tdupuis

Ok, so assuming your weight descriptions are correct, you added roughly 50-60% of the truck's weight between passengers and cargo. You're not expecting to notice a difference in acceleration? That's unrealistic. Towing just my trailer empty (~1500 lbs), I don't notice it at all. When I added my old Chevy truck (5500-6000 lbs) yeah I noticed it. What amazed me was that the acceleration wasn't anemic at all (once the boost got up in 3rd gear I actually still felt it). On the highway I had it up to 85 mph and the engine didn't feel like it was working any harder than it works when it's just the truck. That's the difference: cruising. You will NEVER have to shift out of 6th once you get on the highway (unless you get below say 55-60 mph). So yes, I think your expectations were too great. Weight makes a big difference in acceleration, ask any drag racer.

SuperGewl

As most of us have said, these trucks will pull rings around the rest of them and yours seems to be doing it without any problaem. Yes it may not be a HEMI off the line(unloaded of course).
If the truck pulls a much heavier load just fine, then don't worry, your truck is doing it's thing
If you want to go like a BANCHIE then you will have to give up even more MPG's.

Mine pulls an 11.5k 5VR past the rest without fail. It doesn't start out fast but it leaves the rest in the dust on the hills

TurboTed

Sold our fiver today. 5000 pounds dry. 75 mph all the way to the "customer" and it felt like nothing behind. Return trip my overhead was reading 24mpg- 24.6 all the way. From day 1 my computer has been accurate. I drive folks crazy by hand calculating to compare it every time. (yes, I have other complaints about this Taco- Bell, but believe it or not the overhead is accurate.) I have seen an increase in highway mileage since changing to synthetic 5-40.) I can keep up with or pass pretty much any normal machine on the road when I pull a trailer- truck loaded up to 8000 pounds plus.

FastZilla

I'm driving a 1500 QC 4wd 4.7L and it won't maintain 75mph without unlocking the TC. Passing is a joke - engine winds to darn near 6400rpm but the truck doesn't accelerate - kind of like those ricers you hear around town. I notice a difference w/4 adults.

I have fun in my CTD out accelerating Acuras and the like in OD with the TC locked. Passing is a breeze. Hard to keep it under 90 when passing if you're not watching the speedo.

I'd say 2500 lbs for the Cougar and 1500 for the trailer. Cougar sounds like a project and a Merc/Ford one at that Wait till you pick up the door glass then a fender - they aren't light compared to the new stangs that weigh in dry at 3100-3200.

Curious - does the acceleration pull increase the longer you're on it. Haven't towed with this diesel but other turbo diesels take a few moments to spool up before they reall pull hard. Some times backing off the peddal actually yeilds more power...

Sounds normal to me...

Hounddog

10k worth of horse trailer and horses,4% grade cruise on at 65 mph in 6th gear.Lost 2 mph or so up that grade! My 93 W250 4x4 club Cab/auto & Cummins with lots of MODS would not touch that!

bkrukow

Put double the wheight back there and itl feel the same. I have noticed that no matter what I tow it feels the same. It is like there is a switch on the hich that automaticly makes it tow the same every time no matter how lite or heavy the trailer.

willysrule

Break that sucker in...

When I tow I have right around 5200 lbs. with the trailer, Jeep CJ, and gear...

I notice a change, but not as much as the 78' 3/4 ton big block chevy gasser that I had prior to this truck, the CTD will run circles around that gasser when towing...


My buddy has the same truck as me only his is one year older (2000) and has an auto trans...

We have about the same mods, just simple things, open exhaust, open intake.. not much different, we also have the same diff ratio so that doesn't come into play either...

he tows about the same weight, and I can run away from him on the hills also off of a red light....love my 6-speed and HO...

v8440

There's a perfect example of the comments and descriptions I had in mind when towing for the first time.

t-15 firefighter

yeah i agree with you v8440.

it is these type of quotes that make people have unrealistic expectations of our trucks. our camper weighs approx 6000 lbs and i can feel every bit of it. it tows it just fine. pulls great and will pass almost everything on the road. but i sure know it is there. mileage also tells the story.


britt

dwhite

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by TurboTed
Return trip my overhead was reading 24mpg- 24.6 all the way.

And it is these types of posts that have all of us who get 13 to 15mpg upset.