2,000+ Miles, 10,000lb TT, F250 Gasser

badercubed wrote:
First off, if you have ever seen my wife pack for a weekend, you'd know that 3,000lbs with two kids for two weeks is not a lot. Especially considering propane and golf cart batteries. However, I did mistype. I was actually 9,670lbs, not 9,967 (my scale tickets only go to the nearest 5lbs). Still over but only a shade. It's a guess though, when I hit the scale I was about 75lbs over but I moved one cooler from the TT to the TV, so I am really "guessing" on that number.

GCVW from the scale was 18,220lbs, which seemed correct since my truck is around 7,650lbs for everyday driving. Still roughly 1,000lbs under the GCWR so I felt confident. After the first stop and converting food to waste and beer to piss, I am sure I was under the TT ratings as well.

I have a gasser because that's what my company buys. And for my normal weekend trip 10 times a year it will suit me just find.

Honestly, I didn't mind in the least bit to stop for gas every 150-200 miles. The kids got out and ran, my wife got to pee and I got to stretch my legs. Besides, roads trips are supposed to be fun. We were stopping a lot anyways to sight see or just enjoy the towns we were driving though.

Wow, guess with just the two of us forgot all about the Kids STUFF!!
I would likely also stop every couple hours also, for the dogs if nothing else.

Isnt' that an average of 35.4 mph if you divide miles by hours on your trip computer? I know you said "interstates", but with an average that low you are either doing a lot of idling or mixing in a lot of stop & go. When I cruise at 75 in our suv I'm usually averaging somewhere around 55 mph at the least.

Anyway, I have a 2012 F350 DRW 6.2 3.73 and average 14-15 empty at 70-75 mph, around 9-9.5 with my TC on at 65-70, and 10-10.5 if I keep it at 60 mph. One of the advantages of of TC over a TT in California is the fact that I can legally drive faster than 60 mph, so I've been doing that lately and have been paying for that with lower mpg. It's definitely a tradeoff of speed vs $.

TomG2 wrote:
I had a coworker who put a 110 gallon fuel tank in the bed of his half ton Ford so that he almost never stopped on his way to Florida and back. Glad I was not riding with him. Not my way to travel.

I had a 40 gallon tank under the toolbox of a '87 Dodge 1/2 ton. With more than 70 useable gallons I could drive quite a ways. It was originally purchased for a '84 F-150. The 351HO under the hood of that one could really drink the gas...

badercubed wrote:
First off, if you have ever seen my wife pack for a weekend, you'd know that 3,000lbs with two kids for two weeks is not a lot. Especially considering propane and golf cart batteries. However, I did mistype. I was actually 9,670lbs, not 9,967 (my scale tickets only go to the nearest 5lbs). Still over but only a shade. It's a guess though, when I hit the scale I was about 75lbs over but I moved one cooler from the TT to the TV, so I am really "guessing" on that number.

GCVW from the scale was 18,220lbs, which seemed correct since my truck is around 7,650lbs for everyday driving. Still roughly 1,000lbs under the GCWR so I felt confident. After the first stop and converting food to waste and beer to piss, I am sure I was under the TT ratings as well.

I have a gasser because that's what my company buys. And for my normal weekend trip 10 times a year it will suit me just find.

Honestly, I didn't mind in the least bit to stop for gas every 150-200 miles. The kids got out and ran, my wife got to pee and I got to stretch my legs. Besides, roads trips are supposed to be fun. We were stopping a lot anyways to sight see or just enjoy the towns we were driving though.

Sounds like you had a great trip (unless the driver was doing the beer converting on the road :)) Getting low mpg for a small percentage of your overall driving really isn't that big a deal. Just part of the cost of vacationing.

I had a coworker who put a 110 gallon fuel tank in the bed of his half ton Ford so that he almost never stopped on his way to Florida and back. Glad I was not riding with him. Not my way to travel.

rhagfo wrote:

badercubed wrote:
The Truck: 2015 F-250 XLT 6.2L Gas
The Trailer: 2010 Hideout 30BHDS (9,967lbs for the trip) with a huge front wall



The Speed: Averaged 75mph on the Interstates (tires upgraded for speed) and I maintained speed up the grades as I was following the 2011 F350 in the pic. Yes, it sounded like I was in a NASCAR running at 5,550 RPM.
Location: WNY > PA > WV > KY > TN > KY > OH > PA > WNY



This includes about 400 miles of non-towing. Boy did it like the gas but still worth it! The truck performed very well and I am beyond glad I upgraded from my F-150 Max Tow prior to this trip.

I am impressed!!
You managed to get almost 3,000# of Stuff into that trailer, and tow it at 322# over GVWR, I realize you have LT tires on it, but we have have only about half of that in stuff. We don't use paper plates, have Corelle dinnerware and full set of pots pans grill ect. We are always fully loaded and ready go at the drop of a hat.
Did you scale or is that a best guess, if scaled what was the GCVW?

Must suck to have to stop every 200 miles for fuel.

Sandia Man wrote:


That's inline with most 3/4 ton gassers as I have the Chevy variety. I don't fret the mpg a gasser gets as it is all part of the price all must pay to partake in the RVing lifestyle. Plus our TV is dedicated to towing our 10K# TT and just sits in the garage awaiting duty, total waste of $$$ to upgrade to a diesel as we would never realize any savings. Bet you loved having that much truck pulling your TT than your previous TV, I don't worry about the high revs as they are designed for that.

Seems like a wast of $$$ to have a $40,000 vehicle sitting around to just tow your trailer, only makes sense if you go out at least one a month or more often.

badercubed wrote:

When we split up at the end (he had 1 more day off than I did!) I drove 65mph in the flats in OH. I got around 7.5mpg there but it was very windy. I believe that the computer was off by about 1/2 of a MPG as I was usually putting in about 2.5 gallons more than the "Gal Used" said I had for that tank.

I know that he got around 10mpg going from Sandusky OH to Rochester, NY on his trip back. For most of the trip I was filling up about two times to his one.

Greene728 wrote:


I'd throw up in my mouth if my towing mileage with mine was that. Not to mention how quickly I'd be trading/selling it! I'm glad to hear your content with it though. The 6.2 really is a good engine.

X5!
If I get less than 11mpg towing I am not happy!

I guess different strokes for different folks!!

First off, if you have ever seen my wife pack for a weekend, you'd know that 3,000lbs with two kids for two weeks is not a lot. Especially considering propane and golf cart batteries. However, I did mistype. I was actually 9,670lbs, not 9,967 (my scale tickets only go to the nearest 5lbs). Still over but only a shade. It's a guess though, when I hit the scale I was about 75lbs over but I moved one cooler from the TT to the TV, so I am really "guessing" on that number.

GCVW from the scale was 18,220lbs, which seemed correct since my truck is around 7,650lbs for everyday driving. Still roughly 1,000lbs under the GCWR so I felt confident. After the first stop and converting food to waste and beer to piss, I am sure I was under the TT ratings as well.

I have a gasser because that's what my company buys. And for my normal weekend trip 10 times a year it will suit me just find.

Honestly, I didn't mind in the least bit to stop for gas every 150-200 miles. The kids got out and ran, my wife got to pee and I got to stretch my legs. Besides, roads trips are supposed to be fun. We were stopping a lot anyways to sight see or just enjoy the towns we were driving though.

rhagfo wrote:

Greene728 wrote:
How do you figure he was #322 lbs over GVWR?
I must be missing something.....

The TT was 322# over the factory GVWR.

Gotcha!

Greene728 wrote:
How do you figure he was #322 lbs over GVWR?
I must be missing something.....

The TT was 322# over the factory GVWR.

Sounds like a good trip other than your mileage. I'm usually flirting with 12 mpg with my diesel. Gas is ~15% more expensive than diesel in California and my mileage increased ~50%. And diesels have a higher trade in/resale value so everything should be considered. And now I have the diesel grin. Towing is much more enjoyable.

How do you figure he was #322 lbs over GVWR?
I must be missing something.....