18 mpg Dodge while towing?

I could probably get that with my 12 Ram CTD pulling our 5er cruising on the internet, but out on the interstates it's drops to 11.5-12.3mpg.:)

I have a 2004 tundra pulling a 286FK at best 10 mpg, I'm going camping anyway! I have a buddy that gets so freaked out about his mpg while towing he even removed the antenna from his truck for less wind resistance. Makes camping miserable.

55mph would improve mpg substantially but not sure about 18mpg. I get 11 towing at 65-70. At 55mph I can get 14-16mpg but thats with A/C on. Maybe a bit more with A/C off but haven't measured that.

That's one thing men tend to lie about. The other is how much they paid for something, or how much they got for something.

I've learned it's just easier to fib a bit than have someone think you got ripped off.

rhagfo wrote:
PS: I never look at the instant when towing up hill! :S

LOL ... Once I had a Volvo with the instant read. I use to like watching it while pulling hills when I was close to gross(80,000#). Lowest I remember was 0.5 mpg (2 GPM). But back then diesel was around a buck a gallon and the company bought the fuel.

Maybe down hill with the tranny in neutral and the engine idling. Maybe the friend does poorly with math.

I had a similar truck for 10 years, and around 115,000 miles. Best it ever got not towing was a tank at 24 MPH driving through Yellowstone. Towing my 5er and boat was closer 9, but I tow 65 - 70 MPH.

If it gets what he claims, he should keep it forever.

azdryheat wrote:
Friend claims 18 mpg while towing 35' toy hauler with 2003 Dodge Cummins Diesel with manual transmission. He says he never goes over 55 mph. Is he for real?

I have an acquaintance with an 01 ram 5.9 auto that claims he gets 18 as well towing a tt. I just smile and say oh wow thats really good.
I also met a guy when driving my work truck . Work truck is 14 chevy 3500 dmax. Guy walks up asks how I like it. I tell hi, I dont like it, I love it. He says what about milage towing? I say 12 to 13. He says oh wow! Turns and points at his ram and says I get 18 mpg all the time even towing. Again, I respond with, oh thats really good!
Lol if somebody really thinks they get that type of milage towing these large trailers I just smile. I know I wont be able to convince them they are wrong.
Actually, I met a guy this year camping that gets 12 towing his no slide 29' bumper pull. He drives an early 2000's gas 5.7 hemi...... hmmmm
but he was a good we chatted lots through the long weekend.

I doubled my towing mpg over my last truck when I bought my Ram diesel. The bad part was the last truck was a 454 Chevy gasser crew cab 4WD dually 4.10s Ouch, good bye!
2 times 6 = 12, not 18. And sometimes it wasn't even 6.

sneaky Canucks say "15mpg"... which is 12 miles per US gal...