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07-26-2013, 10:56 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Huntley, IL
Posts: 155
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New Truck & 5th Wheel Shakedown
We just completed our shake down with the new F250 and Cougar 333MKS 5th Wheel. The Ford owner’s manual said we needed 500 miles on the truck prior to towing so at 503 miles we hooked up and headed North to Manistee. When we unloaded the old 5th Wheel I weighed everything so I am reasonably confident the new unit comes in right around 11,000 lbs. We had been getting a non-towing average of about 18 mpg and with the 5th Wheel in tow that dropped to 13 mpg. The trip had a lot of good hills but the truck never seemed to even breathe hard. Having never owned a diesel before, I am not sure if that mpg is a good number at this point. However, I would expect it to improve with added mileage. The truck sagged just a touch less than 3 in. so I will add Timbrens which by all reports should cut the sag to about 1½” to 1¾”.
Thanks to the pre-delivery inspection list we only encountered one surprise. I never thought to check the drain connections for the kitchen sink thus we had a little water on the floor of the cabinet when we did the dishes. A little hand tightening and half a dozen paper towels fixed the problem. Based on what I have read here on the forum it seems most new owners encounter a “mystery switch”. Ours was one of the switches in the stairway up to the bath/bedroom. It drove us nuts for a good ½ hour until we discovered it turned the LED lights on the front cap (see picture). Of course the radio mysteriously came on at midnight but fortunately I remembered reading about the alarm setting. I am blaming this on the DW as she felt compelled to set the radio’s clock without using the directions.
__________________
Jeff & Karen
2013 Ford F250 6.7L CC SB
2014 Cougar 333MKS
Huntley, Illinois
formerly Norton Shores, Michigan
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07-26-2013, 11:02 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: wv
Posts: 504
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Glad to hear all went well. That a nice looking set up you have.
13MPG seems be be about average for the Ford, Dodge and chevys while towing.
__________________
2002 Chevy Avalanche 5.3 k&n cold air intake
2011 keystone hideout 26b
New tv 2005 dodge lb ctd quad cab
New TT 2014 j@%$O 32BHDS
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07-26-2013, 11:26 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Upper MI
Posts: 85
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Keep an eye on your control panel. Don't know if you've read about the issue, but if your control panel, or part of it, quits working, you will have to unplug from shore power, turn your battery disconnect switch off, then turn both sources of power back on again to reset the panel.
Our first replacement panel still doesn't work correctly. We have a second one on order now.
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2013 Cougar 333MKS
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07-26-2013, 11:35 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Huntley, IL
Posts: 155
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nano -
Thanks for the tip. I have read about panel problems and am hoping they have it corrected by now but am not counting on it.
__________________
Jeff & Karen
2013 Ford F250 6.7L CC SB
2014 Cougar 333MKS
Huntley, Illinois
formerly Norton Shores, Michigan
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07-26-2013, 11:46 AM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Michigan
Posts: 81
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Great duo you've got there. We average 13-14mpg's with a similar size setup.
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______________________________________
Angie, Matt, Camden and Harper
Family_5ers
Current 5er: 2013 Laredo 335TG
Past 5er: 2001 Innsbruk 27FRKD
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07-26-2013, 11:56 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,037
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Sweet!
enjoy that set up!
randy
__________________
Randy "Camp On"
2011 Cougar 327RES
2014 Ford F-350, 6.7L 4X4, CC, SRW
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07-27-2013, 07:40 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,456
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Glad you're enjoying the 333MKS. The DW is just about to wear me out wanting one.
__________________
2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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07-27-2013, 07:18 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho
Posts: 113
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Glad to have another 333MKS owner around here!!!!
__________________
2013 GMC Sierra 2500HD Diesel Duramax/Allison
2013 Keystone Cougar 333MKS
PullRite Superglide 16k
Revolution kites
Previous RV
2012 MVP Sonoma SE 23bh
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07-28-2013, 07:06 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Carlsbad, Calif
Posts: 212
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Beautiful setup for sure. You will love the diesel without a doubt. I can't see me ever getting another gasser after getting ours. I remember years ago being a big time diesel hater. They were noisy, smelly and dirty. Blowing smoke over the rest of the world. These new generation diesels are a world apart from those old things and I swear they were built for folks like us to tow our big trailers all over this great country. Enjoy
__________________
Paul "Poppy" Cervone
2015 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
2011 Cougar High Country 299RKS - SOLD
2007 Silverado 2500HD Duramax/Allison CC 4x4
2007 Corvette Z51
2009 Cadillac CTS
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07-29-2013, 11:22 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: University Place, WA Originally from Hawaii
Posts: 20
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Congrats on the new rig and that mpg looks great to me! We have a 3 mo old 333MKS & pulling with 2010 Ford F350 CC PSD Long bed SRW FX4 and getting about 8.6mpg! Just returned from a 3,200 mile trip, everything working fine, no issues with the control panel....yet!
__________________
John & Deb
Bogie & Pearl (Black Pugs)
University Place, WA
2010 Ford F-350 LB CC 4x4 PSD
2013 Cougar 333MKS
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08-26-2013, 06:31 AM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Gettysburg
Posts: 27
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We also have a 2010 F350 6.4L diesel Super Duty that gets about 14 mpg unloaded and no better than 8 mpg towing our 12,500 lb Montana (empty).
A friend of mine has the same truck and with some modifications (bigger air bell, straight-thru exhaust, and new engine computer program profile) was able to improve his mileage to around 26 mpg unloaded. I don't know how those mods would affect towing, but the original factory engine profile can always be restored for that use. Cost him about $1500 altogether. Once out of warranty I may do the same. Let me know if anyone wants the details of his mods. Send me a PM if you wish.
__________________
Bob and Donna
Gettysburg, PA
2012 Montana 3625RE
2010 Ford F350 dually
One Cocker Spaniel, one Tennessee Walker
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09-01-2013, 09:03 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pflugerville
Posts: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffS
We just completed our shake down with the new F250 and Cougar 333MKS 5th Wheel. The Ford owner’s manual said we needed 500 miles on the truck prior to towing so at 503 miles we hooked up and headed North to Manistee. When we unloaded the old 5th Wheel I weighed everything so I am reasonably confident the new unit comes in right around 11,000 lbs. We had been getting a non-towing average of about 18 mpg and with the 5th Wheel in tow that dropped to 13 mpg. The trip had a lot of good hills but the truck never seemed to even breathe hard. Having never owned a diesel before, I am not sure if that mpg is a good number at this point. However, I would expect it to improve with added mileage. The truck sagged just a touch less than 3 in. so I will add Timbrens which by all reports should cut the sag to about 1½” to 1¾”.
Thanks to the pre-delivery inspection list we only encountered one surprise. I never thought to check the drain connections for the kitchen sink thus we had a little water on the floor of the cabinet when we did the dishes. A little hand tightening and half a dozen paper towels fixed the problem. Based on what I have read here on the forum it seems most new owners encounter a “mystery switch”. Ours was one of the switches in the stairway up to the bath/bedroom. It drove us nuts for a good ½ hour until we discovered it turned the LED lights on the front cap (see picture). Of course the radio mysteriously came on at midnight but fortunately I remembered reading about the alarm setting. I am blaming this on the DW as she felt compelled to set the radio’s clock without using the directions.
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where is that delivery checklist? we pick ours up in 2 weeks.
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09-01-2013, 09:05 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pflugerville
Posts: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by macattack
We also have a 2010 F350 6.4L diesel Super Duty that gets about 14 mpg unloaded and no better than 8 mpg towing our 12,500 lb Montana (empty).
A friend of mine has the same truck and with some modifications (bigger air bell, straight-thru exhaust, and new engine computer program profile) was able to improve his mileage to around 26 mpg unloaded. I don't know how those mods would affect towing, but the original factory engine profile can always be restored for that use. Cost him about $1500 altogether. Once out of warranty I may do the same. Let me know if anyone wants the details of his mods. Send me a PM if you wish.
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that 26 is only on the dash. the mods confuse the computer. the actual hand calculate improvement is 1-2 mpg max. I did the same on my 08 dually.
finally traded it on a 2012 6.7 dually and get a real 16.7 highway empty stock. tow my new fifth in 2 weeks.. hoping for 11.. (the dually is 3.73 gears).
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09-02-2013, 06:28 AM
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#14
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sdetweil
where is that delivery checklist? we pick ours up in 2 weeks.
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Go to the "GENERAL FORUMS" and the first category is "Keystone Questions" The PDI is the first entry (sticky) you'll find there.
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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09-02-2013, 08:40 AM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pflugerville
Posts: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
Go to the "GENERAL FORUMS" and the first category is "Keystone Questions" The PDI is the first entry (sticky) you'll find there.
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thank you!
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09-02-2013, 05:28 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central New Jersey
Posts: 247
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Wow! The 333MKS is a gorgeous rig. Enjoy it.
With my 2011 F250 diesel, I usually get between 13.5 and 13.9 MPG.
__________________
2011 Ford F250 XLT CCSB 6.7 DIESEL (SOLD)
2011 Keystone Cougar 318SAB (SOLD)
2022 Ford F350 XLT CCSB 6.7 DIESEL
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09-03-2013, 08:43 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Haymarket, VA
Posts: 382
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sdetweil
that 26 is only on the dash. the mods confuse the computer. the actual hand calculate improvement is 1-2 mpg max. I did the same on my 08 dually.
finally traded it on a 2012 6.7 dually and get a real 16.7 highway empty stock. tow my new fifth in 2 weeks.. hoping for 11.. (the dually is 3.73 gears).
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Now I'm really wondering about my new/old '06 F350 6.0 dually. I'm getting 11.5 (both dash and 500 mile computed) towing our '10 3665RE Montana, 17+ urban and 18-20 interstate. It's got a 4.10 rear so I seldom go over 70. I thought the engine was completely stock, but I'm beginning to think it may have been programmed.
__________________
'06 F350 Lariat turbo diesel dually, Curt 20k, Softopper, Aerosheld, coolant filter, air bags
'10 3665RE Hickory, wet bolts, Trimetric battery monitor, 4 100w panels & Morningstar TS-45, still tweeking!
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09-03-2013, 09:07 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Pflugerville
Posts: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WaltBennett
Now I'm really wondering about my new/old '06 F350 6.0 dually. I'm getting 11.5 (both dash and 500 mile computed) towing our '10 3665RE Montana, 17+ urban and 18-20 interstate. It's got a 4.10 rear so I seldom go over 70. I thought the engine was completely stock, but I'm beginning to think it may have been programmed.
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My 08 DRW 4.10 rear, with the Spartan computer and DPF removal added about 3/4 mpg measured. I got a LOT more power (which made me worry about the tranny as I felt slippage), but didn't really need power.
the 6.7 at 400hp/800 tq is all that I can ask for. and 18-20 highway with 3.31 gears, and 16-17 mpg with 3.73 gears. Keep the RPM below 2000 is the sweet spot. 68mph.
on the 08 we didn't know we had a 7,000lb enclosed car hauler back there.
can't wait to tow the 5th wheel (12.5k empty).
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