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Old 12-03-2014, 11:40 PM   #1
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2015 Ram 1500 diesel truck

I am considering the ram 1500 2015 diesel truck as a TV for a 2014 23D International Signature. Does anyone have this truck and if so what kind of gas mileage do you get when towing? Feedback is appreciated. Thanks Lorri
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Old 12-04-2014, 04:42 AM   #2
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2015 Ram 1500 diesel truck

Hi Lorri,

Check with Lance (aka Top) he has a 2014. Here is a link to his thread. http://www.airforums.com/forums/f463...ed-122762.html
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Old 12-05-2014, 04:22 PM   #3
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Which diesel engine does the 1500 come with? Just bought mine but it is a 2500 Crew Cab. I also have the 23ft AS. Mine is the Front Bed. With this 2500 CTD I got 15-16 mpg pulling the AS. My running around once I got to my destination I got about 18-19 mpg.
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Old 12-05-2014, 04:28 PM   #4
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The Eco-Diesel should do even better, a guy at Camping World in Fayetteville, NC told me he was getting over 30 mpg. Now that is good, real good. I do not believe that is towing though.
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Old 12-06-2014, 03:01 PM   #5
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I have a 2015 Ram 1500 ecodiesel, Laramie limited and LOVE IT! The best mpg I got on the highway, unloaded, with a tail wind 75mph cruising speed was 31mpg (real world, hand calculated). I got that once. Typical mpg for me on the highway 24-27 unloaded. I have 4x4. I have pulled out Flying Cloud 25fb twice. I've gotten 14mpg and 16mpg...depending on driving into wind vs little to no wind.
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Old 12-06-2014, 03:43 PM   #6
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Smile Towing similar AS with a Ford 250/6.7L diesel

Quote:
Originally Posted by Horsey5 View Post
I am considering the ram 1500 2015 diesel truck as a TV for a 2014 23D International Signature. Does anyone have this truck and if so what kind of gas mileage do you get when towing? Feedback is appreciated. Thanks Lorri
We tow our 23' AS International Serenity, which has an unladen weight of @ 4600lbs. The Ford averages about 17 to 18 mpg IF we drive @ 60 mph or a tad less. At 55mph it may be 18 for certain. If I push and maintain pace with most traffic here in New England (65-75mph) the mileage drops to 14-15 or so. An advantage of the 6.7 L engine is sheer power and super torque. We can stay with traffic anytime we want even on long relatively steep hills. A smaller engine might be less performant but should provide better mileage assuming you don't push the pedal too heavily. bottom line I would hope you manage to attain @ 18mpg.
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Old 12-07-2014, 07:46 PM   #7
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The Eco-Diesel should do even better, a guy at Camping World in Fayetteville, NC told me he was getting over 30 mpg. Now that is good, real good. I do not believe that is towing though.
The Eco diesel is the one I have been looking at. It sounds like people are getting great mileage with them! Now all I need is to justify the $$$!
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Old 12-08-2014, 06:46 AM   #8
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If I recall correctly, the 2015 RAM 1500 diesel is the Motor Trend Truck of the Year- if that has any bearing on your decision-
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Old 12-14-2014, 01:50 PM   #9
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I test drove this and was quite impressed.

The only concern is that its payload capacity is significantly lower than some of the competing 1/2 tons. By the time you get a more loaded crew cab with a few options and a canopy on the bed, take away the Hitch weight, there isn't a lot of capacity left.

Maybe it's just fine in reality; but, it's a concern.

See:
Pickup Trucks By The Numbers: Who Wins On Fuel, Power, Towing, Payload

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Old 12-14-2014, 02:08 PM   #10
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We also test drove this when they first came out and I didn't want to leave the dealership without it. Smooth engine and transmission, impressive mileage estimates, air suspension is a very nice ride.

But I did leave and we are not looking hard for a replacement for our 2012 Ram Hemi, but if we were this would be high on the list. Payload is of little concern because we don't need much in the bed when traveling. Trouble is our present Ram does a great job and is never troublesome.

The aluminum F150 with two Ecoboost choices is also a very interesting, looking forward to user reports.
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Old 12-14-2014, 10:07 PM   #11
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I'm looking forward to a report where the travel speed is 60-mph on cruise control with accompanying scale ticket (combined rig weight). Several tanks, but preferably several thousand miles of towing.

Above 60-mph the fuel burn rockets upwards. Cruise control is more accurate than anyone's right foot, and a number of tanks to average it out to remove fueling errors of consistency. This is close to being replicated by anyone where terrain and climate are similar. That, along with combined weight, will provide the basis for comparisons.

A half tonneau cover on the bed where 60% coverage from the tailgate forward is a distinct aero aid. Could be a thin piece of plywood.

Dialing in the hitch on a scale, getting TT axles aligned and bearing preset perfected along with tires at proper full sidewall pressure is the rest.

Someone is going to set mpg records with the EcoDiesel. Until now it has been the pre-2007 Dodge Cummins turbodiesel. A truck overpowered for nearly every Airstream. I've found over a dozen comps of others in the South Central US pulling 28-35' aero all aluminum TTs of 8-11k lbs averaging 14-16 mpg from 55-63 mph.

That's double what the big block gassers of the 1970-1980s could do. The ED Dodge should kick that up another 15-20% and maybe more if the operator is motivated to attend the details of trip planning.

Average mph and average mpg are related. Zero idle time is key to best numbers. Steering corrections another. Number of acceleration and deceleration events.

With some new habits established [discipline] the fuel cpm will be truly impressive. Overcoming the 30% fuel price bias in favor of gasoline is the real hurdle. A gasser will have to tow at 13+. And solo highway at 21.
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Old 12-15-2014, 05:51 AM   #12
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Curious about your cruise control comment...
I can always out perform my cruise control by getting higher mileage numbers, mile after mile. I can anticipate hills, I can slow down when necessary and the difference is at least a mile per gallon better. Even over the long haul my numbers are better...
Again, just wondering
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Old 12-15-2014, 06:12 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce B View Post
Curious about your cruise control comment...
I can always out perform my cruise control by getting higher mileage numbers, mile after mile. I can anticipate hills, I can slow down when necessary and the difference is at least a mile per gallon better. Even over the long haul my numbers are better...
Again, just wondering
Bruce
Your right, I find cruise is great on flat roads but !@#$$% in the hills. In the hills cruise will kick down to a lower gear and without cruise I can drive without it dropping a gear.
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Old 12-15-2014, 06:48 AM   #14
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[IMG]1836[/IMG]We pull our Airstream with o Dodge Sprinter. Gas mileage averages about 16mpg--- we have gotten 17 driving at 55-60mph---worst milage in mountains was 15.8--best was 18 driving the back roads was 18. Using the B Van alone we get 22mpg. Everyone call our unit the 2 bedroom
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Old 12-15-2014, 07:34 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce B View Post
Curious about your cruise control comment...
I can always out perform my cruise control by getting higher mileage numbers, mile after mile. I can anticipate hills, I can slow down when necessary and the difference is at least a mile per gallon better. Even over the long haul my numbers are better...
Again, just wondering
Bruce
Call it "in the interest of science".

Over thousands of miles CC is superior. That any of us may turn it off in traffic, in the hills, etc. is beside the point. KENWORTH and the big diesel engine manufacturers -- in a business where they are interested in 100ths of a mpg -- have studied all of what goes into fuel economy. CC is better.

For comparative purposes, the use of CC takes away the irregular uneven driver patterns of throttle use. Yes, I "know" how to do it and understand the point made. But todays CC is a far cry from what we had in 1967.

So, if I had this truck and was wishing to offer useful information I'd search out and correct all the mechanical relationships with the combined rig (not done 97% of the time), scale it carefully and use recommended tire pressures, and run at a speed below the point where air resistance takes off.

That way nearly anyone can duplicate the test. Correct for weight of the combined rig given the same trailer type. And the rest of us can help make guesses to provide a corrective factor for climate and terrain.

Probably most towing will be done in the warmest months. And a sufficient amount of non-mountainous travel will then "reveal" what can be said for the range of mpg seen by owners of this trailer brand under those stated conditons. Tom gets X and Mike gets Y and we can "see" the differences in combined rig weight plus colder/hotter and versus sea level or High Plains.

The end result would be the cents-per-mile calculation. When diesel is $3.50/gl it appears an EcoDiesel can tow one of our trailers for (fill in the blank) cents-per-mile fuel cost.

Likely that would be a few pennies difference between owners at most. Then the comparison to a gasser under otherwise similar conditions applies. A range, and then factoring the 30% premium diesel price.

The other uses of the truck (solo, city and highway, number of annual miles, empty or loaded, etc) make for undrstandable confusion on what it costs to operate.

My guess is that the ED pickup will be somewhat better versus a gasser in towing with the fuel price correction. But that it will shine for the driver who operates it solo with the goal of highest mpg on highway. That low annual towing miles versus high solo non-stop travel will be the "sweet spot" for owners.

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Old 12-17-2014, 05:18 AM   #16
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Interesting!
I am sure you are correct about the costs of operating the diesel on a fuel cost basis. My "concerns" with this truck are two; the first being its payload capacity (pretty low...) and the other being long term cost of maintenance. It does not take much to offset the savings attained by good fuel economy with repair bills.
I have no idea how this engine will fare in time but it will be interesting to watch.

I personally love diesels and I would love to see more in "half ton" trucks.
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Old 12-17-2014, 12:21 PM   #17
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2015 Ram 1500 diesel truck

Agreed

Dialing in the hitch on a scale is job one. With that done I wouldn't be too concerned.

Repeatable, verifiable mpg results are easy if conditions are optimized. That'll make maintenance and repairs stand out more. Driven for economy also means driving for longer life and reliability. One can barely separate these things.

The irony of a more efficient vehicle is that most will not take the savings. Jevons Paradox. Instead they'll drive it harder faster farther. And abuse the vehicle thereby.

The discipline of looking for economy means achieving the same ends but with less fuel. Combined trips is Number One and then driving reduced miles at a higher skill level is Number Two. No left turns. No idling. Not hard to achieve but most are unwilling to co front the teen driver within who still has hold of the wheel. Etc.

Good luck
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Old 12-17-2014, 12:43 PM   #18
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I know that Ford is working on a diesel for the new aluminum F-150. Not sure when it will be available but probably not until the 2016 model year. You can bet they will be monitoring the sales results of the RAM 1/2 ton diesel and act accordingly. I'm sure that GM is also looking at this.

1/2 tons trucks are great vehicles for towing just about any Airstream model provided you don't exceed the carrying capacity (payload) of the truck and use a properly set up WD/AS hitch. 1/2 tons offer a good compromise of safety, convenience and drive-ability when compared to 3/4 ton trucks. Adding a diesel to the picture makes a 1/2 ton a real winner!

We opted for a 3/4 ton F-250 Diesel because we needed an 8 foot bed and the payload capacity (we travel 8 to 9 months of the year for extended trips and carry four bicycles.) If I could get what I want to fit in a 1/2 ton diesel I'd do it in a heartbeat!
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