Ram 1500 Eco Diesel

[Highlineman]

Anybody use a Ram 1500 Eco Diesel to pull a Ranger 620 or something in the same weight range ? Sure would like to hear any opinions on that plus and minuses on the truck and motor. Thanks for your opinion Terry

[BCLII]

Got over 45,000 miles on mine and just love it. I pull a 21' Grady White with no issues. Much heavier than a 620. As with all trailering on any rig, big or small, unexpected fast stops can be an issue. Go for it you'll love the truck, with excellent mileage whether towing or commuting.

[Highlineman]

BCLII
Can I ask what gear ratio rear end do you have ? How does it do doing up hills ? Thanks for your helps

[walleyefisher_nd]

I'm wondering the same thing. Looking at purchasing one in the next year and was considering a Laramie crew cab with the longer box and 3.92 gears. I also posted on an ecodiesel forum and got mixed responses when I asked if I would be able to set the cruise at 70 and go pulling my 619 Ranger.

[Bigredmf]

I have a 15 ecodiesel crew cab bighorn 4x4 6.5' Ram box.
Though I haven't towed with it yet I'm pulling down just shy of 24 mpg with lots of short trips

I'm sure it will tow a 20' glass boat based on the number of large travel trailers being towed with them

I've never been comfortable towing with cruise control on but I'm sure you could

The huge issue with these trucks is their limited payload capacity.

Mine has a 1004# maximum payload capacity which includes occupants.

A couple of large men and gear leaves very little left for tongue weight.

Just something to consider

Red


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[BCLII]

Outdoorsman CC, 6'4" box, and 3:55. Didn't feel I needed the 3:92's and glad I did not get them. Outdoorsman comes std. with the 3:92's but was optioned to the 3:55's. My truck was the second one that came to MN. After being a GM guy, this thing is for real! Good luck!

[B-man]

The 1500 Eco-Diesel is a very capable half ton. It will do anything a half ton is meant to do, and is light years ahead of trucks a decade ago.

That includes pulling glass walleye boats (620's included)

It's not underpowered, nor overpowered, and gets great mileage while getting the job done.

That little 3.0L motor paired with the standard 8 speed transmission does a more than satisfactory job, and everyone that has ever ridden with me pulling the boat has been impressed, especially when it's time to split fuel costs.

Over a long towing trip (100+ miles) I always reset the mileage and check to see what I got. I pull a relatively heavy 4,500lb glass Lund. It varies from as high as 20.2 to as low as 16. With an average towing mileage of a little over 18 mpg (that's real-world round-trip, driveway to driveway, launching/landing, stopping for food/bait, city/highway, headwind one way, tailwind the other, not "instant" mileage or a "good day".

Wind resistance is your biggest enemy, not necessarily weight (when it comes to towing mileage). Covering your boat lessens wind drag which leads to better mileage and more time spent in overdrive.

As for towing a 620 at 70 mph? You won't have a problem. It could pull it at 100 mph if you wanted to LOL (as would any modern truck).

I've never "not been able to accelerate", regardless of speed or grade (10%+).

I'm assuming you are asking more about overdrive at 70mph???

If I'm on level ground without a headwind my truck stays in 8th gear towing my boat. Going up a small/medium incline at 70 mph it will usually shift down to 7th.

Going 70 mph into a 20 mph headwind will have it in 7th all of the time. But even then I will still swing 16 mpg average. My previous 2013 5.3 Silverado got around 10 mpg in those conditions.

Going 70 mph with a good tailwind will average over 20 mpg towing.



Again, the Eco-Diesel isn't the fastest or most powerful truck available, but it does more than most guys need and gets outstanding mileage in the process

Brother has one and it is a great combo between the tranny and motor. I drove his truck pulling around 6000#'s this past winter. It pulled like a small diesel and was very impressed. Same trailer I was getting 11 mpg with my ford ecoboost. He was seeing about 14.

He has had a number of issues with the HMI and emissions systems however. Been in the shop many times.

I don't have the Eco diesel but I do have a 14 Ram 1500. It's rated to pull more than 9K pounds so pulling a 620 should be fairly effortless.

Originally Posted by B-man

The 1500 Eco-Diesel is a very capable half ton. It will do anything a half ton is meant to do, and is light years ahead of trucks a decade ago.

That includes pulling glass walleye boats (620's included)

This is exactly right. Today's 1/2 tons are rated to pull what we were looking for out of 3/4 tons 15 years ago.