William Wehlage
Member
- Aug 28, 2016
- 47
- 20
- Truck Year
- 2015
Just took my first significant trip with a cattle trailer. Remember, I have a 2015 Ram Ecodiesel Bighorn Quad Cab 4x4 with 17’’ Rims and 10ply tires. I will explain the trip in three Legs.
My first leg was 280 miles that was mostly highspeed interstate with an empty 16’ 2800 LB steel cattle trailer. It is nearly 8’ tall so it catches the wind. I was running 70-75 MPH and had a lot of heavy rain. I filled up and hand-calculated at 15.4MPG.
I then loaded the trailer with pigs, about 1500 pounds worth and started on my second leg which was about 100 miles. This leg was city driving and interstate. I slowed to about 65 due to rain.
For my third leg, I then unloaded the pigs and went back home, about 272 more miles empty. On the way home, skipped the interstate and drove cross country thru then 2-lane hill country of Central Arkansas. I probably averaged about 45mph, until the last 100 or so miles when I sped up again as roads would allow. My total for the return trip was 372 miles which required 12.28 Gallons which hand-calculated to 18.6MPG.
Tons of power. On wet pavement, the truck has so much torque, that it’s easy to spin the tires when accelerating.
Here is the kicker. Last February, I took near the same trip, and the exact same trip on leg 3 with the same empty cattle trailer but pulled it with my old truck – a 2014 Ram 1500 quad cab with a 5.7 Hemi Gas. On this last leg, I averaged about 11.5 mpg.
I didn’t use tow/haul mode, as the trailer was not very heavy. On the interstate, especially about 65, and on mostly level road, the truck would pull the trailer fine in 8th gear.
Oh, just a side note. Got back home and check my oil and the level was fine and the oil was very clean even though, it’s been 2200 miles since my last oil change.
My first leg was 280 miles that was mostly highspeed interstate with an empty 16’ 2800 LB steel cattle trailer. It is nearly 8’ tall so it catches the wind. I was running 70-75 MPH and had a lot of heavy rain. I filled up and hand-calculated at 15.4MPG.
I then loaded the trailer with pigs, about 1500 pounds worth and started on my second leg which was about 100 miles. This leg was city driving and interstate. I slowed to about 65 due to rain.
For my third leg, I then unloaded the pigs and went back home, about 272 more miles empty. On the way home, skipped the interstate and drove cross country thru then 2-lane hill country of Central Arkansas. I probably averaged about 45mph, until the last 100 or so miles when I sped up again as roads would allow. My total for the return trip was 372 miles which required 12.28 Gallons which hand-calculated to 18.6MPG.
Tons of power. On wet pavement, the truck has so much torque, that it’s easy to spin the tires when accelerating.
Here is the kicker. Last February, I took near the same trip, and the exact same trip on leg 3 with the same empty cattle trailer but pulled it with my old truck – a 2014 Ram 1500 quad cab with a 5.7 Hemi Gas. On this last leg, I averaged about 11.5 mpg.
I didn’t use tow/haul mode, as the trailer was not very heavy. On the interstate, especially about 65, and on mostly level road, the truck would pull the trailer fine in 8th gear.
Oh, just a side note. Got back home and check my oil and the level was fine and the oil was very clean even though, it’s been 2200 miles since my last oil change.
