Fifth Wheel/Diesel mpg

Trailer in sig weighs 9,000# and we tow at 10k#. 13.2 flat freeway at constant speed. Mountain travel drops it to around 9 MPG. Flat and mountain combined we average around 11. Head winds and stop and go are rough on fuel economy and are hard to calculate.

If you would like to know more about trucks and trailering, I recommend getting this book: Truck Nuts: The Fast Lane Truck's Guide to Pickups . It's worthwhile and an easy read.

Does retirement camper mean you will be full timing it?
If so go larger truck.
Why?
Because if you have to get a different fiver for some reason you have the capacity to tow it. I am talking things like accident, theft and just plain old you find a rig you like better.

If you want to order a truck, then I agree skip the 2500 and get the 3500. The price difference is small. If, however, you are buying off a dealer lot, the 2500 properly equipped is fine. Around my area you seldom see a 3500 SRW on a dealers lot. The rear axle weight capacity difference between many 2500 and 3500 trucks is minimal. My 2016 Ram 2500 has a RAWR of 6,500 lbs and you get 500 more lbs in a 3500. As you start approaching 14K you may need the extra 500 lbs, but the weights you are talking about is WAY below that. I got 11 mpg pulling my 12,500 lb loaded fiver with my former 2015 Ram 2500 with Cummins diesel (which was destroyed by flood sitting in my garage). My current 2016 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 hemi and 4.10 rear gets 8 mpg pulling the same 5th wheel. Good luck.

Stewart123 wrote:
My husband and I are looking into a fifth wheel for our retirement camper. We hope to have our minds made up by January 2018. He wants to get a 2500 series diesel truck. Fifth wheel would be in the 8500 to 9000 lbs range. For yucks, I'd like to know what people are getting, mileage wise, pulling a fifth wheel as opposed to a travel trailer in the 6,5,00 lbs range? Any insight would be helpful. Thank you.

I will disagree with the above posters with one condition, you are sure the fifth-wheel you get will be at the weight you are stating. If there is any chance of getting a larger fifth-wheel go to the 3500.
Now for the fuel mileage, when towing our fifth-wheel with our 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel we get right at 10 mpg. Our weighs 10,600 empty.

10.5 mile going to Daytona last year and same to Bristol. Towing 15000 with my 2500 gmc

I agree with the previous comments. You are in an enviable position to be unshackled by what truck you own before you buy a 5th wheel.

There is little difference in price between a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton truck.

Get the 1 ton and leave your worries behind.

This advise is from people, at least me, who did it the other way around and regretted it and had to loose some money to get it fixed. Lucky you! Get a 1 ton :)

I agree with DTR, skip the 2500 and go 3500.
The ride isn't really any different and you would be shocked how fast you can eat up the GVWR of a 2500.

The difference in mpg due to weight is negligible. It's the size of the front that makes a difference.

I'm going the opposite direction next time I get a new truck. I'll be ditching the F250 and getting a properly equipped F150 Ecoboost. Best of both worlds. No problem hauling my 8,000 lbs trailer and great gas mileage as a daily driver.

Welcome to the Forum..

Couple of suggestions from a lot of experience and a lot of mistakes.

Skip: the 250/2500 series truck and get a 3500. (especially for a 5th wheel)
Forget: mileage. You are going to get around each side of 10mpg.

We stopped worrying about mileage and realized that no matter what, when towing our house around the country we were going to get horrible mileage.

Good luck with you choice and enjoy the adventure.