i have searched to avail , i want to know what the optimum rpm's are pulling a 6% grade towing about 10k? rig w/toys is in the sig. thanks in advance.
i am thinking about keeping it at about 2k rpm's. sound about right?

 

I pull at around 2800 when pulling grades.

 

Although I'm not quite as heavy as you, but I like to keep mine @ 2000-2300 unless the converter is unlocking or EGT's creep up.

 

Towing at highway speed, with a 10,000lb 5er, 2,100-2,300. Highway speed to me may be a little high.

 

I try to keep it between 2900-3100rpm (OD off) when climbing 6% grades with my 10,500lb. toyhauler, which coincidentally puts my EGTs right around 1200-1300°. If I let it drop into OD, my speed will rapidly drop as well.

 

anything over 2500 rpm seems kinda high. heck you're not that far away from redline.
when i drive the semi i always keep it in the meat of the power band and have never had any egt problems.
i dunno.

 

With your 4:10 gear i would say 2000-2300 should work just fine no need to spin the engine any faster if it is pulling ok up the grade.

 

That's what works for me too. If you get down around 1600 your lugging and the EGT goes way up (but it sounds nice). 2000-2300 pulls real nice and can rev farther if you need too. Then when the road levels out you can go back to OD and relax.

Wetspirit

 

i run it at the 2000 -2300 rpm range also when pullin grades

 

2500-2600rpm's pulling 11k

 

my rig works best 2400-2600 max pulling all the CO/NM/UT/WY/MT passes with the NV5600 pulling 11200 GVWR 5er. I maintain posted speed or 5 mph less when possible and have never had reason to run the Cummins 2900 rpm on Monarch/Wolf Creek/all passes on million dollar highway/I-80 east out of Salt Lake or simular passes in the Rockies. I found with my rig the more rpm the higher the EGTs were. My truck is stock. The highest EGTS, 1050-1250 for 240 miles, I've ran were in western KS running into a 35 mph headwind pulling my very flat front '97 5er and trying to maintain 65 mph.
JIM

 

I kind of have the same truck. I can't pull 6% in OD because I have to (legally, anyway) go 55mph. At 55, the rpms are around 1600 or so, which means running in direct drive at around 2500+, and it works, just sounds like it's going to blow up.
The auto pretty much sucks for towing anything heavy, it needs a gear in between D and OD.

 

anyone else have an opinion?

 

I just got back from a pretty long trip from here down to eastern southern california....with some 'decent' hills between here and there....

here in Oregon, rolling in 6th around 65mph in the flats puts me just under 1800rpms...and dropping into 5th (direct) kicks me up to 2400-2500..

at around or just over 17k #'s combined weight, my truck will pull most any hill w/o problem if kept above....say 2000-2100 rpm in 5th (around 50mph)....

if I'm heavy, its a STEEP hill, or a hill w/ lots of curves that force me down under 50mph.....thats when I start thinking about 4th gear....

but, on the Interstates, I can usually pull most any hill in 5th gear....usually around 55mph...2200-2300rpms...

('01.5 HO, 6 speed, EZ, and 295/75-16's for reference)

 

We are full-timers and haul a 38' 5th wheel with a stock 2004 Dodge 3500 STL Cummins Turbo Quad Cab Dually with a LB and RWD and Auto Trans with 4.10 gearing. Since new we have put 70K miles on it without doing anything but keeping it properly serviced and changing those trans and rear-end fluids. The Goodyears that came on it lasted 45K miles and I now have Generals and they are doing a little better than the Goodyears did. The 2004 has a combined weight ratio of 26,400 lbs.. Our 5th wheel usually tops out at about 15K and we have another 3K in the truck including fuel and passengers so we are within 1K of max most of the time. The best RPM for fuel economy is about 2100 and that is about 67 MPH on the straight and level. The 4.10 will start costing you if you run much faster than that. When pulling 5.0 or higher grades I always drop it into tow-haul mode when the speed bleeds down to 60MPH or less and the RPM will go up to 2600-2700. With our load we can still pull a 7.5 grade at 45 - 50 MPH but the turbo will be screaming. With the 5th wheel in tow we have averaged between 9.5 - 11.5 depending on the number of grades we have to pull and the wind conditions. Empty at 70 MPH and 2200RPM we get about 15.5 MPG. When it starts to get lower than that it’s time to change those fuel filters.

FL_FullTimer