18 mpg Dodge while towing?

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 would be surprised if he gets 18 empty. I have a 2013 Duramax and average about 17 empty and I know that 2003 doesn't get as good a mileage as a 2013 just because of fuel mileage improvements in the last 11 years.

I too am amazed on how many folks cannot actually calculate their fuel mileage. We keep track of ours, more to know how the trend is. We also make changes to driving to increase mileage (like towing at 59mph or taking it off cruise when approaching hills). We are not in a hurry usually so slower speed works for us.

I did not see it mentioned, but sometimes the odometer is off also and causes errors in mpg calcs.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
...

I used to get 9.5 but the wife keeps adding weight!

lol, what?! I hope your wife doesn't see that...

Michelle.S wrote:
This is all very interesting. Was fueling at a Pilot recently and an RV Transporter pulled into the next bay with a Ram pulling a large TT. Asked me what kind of mileage I got, told him we were just finishing up a 17000 mile trip and had averaged 9.7, now this is pulling 17500 Lbs of 5er from Florida to Alaska and back. Fella says WOW, only getting 8 to 9 with his Ram.
So, someone is really telling Fish Stories or really, really bad at Math.

I would say you and the transporter are telling the truth. You take it easy and he is trying to get to his destination to get another load.

I get an honest 9.0 hand calc AVERAGE West Coast towing at 60-62 up and down I-5 with 29K combined load.

I used to get 9.5 but the wife keeps adding weight!

I'm a Dodge Ram owner, and I'd be thrilled to death to get 12-13 towing my 15,000 lb. toyhauler. But it ain't gonna happen. :)

OTOH I used to get 12-12.5 mpg towing our lower profile 12,000 lb. 5th wheel.

As a Duramax owner, I can say I would have been delighted with 12-13 towing our fiver. :) I bet any honest PSD owner would say the same.

Turtle beat me to that one.

2008Wildcat wrote:
Really....

Why so doubtful. It is a 6 cylinder motor. It will always have better mileage than an 8 cylinder.

Really? You might want to retract that ridicules statement after you do a little reading.

You always tow in 2wd unless you are off road. The only time 4wd drive is used normally is to back into a spot uphill or in slipprey grass.

When backing, it helps to get air circulating into the radiator to keep the trans temp down because the engine is turning just a bit faster than it would be if in 2wd.
Barney

I'm going to ask a somewhat stupid question. Although I always say there's no such thing as a stupid question if you don't know the answer. LOL.

Do you guys tow in 2WD or 4WD? If 4, 4Auto or Lock?