gas mileage towing a 5th wheel

[Mopar1973Man]

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.

The only reason MPG means something to me is because it determines how far I'm going. Some folks here might have deep pockets for new trucks, new RV's and travel all the time. I'm a working stiff with a limited budget. So MPG makes the difference if I'm going out of state or staying in the neighborhood. Some of us with limited budgets can't have the "I don't care" attitude.

 

[Howard Jaros]

Thanks for thinking my truck and rig are new!  The truck is a 2005 and the RV a 2006.  Hey, I love being controversial here!  It's fun to take the opposite approach to people's comments, to put another spin on a subject.  I don't have really deep pockets either.  I work too!  But, I still don't care about fuel economy, or the lack thereof!  Oh yeah, when the fuel gauge starts to near empty, I know it's time to put 100 or more gallons in so I can keep rolling! LOL

 

[Elkhounds]

Thanks for thinking my truck and rig are new!  The truck is a 2005 and the RV a 2006.  Hey, I love being controversial here!  It's fun to take the opposite approach to people's comments, to put another spin on a subject.  I don't have really deep pockets either.  I work too!  But, I still don't care about fuel economy, or the lack thereof!  Oh yeah, when the fuel gauge starts to near empty, I know it's time to put 100 or more gallons in so I can keep rolling! LOL

Totally agree.  I have a 2004 F-150 pulling a 2011 6500 pound trailer.  Get about 10mpg.  Do I care?  Not really.  We got this setup to visit kids that have moved away.  To fly from Madison WI to Denver, then Denver to San Diego, then San Diego back to Madison for my wife and I we would be looking at close to $2000.  Hotels, car rental and dog kennels on top of that we estimated it would approach $4000 to do all that.  Now with the RV setup we can go those 5000 miles for about the $2000 airfare.  We save the hotels, car rental and kennel fees but only add some campground fees.  We figure we will save about $1200 doing it this way AND we get to stop and see the Grand Canyon (somewhere neither of us has ever been).

So old rig and on a tight budget doing it cheap and I still don't care about the mileage.  Getting 3 mpg BETTER would save me about $450.  That would be great but overall not any deal breaker.

 

[BobX2]

Gotta agree with the "it doesn't matter what MPG average" crowd here. If the cost difference between 11 mpg or 15 mpg determined how far I could travel, I had better just stay home and save my money. If that was how I planned my vacations, I would trade in my truck and trailer for a Prius and a tent. Yes, 15 mpg would be nice, but no, it doesn't matter what I get, because I'm going anyway.

 

[currituck22]

Just went with a friend to pick up his new 43 foot Trilogy with his 2014 F-350 dually. I own a 1999 F-350 SRW with a 7.3 Powerstroke. I pull a 35 foot fifth wheel with mine and I was blown away by the power that new truck has. I ran 70 miles an hour and averaged 9.8 miles to the gallon. This was with a head wind. The transmission stayed in overdrive most of the time. Obviously downshifted up hills but stayed in overdrive going over overpasses. Had the cruise control set most of the time. It even down shifted once going down hill to slow down. I was impressed.

 

[Dakota98]

If I had enough money, I wouldn't own an RV at all.  ----  I'd own an island

 

[hoddinron]

Just completed the Lake Superior Circle Tour.  5500 miles from Tampa Bay clockwise around the big lake.

Got an average of 13MPG of diesel fuel.  Towing a 7,000 lb 5th Wheel with a 2012 RAM 2500.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Just completed the Lake Superior Circle Tour.  5500 miles from Tampa Bay clockwise around the big lake.

Got an average of 13MPG of diesel fuel.  Towing a 7,000 lb 5th Wheel with a 2012 RAM 2500.

Just because you have a diesel engine you'll have a heck of a savings.  8)

Just comparing my 2 trucks on your distance. $800 dollars is nothing to laugh at! 

 

[Jere and Laur]

2008 Chevy 3500HD DRW XCab now with 24k miles still not broke in. Pulling 17k fiver average on 7000mi trip was 10.0 mpg at between 65 and 68mph. Mileage wasn't any better when I tried driving slower either.

 

[zackcj7]

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

Do you have the E4OD automatic? Or the manual? Does it have the factory towing package?

If it's the automatic you will need to add a transmission temp gauge and a bigger transmission cooler to tow without overheating the transmission in that truck. If it has the ZF manual transmission it will be a great tow rig as is.