*Truck and Towing thread........ask your questions here.*

PaHunter

Reasonably Knowledgable Individual.
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Since no one else wanted to start it. Here we go.

We now own a 2013 Chevy 3500 Dually. We get 20-21 MPG on the highway, and 16 locally. Haven't towed trailer any distance, so will know after our Feb trip what we are getting there.
Only modification to the truck so far is the addition of a fumoto valve, for oil changes.
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This should be retitled the "Burp, Grunt and Scratch" thread.

But here you go.

Current truck- 2011 F350 long bed crew cab 4X4 dually 6.7 diesel. Daily driver to and from work (30 miles-2/3 highway) I get 15-16 mpg overall. That's doing 75-80 highway speeds. I tried slowing down to about 65-70 for a tank of gas and got 17-18ish. The irritation wasn't worth the savings.
Only mod is a 60 gallon auxiliary fuel tank in the bed.

Prior truck- 2008 F350 crew cab short bed 2WD single rear wheel 6.4 diesel- First year of the DPF/Regen/DEF emission engines. Hated that truck. It would get stuck on flat wet grass. Also got horrible fuel mileage- Keeping it 65-70 on the highway, I got 12-13 mpg. Traded it after 3 years with 30,000 miles on it. Zero mods.

Before that- 2002 F250 crew cab short bed 2WD single rear wheel- 7.3 diesel. Loved that truck. 168,000 miles when I traded. 15-18 mpg depending on driving habits and what setting the chip was on. Stock, it made 275HP/525 lb/ft torque. Mods: 5 position BullyDog chip- top setting 150+ HP, MBRP stainless 4 inch exhaust, turbo back, Turbonetics intercooler. Cold air box. de-baffled turbo pedestal and stainless high pressure oil balance lines. A-Pillar gauges- EGT, Boost, Fuel pressure. Max HP/Tq: 416/824 <-- Essentially the same as my stock 2011 6.7 (400/800)

This truck, running at the 125 HP setting consistently got 16-17 mpg driving my usual (too fast) back and forth to work. My 2011 weighs 1500 lbs more than the 2002, has about the same HP/Tq, is wider and taller than the 02 and gets essentially the same mpg. Plus the 2011 can tow 7000 lbs more.

That's enough grunting and stuff for now... If you'd like to hear about the race cars... :-)

Edit: Forgot towing mpg:

All towing 70-75 with my camper (not the race team trailers)
2011- 10
2008- 8-9
2002- 10-11

j
 
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Hey this is my kind of thread!

I have a 2008 Ford F-450 crewcab 4x4.
Mods- S&B cold air intake, Spartan DashDaq Tuner, def delete. MBRP full 3" intake pipe, 93 gallon Aux tank/tool box combo. B&W turn over ball with companion fifthwheel. I run the truck on the mild 210 tune, best guess is around 500 to 550 horsepower and around 1200 ft lb of torque. It has a 4.88 gear so around 85 mph is all I'll push it.
Around town it's gets 14.5 mpg, highway 17 mpg. And towing the 5er it's close to 11.5, I tow around 75 mph on cruise. Before I tuned and did the delete it got around 12 mpg on the highway, 9 mpg in the city and 10 mpg towing. My DW calls it the Beast.
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My Prior truck was a 2002 F-250 4x4 with the 7.3 Powerstroke, I loved that truck, it 275, 000 miles when I traded it in on this truck, the motor it in was strong but the rest of the truck was getting some age on it. It handle our old 28 ft 5er good, but I didn't feel good hooking up to a 14,000 lb 43 ft 5er and striking out with it.

They were talking about this on the other thread, but I wanted to add it on here...
Diesel fuel prices. I buy my fuel across the stateline from my house in the great state of Mississippi (Tiggerdad's stomping ground) it's cheaper there, just checked my Gas Buddy app, It's 1.79 for Diesel. Good for folks traveling and the truckers and farmers but bad for us working in the oilfield.
 
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My first RV was a DP, so no need for a tow vehicle. Current is a 2006 F350 SRW Crew cab long bed. Got it for a song after proving to the dealer it had all the known 6.0 issues. Fixed the issues for well under what it would cost most thanks to a friends shop and doing 80% of the work myself. Currently just shy of 178k on the clock and will be paid off in March 2016. Planning to keep it for at least another year and then see if I can find a sweet deal on a 6.7 DRW.

Fuel mileage wise I get around 14.5 average, seen as high as 17.5 highway cruising at 75, and get between 11-12 towing the 5th wheel

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DSC_1021 (800x533).jpg 2007 Chevy 2500 short box. Duramax. 80,000 miles. Really glad we bought this, tows nice. MPG anywhere from 10-12 depends on how much we want to push it. Last truck was a Dodge 1998 V-10. MPG maybe 6-7. Told my DW after we bought the Chevy and traveled to Florida, I could get used the traveling in this truck. LOL
 


2004 Ford F150 w/ 5.4 Triton V-8. Gets 15 to 16 on the highway and 14 around town. Towing the 2015 Open Range 315BHS it gets around 8 mpg. We just traded up 4 months ago from a Bullet bumper pull. The Fifth wheel pulls much easier going down the road. My truck seems to have the power for it and will easily tow at 75. Obviously it is a strain though and being right at the weight limit I feel like I really want to make the jump to a diesel. The problem is my truck is paid off and I'm really enjoy not having a payment. I love my truck except being limited on towing.
 


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Burping and scratching...

Mine is a 2012 F-250 Lariat with the 6.7L turbo diesel. I haven't done any of the mods to this point so it is still factory stock (though considering, except it would void my 100,000 mile warranty). The kids call it The Brahma Bull. I get about 17 mpg riding around town but around 9 mpg pulling the camper on the interstate around 72 mph. I put in a 60 gallon auxillary fuel tank in the back which gives me enough fuel to make it from Meridian to Fort Wilderness without stopping.

My camper is a 2012 Jayco 32BHDS. It was the only camper we could find at the time that had the layout that we wanted for us and the kids at the time. Since then some 5th wheel models have come out with more desirable layouts and the wife is pushing for a trade (thanks SouthAlabama5er...) It pulls very well, the weight distribution hitch keeps things nice and the truck doesn't hesitate at all pulling it, but I wonder if I wouldn't get better fuel mileage by moving to the 5er.

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My last big truck was a 2003 F-250 with the 7.3 before Ford went to the 6.0. I loved that truck but needed an upgrade. It got 16 mpg city, but pulled this same camper at 12 mpg but I did have it chipped and air intake converted. It was 2wd so that helped with interstate pulling and fuel mileage. I had no problems with that truck and actually hated to part with it.

My other truck, for everyday driving and farm use it my old trusty 1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4. Bought it new in 1997 and have been proud of its performance and durability. Has over 175,000 miles on the 2.7 liter 4-cylinder and still gets about 19 mpg on gas. It is known as Old Crow to me, the kids don't get the joke...then again, neither do most people. Currently it is in the shop for some needed repairs from its long life. Getting a new head as I finally cracked the last one. Looking forward to its return as I did not buy the F-250 for everyday driving. Parking at the hospital can be a bear.
 
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for everyday driving and farm use it my old trusty 1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4. Bought it new in 1997 and have been proud of its performance and durability. Has over 175,000 miles on the 2.7 liter 4-cylinder


1) Those things go on FOREVER.
2) I would not be surprised to hear you reach 300,000 miles. *
.
* I managed a Class-8 (Big Rigs) truck plant, and we used these as our factory vehicles for utility purposes. And, our guys were not gentle or kind when driving them.
 
Wow tiggerdad only 175k on a head? I had a 97 I bought used with 98k on it, when I sold it I was around 205k, only items I had to replace was a u-joint in the front drive shaft and all of the suspension bushings as they dry rotted. My 1997 S10 (got again used 5 years ago) I sold with 318k on its little 2.2L 4cyl. It needed shocks and new AC compressor in the few years I had it. Still runs now, think its up to 350k on it now. Current commuter car was given to me, 1987 Olds Delta 88 (Front wheel drive, 6 cyl) only 50k original miles. I am sure ill rack up some mileage on it over time.
 
My tag says "IFLYLO" in reference to my speed.

The head was a tragic consequence of the head gasket letting air into the cooling system and she pegged hot really fast. My own fault as I knew the gasket was leaking for some time but didn't act on it. Oh well, first time in the shop for anything so can't say too much. I'll stack it up against any of the smaller pickups coming off the lot today.

I like @TheRustyScupper truck best so far, sorry guys.
 
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Pictures??? You didn't say to post pictures. All I can say is, you started it.

Here is my TT I had before my current 5er. The tow vehicle was a little under powered so I bought my first diesel. This pic was from 2001. That's my DS who will be 18 in a few weeks.

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1400 Loop- 2005. That's my 2002 F250 and my current 5er straight ahead.

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2008 in Loop 200 with my hated 2008 and the same 5er.

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2011 with my current 2011 F350 in the 100 loop and still the same 5er.

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The race team toy hauler with my F350 at Heartland Park Topeka- 2014

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Both race team haulers at MidAmerica Motorplex outside Omaha

j
 
I went looking and realized I don't have any pictures of the trailer and the new TV. Gonna have to remedy that one of these days. But not today as it is pouring rain.
 
Cool thread.

2015 Chevy 3500 Duramax - get around 17ish daily and 10-12 pulling depending... Prior to this I've had a 2010 Tundra and before that a 2003 Chevy 3500 DRW Duramax.

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