Towing performance (Good and Bad) *long*

[Mschevey]

I made my first long haul with my rig the other week, and have a few comments/questions. Truck is stock almost completely.

Spec’s. 2001.5, 2500, H.O. Cummins, 6 speed, trailer tow group, camper group. It had 30,000 miles at the beginning of the trip. I was towing a 24 ft. gooseneck, rated at 14,000 lbs. that weighs 4000 lbs empty.

Traveled from the Pittsburgh, PA area to just south of Ft. Worth, Tx. empty. I had a co-worker with me and we took turns driving. Made the trip in about 21 hours. The ride quality and handling were good. I averaged ~17-18 MPG at a speed of ~70 MPH. (Lets see a gasser that can do that.)

Return trip: with a 7500 lb tractor plus 3 sets of wheel weights. Total weight ~19,500 lbs. Started out and everything was acceptable. Good handling, ride and braking. Made it out of Tx. and into Ar. Here is where ride quality went south. The road had the rough expansion joints and they would get the truck bucking pretty badly. Decreasing or increasing speed had little effect. Handling was still acceptable and control was good, but we felt like we were getting whiplash in the cab. The combo. handled lone bumps well and big potholes well but the repetitive things are what it didn’t like. Checking tongue weight showed that we should have had enough (a little over 2500Lbs). Other wise the trip went well and the truck ran great. Return mileage was 13-14 MPG at 70 MPH. (I reiterate ‘Lets see a gasser do that.’)

I am thinking of trying air bags, and/or better shocks, (Still has the stock shocks.) to give a better ride over concrete roads. Any other suggestions or ideas will be appreciated. I can try to give any other information that someone may want, just ask. I will try to post a picture of the loaded rig this afternoon.

Sorry for the long post, Mike Schevey.