cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Fuel mileage

deweysmith5
Explorer
Explorer
I have searched for answers in various forums but most are out of date or full of trolls/debates. We are looking at purchasing a heavy duty truck for towing a new fifth wheel. The fifth wheel will be on the lighter side. I just would like simple answers - what fuel mileage do you get with a heavy duty gasser or if you drive a diesel, what mileage do you get while towing. No debates please, just answers.
2016 Cougar xlite 27rks
2015 Duramax Z71 Silverado
The Wife, The Lab, and sometimes a grandkid or two
42 REPLIES 42

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
fla-gypsy wrote:
I get between 8.5 and 9.5 carefree mpg's towing 9,000 lbs with my 6.8L V-10 gas power plant with a 4.10 rear gear and 5 sp auto.


Well I get 11 to 13 towing an 11,000# 5er about 13 to 14 city and 20 highway (if I keep at about 60 or so). These are carefree miles at 274,000 miles. Cummins 5.9 running NV4500 5 speed manual with 3.55 rear gears.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

GoPackGo
Explorer
Explorer
Here's his question - "what fuel mileage do you get with a heavy duty gasser or if you drive a diesel, what mileage do you get while towing."

I think we're OK.

Tim.

powderman426
Explorer
Explorer
wandering1 wrote:
LOL, does any one understand the question? The Op asked about a heavy duty truck. Did he mean a pick up or a HDT?


My 3/4 ton is a Heavy duty. It even had a badge on the tail gate saying so at one time. Based on that I gave good info.:B
Ron & Charlotte
WD8CBT since 1976
32' Gulfstream Ameri-Camp & 05 Ram QC LB

I started with nothing and I still have most of it left

I never fail, I just succeed in finding out what doesn't work

Sturgeon-Phish
Explorer
Explorer
12 mpg towing, 18 mpg mixed.
With the Dmax Ally combo keeping the RPMs between 1800 - 2000 will give you the best mpg. That is around 60 - 65 mph. Keeping in that sweet spot really helps with fuel consumption.
Jim
2003 GMC 3500 crew dually. Transfer Flow 50g aux tank; ISSPRO gauges, PPE boost valve, air box mods, stock exhaust w/o muffler, Line-X, Pace Edwards bed locker power tonneau. B&W Companion. Pulls a '05 Wildcat 31QBH 5th wheel

Itching2go
Explorer II
Explorer II
8.5 MPG with my 6.0 Chevy 2500 gasser with a 4.10 rear end, pulling a 10,000 lb fiver.
Traded up, and now get 11.5 mpg with my Chevy 3500 D/A, pulling a 12,000 lb fiver.
2008 Jayco Designer 35RLSA pulled by a 2007 Chevy 3500 D/A SRW

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
deweysmith5 wrote:
. The gas/diesel costs are based on the local station down the road ($3.45 for gas and 3.69 for diesel). .


closer to 50 cents difference when I checked around here.
bumpy

Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Explorer
deweysmith5 wrote:
Interesting study...if you have time.


Pretty much what my figures are and people on here that own GM diesel tell me. My diesel makes me money and costs LESS to operate than a gas truck.

Pretty much what my friends and people on here that own Ford diesels tell me. They cost them MORE to operate than a gas truck.

With that being said and with Mr. Bosch adding to this study, I wonder if they figured when the CP4 pump takes a dump and costs the owner of a certain brand 12 grand? :B
~ Too many freaks & not enough circuses ~


"Life is not tried ~ it is merely survived ~ if you're standing
outside the fire"

"The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly."- Abraham Lincoln

Strictly_simon
Explorer
Explorer
2011 F350 6.7 Bone stock.

Towing: 11 MPG ( Could be better but I try to stay off the highway and enjoy the drive. )
Mixed: 17 MPG
Highway: 20-21 MPG
2014.5 Sunset Trail ST290QB
2011 F350 KR 6.7 CC SRW

wandering1
Explorer
Explorer
LOL, does any one understand the question? The Op asked about a heavy duty truck. Did he mean a pick up or a HDT?
HR

deweysmith5
Explorer
Explorer
Interesting study...if you have time.
2016 Cougar xlite 27rks
2015 Duramax Z71 Silverado
The Wife, The Lab, and sometimes a grandkid or two

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
10 towing with my diesel. 18 running empty on the highway.
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
B&W Companion
2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
Remember that the better mileage will give you greater range on the same size fuel tank. If costs work out the same for you between mileage and fuel costs, vehicle range may be another factor if even just for convenience.

Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

deweysmith5
Explorer
Explorer
Based on some of the information here and some "loose" assumptions the diesel would save around $7000 in fuel costs for about 100000 miles than the gasser. One loose assumption is 50,000 miles towing vs 50,000 miles not towing. I would guess that the towing number is too high making the savings even greater (if I assume 25% better mileage rather than a solid difference). The gas/diesel costs are based on the local station down the road ($3.45 for gas and 3.69 for diesel). These are fuel costs only and the non towing mpg are a little high. Of course, given the added longevity and power of the diesels, even a smaller number helps make the case.
2016 Cougar xlite 27rks
2015 Duramax Z71 Silverado
The Wife, The Lab, and sometimes a grandkid or two

Tvov
Explorer II
Explorer II
2008 F250 5.4 gas 2wd crewcab with 3.73 rear, tow package, and 5 speed "torque shift" auto transmission, towing 21ft TT.

About 9.5 mpg on extended highway trips towing. 7-8mpg on mixed roads towing.

About 15.5 mpg highway not towing. 10.5 around town. Not sure why the ".5" always seems to come up when I do mileage checks! Air conditioner use doesn't seem to affect mileage much at all - but... I almost always have the a/c on while towing, so I haven't done a comparison really.

Interesting about air conditioning - we have a 2010 Nissan Rogue which we absolutely love. Can get 28.5 mpg on the highway fully loaded (no towing). That is without a/c... when I use the a/c on the highway, fuel mileage drops to 24 mpg! a/c kills mileage for small engines, my big V-8 engines don't seem to notice. Note, though: this is with windows Closed. If I had to travel highway with windows open, I would expect highway mileage to plummet even without a/c.
_________________________________________________________
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor