6 Cyl Dodge Diesel 30 mpg?

LaunchnRetrieve wrote:
Well, thanks for the discussion, guys. I think with my current $ situation the best use of my TT will be to find a great storage location central to a few places I would enjoy visiting again and again, making the cost of towing a minimal concern. I think I'll look into what would make a good commuter truck that can tow safely and efficiently for short distances. Either that or go back to tents, but that just doesn't seem like a lot of fun in the winter months.

An economical articulated vehicle is one that is both aerodynamic and fuel efficient as well as being longest-lived. A TV replaced every five years and TT replaced every seven is hardly a good use of money if one can find the TV/TT combination that will last well past a decade (decades, with one current TT brand).

And for those not full-timing, the cost of solo driving is more important. Most of all, the TOTAL costs of TV ownership need to be looked at (purchase, finance, insurance, maintenance, repairs, fuel, etc) as singling out one (fuel) is a little less than half the story in terms of money.

I started from a clean sheet. A non-emissions CTD plus an aero aluminum TT was easily the winner from the perspective of longest life with highest reliability over most miles with lowest cost. In the South Central U.S. (climate and terrain matter most in fuel economy once past vehicle spec) I can hit the average of others with same basic rig: 14-16/mpg with 28'-35' TTs behind a pre-emissions DODGE CTD.

Making a few changes in solo driving habits can underwrite several thousand miles of trailer towing. Few are interested in changing old habits I've learned. But I've done it and so can others so motivated.

The TT design is more important than a specific TV when it comes to lower fuel bills . . and an aero TT can be pulled by car, minivan or other than a pickup. IOW, don't let the TT be a ball and chain. Step back and take your time.

Good luck

.

Good decision. I used my sailboat a lot more when it was in a slip and all I had to do was drive to the marina and in 10 minutes I was out on the water. A friend had a 3,000 lb. racing boat on a trailer and his old VW bug was enough to launch it at the boat ramp and it only had to go from the gated area nearby to the ramp.

No free lunch when you have a heavy vehicle pulling a heavy load down the highway. With a smaller and lighter boat you need less in the way of a tow vehicle to pull it and a smaller vehicle will provide better fuel economy all the time and not only when towing.

At some of the lakes where we go it makes more sense to rent a boat by the day at the marina than to tow ours. It makes life simpler when doing short trips to an area. A boat at the marina can also be better with the problems with the zebra a quagga mussel infestation brought south by boaters from the Great Lakes area. A marina boat does not need to be inspected and it also does not need to be launched.

With the worst drought in history there are a number of lakes where the boat ramps are currently closed as the water level is too low. With snow pack at 20% of normal this is not going to get any better anytime soon.

Well, thanks for the discussion, guys. I think with my current $ situation the best use of my TT will be to find a great storage location central to a few places I would enjoy visiting again and again, making the cost of towing a minimal concern. I think I'll look into what would make a good commuter truck that can tow safely and efficiently for short distances. Either that or go back to tents, but that just doesn't seem like a lot of fun in the winter months.

Bigdog wrote:
1/2 ton p/u able to pull a 9000# TT,sure,but can it safely stop it in an emergency w/o TT brakes? I don't want to be around to see that.

You know I may not have a clue but .. WC .... You'd think if the manufacturer designed, built & tested a 1/2 ton to where it can pull a 9600 lb TT safely, that they also tested it to safely stop it under all conditions. If not they'd more than likely be open to some serious consequences . JMO

I think that I got a gator and we were either coming down Co 24 after Camp Hale or eastbound on N.M.,Co, 17.
2001 Excursion PSD with a 4" turbo back pipe and a DP tuner with a 60 HP and 80 HP tunes. We got 10.5 avg pulling a Cougar 304BHS TT,9600#, at 60-65 mph from Bremerton to Moab to Durango and south to Abiquiu NM and then back to Chama and over 17 and up Co 24 to I-70 to Fruita and back home up 666 to I-15 and home.we got 20-21 unloaded freeway and 13-15 around town. Now I get 11-13 around town in my Jeep Liberty and 18-20 freeway,unless it's behind the Tradewinds 40' 330 Cat and then it's 7.5.

Best thing to getter better mpg's while towing is to slow down and move to Florida. I'm not sure they have a small hill there:) And tow only on windless days.

Your tailer brake wire caught something in the road that was high enough to snag the wire and break it so that none of your trailer brakes worked anymore? All I can say is - WOW!

Want better mpg for free? Just slow down a bit. Your never gonna get good mileage towing a tt with any combo but driving a little slower will help every combo.

JJBIRISH wrote:

noplace2 wrote:

sch911 wrote:

noplace2 wrote:
The problem with nearly all of these types of threads is that few consider the ability to STOP the thing. Sure, with an only slightly modified VW bug I could haul a 9K rig atop Pike's Peak. (slowly) Coming down, could I stop it when I absolutely needed to?:S

I respectfully disagree. The onus of responsibility is upon the person who mis-matches what they are towing, with what they are towing with. In my less than humble opinion, trailer brakes should be viewed as an accessory, not a fail-safe. In an emergency situation they are virtually useless. I know that my truck can stop both it and the 10K 5'er without use of the trailer brakes. Have been there and done that, not happily but successfully.

And I respectfully disagree with your assessment…

Maybe the TV will stop it, but in how many more feet would it take, and how many times would it stop it in a reasonable distance before the rotors are junk... and how about down long steep down hills…

trailer brakes are not an accessory at all and shouldn’t be thought of as such, they are an important safety item for any combination vehicle…

And I will disagree with you as I had the trailer brake wires on my rig catch something on the road as we were descending a rather steep hill and break and I was able to stop after a fashion without the trailer brakes. I was pulling a 35' 9600# TT with an '01 Excursion and even with the brake size on the EX and the weight of it it got pretty hairy a couple of times before we got it stopped safely. I was not mis-matched. You never want to take something like that for granted. Sure it's got the power to pull it,but does it have the weight to safely stop it w/o the trailer brakes. 1/2 ton p/u able to pull a 9000# TT,sure,but can it safely stop it in an emergency w/o TT brakes? I don't want to be around to see that.

As an alternative, one can go for a 2500 or 3500 and a Cummins diesel engine. As one of my options, I'm thinking of going a similar route, although I am very concerned that the few feet of added length may cause issues in parking garages.