dodge ram 1500 fuel mileage

[sims]

need honest opinions. i pull a 2507s travel trailer with a 2012 ram sport 1500 5.7 hemi 6 speed auto 3:55 gears. total weight of camper loaded towing is approx 6500lbs. fuel mileage on flat road at 105km/hr around 26-28 litres/100km. would this be poor or average fuel economy. anyone tow with same kind of setup have any info on there setup. need honest answers thanks. can i get better fuel mileage than this without putting a bunch of addons in the truck. onlyhave 112,000 kms on truck now.

[bikendan]

All gassers will get 9-12mpg towing. Nothing can be done to improve gas mileage when towing a full height travel trailer. Air resistance is the mpg killer.
Except by towing a low profile popup or A-frame trailer.

[sims]

Would one of those truck roof air deflectors work to help fuel mileage

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by sims

Would one of those truck roof air deflectors work to help fuel mileage

No. Unless you get it for free, it will never pay for itself

[dbledan]

I wish I got 9-12MPG...I have a lead foot and I get between 5(headwind)-9(tailwind)MPG. If you want better milage slowing down 10MPH will give you 1-2MPG typically.

If Gas is a concern I would have sold the camper. What you are getting seems pretty good to me.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by sims

Would one of those truck roof air deflectors work to help fuel mileage

As i said, there is no trick to improving towing fuel mileage in a gasser. No magic solution.
Unless you change the engine to a diesel.

[IsleDog]

I have towed several trailers with the same truck. my first was a large popup and my best was 17mpg, average 15-16. with my current 17rp (small and light) my best is 14, average 11-12. I have a 2009 crew cab f150 5.4L and 3.73 gears, 6 speed.


your numbers sound right on to me. slow down and your mileage will go up a bit. its not the weight of the rig, but the total frontal area of your camper.

[sims]

Thks for info all

[Kaadk]

If you're getting 26-28, you're doing about the same as I was with my Ram with a similar weighted trailer. Averaged around 8.2 MPG (28.6847 L/100) when towing. With the F250 and fiver, I'm averaging 7.9 MPG (29.774 L/100) when towing.

[rsdata]

I took your liters as 6.8 to 7.4 gallons
and your 105 kilometers as 65 MPH

My 2014 RAM, 8 speed, 5.7 liter with 3.21 gears pulling a 4800# hybrid tandem axle trailer between 62-68 MPH average gets between 8 to 10.5 MPG, usually higher when on flat land and at 8 when pulling in hilly terrain going slower on the climbs, AND a stiff tailwind can improve mileage 1 MPG or hurt 1 MPG as a headwind... I am usually pretty loaded in the truck and the camper when going south for the winter.

I give kudos to the 8 speed ZF tranny for giving me good MPG when towing and 19.5-21 MPG when not towing.

not sure that any add-ons would help mileage... I would bet NOT

[johntaylor]

I have the exact same truck - same year, engine, transmission, final drive ratio. I tow a 21 ft trailer weighing 5000 to 5500 lb, depending on how much fresh, grey and black water I have onboard. I keep meticulous records, which show that over 12,000 miles of towing, I have got from 8.4 mpg on hilly country or with the worst headwinds, up to 13.6 on flat land with a tailwind. It's generally between 10 and 12.5 mpg. I cruise at no more than 60 mph, and my towing is all on rural roads and interstates. No city driving.

I once got 18 mpg, but that was on a 70 mile run with a 4,000 ft elevation drop and being stuck the whole way behind a motorhome who never went over 45 mph.

[Retiredtwo]

We pull a 22ft. 5300lb trailer. The truck has a an 8 speed transmission. We have traveled about 12,000 miles and we average 11.5. Yes hills affect but you go down them too. Wind as well so stay until the wind goes your way.