For those it interests:::We took off a couple months ago and hit primarily the Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, N Dakota ... mostly Rockies. Dropped the 265 stock tires (they sucked) and installed BFG 285 75R 17 KO, and it really rocks. Smooth ride, very comfortable off-road or on highway. We traveled 7424 miles on 689 gallons - 10.77 MPG with 4000 wet weight camper load ... 2015 Chevy Xcab 4x4 w6.0L and 4.10 REWe measured it with gallons and miles - not on the gauges. Altho, gauge shows 10.677 average ... so, pretty close. Not too bad for about 2/3 mountain driving. the 6.0L hauled the weight pretty well, a few very steep grades slowed us down but the down-gears pulled it right up and at high RPM climbed everything we tried...Very happy with truck performance and new tires - haven't measured tread loss/wear - but will soon as I remember. Some say the BFG won't give good mileage, but I don't see much wear ... and no cupping, no odd wear patterns - very flat across the threads.

I'm glad it worked well for you. I'm assuming you drive about 60 or so, and slower up the mtns. Any thoughts about a truck or camper upgrade?

That's about what I get with mine running the same tires but 275/70/R18. Truck rides nice and quiet with 20,000 miles on the tires and still have half the tread.Sounds like a nice trip.

....just to confirm: ....have you got the BFG all-terrain T/A KO2 tires ?

Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.

silversand wrote:....just to confirm: ....have you got the BFG all-terrain T/A KO2 tires ?Correct ... 285's on stock rims.Pretty happy with it - no plans to change truck or camper. Some day, might go with a NL Queen ... my favorite. But not soon ...

2015 Chev 2500HD mpg | Good Sam Community

Vinsil
Explorer
Jul 20, 2016
Grit dog wrote:
bwc wrote:
monkey44 wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
deltabravo wrote:
Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.

My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.

Seems like good mileage but as asked above, bet it's at slow speeds. Set the cruise at 75 and watch the needle drop!

Grit Dog -- yeah, probably so. But I usually run at 60-65 on highways and slower on back roads. We go on these trips to enjoy the back road scenery and wildlife, not to run as fast as we can to "someplace" so it's fine for us to see where we're going as we go, not to look in the mirror at something we missed.

At 75 mph, it takes more to control the truck safely too - so, why do it and struggle. Yeah, I know, some need to speed due to time constraints, but if you can't enjoy the ride, why bother?

We're pretty happy with the performance all in all. Like the six-speed vs the four-speed we had in the 2003 6.0L w/3:73 -- and the 4:10 gives the power without losing the mpg. I'm guessing the 3:73 would gain in mpg w/6.0L, but lose muscle in the hills. This is a very good combo. We were hoping to get 10 mpg - so, nearly 10.8 is a nice surprise.

Couldn't agree more. We travel even slower, 90-95 kmh. With our combo it is routine to get 16 US mpg all day long. Just saying....

The wind resistance is the killer. On flat ground I am at like 10lbs boost and 800deg egt at 55-60 mph in 6th. At 70-75mph that's 20-25psi boost and 1000+deg egt.
Not sure how you can travel slower when goin x country or driving in the middle of nowhere plains of fields. No one goes 55mph on the freeway. Take 2 days to cross Nebraska lol!

Factory charger?

I'm 7-8 psi at 65-68 mph on the flats sometimes 10 psi if the road sucks. But it is a vgt on mine not sure if that makes a difference or not.

11-12.5 mpg, I'm impressed with the posted numbers for the gassers and larger tires.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jul 20, 2016
bwc wrote:
monkey44 wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
deltabravo wrote:
Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.

My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.

Seems like good mileage but as asked above, bet it's at slow speeds. Set the cruise at 75 and watch the needle drop!

Grit Dog -- yeah, probably so. But I usually run at 60-65 on highways and slower on back roads. We go on these trips to enjoy the back road scenery and wildlife, not to run as fast as we can to "someplace" so it's fine for us to see where we're going as we go, not to look in the mirror at something we missed.

At 75 mph, it takes more to control the truck safely too - so, why do it and struggle. Yeah, I know, some need to speed due to time constraints, but if you can't enjoy the ride, why bother?

We're pretty happy with the performance all in all. Like the six-speed vs the four-speed we had in the 2003 6.0L w/3:73 -- and the 4:10 gives the power without losing the mpg. I'm guessing the 3:73 would gain in mpg w/6.0L, but lose muscle in the hills. This is a very good combo. We were hoping to get 10 mpg - so, nearly 10.8 is a nice surprise.

Couldn't agree more. We travel even slower, 90-95 kmh. With our combo it is routine to get 16 US mpg all day long. Just saying....

The wind resistance is the killer. On flat ground I am at like 10lbs boost and 800deg egt at 55-60 mph in 6th. At 70-75mph that's 20-25psi boost and 1000+deg egt.
Not sure how you can travel slower when goin x country or driving in the middle of nowhere plains of fields. No one goes 55mph on the freeway. Take 2 days to cross Nebraska lol!
nomadictxn
Explorer
Jul 20, 2016
2011 6.0 4x4 3.73 here. I camp and travel mostly in colorado. Never in a hurry and vary high 10s to 12s. Pleased with the power of the 6.0 and the reliability. Also running AT 275 70 18s. Nice smooth ride.
bwc
Explorer
Jul 19, 2016
monkey44 wrote:
Grit dog wrote:
deltabravo wrote:
Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.

My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.

Seems like good mileage but as asked above, bet it's at slow speeds. Set the cruise at 75 and watch the needle drop!

Grit Dog -- yeah, probably so. But I usually run at 60-65 on highways and slower on back roads. We go on these trips to enjoy the back road scenery and wildlife, not to run as fast as we can to "someplace" so it's fine for us to see where we're going as we go, not to look in the mirror at something we missed.

At 75 mph, it takes more to control the truck safely too - so, why do it and struggle. Yeah, I know, some need to speed due to time constraints, but if you can't enjoy the ride, why bother?

We're pretty happy with the performance all in all. Like the six-speed vs the four-speed we had in the 2003 6.0L w/3:73 -- and the 4:10 gives the power without losing the mpg. I'm guessing the 3:73 would gain in mpg w/6.0L, but lose muscle in the hills. This is a very good combo. We were hoping to get 10 mpg - so, nearly 10.8 is a nice surprise.

Couldn't agree more. We travel even slower, 90-95 kmh. With our combo it is routine to get 16 US mpg all day long. Just saying....
monkey44
Nomad II
Jul 19, 2016
Grit dog wrote:
deltabravo wrote:
Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.

My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.

Seems like good mileage but as asked above, bet it's at slow speeds. Set the cruise at 75 and watch the needle drop!

Grit Dog -- yeah, probably so. But I usually run at 60-65 on highways and slower on back roads. We go on these trips to enjoy the back road scenery and wildlife, not to run as fast as we can to "someplace" so it's fine for us to see where we're going as we go, not to look in the mirror at something we missed.

At 75 mph, it takes more to control the truck safely too - so, why do it and struggle. Yeah, I know, some need to speed due to time constraints, but if you can't enjoy the ride, why bother?

We're pretty happy with the performance all in all. Like the six-speed vs the four-speed we had in the 2003 6.0L w/3:73 -- and the 4:10 gives the power without losing the mpg. I'm guessing the 3:73 would gain in mpg w/6.0L, but lose muscle in the hills. This is a very good combo. We were hoping to get 10 mpg - so, nearly 10.8 is a nice surprise.
SugarHillCTD
Explorer
Jul 19, 2016
Similar truck (but a 2012) with the same tire size, similar TC weight and similar fuel mileage.

And yes I keep it in the low 60s for speed.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jul 19, 2016
deltabravo wrote:
Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.

My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.

Seems like good mileage but as asked above, bet it's at slow speeds. Set the cruise at 75 and watch the needle drop!
GeoBoy
Explorer
Jul 19, 2016
That's good mileage. We get 9.5 to 10 mpg carrying our AF 990 which is about 1,000 lbs. heavier. That 6 liter/ 4.10 combination works great.
monkey44
Nomad II
Jul 19, 2016
silversand wrote:
....just to confirm: ....have you got the BFG all-terrain T/A KO2 tires ?

Correct ... 285's on stock rims.

Pretty happy with it - no plans to change truck or camper. Some day, might go with a NL Queen ... my favorite. But not soon ...
deltabravo
Nomad
Jul 19, 2016
Not bad for MPG on a gas truck and heavy camper.

My 09 D/A doesn't do much better for MPG.