How many of us towing 5W with 1/2 Ton?

[BamaBob]

OK So here is my take on ALL of this...
So you want a beast of a TV to make sure you are covered lower 48, Al-Can & Provence's.

Cool.

Get a MH. Get a Georgie get a Berkie, whatever you can afford. Why Simple economics!

When I unhook my F150 Ecoboost from my 5er I get 18 MPG -- better if I would just lay off my damn lead foot !)

A F350 dually for "Comfort" mmmm notsomuch (can you say 8MPG pulling/8MPG HWY )

So, get the MH and tow a Smartcar or whatever! 9-10 MPG when you are on the road and then OMG fabulous when you are driving around your camping area!

In these days of constrained income and high fuel prices, this is a calculus we are seriously considering!

[doc73]

Problem with this is one more vehicle to insure, register and inspect. Not to mention the 100, 000 plus cost. I already have a paid forvtruck. I'd rather deal with my truck then my truck and a mh that sits mostly until its weekend usage.

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[cstover]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

A F350 dually for "Comfort" mmmm notsomuch (can you say 8MPG pulling/8MPG HWY )

I get 22 mpg (hand calculated) at 68-70 mph with my 2014 Ram 3500 6.7 CTD. 12.8 to 13 towing.

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[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by cstover

I get 22 mpg (hand calculated) at 68-70 mph with my 2014 Ram 3500 6.7 CTD. 12.8 to 13 towing.

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I respectfully submit no.

What Kind of MPG are you guys getting - Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums

Disagrees

[prof_fate]

You have to compare apples to apples...
If you have nothing and buy new then a truck/5vr will set you back how much? TV's can run 32k to 50k and more. I've seen 5vr's from 30k to 100k.

And i've class a's for 130k (and the sky is the limit), but yes, if you add a toad you'll spend more.

A lot may depend on where you live (state). Here a motor vehicle needs insurance, annual state inspection ($75) and registration ($50+).
A trailer doesn't have to have insurance, registration is $6/year and state inspection is $20-50. And TT never need an oil change.

Talking with my neighbor that went from a class a to a truck/trailer he says there's no comparison on costs - the TT is way cheaper. As you say, unless you full time a MH spends a whole lot of time sitting and that has a cost to it too.

Talking to a few people that have made the calculations and decision I favor a nice truck and 5vr over a MH and toad.

Originally Posted by doc73

Problem with this is one more vehicle to insure, register and inspect. Not to mention the 100, 000 plus cost. I already have a paid forvtruck. I'd rather deal with my truck then my truck and a mh that sits mostly until its weekend usage.

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[cstover]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

I respectfully submit no.

What Kind of MPG are you guys getting - Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums

Disagrees

Well sir. I believe we are at an impasse. You don't believe me and I figure there is nothing I can do regarding it. I know what I know and you can believe what you want. G'day.

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[doc73]

Originally Posted by prof_fate

You have to compare apples to apples...
If you have nothing and buy new then a truck/5vr will set you back how much? TV's can run 32k to 50k and more. I've seen 5vr's from 30k to 100k.

And i've class a's for 130k (and the sky is the limit), but yes, if you add a toad you'll spend more.

A lot may depend on where you live (state). Here a motor vehicle needs insurance, annual state inspection ($75) and registration ($50+).
A trailer doesn't have to have insurance, registration is $6/year and state inspection is $20-50. And TT never need an oil change.

Talking with my neighbor that went from a class a to a truck/trailer he says there's no comparison on costs - the TT is way cheaper. As you say, unless you full time a MH spends a whole lot of time sitting and that has a cost to it too.

Talking to a few people that have made the calculations and decision I favor a nice truck and 5vr over a MH and toad.

You are correct. Full timing it would be a MH and toad maybe. For me my TV is my daily driver. Although it would be cool MH prob would not fly for this!!!! LOL

Different strokes for different folks as my momma used to say!

I know if I HAD a 2500 instead of a 1500 i might have done a family friendly 5er. But who knows...

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[Jammer3025]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Tacoma or Tundra? There's a big difference in those 2...

What I said. Tacoma.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

I respectfully submit no.

What Kind of MPG are you guys getting - Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums

Disagrees

Originally Posted by cstover

Well sir. I believe we are at an impasse. You don't believe me and I figure there is nothing I can do regarding it. I know what I know and you can believe what you want. G'day.

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My numbers aren't nearly as good as cstover's, but I hand-calculate each tank of diesel in my truck. Towing, I typically get between 8 and 12 MPG based on the north easterly chicken dance (I can't find a lick of reasoning why I get good mileage some days vs. bad others!). Around town/highway, I typically get between 12 and 14 (with one rare tank that I hit 15).

Originally Posted by Jammer3025

What I said. Tacoma.

Wow, thanks for confirming. That's a lot of camper for a Taco. If I understand the size rankings, that's even smaller than a 1/2-ton truck.

[Jammer3025]

I don't care how you want to justify pulling a 5'vr with a 1/2 ton, In my opinion I don't think it's a smart thing to do. Not here to start a war,but 1/2 ton trucks have smaller everything underneath the sheetmetal and frame. Smaller differentials, bearings,axles, transmission's, Brakes,u-joints,frame size, overall weight of the TV, etc.

When I bought my first TT last year, (yes I'm new to the RV world , but not towing) I made dang sure it weighed at least 10% less than the truck was rated for for. I could have bought a larger TT, but I wanted the safety. Not only for us, but for the innocent people driving around me that I could have injured if my set-up would have caused an accident. My truck then was a 2010 Nissan Titan with plenty of power , but it had a 2.74 rear differential ratio, which worked just fine, but it was working hard. Under a whole lot of stress. I never intended to tow with this truck when I bought it, then we decided to buy a TT after I had it for 4 years. The truck and TT were matched great I thought. MPG were terrible, but it worked.

We decided to get a larger TT , and also decided we needed a larger TV to tow our new Rockwood Windjammer 3025w. There is no comparrison between my old TV, and our new one. I don'e care what kind of WDH/Sway control you have , having a TV that weighs 2,000 lbs more makes a big difference when you need sway control. My truck barely moves now in the winds. I'm not worried that I'm going to kill someone due to losing control of due to my TT weighing twice as much as my TV, and not worrying about going to prison for killing someone in an accident that I caused due to an in-correct Tv,TT combination. Not to mention your insurance would drop you like a hot potato.

If your TT is rated for the 5th wheels weight, thats fine, your legal, but if your at your trucks weight limit, I would take a hard look at how safe you really are. Look at the size of the brakes on a newer 3/4 ton truck, and compare them to your 1/2 ton. Most new diesel TV's have exhaust brakes built into them now, and you hardly even use your brakes going down steep grades. Which equals to way less brake fade if any at all. You can't tell me your 1/2 ton can do that.

Again I'm not the weight police, but I am a retired Heavy equip/,diesel, and auto tech, and I'm just stating what I know and have seen. I like to be safe, and I don't want to endanger anybody else around me. I also believe these new truck rating's especially the 1/2 ton series is over exaggerating on the manufactures, trying to out do the others with their weight wars.

I'm sure there will be a lot of folks that will say they are within the limits of there TV, and they've been doing it for years without an incident, and to that I'll say IMHO your just lucky.

[Jammer3025]

Originally Posted by ependydad

My numbers aren't nearly as good as cstover's, but I hand-calculate each tank of diesel in my truck. Towing, I typically get between 8 and 12 MPG based on the north easterly chicken dance (I can't find a lick of reasoning why I get good mileage some days vs. bad others!). Around town/highway, I typically get between 12 and 14 (with one rare tank that I hit 15).




Wow, thanks for confirming. That's a lot of camper for a Taco. If I understand the size rankings, that's even smaller than a 1/2-ton truck.

Ha Ha, yeah it was pretty crazy. That week at that CC we saw a lot of crazy Tow and trailer combination's. I was just glad I wasn't on the same highway they were on or behind them. I think it the Tacoma's might be a 1/4 ton. Not sure on that.

[B and B]

Jammer. Using Your own words I am under the maximum capacity or the tow ratings of my properly equipped truck. I am legal, have towed many different TT/TV combinations as well. also have a commercial licence have drive everything without a fifth shell in my lifetime. Personal preference aside considering what I see I the campground around me I know my set is legal and safe by the stickers. So much has to do with how you use it safely. There are many on this site that two with the same as I do. For the record this week I was in a 2 mile downgrade of 6% on Tuesday and the dynamic braking on the Ford ecoboost kept me at 55 all the way down the hill, no brakes.

[B and B]

Originally Posted by HSVBamaBob

OK So here is my take on ALL of this...

So you want a beast of a TV to make sure you are covered lower 48, Al-Can & Provence's.



Cool.



Get a MH. Get a Georgie get a Berkie, whatever you can afford. Why Simple economics!



When I unhook my F150 Ecoboost from my 5er I get 18 MPG -- better if I would just lay off my damn lead foot !)



A F350 dually for "Comfort" mmmm notsomuch (can you say 8MPG pulling/8MPG HWY )



So, get the MH and tow a Smartcar or whatever! 9-10 MPG when you are on the road and then OMG fabulous when you are driving around your camping area!



In these days of constrained income and high fuel prices, this is a calculus we are seriously considering!

x2 here Bama.

[Jammer3025]

Originally Posted by B and B

Jammer. Using Your own words I am under the maximum capacity or the tow ratings of my properly equipped truck. I am legal, have towed many different TT/TV combinations as well. also have a commercial licence have drive everything without a fifth shell in my lifetime. Personal preference aside considering what I see I the campground around me I know my set is legal and safe by the stickers. So much has to do with how you use it safely. There are many on this site that two with the same as I do. For the record this week I was in a 2 mile downgrade of 6% on Tuesday and the dynamic braking on the Ford ecoboost kept me at 55 all the way down the hill, no brakes.

Sounds like you matched it up properly. Dynamic braking sounds like it works good. I think if a person drives correctly going down a long grade on the big highways and interstates, and selects the right gear and speed for a safe descent they should be able to maintain a safe speed. I tow at 55 mph, but I'm an old retired Geezer and don't mind going slow.

It's those steep mountain roads with tight turns and lots of them, and no time for your brakes to cool off. Thats when an overloaded TV/TT combo can get you in real trouble. I would just just hate to see any of you get hurt due to a mis-matched rig. I've seen some crazy stuff out there.