Towing Mileage Comparison / Questions

09SilverRam · Apr 30, 2023

dhay13 said:
Definitely. My son's company was paying for all of his fuel so that didn't matter to him but yeah, here diesel is $4.59 compared to $3.76 for regular gas so quite a big difference. A few months go diesel was over $6.00 while regular was about $4.00

One big difference is being able to use the truck lanes. We have a 7.3 gas F350 for towing our living quarters gooseneck 4 horse trailer and I have to do more planning on how to get in and out of a fuel stop with a gas powered truck. Flying J has some RV islands with gas, or we have to try and maneuver to the end fuel lane for cars.

Being able to just use the truck lanes would be great.

2020PW · Apr 30, 2023

pacofortacos said:
IMO if there is even a remote chance of going to a larger RV, then don't even question 1500 vs. 2500 - go straight to the 2500.

As far as gas vs. diesel, diesel will get better mpg towing and probably empty BUT the fuel is much more expensive and maintenance costs are higher. Diesels also like to be worked, not sit around for long periods and mostly short trips.
Another big factor, is your payload will be higher in the gas truck vs. the diesel truck. Depending on what you get or what you take with you, this might be something to consider.
The 2500 with the 6.4 and 8 speed transmission is a good overall package.
The diesel is also.
There are just differences between them and the diesel will get better mpg, so it really depends on your usage.

How often and what distances are you considering?

Lol, skip the 2500 and go to the 3500. 2500 payload is embarrassing. Get a single rear with the leaf springs or the dually.

Choupique · Apr 30, 2023

2500 diesels shouldn't even exist and I hate myself for getting one.

2,200 lb max payload for mine. Put 4 dudes in there and 100 gallons of fuel in the bed and you've got nearly nothing left.

jejb · May 1, 2023

2500 Cummins is perfect for me, but a lot of folks get surprised when they buy one and find out about the legal payload issue. I see a lot of folks overloading the heck out of them and getting the job done, but I doubt I'd be one of them. Stuff like that would keep me up at night.

ramffml · May 1, 2023

I think this video sums it up from a guy who owns a 2500/cummins and is over payload but not RAWR ... and yep, he regrets it.

I WAS WRONG! Everything I Learned on a 6000-Mile Road Trip with my Ram 2500 and Fifth Wheel

We hit the road in our 2019 Ram 2500 and new fifth-wheel travel trailer from Grand Designs and did nearly 7000 miles from Toronto, On to Yuma, AZ and back ag...

youtu.be

JNelson · May 10, 2023

I love my 2500. Tote around 24’ flatbed and load it to the nuts. As long as I am not over my tire weight rating I don’t worry about it. Tows like a champ. Heaviest load so far was 11,000lbs of heat treating pads I took out to El Paso. Grossed out at 24,500. Pulled like a champ.
Air bags help a lot.

jejb · May 11, 2023

So a data point. I pulled my 7K vee-nosed enclosed trailer 700 miles this week. 22 2500 Ltd Longhorn, 6.7, 3.73's, 2000 miles on the truck. Interstate driving. I started in the Ozarks and first tank through hilly terrain was 9.7mpg. All mileage was hand calculated. 2nd tank in flatter terrain was 9.9mpg. Last tank in much flatter Iowa and MN was 10.3mpg. I was taking it easy too. Speed limits were mostly 70mph and I was doing 70-71 the whole way. And that's about the same as my 18 2500 6.7 would get with that same trailer. Makes me scratch my head when I read folks say they get 12 and better pulling these big 5th wheels.

I'm not unhappy about it. My gas 3/4 ton would be 7ish on the same trip. And I LOVE the ease with which the Cummins pulls. Just putting up some more info.

JNelson · May 11, 2023

Just yesterday I pulled a large stator from Corpus to Victoria. 8 wide x 7’ tall x ,6500 lbs. Total weight around 10,500. Ran 75 most of the way on relatively flat ground. Was getting 12.2 miles gallon. It was like pulling a sail boat. Engine temp was 214. Trans temp 181.
Pulling a 42’ 16000lb 5ver, I don’t see no 12 mpg.

Brent 1955 · May 15, 2023

SGTrucks said:
Currently towing a 4500lb camper with a mid size rated for 7k towing (gas not diesel) at about 85% of gross combined vehicle weight, 9mpg, considering a Ram 1500 or 2500 to see if it might make a difference (thinking 2500 due to the higher max towing to future proof going from a 25ft to possibly 32 or 36 ft closer to 8 to 12k weight camper in the future).

Gas / Diesel tow better from a mileage standpoint?
Would a 2500 offer better mileage (been reading the forums and everyone seems somewhere between 9 to 13/14 mpg regardless of gas/diesel), any advice appreciated.

Edit - towing from Ohio through all the national parks including alaska (ok, not hawaii) but in general yearly 2 week trailer camping trips with the kiddo, plus various weekend (Apr - Oct) camping trips on the east coast. Not terribly dissapointed with what I have was just trying to figure I want a larger truck again anyway and starting to think now / 5 years from now closer to retirement age if it's worth the 2 to 3 mpg and easier time towing over the next 5 years.

Thank you

A diesel is meant to pull or be worked so in turn with a camper under 10,000 lbs. like most trailers are. your fuel mileage will be much better than a gas motor. I have a 2013 Ram 3500 and I pull my 34 foot 5th wheel and get around 12 mpg. I have the 6.7 diesel. Now my wife's truck which is a 3/4-ton Silverado with a 6.0 gas engine has no problem pulling the camper but only gets around 8mpg. Hope that helps you. I also pulled campers cross country for a living for 5 years. I has a lot to-do with the gear ratio of your truck and the transmission you have. And what kind of terrain your going to be pulling your camper in. Wind direction and speed of the wind. Just remember most travel trailers and 5th wheels there tire specks are only rated for 65mph.

Brent 1955 · May 15, 2023

jejb said:
So a data point. I pulled my 7K vee-nosed enclosed trailer 700 miles this week. 22 2500 Ltd Longhorn, 6.7, 3.73's, 2000 miles on the truck. Interstate driving. I started in the Ozarks and first tank through hilly terrain was 9.7mpg. All mileage was hand calculated. 2nd tank in flatter terrain was 9.9mpg. Last tank in much flatter Iowa and MN was 10.3mpg. I was taking it easy too. Speed limits were mostly 70mph and I was doing 70-71 the whole way. And that's about the same as my 18 2500 6.7 would get with that same trailer. Makes me scratch my head when I read folks say they get 12 and better pulling these big 5th wheels.

I'm not unhappy about it. My gas 3/4 ton would be 7ish on the same trip. And I LOVE the ease with which the Cummins pulls. Just putting up some more info.

Depends on the gear ratio they have the speed there traveling in the transmission they have.

CamperMike · May 16, 2023

Brent 1955 said:
Just remember most travel trailers and 5th wheels there tire specks are only rated for 65mph.

That used to be true but but au much anymore.
Most more recent trailer tires I have seen are rated for 75 or 83 mph. My trailer has 83mph rated tires. I still pull at 65-68 most times as the faster you go the worse the fuel mileage gets. But it's nice to be able to go over 70 for awhile if needed and not worry about the tires.

Choupique · May 16, 2023

Glad to see good trailer tires available these days. Damn near every rig you see broken down on the side of the road is a blown trailer tire.

jejb · May 23, 2023

jejb said:
So a data point. I pulled my 7K vee-nosed enclosed trailer 700 miles this week. 22 2500 Ltd Longhorn, 6.7, 3.73's, 2000 miles on the truck. Interstate driving. I started in the Ozarks and first tank through hilly terrain was 9.7mpg. All mileage was hand calculated. 2nd tank in flatter terrain was 9.9mpg. Last tank in much flatter Iowa and MN was 10.3mpg. I was taking it easy too. Speed limits were mostly 70mph and I was doing 70-71 the whole way. And that's about the same as my 18 2500 6.7 would get with that same trailer. Makes me scratch my head when I read folks say they get 12 and better pulling these big 5th wheels.

I'm not unhappy about it. My gas 3/4 ton would be 7ish on the same trip. And I LOVE the ease with which the Cummins pulls. Just putting up some more info.

Pretty much the same on the way home. 9.5-10mpg, almost all interstate at 70mph. The read out on the dash said 11+, but hand calculated put the lie to that.

Brent 1955 · May 30, 2023

Choupique said:
Glad to see good trailer tires available these days. Damn near every rig you see broken down on the side of the road is a blown trailer tire.

If there a new camper most of the tires that goon them are made in China like the rest of the camper parts.

Random_Walk · May 31, 2023

A new bit of data for the audience...

Longview, WA to Sequim, WA (because Longview was where I reset the mpg meter thingy)....

4,000 lbs, dragged by a 2017 v6 w/ 3.21 gears netted me 11.3mpg. Did mostly 65-70mph on I-5 (half the distance) and averaged something like 50mph along US-101 (the other half). No WDH was used - it actually sat in a box in the bed (I really need to unbox and install that thing...)

tron67j · Jun 3, 2023

Choupique said:
2500 diesels shouldn't even exist and I hate myself for getting one.

2,200 lb max payload for mine. Put 4 dudes in there and 100 gallons of fuel in the bed and you've got nearly nothing left.

Your payload is value does not get impacted by fluid weights, including fuel. Your 2,200 minus 800 pounds (4 people) leaves 1,400 pounds. Not a lot, but decent for a snowmobile trailer and some gear.

Diesel is tough in a 2500, one good use is mountain towing and not moving many people so remaining payload can be focused on the trailer. If torque is needed I personally think a 3500 should be bought so all that power isn't wasted by the limiting factor of payload. But just my opinion, and if you take that and a buck you can get any sized soda at McD's.

tron67j · Jun 3, 2023

2020PW said:
Lol, skip the 2500 and go to the 3500. 2500 payload is embarrassing. Get a single rear with the leaf springs or the dually.

I don't think my 3k payload for a 8' bed CC 2500 is embarrassing. Along with my last 2500 I have never wanted for power, payload, or anything. Ran my last truck for 16 years, currently on year 4 of my 2018 (bought new 2019). Carries a full load of stone, soil, etc. Pulls dump trailers like a champ. Tows campers without hesitation in the mountains, at the beach, and everywhere in between. I have never, ever, said "man, wish I bought a 3500". It is all about knowing what the truck needs to do, can do, and then living in that world. Some people want more capabilities because that is their world. Some people find they needed a different tool and either use what they have or upgrade. I know a couple people past and one present who bought too much and then complain that a 3500 diesel was such a waste of money.

Nice thing about the world of trucks, a particular model and it's capabilities is just right for someone and that differs for each of us. So we should celebrate what we have and not disparage what others have.

Random_Walk · Jun 3, 2023

tron67j said:
Your payload is value does not get impacted by fluid weights, including fuel. Your 2,200 minus 800 pounds (4 people) leaves 1,400 pounds. Not a lot, but decent for a snowmobile trailer and some gear.

I think he was referring to having 100 gallons in a tank in the bed, not in his fuel tank per se. That would come to 850-950 lbs, depending on the portable tank's tare weight.

Choupique · Jun 4, 2023

Correct, I have a 100 gallon aux tank in the bed which weighs about 100 pounds dry.

I knew I was buying a 10k gvwr truck, it just never crossed my mind that the truck weighs 7800 pounds.

I stand by the original statement - diesel 3/4 tons don't make any sense. I really wish I had gotten a gas engine or a 1 ton.

jejb · Jun 5, 2023

Choupique said:
I stand by the original statement - diesel 3/4 tons don't make any sense.

Maybe for you, but they make perfect sense for me.

Choupique said:
I really wish I had gotten a gas engine or a 1 ton.

Yeah, it's a bummer to find that out after the fact.

Towing Mileage Comparison / Questions

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Military

Senior Member

Member

Military

Attachments

Member

Member

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Military

Member

...what's this bolt do? *plink* ...oh.

Senior Member

Senior Member

...what's this bolt do? *plink* ...oh.

Senior Member

Military

Similar threads

Forum statistics

Share this page

...what's this bolt do? plink ...oh.

...what's this bolt do? plink ...oh.