First tow with 06 LBZ

[MinnCamper]

All I can say is HOLY CRAP! Coming from a 2000 6.0 vortex this set up is awsome! The truck doesn't even flinch! 70 and sunny about 70 miles from home and 12.2 MPG--NICE! I am grinning!

[hammer21661]

Only time mine gets really good mileage is when it is on a roll back.

[Henry]

I get 8-9 pulling a 14000lb cardinal. 16-17 pulling dry.
I've always been fascinated by RV's and their gas mileage. I've heard of some getting 26mpg with theirs. Great, wish I got that, BUT not in this life time.
I can safely say mine will get 21pmg on flat ground, driving 40mph.

[Tystevens]

Towing with the LBZ is a lot of fun, especially coming from a gasser. I remember our first trip west on I80 from SLC to California. I kept thinking, "surely, this next grade will make it downshift ... nope" Cruising up grades at 65 mph in 6th gear in cruise control was certainly a cool experience. It made me want to plan trips that would include climbs up "notorious" grades, just to see how it would do. Every time, it was just uneventful ...

Towing mpg was mostly between 10 and 12 mpg for us, with a couple outliers for unusual conditions or atypical speed.

[bigbullelk]

Yes, sir -- congrats on the LBZ! I'm a recent convert like yourself and feel the exact same way you do. LOVE it!

[EPenney]

Congrats on getting the LBZ. Towing on the flats I get around 11-12 mpg (no jackrabbit starts). Towing up into the High Sierra it drops to 8-9 mpg, there are a lot of steep grades. I start out at 35' ASL and tow to 6500' ASL. Sure is nice maintaining posted speed limit when towing in the hills.

[rhagfo]

mtofell1 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

mtofell1 wrote:
Just pulled my 8K TT from home over the (small - 1000 ft) mountain range to coast. Truck is an 06 LBZ 4X4 and totally stock. Left town with a full tank of fuel and pulled back on fumes. DIC says 11.2 mpg which is usually very close to hand calculated. The range does have some decent rolling hills but I did putt around without the trailer for 40 or so miles while at my destination.

I agree with the posters that anywhere from 9-13 mpg should be expected while towing an average TT or 5th. The # within the range will depend on speed and hills. I can get 13-14 rolling down the flat interstate with no wind or a little at my back going 55. I can also get 9-10 rolling down the same interstate/same conditions at 75.

Well either you have a small tank, or drove farther than you thought. Our Ram made an empty run to PDX airport, then a tow over 26 from Hillsboro to Manaznita, down to Tillamok and back over Hy 6 to Hillsboro, and still showed about 1/2 thank fill took 23 gallons, so gauge is reading a little high (34 gal tank), 11.5 mpg, this with an 11K 5er.

26 gallon tank.... not sure what a Dodge Ram has to do with a Chevy. I guess your first statement nails it.... yes, it's a small tank.
And the total amount of fuel I used was 22.1 gallons according to the DIC. I think of it as "on fumes" since the light came on and I know I have to fill up again soon. In reality I still have 4 more gallons of fuel but don't like to cut it too close. I didn't track the total miles but I'd guess it is around 225.

Well I would say it is time for a bigger tank! You must have a SB truck, I know SB Rams have small tanks also. While I don't like the cost of a fill up, I do like the range close to 300 miles before I would start to get nervous.

[mtofell1]

rhagfo wrote:

mtofell1 wrote:
Just pulled my 8K TT from home over the (small - 1000 ft) mountain range to coast. Truck is an 06 LBZ 4X4 and totally stock. Left town with a full tank of fuel and pulled back on fumes. DIC says 11.2 mpg which is usually very close to hand calculated. The range does have some decent rolling hills but I did putt around without the trailer for 40 or so miles while at my destination.

I agree with the posters that anywhere from 9-13 mpg should be expected while towing an average TT or 5th. The # within the range will depend on speed and hills. I can get 13-14 rolling down the flat interstate with no wind or a little at my back going 55. I can also get 9-10 rolling down the same interstate/same conditions at 75.

Well either you have a small tank, or drove farther than you thought. Our Ram made an empty run to PDX airport, then a tow over 26 from Hillsboro to Manaznita, down to Tillamok and back over Hy 6 to Hillsboro, and still showed about 1/2 thank fill took 23 gallons, so gauge is reading a little high (34 gal tank), 11.5 mpg, this with an 11K 5er.

26 gallon tank.... not sure what a Dodge Ram has to do with a Chevy. I guess your first statement nails it.... yes, it's a small tank.
And the total amount of fuel I used was 22.1 gallons according to the DIC. I think of it as "on fumes" since the light came on and I know I have to fill up again soon. In reality I still have 4 more gallons of fuel but don't like to cut it too close. I didn't track the total miles but I'd guess it is around 225.

[ksss]

I have a combined weight of 26K and have never seen double digit mpg. We run about a 200 mile radius max but its up hill in every direction which is where the LBZ shines.

[rhagfo]

mtofell1 wrote:
Just pulled my 8K TT from home over the (small - 1000 ft) mountain range to coast. Truck is an 06 LBZ 4X4 and totally stock. Left town with a full tank of fuel and pulled back on fumes. DIC says 11.2 mpg which is usually very close to hand calculated. The range does have some decent rolling hills but I did putt around without the trailer for 40 or so miles while at my destination.

I agree with the posters that anywhere from 9-13 mpg should be expected while towing an average TT or 5th. The # within the range will depend on speed and hills. I can get 13-14 rolling down the flat interstate with no wind or a little at my back going 55. I can also get 9-10 rolling down the same interstate/same conditions at 75.

Well either you have a small tank, or drove farther than you thought. Our Ram made an empty run to PDX airport, then a tow over 26 from Hillsboro to Manaznita, down to Tillamok and back over Hy 6 to Hillsboro, and still showed about 1/2 thank fill took 23 gallons, so gauge is reading a little high (34 gal tank), 11.5 mpg, this with an 11K 5er.

[mtofell1]

Just pulled my 8K TT from home over the (small - 1000 ft) mountain range to coast. Truck is an 06 LBZ 4X4 and totally stock. Left town with a full tank of fuel and pulled back on fumes. DIC says 11.2 mpg which is usually very close to hand calculated. The range does have some decent rolling hills but I did putt around without the trailer for 40 or so miles while at my destination.

I agree with the posters that anywhere from 9-13 mpg should be expected while towing an average TT or 5th. The # within the range will depend on speed and hills. I can get 13-14 rolling down the flat interstate with no wind or a little at my back going 55. I can also get 9-10 rolling down the same interstate/same conditions at 75.

[wildernesshd]

LBZ rules. mine is the same 11-12 towing average, around 20 hwy trip. did get bad news the other day. there are no companys on the internet that will put an extended warranty on My LBZ. 278000. miles is to high to add a warranty. glad its not having any problems, knock on wood.

[robrose1]

Congrats and welcome to the LBZ world. Mine gets between 9-13mpg depending on wind, terrain and speed. I actually look forward to towing with mine to see if there are any obstacles that I can't climb. So far none.

[Engineer9860]

Anytime now I expect to see the emergence of a counterfiet Duramax LBZ black market. GM only built so many, and it seems the demand for these specimen only grows as the reputation about them gets spread.

[elkhorn98]

xaugievike wrote:
all time towing low in my LBZ was a 9.8
all time high was 13.6

average is 11.8

all hand calculated (which in my case usually also matches my DIC....The DIC fluctuates every once in a while, but it's usually pretty much on for me).

Congrats on your new ride....you're going to wonder how why you ever towed with a gasser.

My lmm duramax is very close to these numbers. I have a logbook and have recorded the dic vs hand calculated on every fill up. Typically the dic is within 0.2 mpg. I have heard from a buddy at work that his 09 6.7 cummins mileage is horrible. That is what scare me away from the cummins back we I got my truck. Now the mileage sounds better.