RPMs while towing - TDR Roundtable

RPMs while towing

10-30-2004, 03:57 AM

#1 (permalink)

Radshooter

Offline
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: In an RV somewhere out West Posts: 453 Old Reader's Rigs Gallery

RPMs while towing

Just wondering what RPMs y'all run while towing heavy loads. Our fiver is a 38 footer triple axle, and weighs around 17k, and I don't like to tow much over 65 mph. On a flat stretch of road, I am usually in 5th gear running 2500-2600 RPMs. If I shift to 6th, the RPMs drop to 1600-1700 RPM range. In fifth gear, I have no problem topping small hills without loosing speed. In sixth, I am downshifting a lot to keep from lugging the engine, so I decided to just leave it in fifth most of the time. It just seems like the 1600 RPM range is a bit low and lugs the engine a lot. If I push it up to 75 mph, the RPMs come up to around 2200 in sixth, but I don't like to run that fast with the fiver. All my guages say normal when towing, so I haven't been too worried, and I can still accelerate in fifth if I have to.

Is 2600 too close to redline for all day towing?

Thanks for your input...
Steve

__________________
03 Silver 3500 SLT 4WD CTD HO NV5600 3.73 DRW LWB Dipricol Boost and Pre-turbo EGT, AFE, Torque Tube, Jacob's Exhaust brake, Jordan, diamond plate bed rails, diamond plate mudflaps.

Non members can only view the initial post on threads more than 7 days old. There are 18 additional replies on this thread that you could view if you were a member.

TDR Membership offers many benefits including:

4 issues of the TDR magazine per year including these columns:
- Tailgating - A Letter From The Editor
- Letter Exchange - Responses From The Readers
- Member2Member - Members' Solutions To Members' Questions
- Technical Topics - Service/Parts Update
- First Generation - Owner-Specific Articles On The '89 - '93 Dodge Diesel Trucks
- 12-Valve Engines - Owner-Specific Articles On The '94 - '98.5 12-Valve Dodge Diesel Trucks
- 24-Valve Engines - Owner-Specific Articles On The '98.5 - '02 24-Valve Dodge Diesel Trucks
- Third Generation - Owner-Specific Articles On The '03 And Newer Dodge Diesel Trucks
- Blowin' In The Wind - Industry News
- Shadetree - Back To The Basics
- Celebrity Corner - The Shadetree Mechanic - Sam Memmolo
- From The Shop Floor - Tips From Turbo Diesel Repair Shops
- Products Showcase - Featured Products
- TDRelease - Vendor Press Releases
In many areas of the country a local chapter with events
A yearly printed copy of the TDR Travel companion listing approximately 700 TDR members across the country willing to help you if you have trouble on the road
Complete access to the TDR website including:
- Ability to do advanced searches over 1.1 million posts
- Access to members only forums (Truck 911, FAQ Forums, Discontinued parts support, Rigs spotted, Pay it forward, Other, and Political)
- Posting ability to the forums
- Ability to read an unlimited number of posts from the forums
- Can customize your forum list to your interests
- Can choose 1st, 2nd, 3rd gen, or rotating header graphics
- Limit searches to forums your interested in
- View posts since you last logged on
- Private message ability to other members
- Chat room access
- Diesel truck specific TSB listing by model year
- Online access to the Travel Companion database (with most current information)