Tow Unit

[acadianbob]

Also, don't one ton trucks have a reporting requirement with DOT; records, maintenance, all that stuff? They do here in MN. Extra hassle factor.

[Great Horned Owl]

I don't know about MN, but in most states those DOT requirements apply to commercial vehicles. They do not apply to private vehicles that are not in commercial service. Vehicle size or weight rating is not a factor.

[Herk7769]

2008 GMC 2500HD with Duramax and Allison transmission.
Love it; keeping it.

Will one day be towing a 2020 Forest River 5th wheel with it.

I may have to convert it to wind power though...

[Coops1]

A good friend of mine had a 2011 3/4 Dodge diesel and returned it to the dealer because of poor gas mileage, they even offered to do a full delete and tune for free. He said it would only get 8 in the city and 14 highway so he still traded it in. I know his other truck is a STR-10 so maybe he didn't want 2 gas guzzlers.

My GMC gets 17mpg combined and could be happier with it.

Don't forget the new J2807 standards when they come out will more than likely change a lot of numbers. GM has released their numbers but recently have said they will not implement them until all the manufactures are on board.

From what I see towing a 5er will take the biggest hit with 3/4 ton.

[Herk7769]

When you think about it, the biggest factor in gas mileage is relative wind induced drag. This has to be overcome with engine power.

The taller your camper for a given weight; the worse your gas milage will be. This is one of the many advantages a travel trailer has over a 5th wheel; better gas milage all other things being equal.

Picture trying to hold up a 4x8 sheet of plywood standing in the bed of your truck driving down the road and then with a 4x4 sheet of plywood.

[grayfox]

Herk, I went from a 8526 ??? 5'vr to a 320 RLT Prime Time Crusader. From about 9,000 lbs. gross , to about 12,500 lbs. gross and honestly I lost maybe a half mile per gallon in all terrain. I think it's the combination of the D-Max and the Allison And the aerodynamics of the Crusader. The Flagstaff is 11 1/2' tall as opposed to the Crusader @ 12 1/2'. As you know the Allison adapts well as it is a learning tranny. Oh, sorry, I have a 2005 2500HD SB SRW STD bed quad cab Duramax/Allison.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by grayfox

Herk, I went from a 8526 ??? 5'vr to a 320 RLT Prime Time Crusader. From about 9,000 lbs. gross , to about 12,500 lbs. gross and honestly I lost maybe a half mile per gallon in all terrain. I think it's the combination of the D-Max and the Allison And the aerodynamics of the Crusader. The Flagstaff is 11 1/2' tall as opposed to the Crusader @ 12 1/2'. As you know the Allison adapts well as it is a learning tranny. Oh, sorry, I have a 2005 2500HD Duramax/Allison.

I have talked to folks towing 15,000 pound Montana Fivers with my truck who get about the same MPG I do towing the Flagstaff. (Was one at the FAMCAMP last week in fact). Said he was carrying a 3000 pound pin. I mentioned that I thought his truck was "bowed in the middle" as a joke and he liked to have a heart attack.

The Crusader is very streamlined and the extra foot in height is somewhat offset by the better aerodynamics.

What I was referring to was a comparison (the all things being equal part) between the travel trailer and the 5th wheel. The real increase in MPG appears when you compare your 12 foot high 5th wheel to an 8 foot high travel trailer (about 18 to 24 inches above the truck roof).

[grayfox]

Absolutely.... Got cha. your right on the money. I do love my 5'vr over a travel trailer even with some sacrifice in fuel economy .

[transamz9]

I gained 2 MPG when I went to my 5'er from a TT.

[Rugged Brown]

I also improved gas mileage from a 4000 lb Hybrid to a ~8000 lb 5er. Go figure.

[TURBS]

All though I didn't improve/decrease fuel mileage going from a 34' tt to a 36' 5er my tow quality went UP!

[dretired]

Originally Posted by Rugged Brown

I also improved gas mileage from a 4000 lb Hybrid to a ~8000 lb 5er. Go figure.

Amazing !! What kind of wax do you use..??

[Rugged Brown]

Originally Posted by dretired

Amazing !! What kind of wax do you use..??

can't tell ya,, have to shoot ya....

[Bryce]

Originally Posted by brw549

I did however find many Ford 7.3 trucks that just will not die. Apparently that was the best product they ever made.

I love my '01 F-250 with the 7.3 PSD. The transmission needed to be replaced last summer at 190,000. It now has 197,000+ (not my daily driver). When the transmission went, I contemplated trading it in on a ne 6.7 PSD F-250/350 SRW or a F-150 ecoboost. The dealer was practically begging me to trade in my truck (I had told them I was going to keep it to see what I could get them down to on a new truck before springing the trade in), and when we could not find the "perfect" truck for me available (it was in between the '11 selling off and '12s being orderable), they actually told me that the 7.3 was the best engine they ever had and they can't get people to part with them. when they can, they can get good money for them.

Recently, I went to a dyno day with the local Super Duty club. I put mine on the dyno with only a 4" exhaust and Ford AIS intake as modifications. I pulled 242hp and 504ft·lbs torque a the wheels. Factory specs were 250hp/505ft·lbs at the crank. not bad for a truck that had about 195,000 miles at the time.


I'm planning on driving this truck for a long time.

[RickV]

I just installed a Bullydog Triple GT Tuner on my 2003 F250 7.3 yesterday. WOW is all I can say. I have a S&B Cold Air Intake that I am going to install tomorrow and a MBRP 4" Exhaust that will be installed Tuesday. Only problem I had was when messing with the different tunes was when I put it in Extreme and took off it blew the bottom radiator hose off the radiator (note to self don't put it in Extreme) good thing was I was within a mile from home but, I had to go out this AM and buy 4 gallons of coolant. I haven't hooked the 5ver to it yet going to wait until I get the Intake and Exhausts on it but, in tow mode it seems much more responsive and the shift into Overdrive is much better then it was before the Bullydog.