Info on Tow Vehicle

Alan Roehrich · 02-11-2015, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

What kind of fuel mileage are you getting with the 8.1. Towing and empty. Just curious. The big gas motored trucks I have had were brutal on fuel.

Mine gets around 9 towing, around 11-12 empty. It has a 4.10 gear, which I think is too much. It's an 03 loaded crew cab, highest available GVWR. It hasn't had anything done to it. Yet.

FED 387 · 02-11-2015, 09:27 PM

Mine is a 2000 F250 extended cab---7.3 Powerstroke 2 WD auto-- Get about 15 around town just about 18 on the hiway empty --- towing a dragster and all my stuff in a 24 ft Haulmark gets about 11 1/2- 12 as long as its not hilly or windy-- 3:73 gear -- hafta keep it under 2000 RPM/62-65 MPH or the mileage goes to hell real fast--FED 387

Alan Roehrich · 02-11-2015, 09:45 PM

Yeah, well in my case that's 70+, and well over 2000 RPM. A 3.73:1 gear would probably help mine considerably. I hope the change to 19.5" medium truck wheels and tires takes some RPM out of it. I looked the other day, where the previous owners let the truck sit, the muffler is rusting out, so odds are it will get a complete exhaust system. That may help. I'm sure getting the ECM reprogrammed will help.

My one real complaint about the 8.1 is that it is way under cammed, so it runs out of power too early, the shift strategy holds it in gears too long under moderate throttle.

Still, the truck would have cost 1/3 more than I paid for it if it were a diesel, diesel costs 50% more per gallon than gasoline, and any repairs would be twice as high for the diesel. I love it, and I would not trade it for a diesel.

Kenny Wigington · 02-11-2015, 09:58 PM

I would not use a 1/2 ton truck to pull more a 24 ft, for just a sat fternoon race. I have an 06 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0 gas burner,and it does. It does tow my 28 ft trailer fairly well, but I'm usually @ 10 mpg towing, and 12/13 empty. It got better mpg with the shell on back, and that partially kept the effects of " the windwall" of the front of the trailer, right behind the truck,to somewhat of a minimum. My truck now has 245,000 miles on it, and I still would make a 500 mile trip with it, without worry.
I have to agree, with most,from their experience and my own, to get at least a 3/4 ton truck, even it you use it as your daily driver, unless you already have something else.

Mike Pearson · 02-11-2015, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

Mine gets around 9 towing, around 11-12 empty. It has a 4.10 gear, which I think is too much. It's an 03 loaded crew cab, highest available GVWR. It hasn't had anything done to it. Yet.

I get about 9-10 towing my 40 ft goose with my 1996 F350 dually w/7.3 diesel it gets about 17 empty. My toter gets about 8.5 towing. I use the dually for local races and a weekend driver. Cost to run the toter is about the same as the dually because the diesel gen in the toter uses way less fuel than the gas gen in the trailer.

02-11-2015, 09:27 PM	#2
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,416 Likes: 522 Liked 330 Times in 178 Posts	Re: Info on Tow Vehicle Mine is a 2000 F250 extended cab---7.3 Powerstroke 2 WD auto-- Get about 15 around town just about 18 on the hiway empty --- towing a dragster and all my stuff in a 24 ft Haulmark gets about 11 1/2- 12 as long as its not hilly or windy-- 3:73 gear -- hafta keep it under 2000 RPM/62-65 MPH or the mileage goes to hell real fast--FED 387

02-11-2015, 09:45 PM	#3
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,105 Likes: 1,564 Liked 1,789 Times in 408 Posts	Re: Info on Tow Vehicle Yeah, well in my case that's 70+, and well over 2000 RPM. A 3.73:1 gear would probably help mine considerably. I hope the change to 19.5" medium truck wheels and tires takes some RPM out of it. I looked the other day, where the previous owners let the truck sit, the muffler is rusting out, so odds are it will get a complete exhaust system. That may help. I'm sure getting the ECM reprogrammed will help. My one real complaint about the 8.1 is that it is way under cammed, so it runs out of power too early, the shift strategy holds it in gears too long under moderate throttle. Still, the truck would have cost 1/3 more than I paid for it if it were a diesel, diesel costs 50% more per gallon than gasoline, and any repairs would be twice as high for the diesel. I love it, and I would not trade it for a diesel. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

02-11-2015, 09:58 PM	#4
Kenny Wigington Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Cumming,Ga. USA Posts: 967 Likes: 36 Liked 60 Times in 12 Posts	Re: Info on Tow Vehicle I would not use a 1/2 ton truck to pull more a 24 ft, for just a sat fternoon race. I have an 06 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0 gas burner,and it does. It does tow my 28 ft trailer fairly well, but I'm usually @ 10 mpg towing, and 12/13 empty. It got better mpg with the shell on back, and that partially kept the effects of " the windwall" of the front of the trailer, right behind the truck,to somewhat of a minimum. My truck now has 245,000 miles on it, and I still would make a 500 mile trip with it, without worry. I have to agree, with most,from their experience and my own, to get at least a 3/4 ton truck, even it you use it as your daily driver, unless you already have something else. __________________ 2894 STK Last edited by Kenny Wigington; 02-11-2015 at 10:01 PM.