Need advice on choosing another Tow Vehicle?

I tow a 7,000 pound (wet) TT using a 2014 RAM ECO Diesel and get 14-16 MPG with no slowing down on the hills.

I think if you get a lot of replies you’re going to see a pattern of 9-11mpg towing. Wind resistance on the TT is key; length and weight have less affect. Weight becomes more of an issue if you spend much time climbing mountain grades. Half tons pull similar TT’s all the time with no ill effects, unless that era Silverado is noted for weak transmissions. jerem0621’s suggestion of changing out the gears is another cheaper option to replacing the vehicle.

My dad has an 03 Ram Cummins 2500 that gets about the same empty on highway trips. He routinely gets 16-18 mpg mixed driving. He gets 10-11 mpg towing his 36 ft fiver at 55-60 mph.

Good trucks but the newer Rams with the cummins do not get that kind of MPG. The 03-05 were the best HD's for MPG and a good choice.

Your half ton could have a gear swap to a 3.73 or 4.11 and would make a more capable towing machine.

Good luck no matter what you decide.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

jerem0621 wrote:
Hmm....

I pulled a 7000 lb 32 ft TT with my old 97 F150 with NO problems. I upgraded to a dually and pretty well hated it.

What's the issue here? Does the rig not pull well? Is your friend just wanting to help you spend your $$$?

Upgrade if you want, but I'm not sure it's needed...

Well, my particular truck is probably the most fuel efficient stock model of gasoline Chevy made in the 2000s. To achieve great gas mileage, they had to gear it up really high in the rear end. This means that it was not intended for pulling. Can it pull? Yes. The engine certainly would have no problem, it has the power. Like a chain that is only as strong as the weakest link, a truck is only as strong as it's weakest component. The weakest component in my truck is a thing called an "Automatic Transmission".

Basically, I want a TV that I don't have to worry about. I want a TV that I could jump in tomorrow and drive to the Arctic ocean pulling my TT and not have to worry about it putting too much stress on it.

My Dad has a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.9 diesel. He gets 23MPG on the highway empty and 16 towing a TT. I am probably gonna go with something like his truck, but I thought I would ask around and see what else out there that can do the same, because the 2005 Ram 2500 with the 5.9 diesel are a hot item around my area because of the oilfield and hard to come by at a decent price.

Hmm....

I pulled a 7000 lb 32 ft TT with my old 97 F150 with NO problems. I upgraded to a dually and pretty well hated it.

What's the issue here? Does the rig not pull well? Is your friend just wanting to help you spend your $$$?

Upgrade if you want, but I'm not sure it's needed...

Most all get 9-12 mpg towing from what I have read on these forums. We towed our about 6200 lb wet TT with a loaner 3500 diesel and got average 11.3 on our last trip. With our previous F150 got around 8.

Ford F250 6.2L gas 2011 towing a 24' exterior trailer. I got 9.3MPG going from Montreal to Yellowstone. I always drove exactly the speed limit and never above 65.

From what I have read this is typical. Lighter truck would give me better MPG empty but not while towing. Only reducing surface area(pop-up) would help.


Fun fact. I drove the highway towards the salt flats without the trailer doing 80 and MPG was about the same as 65 with the trailer.