New Ranch Truck

 

New Ranch Truck

by rdpecken on Jun.03, 2012, under Area

We purchased a new truck for the Ranch in March. This was our first trip up with it. The truck is a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500, with 4×4 and a regular cab. It also has a towing package, but not much else. I’ll bet you didn’t know you could still get hand cranked windows, did you?? Anyway, this has the 5.7 Liter Hemi V8 to help pull loads up the hill. 

Ranch Truck

So the trip up over Memorial Day had us pulling our big trailer with the metal roof components loaded and the tools in the aluminum storage box for trailer, along with our normal supplies for 5 days or so. The mileage was a little disappointing, until I analyzed it when we got back in town. The truck has been averaging 15 – 1/2 mpg in town. That’s pretty respectable for a full size truck with a V8. After filling up in Mesa, we found that going up the hill to Chino Valley, pulling the full trailer resulted in about 14 – 1/2 mpg. OK, I understand, that’s going up hill.

Mesa to Chino Valley Elevation Change

The figure that surprised us was the trip from Chino to the Ranch with a full load, and the trip from the ranch to Chino with a partial load on the trailer. There, we got only 12.8 mpg. That seems a little low, until we look at the elevation changes that we have on that part of the trip. There are some pretty steep, long climbs in there.

Chino Valley to Ranch Elevation Changes

 

Ranch to Chino Valley Elevation Changes

Finally, from Chino Valley to Mesa, the mileage came back up to a reasonable level, for pulling a trailer with a partial load. There we got back to 15-1/2 mpg.

Chino Valley to Mesa Elevation Changes

I expect that when we get the truck out on a flat stretch of highway this summer, we will approach the suggested 20 mpg, with no heavy loads being towed. We will see…

2 comments for this entry:
  1. WB0WHO
    June 7th, 2012 on 6:13 pm

    Wow….Not bad for the Truck! My Jeep gets a Avg of maybe 17mpg! Funny, of all the times I have went this Route, I really didnt notice the big elevation changes! John

  2. WB0WHO
    June 7th, 2012 on 6:19 pm

    I would think maybe big change is near Bumbulbee

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