Tow mileage

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

CUDAJIM

New member
Joined
May 29, 2017
Posts
3
Looking to move up to a new truck. Currently towing with a 01 dodge with a 5.2 . My trailer is a 29' TT that weighs 5,000 lbs. Wanting to purchase new Dodge 1/2 can't decide on hemi or diesel. Who is towing with the hemi ?  New ones have the 8 speed auto. This will not be a full time tower

Thanks. Jim
 
Hi Jim,

  I've got a 2016 Ram 1500 with the hemi, the 8-speed tranny and the 3.92 rear. My TT is much smaller than yours, 22' and about 4500lbs GVW but it tows great. I'm getting about 11mpg towing and about 19 mpg not towing. It really depends on how much time you spend towing. The diesel will cost about 8k over the cost of the hemi, so if mileage is your only concern, you'll have to be towing a lot of time to make up that $8k. On the other hand, if you live in a mountainous state and spend a good deal of time towing, people tell me that the diesel is the only way to go.
 
How sure are you on that trailer weight?  5000# is awfully light for a 29' trailer.  Have you actually had the trailer scale-weighed when loaded for camping?

Nothing wrong with a 1/2 ton pickup if you won't be doing much towing overall, but you want to make sure it can truly handle the trailer.  That depends mostly on your loaded weight and terrain you are covering (flat, hilly, mountains, etc).  We often say that 30' is about the limit for many 1/2 tons... anything large can pull the truck all over the road on a windy day, even if it is rated (by numbers) to be able to pull the trailer in a straight line.
 
It's a keystone passport. Empty weight is just under 5K. It will be just my wife and me. We are light packers under 1K for our gear. Weight was high on list
 
Even at 6K loaded, a 1/2 ton gas truck should be fine.  Even the lightest ones of the last 10-15 years were still rated for at least 7500# towing.  Some time spent browsing the Trailer Life Towing Guides will give you an idea of how different trucks of various makes/models fall on the scale.  Smaller gas engines will be impacted more by towing weight, but in theory your MPG's will be higher when NOT towing... which will probably be the majority of driving time for you.

It is still good information, and will help you accurately calculate your trailer's tongue weight, to have your loaded trailer and truck weighed at some point.  Here's our forum library article on how to get that done.
 
I tow my 26 foot 4800 lb dry weight TT with a 2014 Ram hemi with no problem and I usually get 12 to 14 mpg, my budget wasn't big enough for a bigger truck or TT and I am happy with what I have.  I am a part time traveler with the longest trip being 3 months, just make sure the rubber on your RV is of good quality so don't go cheap there and get a good anti sway system and a good hitch.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
131,753
Posts
1,384,366
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom