new rv'er - Montana Owners Club

timbuktu78 · 05-12-2005, 06:49 PM

does anyone have a stock CTD 2500 that pulls a 37 footer? if so, what kind of fuel mileage do you get? just wondering what to expect on my 2,000 mile adventure to florida. also, is it worth doing aftermarket exhaust, intake, and chip? ok, last one, my dodge is a short bed...do i need airbags or overload springs? i'm just worrying about it squating too much. just trying to get the best info since i pick up my 3400RL in MO on my way to FL. thanks!

timbuktu78 · 05-12-2005, 07:10 PM

also, the chip i'm thinking about is the edge juice w/ attitude. is there a better one for my truck?

Bob Pasternak · 05-13-2005, 12:10 AM

Timbucku78: Welcome to the area. I hooked my 2955RL to my new Dodge 2500 for the first time yesterday. (Thurs.) The back end came down to just above level. My pin weight is 2470 loaded for the road. My truck is a long bed 4X2. As for mileage on it, it only has 600 miles on it so I have yet to see how that will be. We traded a 2001 Laramie SLT 2500 Cummins for this one. I had put an "Edge" chip in it along with 4" exhaust and gauges. That made my 2001 about equivilent to what the new one is stock. My overall mileage on a trip averaged 13.5 to 14.5. The new truck has a 4" exhaust from turbo back so I see no reason to change that. If the new one does as good pulling stock at 600+ foot lb of torque as the 2001 did with the chip in it, I'll not add anything. We're leaving here the 17th for Billings, Great Falls, Mt Shasta and points west so we'll see what it gets for mileage.

sreigle · 05-13-2005, 04:27 AM

Timbuktu, I don't have the Dodge but would like to comment that if you get rear end squat it will not be because it's a shortbed. It would be because it's a 3/4 ton with not as strong a set of springs as the 1 ton. That said, the 3400RL has the lightest advertised pinweight of all Montanas. It's possible you'll get some squat but I'd bet not. Will you have time to stop and get the airbags/overloads after you first hitch up the Montana while on your trip? That way you could find out first if they'll be needed.

Treecounter · 05-13-2005, 04:43 AM

We put air bags on our 99 Dodge 350. We pulled a 3280RL with it. With the air bags never touched the overloads. They made a marked improvement in the ride.

BillyRay · 05-13-2005, 05:42 AM

not sure on the 2500, we have the 3500 and are getting aprox. 13mpg

timbuktu78 · 05-13-2005, 06:40 AM

sreigle, i do believe i will be able to get the airbags installed after i pick up the 3400. that's a good idea to wait and see if i need them. but on the other hand, as treecounter mentioned, it improved ride quality w/ the airbags. even if my 2500 doesn't squad, it might be worth getting just for the improved ride. but on the other hand, i'm cheap and if i don't need to spend the money, i really don't want to.

Montana_738 · 05-13-2005, 07:12 AM

Bob Pasternak
I have a 2500 Chevy short bed diesel & I am also pulling a 2955. We took the same trip you are taking 2 years ago never had a problem at all, even going over the highest mountains on the trip that 2500 went up and down those mountains with ease. Half the time I had to look back to see if the rig was still there. 80% of the time I ran in overdrive. The only time I had to take her out of overdrive was going down a steep grade, I let the Allison tranny do the work so i rarely had to use my brakes.
I think you have plenty of truck without modifing anything.
I do agree with everyone else though, the Air Bags would even add to the comfort, but if your trying to conserve money, you will do fine without them. Good luck on your trip.

Bill

timbuktu78 · 05-13-2005, 08:50 AM

wouldn't a larger exhaust keep my EGT lower and an intake keep my turbo cooler? as far as the edge juice w/ attitude, wouldn't i get better fuel economy w/ it than w/o while towing?

timbuktu78 · 05-13-2005, 09:01 AM

steve and vicki, do y'all have airbags on your f-250? i noticed you have a SB also and your 3295 has a hitch weight of 2300lbs whereas my 3400 is 530lbs less than that. since we both have a 3/4 ton SB and your FW has a greater hitch weight, if you're not getting much or any squat, then i don't think i will have to worry about it. if you are, how much?

sreigle · 05-13-2005, 03:01 PM

Timbuktu78, yes, I added airbags. Our actual pinweight is 3120 but we are very heavily loaded. When weekending the pinweight was around 2700. First time we towed with this F250 the tail squatted just a bit. If I walked 50 yards away and looked I could see it. I also could feel just a tiny bit of lightness in the frontend in sidewinds and semis passing. I added the airbags and eliminated all of that. No lightness in the frontend at all now.

If you go with the airbags I would very highly recommend you spend a little extra and get the onboard compressor with in-the-cab gauge and switch to increase/decrease the pressure, especially if you want it to improve the ride. When we hit interstate concrete pavement where we get that fore-aft jerking, a little fine tuning of the airbag pressure makes a world of difference. I also sometimes use the bags to level the rig when we overnight and do not unhitch. When we do unhitch, just using the switch lets me deflate the airbags to restore the stock ride when solo. Mine are the Firestone. I have no experience with any other brand but have had these on two trucks and think they're great.

Charlie · 05-13-2005, 03:12 PM

I passed a 3400 attached to a 2500 Dodge on US69 in Oklahoma a week or so back and there was a noticable squat on the truck and the back end of the trailer was elevated about five or six inches. Think that he might have been heavily loaded as he was only driving about 55 MPH. He could have used air bags.

Montana Sky · 05-13-2005, 10:03 PM

I run the Chevy 2500HD towing my 3400RL and have not found a need for airbags. I am right at 1,900lbs on the kingpin and the truck squats less than 2" when hooked and ready. I have no knowledge on the Dodge so I am sorry but have no ideas. As far as the Chevy is concerned, I have done nothing to the truck other than add the following three items to it. 1). Custom flow tailgate for fifth wheels. 2). Installed pyro & boost gauge. 3). Installed Superglide 16k hitch. I have found this truck has more than enough power in the motor & tranny as well as brakes to tow the 3400RL without any concern. The mileage I got on my last trip last weekend gave me an average of 14.7 Worst I have done is 12.4 which in my opinion is not too bad at all.

timbuktu78 · 05-14-2005, 06:44 AM

sreigle, where is the compressor mounted on your truck?

timbuktu78 · 05-14-2005, 06:46 AM

bob, please let me know how your rig does on your trip, gas mileage wise and compared to your 2001 CTD.

Bob Pasternak · 05-14-2005, 07:08 AM

Timbucktu: There's only 600 miles on the truck now so I have no great expectations as far as mileage goes. We went to Toledo, OH last week with it and that's all the miles it has.

sreigle · 05-14-2005, 10:41 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by timbuktu78

sreigle, where is the compressor mounted on your truck?

Timbuktu78, the compressor is under the hood. The gauge and switch are mounted along the bottom of the dash where I can see the current psi and reach the switch for adjustments.

Bill Hill · 05-14-2005, 02:47 PM

Steve,
did you install the air bags yourself? We're probably going to get ours in June before we head to Prescott. I hate spending the extra $ if I can do it myself. The Firestone bags indicate they'll fit with a 5th wheel hitch and require no drilling.

sreigle · 05-14-2005, 02:58 PM

Bill, I had them installed. You could probably do it yourself. We're fulltiming and don't really have a place where I could work on it. I do know it took about four hours to get it installed, start to finish. I do not know how many breaks the guy took during that time. He estimated 3 hours and ended up using 4.

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