gas mileage towing a 5th wheel

[Peggywhited]

Few months until retirement!!!!  Going to buy a 5th wheel -30 to 32'.  We currently have a 1997 Ford 250 Diesel.  The truck is in top shape with only 100,000 miles.  Our plans include replacing the truck with a "newer" model BUT we have heard new or old, when hauling a 5th wheel the gas mileage is 8 to 10 miles per gallon.  If that's in fact is true, we will stay with what we have.  Would appreciate opinions on this.  Thanks,  Peggy

 

[donn]

My Cummins dually hauling my 13500 pound fiver returns 10.5 to 11.5 pretty consistently. 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

My travel trailer is only a little over 11 foot tall compared to 5th wheels that are closer to 13 foot tall. I typically see about 11-14 MPG for a 8,000 pound RV in tow. But my truck is not stock and it has been modified for power and efficiency.

 

[kjansen]

I get any where from 9.5 to 11.8 depending on wind and speed.  Driving 57-60 on cruise, I will usually end up around 11.5

 

[poncho62]

A lot of it depends on the shape and size of your trailer....The taller it is, the more wind resistance. I have a small 5th wheel and a gas truck. I get 10-11 mpg.

Met a guy at the campground last weekend with an early 2000s Duramax 3500 and huge 5th wheel (probably 32-35ft) claiming 15 mpg....He may be talking Imperial gallons, who knows.....Take it for what its worth, there are moreBS  mileage stories than you can shake a stick at.....just have to find out how your setup is

 

[Mopar1973Man]

My travel trailer is only a little over 11 foot tall compared to 5th wheels that are closer to 13 foot tall. I typically see about 11-14 MPG for a 8,000 pound RV in tow. But my truck is not stock and it has been modified for power and efficiency.

My fuel logs.
http://i58.tinypic.com/i4hg5e.jpg

I've got over 200k miles worth of fuel mileage logs... All in US miles and US gallons... My truck has never produced a single digit MPG number ever!

 

[BobX2]

For a gain of only 1, or possibly 2 mpg, you are better off keeping what you already own. Some people claim much better numbers, but that is either BS, or a truck with expensive, non emissions legal, modifications. 9-12 mpg is all you are going to get towing an RV with a stock diesel pickup, period!

 

[5wheel]

WOW, I might as well keep gas truck,Was thinking of a diesel,But i dont know now.

 

[AZ TnT]

With my current setup I will get 12mpg on the interstate. More often then not I am towing on state highways in mountainous terrain and in that situation I will average 9 mpg.

My last set up was with a TT that was about 800 lbs lighter and a 2000 F350 with a V10 and I would get 6mpg and be very limited on my speed on hills. 

 

[edjunior]

With my 11K 5th wheel, I get close to 11+- mpg for where I tow (mostly East Texas).  I have gotten close to 12, but never more than that.  I have never gotten less than 9.5.

 

[robertusa123]

towing any trailer  mpg is somewhere between  god allfull and horibial

 

[edjunior]

towing any trailer  mpg is somewhere between  god allfull and horibial

Yes, but it's not about the mileage, is it?  If we tried to justify this lifestyle by the mileage we got on our RV's, whether towed, towing, or toad, I don't think you would ever see any RV's on the road.

 

[Leonard Timm]

I get 9-10 mpg towing my 18k 5th wheel with a 2013 diesel F350 DRW @ 62 mph

 

[Mopar1973Man]

WOW, I might as well keep gas truck,Was thinking of a diesel,But i dont know now.

For heavy towing I would always suggest diesel over gas. Reason being diesel creates it max torque down in low RPM where gas powered engine have to rev near redline. Then this takes a toll on the gas engines life expectancy. Where diesel engine go a long ways, there is many people with diesel pickups with over 1 million miles. Something a gasoline power engine can't do. So by the time you by your 4th truck I'll still be towing with the same truck. That's the difference is longevity and power created without stress. To play fair try and find a 2002 gasoline power truck that has 400 horse power and 900 foot pounds of torque and can last 1 million miles without a rebuild. That's what I got for truck.... 

 

[jje1960]

Gotta love the Diesel power.  Our two main trips this year were WV to Myrtle Beach and Bristol Tn.  Both about the same, avg 11.? with our small toy hauler and the full load of stuff... to include our almost 900Ibs golf cart in the bay.  Until we take a trip out over the Rockies, this thing does not breath hard.

 

[billmac]

My 2000 F350 7.3 diesel dually has 4:11 gears and I hardly ever check mileage, cause I have a 100 gallon Aux tank.  However I recently drove 450 miles pulling my 13k lb 5th wheel.  I kept the truck on cruise with no wind at 58mph and got 12 mpg.    My truck has nearly 200k miles and it shows no sign of needing to be replaced.  I have an SCT programmer but still envy the exhaust brakes and transmissions of the newer trucks. 

I admit this summer I drove to Niagara Falls thru Pennsylvania and New York and forgot to pay their high fuel prices.   

 

[Howard Jaros]

I love this question at RV Parks when I pull in: "what kind of mileage you get with that rig?"  My answer is, "I don't care!  If I did I would probably not be RVing!"  On the other hand, I spend way less on fuel in a year than someone with a sticks and bricks who spends hours a day in traffic commuting to work, hauling the kids around, etc.  So even at the quoted 9-12 mpg, what does it matter.  It's your home on wheels.  It's $100 a night for a decent motel that does not even compare to RV your accommodations, and you can travel 250 miles on that.  Choose a nicer hotel and that pays for the campsite.  Why worry about it!  It takes all the fun out of why we RV!  If you run out of money, stop driving.

 

[AZ TnT]

I love this question at RV Parks when I pull in: "what kind of mileage you get with that rig?"  My answer is, "I don't care!  If I did I would probably not be RVing!"  On the other hand, I spend way less on fuel in a year than someone with a sticks and bricks who spends hours a day in traffic commuting to work, hauling the kids around, etc.  So even at the quoted 9-12 mpg, what does it matter.  It's your home on wheels.  It's $100 a night for a decent motel that does not even compare to RV your accommodations, and you can travel 250 miles on that.  Choose a nicer hotel and that pays for the campsite.  Why worry about it!  It takes all the fun out of why we RV!  If you run out of money, stop driving.

Best answer yet!!

 

[edjunior]

Well, since someone asked, on my trip this weekend, I got 10.5 on the way up, and 9.4 on the way back.  Same exact route both ways, nothing different.  Except on the way home, I had a bit of a headwind.  But I had a great time. 

 

[StarrsAboard]

We just traveled from Pueblo Colorado to Gunnison Colorado for the holiday weekend. A little over 6000 foot in elevation change 11,300 foot tops Monarch Pass. Averaged 11.5 MPG going west. 12 mpg heading east.