17 mpg pulling a 5th wheel?

Richard Ferguson wrote:
> I was talking to someone today who was telling me that a diesel would
> get 17 mpg, whether it was empty or pulling a 5th wheel or a trailer.
> He claimed that he had owned both 5th wheels and trailers. I find this
> really hard to believe, to the point that it makes me question his
> credibility in other areas. This is someone that I am doing business
> with, but I do not know him well.
>

I would cut the person some slack. As has been pointed out on this
newsgroup before, if the most honest person is going to lie, it's going
to be about fuel mileage.

Richard Ferguson wrote:

> I was talking to someone today who was telling me that a diesel would
> get 17 mpg, whether it was empty or pulling a 5th wheel or a trailer. He
> claimed that he had owned both 5th wheels and trailers. I find this
> really hard to believe, to the point that it makes me question his
> credibility in other areas. This is someone that I am doing business
> with, but I do not know him well.

You are wise to question his credibility. With our Duramax, if I keep
the speed to 62 mph, we can get 22 mpg on the hwy empty. We can get UP
TO 12.6 mpg towing our 34' Sunnybrook trailer. Keep in mind that this is
a 2500HD Extended Cab long box truck, not a dually.

Lon

Richard Ferguson <fergusonOMITsculpture@omitthisatt.net> writes:

>I was talking to someone today who was telling me that a diesel would
>get 17 mpg, whether it was empty or pulling a 5th wheel or a trailer.
>He claimed that he had owned both 5th wheels and trailers. I find this
>really hard to believe, to the point that it makes me question his
>credibility in other areas. This is someone that I am doing business
>with, but I do not know him well.

Somebody is dreaming to get 17 MPG pulling a 5th wheel. A guy once told
me he got 22 MPG pulling a 5th wheel with a Ford 7.3 diesel. He upgraded
to the 6.0 and was disappointed to only be getting 11 MPG.

I had several different diesel vehicles and the best MPG I ever got towing
my travel trailer was 10 MPG. I also had a V10 truck and got 7 MPG with
that. I think the extremely tall profile of my toy hauler killed the
mileage.

Brian Elfert

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 03:36:37 GMT Richard Ferguson
<fergusonOMITsculpture@omitthisatt.net> wrote:

>So perhaps a few of you could post the details of your truck and 5th
>wheel, as well as your typical speed and mileage, to do a bit of a
>reality check on these fuel millage numbers.
>
I pulled a high front 5th wheel for 7 years with two different
powerstroke diesels & auto transmissions. We pulled to Mexico each
winter - a total of around 14,000 km on that trip alone. We
consistently averaged 11 MPG (per Canuck gallon) on that trip with a
variance from 9 to 13 on individual fills. I travelled on the
interstates & kept up with traffic (75 MPH). Empty those trucks would
do 25 MPG. We grossed around 18,000 GCVW. The first truck had 3.55
rears & the 2nd one 3.73. I pulled in OD whenever possible.


--
R.J.(Bob) Evans
(return address needs alteration to work)

"Lon VanOstran" <RVnFT@wmconnect.com> wrote in message
news:4g2jlhF1kc2jjU1@...
> Richard Ferguson wrote:
>
>> I was talking to someone today who was telling me that a diesel would get
>> 17 mpg, whether it was empty or pulling a 5th wheel or a trailer. He
>> claimed that he had owned both 5th wheels and trailers. I find this
>> really hard to believe, to the point that it makes me question his
>> credibility in other areas. This is someone that I am doing business
>> with, but I do not know him well.
>
> You are wise to question his credibility. With our Duramax, if I keep the
> speed to 62 mph, we can get 22 mpg on the hwy empty. We can get UP TO 12.6
> mpg towing our 34' Sunnybrook trailer. Keep in mind that this is a 2500HD
> Extended Cab long box truck, not a dually.
>
> Lon

That is almost exactly my results with my 04 Duramax LLY and 30' Terry
Quantum 5er.

there's a diesel shop here in the KC area that will do about anything to a
diesel but they specialize in the fuel systems. We go there to exchange
pumps, injectors etc. They told me they'll work on 100 dodges and fords and
then get a duramax in the shop. 100:1 fords and dodges to durmax. That
should tell you something. And I'm a Ford guy....

--
Steve Barker



"Rick Onanian" <groups.theholycow@xoxy.net> wrote in message
news:1151105957.156277.56150@g10g2000cwb. ...
> I was surprised to read others' posts in this thread that their Ford
> diesels were prone to frequent malfunctions. With all those miles, how
> have the GM diesels held up? I'm kinda interested in one for my next
> truck, although I doubt I'll be able to afford it (or, indeed, any next
> truck at all).
>

"Steve Barker LT" <railphotonut@not.m> writes:

>there's a diesel shop here in the KC area that will do about anything to a
>diesel but they specialize in the fuel systems. We go there to exchange
>pumps, injectors etc. They told me they'll work on 100 dodges and fords and
>then get a duramax in the shop. 100:1 fords and dodges to durmax. That
>should tell you something. And I'm a Ford guy....

Ford and Dodge diesels were introduced back in the 80s. The Duramax was
introduced in 2001 or 2002.

I would guess that 50% of all Duramaxs are still under factory engine
warranty so why would anybody take them to a third party shop?

There are many more Ford and Dodge diesels out on the road than Duramax
diesels, so of course a shop will se more of them.

Brian Elfert

Frank Tabor wrote:


> Ford has an advantage, when the brake pedal is tapped, it will
> downshift, if it's in range, when going downhill.

No, it doesn't.

I don't think the
> Allison will do that.

Yes, it will.

Though both will downshift on their own as they
> slow going downhill.


Lon

Personally, I prefer the leever and lockout hubs.

--
Steve Barker



"Rick Onanian" <groups.theholycow@xoxy.net> wrote in message
news:1151195431.137597.127690@p79g2000cwp. o...
> Steve Barker LT wrote:
>> I just go by what they tell me. I don't see why they would lie. Call
>> 'em.
>
> Thanks, but my whole message and all it's calculations were based on
> the premise that they were indeed telling the truth.
>
> And now I want one even more, after reading what Ron Recer wrote:
>> My '06 Duramax HO with Allison 6 Speed Automatic doesn't make you do all
>> that work. It is like that product on TV where they say "set it and
>> forget
>> it." I just set the tow/haul mode to on, get up to speed and set the
>> cruise
>> control. If the speed on an uphill drops 3-4 mph, the transmission down
>> shifts and goes on. If the speed increases 4-5 mph on a downhill, the
>> transmission down shifts and slows me down to the set speed. If one gear
>> isn't enough it will down shift again and again until it maintains the
>> set
>> speed. When I reach the bottom it upshifts back to 2nd OD (where it runs
>> almost all the time) and goes on.
>
> Just like the electronic transfer case in my truck...you can "set it
> and forget it" on the auto-engaging 4wd option, or you can take manual
> control and set full-time 4wd/2wd when you want.
>

"Robin Brumfield" <rbrumfield@charter.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1f1729a43f0a433b9896fc@News.individual.ne t...
> In article <fl3o92pkqu1atp5jfqsvuj9slcja5meqqu@>, "R.J.(Bob)
> Evans" <bob d0t evans at sasktel d0t net> says...
>> On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 03:36:37 GMT Richard Ferguson
>> <fergusonOMITsculpture@omitthisatt.net> wrote:
>>
>> >So perhaps a few of you could post the details of your truck and 5th
>> >wheel, as well as your typical speed and mileage, to do a bit of a
>> >reality check on these fuel millage numbers.
>> >
>> I pulled a high front 5th wheel for 7 years with two different
>> powerstroke diesels & auto transmissions. We pulled to Mexico each
>> winter - a total of around 14,000 km on that trip alone. We
>> consistently averaged 11 MPG (per Canuck gallon) on that trip with a
>> variance from 9 to 13 on individual fills. I travelled on the
>> interstates & kept up with traffic (75 MPH). Empty those trucks would
>> do 25 MPG. We grossed around 18,000 GCVW. The first truck had 3.55
>> rears & the 2nd one 3.73. I pulled in OD whenever possible.
>>
>>
>>
> Lord I must be doing something wrong...:-) I have owned 3 PSDs (2 w/
> the 7.3L and auto trannys and now the 6.0L with auto and all three had
> the 3.73 gears) and none of the three ever saw 25 MPG. The first was a
> 99 F250 LB/SC/SRW; second was a 01 F250 SB/CC/SRW and the third is an 04
> F350 LB/SC/SRW. Always drive between 55 and 60 and occasionally 70 but
> never more than 75 which is so infrequent that neither 70 or 75 count.
> Wonder why 20 MPG was the best I ever saw on the 99 model at 55 on a
> trip from Charleston to Cincy, OH. All three generally get/got between
> 16-17 MPG overall in the winter and 18-19 MPG overall in the summer when
> empty. Towing all three got between 9- almost 11 MPG. Man I would love
> to know the secrets of these high MPGs from the PSDs...:-))
>
>
> --
> Robin
> Charleston, WV

It's posible that you use 4x4 and the person who claims 20 mpg is pulling
with a 2x4. Many people discuss this issue and ignore the 4 wheel drive
versus 2 wheel drive issue.

Nate