Tow rig ?

[04 keystone]

Okay, I get the weight and stability, can I get some input on towing gas mileage for these truck's you mention.
I know mileage varry's and it's part of the nature of the beast. Deal with it I know.
I currently tow a TT 29ft. weight vary's on accessorie's loaded.
04 silverado 2 wd. 5.3 supercharged, heavier tranny L460 maybe can't remember, 3:73 gear's, origanlly got 6 mi. gal. went to a tuner and now gettin 11.5 mi. gal. avg. towing.
I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a used truck and a used fifth wheel toy hauler.
So any help in this area is good.
THX

[jimcumminsw]

I can only speak for my vehicle and what my fuel mileage is. My fuel mileage for my 08 Ram 2500HD will vary between 11 and 12 MPG when towing my 5th wheel trailer. This depends on road conditions, weather conditions such as a good head wind against the trailer and fuel type. When Bio-fuel is used my fuel mileage drops off somewhat less energy content in the Bio-fuel. You need to understand that the 5th wheel trailer is like towing a 12 to 13 foot sail behind a truck, the height of a 5er does affect the fuel mileage. My annual fuel cost is an average of $3,000 for diesel fuel and the MPG is based on 7 years of data keeping.

When I towed a similar 5th wheel with my 6.L gas Chevy 2500HD truck; the fuel mileage was between 6 and 7 MPG at best when going downhill. I will never ever tow another trailer with a gas equipped vehicle. Just my opinion.

Jim W.

[Dasmoeturhead]

I average 12 mpg towing my 5'er that weighs 15k. Thats over the last 7,000 miles. My truck is rarely not attached to the 5'er. I drive between 55-59 mph. Most of this is going through all the mountains in the western states. I have seen 14 mpg on the flat interstate.

In the RV park I'm at now there are only 2 DRW trucks towing 5'ers. The rest are mostly 3/4 ton pickups. Right or wrong thats what I see generally. The guy next to me is towing a 44 ft Mobile suite 5th wheel with a F 250 with a 7.3 diesel 4x4 CC. I know he must be way over the trucks rating

[Dasmoeturhead]

[QUOTE=jammer3025;2270458]I average 12 mpg towing my 5'er that weighs 15k. Thats over the last 7,000 miles. My truck is rarely not attached to the 5'er. I drive between 55-59 mph. Most of this is going through all the mountains in the western states. I have seen 14 mpg on the flat interstate.

In the RV park I'm at now there are only 2 DRW trucks towing 5'ers. The rest are mostly 3/4 ton pickups. Right or wrong thats what I see generally. The guy next to me is towing a 44 ft Mobile suite 5th wheel with a F 250 with a 7.3 diesel 4x4 CC. I know he must be way over the trucks rating. This particular person owns a very large and reputable RV store in Mesa, Az. And I worry about weight. Jeez! I wanted a Mobile Suite also, but I would have had to buy a bigger truck. I like to be safe.

[04 keystone]

I see advertised, some single axle, (non dually) 3500's, what's you experince towing a fiver toy hauler with the single axle?

[pitcrew18]

A 3500 dually from any of the big three, I am partial to the Chevrolet but I don't want at argue manufacturer's.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by 04 keystone

I see advertised, some single axle, (non dually) 3500's, what's you experince towing a fiver toy hauler with the single axle?

You began this thread asking about towing a "Fifth wheel toy hauler, 3 slide's, 36 to 43 ft."

Nobody makes an SRW pickup that can tow that much trailer without being overloaded.

If you want to limit the tow vehicle to an SRW and then change the question to "how much toy hauler 5er can I tow with a "properly-equipped" 2014 GM 3500 SRW pickup" then you won't like the answer. The answer is a trailer with a GVWR of around 12,000 pounds. That's nowhere near the weight of the trailer you first asked about.

Here's one with GVWR just a hair over 12,000 pounds. If you don't overload the trailer and limit what you haul in the truck other than one passenger and the hitch weight of the trailer, then you may not be overloaded over the GVWR of your SRW pickup. But you'll need to be extremely weight conscious.
Wolf Pack Toy Hauler Fifth Wheel by Forest River

[04 keystone]

Well , I'm understanding better, thank's everyone.
Maybe you've seen I also have a post for 8.1 tow rig, I'm really concerned about having a diesel, I've never worked on one, but I can with a gas motor.
Also the potential expense with the diesel injector's, pump's etc....
Any help there with diesel vs. gas is good to.
What's your experience 3:73 vs 4:10 for tpwing?
I beleive which ever way I go you all have me convinced for the fiver toy hauler we may get I need a 3500, now ????? 4x4 or just 2wd, I beleive I was told or read somewhere that I'd loose tow rating with a 4x4?

[jimcumminsw]

Originally Posted by 04 keystone

Well , I'm understanding better, thank's everyone.
Maybe you've seen I also have a post for 8.1 tow rig, I'm really concerned about having a diesel, I've never worked on one, but I can with a gas motor.
Also the potential expense with the diesel injector's, pump's etc....
Any help there with diesel vs. gas is good to.
What's your experience 3:73 vs 4:10 for tpwing?
I beleive which ever way I go you all have me convinced for the fiver toy hauler we may get I need a 3500, now ????? 4x4 or just 2wd, I beleive I was told or read somewhere that I'd loose tow rating with a 4x4?

Will Ram went and changed the playing field in 2014 and up all SRW trucks either 2500 or 3500 with the Cummins engine are offered with the 3:42 differential only. It is not until you get a DRW can you change the differential to either 3:42, 3:73 or 4:10 with a Cummins engine.

Also do not worry about the fuel pumps and injectors on the newer model engines unless you plan on modifying them to run extreme amount of horsepower. The injectors and pumps are designed for trouble free use to at least 150K or more. You only need to change fuel filters more often than a gas engine and run clean diesel fuel in them no additives such as motor oil or 2 stroke oil in the fuel. Fuel filters are changed every 15K and will filter down to 3 micron level (Nanonet fuel filter) on the newer 2010 and up Cummins Engines.

Jim W.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by 04 keystone

now ????? 4x4 or just 2wd, I beleive I was told or read somewhere that I'd loose tow rating with a 4x4?

I'm 75 years old and have been towing since I was a farm kid right after WW-II. After I graduated from Texas A&M in 1961, I have lived in Maine, Turkey, Nebraska, Colorado and various parts of Texas. I bought our first RV trailer when I was in grad school in 1968. I have NEVER owned a 4x4, and never really needed one. So you probably cannot convince me that you need a 4x4.

Tow rating is GCWR minus the weight of the tow vehicle. Identical tow vehicles except one is a 4x4 will have the same GCWR. The 4x4 weighs about 400 pounds more than the otherwise-identical 4x2. Therefore the 4x2 will have about 400 pounds more tow rating than the 4x4.

F-450 pickup does not come in a 4x2 drivetrain, so I cannot use that as an example. So let's use a 2013 F-350 DRW diesel CrewCab pickup:

Per the 2013 Ford RV and Trailer Towing Guide:
GCWR = 30,500 for both 4x2 and 4x4
Tow rating =
22,600 for the 4x2
22,200 for the 4x4
--------
400 difference
=====

That 400 pounds difference is because of the weight of the 4x4 components (transfer case, front differential, hubs, etc.) added to the 4x4 pickup.

So you don't lose tow rating, you sacrificed part of the tow rating so you could haul around the heavier 4x4 components.

BTW, those tow ratings are myths. You cannot get close to the tow rating without the CAT scale proving you have overloaded the truck. But that's another thread.

[iawoody2]

I'm really glad you are so old and knowledgeable. I'm only 67 and have been only been towing for about 40 years. Have always had 4x4 and many many times would have totally screwed without it. I have been into places, and back out that absolutely only a 4x4 could do it. I guess we are just alot more adventurous.

[elliott-maine]

I live in Maine, and trying to sell a 4x2 is very difficult as compared with a 4x4. A dually spreads its weight over 4 rear tires vs. 2 so a 4x4 in a dually is worth it in bad conditions.

[Dasmoeturhead]

I have had to use 4wd just to get up our old driveway when it was wet. I like having it just for those times, when only a 4x4 will do.

On the other hand, I have watched my Grandpa pull his old little Shasta travel trailer with his 1968 C-10 Chevy 1/2 ton 6 cyl 2wd pickup up the most craziest dirt trails you can imagine getting up to deer camp at 6,000 ft.