Towing with a 1/2 ton in the Rockies

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

My fuel mileage is very much the same as yours. With about 1000 miles on the truck, we towed our Cougar XLite fifth wheel from Michigan west through several states, over the Rockies in Wyoming and then back over them in Colorado on the return leg. The XLite weighs about 9000 loaded for travel and we usually travel between 62-68 MPH. The average SOLO mileage is about 18 MPG and the average TOWING mileage for the nearly 8000 miles was 11.2 MPG.

I really don't expect to get much better since the truck is now over 10,000 miles and I think it's probably "broken in" and the mileage has "peaked"...

We have the 3.31 axle ratio and hardly ever drop out of 6th gear towing.

As a comparison, our 2013 F250 had the gas 6.2L with 3.73 axle ratios. We averaged around 15MPG SOLO and about 8.2 MPG TOWING with around 11000 miles towing and 14000 miles SOLO.

I guess I'll be happy with 11 after reading your post. I have the same 3.31 and tow a Cougar about 11,500 - 12,000 loaded. Sadly, so far I have not happened upon a hill ~ forget mountain ~ and just under 11. Had hoped for a little more but it is what it is.

[rjsurfer]

Upgrade to disc brakes, you won't need diesel engine braking. Cheaper than a new truck.

Ron W.

[old timer]

Sorry guys I was wrong on my towing MPG's I get about 11.2 towing on the freeway. I set the cruise at 55 to 60. I never like to go faster than that just because the tires on my trailer are rated at 60 MPH. Unloaded I get 16 and sometimes 18 empty. but I usually go 75 LOL.If I go 65 I get about 20. My 03 Durango got 13 with the 5.9 V8.

[gtsum2]

I get 10 towing 16500 over the last 5000 miles (in and out of the west va mountains). Sometimes as high as 12, sometimes as low as 7 (40mph headwinds in the midwest this past summer). It always seems to average out around 10 though. Empty I can get 21-22 pretty easily on the hwy

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

My fuel mileage is very much the same as yours. With about 1000 miles on the truck, we towed our Cougar XLite fifth wheel from Michigan west through several states, over the Rockies in Wyoming and then back over them in Colorado on the return leg. The XLite weighs about 9000 loaded for travel and we usually travel between 62-68 MPH. The average SOLO mileage is about 18 MPG and the average TOWING mileage for the nearly 8000 miles was 11.2 MPG.

I really don't expect to get much better since the truck is now over 10,000 miles and I think it's probably "broken in" and the mileage has "peaked"...

We have the 3.31 axle ratio and hardly ever drop out of 6th gear towing.

As a comparison, our 2013 F250 had the gas 6.2L with 3.73 axle ratios. We averaged around 15MPG SOLO and about 8.2 MPG TOWING with around 11000 miles towing and 14000 miles SOLO.

Sorry to say guys, you're not even close to being broken in yet. My truck peaked on fuel mileage when I hit 80k miles. I used to get 11-11.5 towing, jumped to 12-12.5 after I crossed 80k miles. At the rate you guys are going, you should be there in about 7 years

Originally Posted by rjsurfer

Upgrade to disc brakes, you won't need diesel engine braking. Cheaper than a new truck.

Ron W.

Sorry Ron, I could disagree more. When you have 15k lbs like I do, or even 8k lbs like you do, pushing you down a mountain pass, any feature that helps maintain control and safety is a welcome addition. When I can run the down side of a mountain pass and maintain speed with the exhaust brake without ever touching the brakes I know they will be there and work in an emergency. I've towed in the Rockies with a gas truck and agree proper brake management works, but there isn't any comparison to doing it with a diesel with an exhaust brake.

[gearhead]

May I suggest that you and others learn from my mistakes. I had a GMC 2500 with a 6.0 gas with 3.73 rear end. Bought the Cougar X-Lite 28SGS. No issues with weights and no issues towing around coastal Texas. The first trip to the Smoky Mountains I decided "I don't like this". Foot to the floor, engine screaming, no momentum, getting passed going uphill, then re-passing the same ones later. When we got home we bought a Ford F350 diesel. Oh so easy towing. No stress. I actually pulled from Bristol TN to Houston in one sitting. Fast forward to...this is so easy, lets' upgrade to a Montana. Pin weight of 2175#. I thought no problem, I have 3265# payload. Wrong. By the time I load up, I'm over capacity. So now I'm trading again. I discovered Ford has the lowest payload capacity of the 3, with Dodge being highest. I have a Dodge 3500 SRW on order. This is the expensive lesson learned: GO BIG. If you think a 3/4 is enough, you may as well go 1 ton. That yellow payload sticker inside the truck door rules our world.

[BirchyBoy]

Originally Posted by gearhead

May I suggest that you and others learn from my mistakes. I had a GMC 2500 with a 6.0 gas with 3.73 rear end. Bought the Cougar X-Lite 28SGS. No issues with weights and no issues towing around coastal Texas. The first trip to the Smoky Mountains I decided "I don't like this". Foot to the floor, engine screaming, no momentum, getting passed going uphill, then re-passing the same ones later. When we got home we bought a Ford F350 diesel. Oh so easy towing. No stress. I actually pulled from Bristol TN to Houston in one sitting. Fast forward to...this is so easy, lets' upgrade to a Montana. Pin weight of 2175#. I thought no problem, I have 3265# payload. Wrong. By the time I load up, I'm over capacity. So now I'm trading again. I discovered Ford has the lowest payload capacity of the 3, with Dodge being highest. I have a Dodge 3500 SRW on order. This is the expensive lesson learned: GO BIG. If you think a 3/4 is enough, you may as well go 1 ton. That yellow payload sticker inside the truck door rules our world.

Maybe you should take your own advice and get a DRW

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by old timer

Sorry guys I was wrong on my towing MPG's I get about 11.2 towing on the freeway. I set the cruise at 55 to 60. I never like to go faster than that just because the tires on my trailer are rated at 60 MPH. Unloaded I get 16 and sometimes 18 empty. but I usually go 75 LOL.If I go 65 I get about 20. My 03 Durango got 13 with the 5.9 V8.

Those numbers are very much identical to mine. I can't prove it, but the more I read about the SuperDuty, from 99 to present, it seems that towing mileage is more a factor of wind resistance than of towing weight. You're almost 4000 pounds heavier than me and get almost the same mileage towing and solo. CaptnJohn is towing 12,000 and is in the same 11 MPG range. Most people I've talked to that tow with Ford diesels are getting right at 11 MPG towing a fifth wheel, doesn't much matter if it's a 7,000 pound or a 14,000 pound model. Seems that the frontal area/headwinds affect mileage more than the weight. There seems to be, from what I have read of owner's experiences, about a 1 MPG increase with people who tow a travel trailer when compared to people who tow a fiver (smaller frontal area).

At any rate, towing with a modern diesel is much more efficient (in MPG) than towing with a gas engine in the same size truck/trailer category. Even towing with my 93 NA 7.3L diesel was "effortless" as long as I was under about 5000 ft altitude. That poor diesel, above 9000 ft, worked it's "tail off" and we had to clean black soot from everything inside and outside the trailer after going over the pass at Albuquerque. It's pretty much a "moot point" now, but back then, as we pulled the pass, I think we might have been better off with a gas engine (similar loss of power at altitude) just because of the amount of soot we produced with that diesel "gasping for air" and burning so much fuel trying to make power. Today, I don't believe you can buy an automotive diesel without a turbo, so those days are behind us, thankfully !!!!!

And, bsmith0404, I completely agree with your assessment of the engine braking system. I was amazed that we "coasted from the Eisenhower tunnel into Denver" down some awfully steep grades, and I only tapped the brakes to slow down when traffic got in the way. Other than having to "brake for traffic" the engine/transmission kept us at the "cruise setting" all the way down the mountain. It was "comforting" to know that the truck/trailer brakes were there if I need them, and not overheated from trying to prevent a "runaway"... That feature, while not the "bestest" thing I like about my new diesel, is way up there on the list of "betterer than gas" by comparison LOL

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by BirchyBoy

Maybe you should take your own advice and get a DRW

Or limit the "shoe closet" to directly over the axles ????????

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Or limit the "shoe closet" to directly over the axles ????????

Ain't that the truth!

No, I don't want a dually. If the Ram payload is anywhere close to the 4300 they claim I will have plenty of leftover capacity. If not, dually it is I guess.

If I get a dually I might have to drive to Ontario Canada to find a carwash that will take dually's. Or wherever that guy was from that wanted to argue that his hometown carwashes would work. All in fun...

[Denver Transplant]

We pull a 4800 pound (dry) Passport 2400BH with a 2012 Nissan Armada Platinum. The Armada is basically a 1/2 ton Titan with an SUV body. We do have the "big tow" package which is basically the low ratio rear end, a transmission cooler and the air life leveling system. The Armada is rated at 9500 pounds towing capacity.

I figure that with water and personal stuff we are pushing 5500-6000 pounds. . We've been over the tunnels on the 70 a couple times and found a few other pretty steep climbs (the pull up to Brainard Lake at 11,300 feet for example). I haven't been brave enough to tackle Berthoud Pass but it shouldn't be a problem just a long as you take it slow. Not sure about tackling Independence pass though.

We made it pretty well and can do 40 MPH+ approaching the tunnels with some periods of shifting down to 2nd, but mostly 3rd. Its nothing the Armada hasn't been able to handle, but you need some patience on the way up. Shift to 3rd on the way down and haven't had any significant braking issues. Milage sucks, but that's part of the price. We get 6-8 MPG on those major pulls and usually 10 MPG overall when towing.

Experience so far hasn't made me want to consider moving to a 3/4 ton or a diesel. I might be thinking differently in a few years after extended towing. Long term reliability is still to be determined.

[larry337]

Originally Posted by gearhead

May I suggest that you and others learn from my mistakes. I had a GMC 2500 with a 6.0 gas with 3.73 rear end. Bought the Cougar X-Lite 28SGS. No issues with weights and no issues towing around coastal Texas. The first trip to the Smoky Mountains I decided "I don't like this". Foot to the floor, engine screaming, no momentum, getting passed going uphill, then re-passing the same ones later. When we got home we bought a Ford F350 diesel. Oh so easy towing. No stress. I actually pulled from Bristol TN to Houston in one sitting. Fast forward to...this is so easy, lets' upgrade to a Montana. Pin weight of 2175#. I thought no problem, I have 3265# payload. Wrong. By the time I load up, I'm over capacity. So now I'm trading again. I discovered Ford has the lowest payload capacity of the 3, with Dodge being highest. I have a Dodge 3500 SRW on order. This is the expensive lesson learned: GO BIG. If you think a 3/4 is enough, you may as well go 1 ton. That yellow payload sticker inside the truck door rules our world.

I always tell people just skip the 3/4 tons and get a one ton. Very little difference in price, ride, or fuel economy so no reason not to. The only reason I can think of is plate fees which vary by state. And BTW my dually fits in the local laser wash with no problem, just in case you change your mind again lol.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Javi]

I'll say this to that.... nothing beats A DRW diesel for towing. Quit fooling around and get you one.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Javi

I'll say this to that.... nothing beats A DRW diesel for towing. Quit fooling around and get you one.

You got that right!!

[michael_h]

If you are going to consider an Ecoboost F150, I recommend the max tow version. 2400 bed weight, 3.73 gear, 12K tow capacity, and all the bells and whistles for towing, I wish I would had thought about it a bit more when I bought my heavy duty version . . . I love my truck and it tows great thru the WV mountains . . . presently that's all the experience I have, IMO it's really a great truck without the 3/4 ton badging

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

CaptnJohn is towing 12,000 and is in the same 11 MPG range. Most people I've talked to that tow with Ford diesels are getting right at 11 MPG towing a fifth wheel, doesn't much matter if it's a 7,000 pound or a 14,000 pound model. Seems that the frontal area/headwinds affect mileage more than the weight. There seems to be, from what I have read of owner's experiences, about a 1 MPG increase with people who tow a travel trailer when compared to people who tow a fiver (smaller frontal area).

When I was transporting I towed pretty much everything you can think of. Winds definitely had more effect on fuel mileage than the weight of the trailer. I got 11.5-12.5 with 5th wheels regardless of size (11 with a bad headwind). TTs dropped me to the 11-12 range if they had the new aerodynamic front. If it was the squared off shoebox looking TT a strong headwind could drop me down to 10. Everyone I talked with in the transport industry pretty much said the same thing. The worst trailer I ever pulled was a 32' Octane TT, only time I ever experienced single digits while towing with my truck.

Originally Posted by Denver Transplant

We pull a 4800 pound (dry) Passport 2400BH with a 2012 Nissan Armada Platinum. The Armada is basically a 1/2 ton Titan with an SUV body. We do have the "big tow" package which is basically the low ratio rear end, a transmission cooler and the air life leveling system. The Armada is rated at 9500 pounds towing capacity.

I figure that with water and personal stuff we are pushing 5500-6000 pounds. . We've been over the tunnels on the 70 a couple times and found a few other pretty steep climbs (the pull up to Brainard Lake at 11,300 feet for example). I haven't been brave enough to tackle Berthoud Pass but it shouldn't be a problem just a long as you take it slow. Not sure about tackling Independence pass though.

We made it pretty well and can do 40 MPH+ approaching the tunnels with some periods of shifting down to 2nd, but mostly 3rd. Its nothing the Armada hasn't been able to handle, but you need some patience on the way up. Shift to 3rd on the way down and haven't had any significant braking issues. Milage sucks, but that's part of the price. We get 6-8 MPG on those major pulls and usually 10 MPG overall when towing.

Experience so far hasn't made me want to consider moving to a 3/4 ton or a diesel. I might be thinking differently in a few years after extended towing. Long term reliability is still to be determined.

I'd say your experience would be somewhat typical of anyone towing a trailer with similar or less weight than the TV, when you step up to a trailer with significantly more weight than your TV everything changes. My 5er weighs 150% of my trucks weight. In that situation you NEED some serious braking ability in the mountains. Large 4 wheel disc is a good start, a diesel exhaust brake is a much better solution.

As for the Ecoboost, just something about having to use premium gas all of the time turns me off.

[old timer]

I have the ecoboost in my Taurus SHO and love it, Problem with trucks is that they tow with them. I can take my car and climb hills or mountain passes without using the turbos. In a truck pulling a trailer its a different story. You will be into the turbos more because I don't think just going on motor has the power to pull without the added boost. I wonder how hot they get on a 1 mile climb towing a boat.

[mazboy123]

done the NC mountains with gas and an '06 diesel chevy....diesel is the answer.

i'd say if price becomes an issue just buy an older model...they last forever!

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by larry337

I always tell people just skip the 3/4 tons and get a one ton. Very little difference in price, ride, or fuel economy so no reason not to. The only reason I can think of is plate fees which vary by state. And BTW my dually fits in the local laser wash with no problem, just in case you change your mind again lol.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Well That changes everything! If I get a dually I don't have to drive to Ontario Canada (wherever that is) to wash it, I can just go to LaGrange Ohio (wherever that is) ! LOL
I live in a small town of 8,000, believe me there are no automatic car washes here that take a dually. Don't know why not, we have an above average count of rednecks, ranchers, and oilfield trash that drive duallys. The owner of the nicest automatic wash drives a dually. You would think....

Edit: I google mapped Lagrange....I'll check out your carwash about June 2. After Indy and a couple midget races, we're thinking about working our way to New York-New England. Which of those campgrounds on the shore Lake Erie is best...maybe around Ashtabula??
But we might change our minds....lol

[Javi]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Well That changes everything! If I get a dually I don't have to drive to Ontario Canada (wherever that is) to wash it, I can just go to LaGrange Ohio (wherever that is) ! LOL
I live in a small town of 8,000, believe me there are no automatic car washes here that take a dually. Don't know why not, we have an above average count of rednecks, ranchers, and oilfield trash that drive duallys. The owner of the nicest automatic wash drives a dually. You would think....

Probably because most of us just wait for a rain to wash our dually trucks......

But seriously... we don't have any automatic dually truck washes either but plenty of manual washes..