Just purchased a new Dodge 4500. This will be my workhorse for my business pulling large trailers and heavy lumber. I have been a Ford truck guy for years and still own an older F250 but given everything I wanted to do this new vehicle from Dodge looked too good to pass up. It has the heavy duty towing package with the 4.88 axle ratio. I have a few questions at this point regarding when to use the exhaust brake as well as mpg while pulling but sure these can be ironed out soon enough.

 

Welcome, this is great place if you got questions as we have tons of answers. Good looking truck! My opinion on the engine break. Turn it on and leave it on. With the emissions stuff on these trucks it helps keep those moving parts in the turbo moving and reduces carbon build it. It will also help you use less of your service breaks. I have test driven a few of these trucks and it works well I think. With those gears your MPG will be less than steallar in all situations but it sound like you plan to use it as a truck and use it to it fullest capabilities. My guess is depending on load you should be able to get a solid 8-10 MPG and probably around 14-16 empty. Still better than gasoline ever could do.

 

Thanks for your email. I just returned from a 1000 mile trip and got close to 14 mpg empty going 62 mph. Picked up a 7,000 lbs load and got 10.5 mpg on the return in some pretty hilly areas. Actually, truck drove as if it had hardly any load at all and I was impressed. Hopefully, it will do better on the mpg though as it will eventually carry close to 20,000 lbs loads routinely. I was very impressed with the Jake brake on the hills. Slowing the loads was the main reason I chose this truck with the larger brakes, hydraulic over electric, Jake brake, wheels, etc.... since when you are hauling big sawmill loads it is the stopping capacity that are my main concern.

 

Thats a full blown man truck,thats the only way to go. Really a nice truck congratulations.