which your climbing a hill will slightly decrease. Take it slow and easy and you'll be fine. 3.21s is a bummer thoughm it'll make the spacing between gears longer. Slowing down and dropping to a lower gear will regulate the trans temp or at least keep it from running away. I'd also service the trans when you get home because that fluid is going to be worked. |