Towing fuel mileage with a 2000 Ford F-350 diesel

[ttyR2]

I'm looking at upgrading from the trusty old 1971 Ford F250 (390 V8) to a 2000 Ford F-350 crew cab diesel (7.3L) 4X4 that a friend has. My question is what real-world mileage should I see on the highway at 60mph or so towing a 27ft 5er at 8,000lbs gvw on the trailer?

 

[34footer]

I don't have a Ford, but my Dodge Cummins gets 15+ pulling 7500#.
What mileage do you get with the 71 Ford 390? How does she handle the load?
J

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I had a 99 F250 diesel for awhile and it got 12-13 mpg towing and 20 mpg empty. That was with an 11,000 lb trailer.

 

[Bobandpamlemay]

I have a 2008 F250 diesel and I get about 8-9 mpg towing my 13,000 lb 5er on flat land.

Bob

 

[tvman44]

I have a 2002 F250 with the 7.3L diesel and get about 14 mpg towing our 12,000lb 5er.  By the 7.3L is one of the best diesels ever put in a pickup.  Before ULSD i would get about 20 mpg not towing, a little less now with the ULSD.

 

[edavis2293]

I get an average of 11.5 mpg in my 2002 F-350 dually crew cab pulling 13000# Wilderness 5er. Mine is not 4-wheel drive and, quite honestly, haven't found this to be a problem. I try not to get myself in places it would be a requirement especially when my RV is connected to it. You can join AAA or Good Sam a lot cheaper than the initial cost of four wheel drive or the decrease in gas mileage (I am a member of AAA).

 

[Derby6]

Average about 8 MPG towing here...See sig
Truck is stock engine/tranny (diesel)
33x12.55 BF Goodrich AT on 16.5's
4:10 gearing
Leer cap

 

[ttyR2]

Traveling to the camping spot we usually go to has some pretty good hill climbs, and I average about 6.5mpg in the Ford I have. The spot we stay in was just damp enough at the beginning of last spring that the truck wouldn't pull the trailer out without some help. It's the only time we've had that problem.

The F250 I have really doesn't notice the weight much. I'm just easy on the throttle to try to conserve whatever fuel mileage I can. The back of the truck squats down a couple inches at most with the trailer on it. Those old trucks sure are tough.

 

[jje1960]

I'm looking at upgrading from the trusty old 1971 Ford F250 (390 V8) to a 2000 Ford F-350 crew cab diesel (7.3L) 4X4 that a friend has. My question is what real-world mileage should I see on the highway at 60mph or so towing a 27ft 5er at 8,000lbs gvw on the trailer?

Just returned from a trip this past weekend, F350 DRW Diesel 4X4, SRX 37', WV to NY and back, 11MPG.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I love the 7.3, especially the intercooled versions in the 99-03 trucks. My 01 would easily get 13 if I stayed at 65 with my 12,500lb fiver hitched up but I usually end up doing 70 out here in Michigan, o usually try to fall in line with other RVers. My 01 gets 17 with normal driving and I have an edge evolution that I keep on the "tow" setting and a muffler delete. Its been a great truck, jump on it man, you won't regret it.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I have a 2008 F250 diesel and I get about 8-9 mpg towing my 13,000 lb 5er on flat land.

Bob

You have a 6.4 liter, its extremely powerful and the tunes love it, you can easily get another 350 HP out of it with what's called a "spartan tune" but one of the things you will not hear about the 6.4 is that its great on fuel, its regenerations kill the fuel mileage.

 

[rambler28]

I have the same truck with a Edge Tow Performance Chip adds  about 40Hp gives extra boost on hills I can stay in higher gears , Manuel trans and 28 foot 5Th wheel 12-13 miles towing ,17 around town. You'll be happy with that truck .

 

[270win]

My 99' F350 CC SRW 4x4 7.3 PDS/6spd gets 18 around town unloaded and the last trip we made got 14.2 pulling a 5K hybrid.  That's at 70mph on the highway and some mountain (North Georgia) driving.

 

[busman3414]

I've got a 95 F350 Dually. I had a 12,500 5th wheel. Only got 8 to 9 from Dawsonville, ga to Knoxville. Quite a few hills though.