I was curious on some real world experience on the difference in MPGs between a lighter bumper pull and a fifth wheel toy hauler.I first bought a 27 foot bumper pull that was marked as 5,800 pounds, but really was probably 7,500 dry. I pulled with a Chevy 6.0, a modded Ford 7.3 and 6.0, a 2002 Duramax and a 2008 Duramax and every truck got terrible mileage and struggled. So I got rid of it for a 21 foot Shockwave, which is 5,500 dry. Now I get 8-11 MPGs depending on speed and such. I have 3 quads, one in the bed of the truck and 2 in the camper. My typical trip through Montana I get about 9 MPG at 70 mph. (I get 11 at 60 MPH) my truck is a 2008 duramax 3/4 ton short bed crew cab.I see that in 2013-2014 XLR made a Hyperlite model that is 30HFS that is about 9,000 dry. Everything I read and hear, fifth wheels are easier to pull off course, but I also hear that in similar size, the fifth wheel will get better MPGs. I am curious if I can get similar MPGs with that hyper lite as my current setup pulling at similar speeds. My concern with MPGs isn't money, it's distance to the gas station. I frequently go on 12 hour drives in one day through Montana and northern Oregon where gas stations are often 50 plus miles apart. I also don't want a hassle towing like my 27 foot bumper pull was. My trip to the Oregon coast was 12 hours with the 27 foot, about 10 and a half with the 21 foot and around 8 empty.Please let me know your thoughts and experiences going from a bumper pull to a fifth wheel.

I actually got better mileage pulling my 39ft 5th wheel toy hauler than I did pulling my buddies 30ft bumper pull!! Pulling my smaller 30ft hauler I get about 12 Mpg at 65mph with the truck in my sig.

The 5er while heavier will have better aerodynamics which will offset much of the mileage loss due to increase in weight.Going from a 8Klb bumper pull to my 11-12K 5er is a bout a wash in terms of mileage on my 2012 Duramax

I have been pulling my 5er for 11 years, I can't remember what mileage I got with my tow behind.I can tell you this.With my 2006 F350 Dually, I got 7-8mpg doing 75mph.With my 2012 F350 Dually, I get 7-8mpg doing 75mph.No difference in trucks from a mpg standpoint, but the 2012 tows it like the trailer isn't even there.I set the cruise and it never shifts.

Wind resistance seems to be more of a factor than weight. I lost about 10% in mpg going to a taller truck camper pulling an enclosed trailer verses pulling my bumper pull toy hauler with the same truck carrying a cab high canopy even though my GCW and speed remained the same.

Thanks for the responses!!! Yeah like you say Bedlam, I'm thinking the wind resistance profile of a fifth wheel will offset the weight. That's why I've never liked the tests that websites like pickuptrucks.com do where they have a trailer with bricks on it for weight. I've towed a tractor on a flatbed and it was way easier to pull than a toy hauler even though the weight was roughly the same.Keep the comments coming. :-)

Fifth wheel vs toy hauler weight and mpgs | Good Sam Community

N-Trouble
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
ThomasFour wrote:
2001400ex wrote:
ThomasFour wrote:
Quite possibly the best purchase I ever made related to RVing was the auxiliary fuel tank for my 2500HD Duramax. I ended up with the RDS 42 gallon toolbox combo. Seriously worth the money! I know exactly what you mean about finding the next gas station. Having 60+ gallons of fuel on-board gives you a lot of options and has greatly improved our travel experience. If I ever get a new truck, it will be the first accessory I purchase. I ordered mine online from Northern Tool. I did the installation myself and it was simple.

Yeah I've looked into that. Well not an auxillary tank, but replacing the current tank with a 36 gallon one. Would be a game changer. My next pickup will have one for sure. I could do that in this truck if I keep it anther few years.

Before I bought my aux tank I had 3 - five gallon cans with Diesel I would take on long trips. Even adding an extra 15 gallons was pretty useless. I'm not sure I would be satisfied with even just 36 gallons. Aux tank is the way to go!

Went from a 26gal tank on last truck ('02 2500HD 6.0) and could only make it 200mi between fillups towing. Way to short... Current truck has 36gal tank and I can go ~350mi towing which is about the most my butt can handle without needing to make a stop. WOrks perfectly for us.
nayther
Explorer
Mar 08, 2016
ThomasFour wrote:
2001400ex wrote:
ThomasFour wrote:
Quite possibly the best purchase I ever made related to RVing was the auxiliary fuel tank for my 2500HD Duramax. I ended up with the RDS 42 gallon toolbox combo. Seriously worth the money! I know exactly what you mean about finding the next gas station. Having 60+ gallons of fuel on-board gives you a lot of options and has greatly improved our travel experience. If I ever get a new truck, it will be the first accessory I purchase. I ordered mine online from Northern Tool. I did the installation myself and it was simple.

Yeah I've looked into that. Well not an auxillary tank, but replacing the current tank with a 36 gallon one. Would be a game changer. My next pickup will have one for sure. I could do that in this truck if I keep it anther few years.

Before I bought my aux tank I had 3 - five gallon cans with Diesel I would take on long trips. Even adding an extra 15 gallons was pretty useless. I'm not sure I would be satisfied with even just 36 gallons. Aux tank is the way to go!

Northern Hydraulics makes a real nice diamond plate tank that mounts in the front of the bed and drains into the stock tank, had one on my 2005 Duramax, it worked great.
ThomasFour
Explorer
Mar 07, 2016
2001400ex wrote:
ThomasFour wrote:
Quite possibly the best purchase I ever made related to RVing was the auxiliary fuel tank for my 2500HD Duramax. I ended up with the RDS 42 gallon toolbox combo. Seriously worth the money! I know exactly what you mean about finding the next gas station. Having 60+ gallons of fuel on-board gives you a lot of options and has greatly improved our travel experience. If I ever get a new truck, it will be the first accessory I purchase. I ordered mine online from Northern Tool. I did the installation myself and it was simple.

Yeah I've looked into that. Well not an auxillary tank, but replacing the current tank with a 36 gallon one. Would be a game changer. My next pickup will have one for sure. I could do that in this truck if I keep it anther few years.

Before I bought my aux tank I had 3 - five gallon cans with Diesel I would take on long trips. Even adding an extra 15 gallons was pretty useless. I'm not sure I would be satisfied with even just 36 gallons. Aux tank is the way to go!
2001400ex
Explorer
Mar 07, 2016
ThomasFour wrote:
Quite possibly the best purchase I ever made related to RVing was the auxiliary fuel tank for my 2500HD Duramax. I ended up with the RDS 42 gallon toolbox combo. Seriously worth the money! I know exactly what you mean about finding the next gas station. Having 60+ gallons of fuel on-board gives you a lot of options and has greatly improved our travel experience. If I ever get a new truck, it will be the first accessory I purchase. I ordered mine online from Northern Tool. I did the installation myself and it was simple.

Yeah I've looked into that. Well not an auxillary tank, but replacing the current tank with a 36 gallon one. Would be a game changer. My next pickup will have one for sure. I could do that in this truck if I keep it anther few years.
ThomasFour
Explorer
Mar 07, 2016
Quite possibly the best purchase I ever made related to RVing was the auxiliary fuel tank for my 2500HD Duramax. I ended up with the RDS 42 gallon toolbox combo. Seriously worth the money! I know exactly what you mean about finding the next gas station. Having 60+ gallons of fuel on-board gives you a lot of options and has greatly improved our travel experience. If I ever get a new truck, it will be the first accessory I purchase. I ordered mine online from Northern Tool. I did the installation myself and it was simple.
RE_Todd
Explorer
Mar 06, 2016
Everything I've ever read has indicated that after you hit 35 MPH, weight doesn't matter for fuel and power. It all becomes wind resistance at that point.
mapguy
Explorer
Mar 06, 2016
Not much time in saddle running at 70mph with my 2006 srw duramax / 30' fw toyhauler. Many miles running Washington, Idaho, and Oregon getting between 9 & 12 mpg. It has been less in high winds.

I run right at 14k on the trailer loaded for longer trips. This is with 3 or 4 dirt bikes as cargo and full water tank.

Seems like the issue is really fuel tank range. Maybe time for an aftermarket tank.
Frankandbeans
Explorer
Mar 01, 2016
I have a couple years and a mile or two of towing with my 32' 5th wheel. From completely empty to fully loaded, there is zero difference in my MPG. I seem to be stuck around 9.5-10 MPG no matter what. When I read of other people saying the same thing, I found it hard to believe. I said to myself "surely my experience will be different..." Nope. I am sure if I did a MPG test of city-only driving, there might be a small difference with all the starting/stopping. But it seems aerodynamics play a far larger role in MPG than weight does. Being on the East coast, I don't have too many hills to deal with, so I'm sure that a part of it too.
2001400ex
Explorer
Mar 01, 2016
drittal wrote:
2001400ex wrote:
Yeah with a hemi, I can totally see that. It's a strong engine, but not made for pulling a lot. Surprised that a same size fifth wheel would get much worse mileage.

I do pull mountain passes in Montana. One trip I pull 3 of them, one of them is over 7,000 feet in elevation (it's a long gradual pull).

I just worry about pulling the trigger and being irritated on my first trip.

Im from MT and tow a Work and Play 30FBW with a hemi at 18,500 gross combined.

A duramax will be fine towing within its capacity.

Yeah the fifth wheel in looking at is totally within the capacity, that's not the concern. I want to be able to get 9 MPGs towing at 70 mph through Montana, which I can with my current setup.
drittal
Explorer
Mar 01, 2016
2001400ex wrote:
Yeah with a hemi, I can totally see that. It's a strong engine, but not made for pulling a lot. Surprised that a same size fifth wheel would get much worse mileage.

I do pull mountain passes in Montana. One trip I pull 3 of them, one of them is over 7,000 feet in elevation (it's a long gradual pull).

I just worry about pulling the trigger and being irritated on my first trip.

Im from MT and tow a Work and Play 30FBW with a hemi at 18,500 gross combined.

A duramax will be fine towing within its capacity.