azjeff

I just returned from a 2,100 mile round trip from Phoenix to northern Denver area last night towing my 9,900# scaled trailer both ways. I left Phx late Monday and pretty much straight to Denver through rain & snow once in Colo. I put the truck in tow/haul and headed north for Flagstaff at 7,600 feet.
I almost always use the cruise and it kept up pretty good. I found that it shifts into overdrive when up to cruising speed and a 5 mph variation either fast or slow (uphill or downhill) will cause a downshift into 3rd with a pretty quick shift into 4th. The shifts are somewhat violent into 3rd, but the trans seemed to take them ok. I was only turning 2100 at 75 mph going to CO and about 1900 at 70, which was the return cruise speed. After figuring mileage at 10.5 on the trip there I wanted to see how much it may change at 70 mph for the return and it came out to 11.5 mpg, not great but not much worse than the '95 I had that showed 2600 at 70mph and was out of power to do more and only got 11.8 mpg at 65 mph/2500 r's pulling the same load, not in O-D, like the book says.
The truck has 3600 miles on it today and I did the 1st oil change and found the filter is breeze to change from the bottom, drops straight down with only a wire somewhat in the way, but not that much.
The truck was a breeze to drive with the trailer on and being able to get to 85 to pass I found to be incredible and climbing hills and maintaining 70 was even better. The semi's I was passing that were doing 40 mph near Albuquerque just kind of looked as I went by. It was a good quick trip and the truck was perfect.
Jeff

cumminsdriver635

Glad to hear the truck is doing well . I know what you mean about the older trucks bieng out of power at 2600rpm's because until i put in my 3K rpm Governor Spring Kit yesterday, i couldnt even get it to turn 2600rpm's with overdrive off, and now shell climb to, if not past 3k rpm's like nothing, and its awesome bieng able to hear that bad boy scream at 3k rpm's . I cant wait to pull with it again, as i think it will do MUCH better now, and now i can run faster than i would want with a load in 3rd gear. Fastest i could get in 3rd up a slight hill with a big load was 60 before this because it started governing off fuel so early with the stock governor springs, and i didnt want to use 4th for fear of slipping the converter. Now i think i should be able to get to 75 probably if i wanted, but i dont think i need to go that fast with a load . Anyway, glad you like the new truck!

Eric

SuperGewl

Sounds llike a good first trip and get that off your face. you should not be smiling like that when you go past all of those big boys. It's OK to when you pass those Ferds & Chubbies though. Hopefully the milage will get better, if it doesn't after about 10k miles then replace all of fluids with synthetic. heck you do that anyway, they are much better than what's in there anyway

ckennedy

hey -

I ordered a 04 with "regular" auto trans, 4 speed, did not now there was a option for the 5 speed auto... 4 speed with overdrive.... ( at least on the 05's anyway).....I will not be using the truck for work/etc... When and if I am pullling something it will be a camping trailer for the national parks .. Do you think a regular auto trans OK ?? ... please say yes.. I really don't want to have a pull teeth on getting another truck...

cumminsdriver635

ckennedy: Dodge only has 1 automatic for all the 04's, and most 03's which is the 48re. Some of the 03's came with a 47re automatic, but none of the 04's do im pretty sure. They are both 4 speed automatics. Did you get a manual or automatic? Either way, your tranny will be PLENTY strong enough for no more pulling than you say your going to do, so dont worry about it. Dodges new automatic(48re) is supposed to be a tough tranny, and seems to be doing well, so if thats what you got, then dont worry a thing about it.

Eric