4x4ord wrote:



Knowing how the exhaust brake and how cruise works kinda matters. I know with any truck I've ever had, stepping on the brake pedal cancels cruise.... With my Ford if I set cruise and let it apply the brakes automatically I can count brake applications by watching when the trailer brakes are applied automatically as they did in this video. As soon as I brake manually (say to slow for a sharp curve or because I find the set speed to be a little fast) cruise is cancelled and has to be reset. If I set the exhaust brake to automatic and let it do its thing the computer will exercise enough back pressure to hold the truck back to the speed it was going when the brake pedal or accelerator pedal was last released. If maximum exhaust braking is not enough to maintain the desired speed the wheel brakes (truck and trailer) are used to slow the combination down a little anytime the engine reaches redline. If while set to "auto" I find 4th gear is too fast for the exhaust brake to maintain speed down the grade I simply step on the brake pedal until the truck drops to third gear. When I take my foot off the brake it will try yo maintain that new set point and if 3rd gear is still too fast I can step on the brake again and slow to second gear. "Auto" exhaust brake is perfect for grade braking (better than cruise). If the exhaust brake is set to "on" the exhaust brake constantly tries to slow the unit even once it slows below my desired speed. "On" should be used for slowing down rather than for trying to maintain a desired speed on a downhill grade.

cptqueeg wrote:

Does 12 gallons more fuel (and a local Ford dealer) make it worth buying a Ford for a long time GM fan?

We like the lonely stretches of NV a lot.

cummins2014 wrote:




Wow, that's a lot of shifting ,braking etc . I have yet to come off a grade , regardless of how steep ,and need to apply the brakes on my 2014 Cummins 6.7 3500 . Only thing I have to do it is realize that my cruise will gain 5 mph , and then settle's in , and maintains that speed . I come off one in Idaho that's pretty long ,and steep . I like it at 55 , set the cruise for 50 .

Probably not towing the weight some are , my fifth wheel is only 15,500 GVWR , around 14,500 loaded these days . But the Cummins gets the job done nicely up ,and down the grades here in the mountain west .

rhagfo wrote:

I just wonder how this would have sold if Ram actually put into production!

cummins2014 wrote:


Probably not towing the weight some are , my fifth wheel is only 15,500 GVWR , around 14,500 loaded these days . But the Cummins gets the job done nicely up ,and down the grades here in the mountain west .

4x4ord wrote:



An EB is nice to have for a 14000 lb trailer but not absolutely necessary for most highway grades. I remember descending a very long 8% grade with 14000 lbs in tow in the days before the factory EBs were available. My 03 Duramax at that time held the trailer back with zero brake applications at 5000 rpm in 1st gear. I used a 2011 Powerstroke on that same hill pulling the same 14000 lb trailer. The 2011 Powerstroke had a poor EB but it was good enough to comfortably descend the mountain in 2 nd gear at about 3500 rpm without any brake applications.

cptqueeg wrote:

What is an approximate range of a CC LWB F350 w 7.3 gasser (48gal) vs the 3500 w duramax (36 gal) with a load of 3000lbs (pop-up TC, people, gear)?

(The truck would be stored all winter in an unheated garage so a gasser would avoid frozen DEF.)

rhagfo wrote:



Well 12 gallon difference 36 vs 48 gallon.If it is fuel capacity one just needs a Ram!

Well current Rams have as large as a 55 gallon tank, but I am talking real fuel capacity like 170 gallons!! I just wonder how this would have sold if Ram actually put into production!



Ram Long Hauler