Real world towing

[SouthernCharm]

The diesel is great for pulling for sure. However, you need to ask yourself how you will drive it most of the time. 1) Are you just running errands in town only driving a few miles each way?
2) Are you going to let it sit up and drive a "daily" driver and use it sparingly?
3) How big of hills are you really going to be pulling?
The gas truck if you answered yes questions 1&2, and if you only have moderate hills like in most of Alabama, Ms, Ga, Fl, Louisiana.

I would not consider a 1500 for the load you are speaking of hauling.

The 250/2500, 350/3500, 450 are going to have a lot better suspensions for what you are hauling, the end justifies the means on this.

the 450, yep it is wider, will turn inside the 250, 350 class of trucks. It will even turn inside my old k1500.

No use going less than a 4x4, why? I may need it at anytime. It's like cc or a pocket knife, it is going to be with me.

Thank, the PNW is a hill, you either going up or coming down,lol. Haven’t decided on 2. If I’m going to replace 2 rigs with one.

 

[Schmo]

1/2 ton should be out of the question. Yes, they will pull the weight. But as has been stated, in a 1/2 ton, you do not have enough truck to control your load in an emergency situation. I recently pulled over 11,000 with my 2011 Tundra. Not because I thought it was a great idea, but because it’s what I have and I wasn’t going real far. It pulled it better than I could have asked, but if you have to stand on the brakes or anything, it’s just going to be a bad situation.

A 3/4 is plenty for what you need. Diesel will obviously pull better, and get better mileage pretty much all the way around. Deal with DEF until the truck is out of warranty, then find someone to remedy the DEF situation.

 

[TSAMP]

Any F150 eco boost 3.5L users on here tow? I went from a 14' 5.0 to a 23' eco and my towing mileage is terrible. I was getting 19 hwy before putting 34s on it. 16 ish now average. Towed a 12 ft trailer this weekend with a Harley on it and was getting 7.5 mpg. Dropping to 55mph got me closer to 9mpg. I also noticed it seems to be spitting some fluid out the exhaust that's leaving greasy spots on the bike and my tailgate.

I have a topper and a decked system so I felt OK with my 16mpg average but dropping that low with a 2k lb trailer seems ridiculous.

 

[Yellowknife]

Any F150 eco boost 3.5L users on here tow? I went from a 14' 5.0 to a 23' eco and my towing mileage is terrible. I was getting 19 hwy before putting 34s on it. 16 ish now average. Towed a 12 ft trailer this weekend with a Harley on it and was getting 7.5 mpg. Dropping to 55mph got me closer to 9mpg.

Yes, any time you are into boost with a 3.5L, the mpg will immediately plummet. Oversize tires, weight in the bed, and some wind resistance will get you there surprisingly fast.

I get 19-21 mpg empty and 7-8 with a light travel trailer. 9 mpg with a couple ski-doos. The pulling torque is amazing, but the fuel burn is nuts with a load on that motor. It’s weird because it doesn’t seem to be working hard at all… but boost = fuel.

I’ve opted to keep my ‘21 as close to stock as possible, including factory size street tires, to help with range during normal driving.

 

[chapman8523]

I had a GMC Sierra 1500 with the 3.0, good truck. Felt outgunned towing and hauling all over AK. Now have a Sierra 3500 6.6 Duramax, different animal all together. No plans to go back.

 

[Fullfan]

In April we towed a 24' enclosed trailer from Pa to Missouri, 2 side by sides and 3 guys hunting gear. 2024 F250 w the 7.3 gas. Truck got 8 mpg towing out, and 11mpg coming home w no trailer. Truck was gutless and did not like towing the trailer. Truck is a Crew cab 2024

 

[The_Jim]

Any F150 eco boost 3.5L users on here tow? I went from a 14' 5.0 to a 23' eco and my towing mileage is terrible. I was getting 19 hwy before putting 34s on it. 16 ish now average. Towed a 12 ft trailer this weekend with a Harley on it and was getting 7.5 mpg. Dropping to 55mph got me closer to 9mpg. I also noticed it seems to be spitting some fluid out the exhaust that's leaving greasy spots on the bike and my tailgate.

I have a topper and a decked system so I felt OK with my 16mpg average but dropping that low with a 2k lb trailer seems ridiculous.

@Yellowknife is right on.

I get anywhere from 8-12 mpg towing with my f150 or my wife’s expedition. No oversized tires on either vehicle but when I put ko2’s on my f150 I lost 2mpg. Wind is a big factor and all I’m towing is a SxS and a wheeler with a 14’ utility trailer.

 

[doc holiday13]

Based on personal experience there is no way I would tow 10k with a 1500 of any model.

If it’s a tongue pull trailer, a 3500 would be my preference. I’m sure one of the new 2500 would do ok but on my RAM 2500 a 10k tongue pull is no fun.

I’ve never used any of the HD gassers but if you are going to be towing at elevation performance will suffer since it’s NA.

10K on a 2500 is nothing.. For at least 15 years now, there is functionally no difference between a 2500 and 3500 series truck. Only difference is the badge and DOT number rating. Both series in SRW config have the same frame, engine, transmission, axles, brakes, tires, and possibly even suspension springs(adding air bags to a 2500 would equal it out if they don't)

 

[TSAMP]

Yes, any time you are into boost with a 3.5L, the mpg will immediately plummet. Oversize tires, weight in the bed, and some wind resistance will get you there surprisingly fast.

I get 19-21 mpg empty and 7-8 with a light travel trailer. 9 mpg with a couple ski-doos. The pulling torque is amazing, but the fuel burn is nuts with a load on that motor. It’s weird because it doesn’t seem to be working hard at all… but boost = fuel.

I’ve opted to keep my ‘21 as close to stock as possible, including factory size street tires, to help with range during normal driving.

Fair enough. I was watching the boost guage and it was not really using the turbo other than highway acceleration on the on ramp.


What about the exhaust discharge? Is it just unburned fuel?

 

[Choupique]

For at least 15 years now, there is functionally no difference between a 2500 and 3500 series truck.

Not the case with Ram, they are very different. 2500 are coil sprung in the rear and 3500 leaf sprung rear.

The ratings are different enough that if buying a 3/4 ton diesel, you'll have very little for payload capacity left.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

7.3 gas in a 3/4 ton will do it with abysmal fuel economy.

No reason to even consider a 1/2 ton to tow that much weight. It’ll move it, but it won’t be fun to drive and that weight will reduce the life of the truck considerably.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This...I added a 58 gallon belly tank to my '21 7.3...motor will handle it, milegae will be shitty
On my 2nd transmission, it made to 60k, replaced under warranty...its currently in the shop now for 4wd wrench light...
All the brands of new trucks are junk...get the extended warranty...
New APIM module
New front hub and ABS sensor
New drivers side window switch
New transmission
Rebuilt front half of my transfer case
All under warranty
It also sucks you can only get the 7.3 in Platinum/Limited trim on the 25s.
Good Luck!

 

[doc holiday13]

Not the case with Ram, they are very different. 2500 are coil sprung in the rear and 3500 leaf sprung rear.

The ratings are different enough that if buying a 3/4 ton diesel, you'll have very little for payload capacity left.

On paper yes.. you will have slightly less capacity. In actuality they are the same. I know a guy who treated his 2500 the same as a 3500 frequently. The sticker is solely there for how you will be taxed and what laws apply to you. I'm not advocating for exceeding the sticker rating, I'm just making the point that a 2500 and 3500 are equally capable in real world application for SRW trucks.

I did forget about the Ram trucks with coil spring rear. But again, you can fix that with air spring add on.

 

[Weldor]

In April we towed a 24' enclosed trailer from Pa to Missouri, 2 side by sides and 3 guys hunting gear. 2024 F250 w the 7.3 gas. Truck got 8 mpg towing out, and 11mpg coming home w no trailer. Truck was gutless and did not like towing the trailer. Truck is a Crew cab 2024

What happened to the trailer?

 

[Thinkingman]

Any F150 eco boost 3.5L users on here tow? I went from a 14' 5.0 to a 23' eco and my towing mileage is terrible. I was getting 19 hwy before putting 34s on it. 16 ish now average. Towed a 12 ft trailer this weekend with a Harley on it and was getting 7.5 mpg. Dropping to 55mph got me closer to 9mpg. I also noticed it seems to be spitting some fluid out the exhaust that's leaving greasy spots on the bike and my tailgate.

I have a topper and a decked system so I felt OK with my 16mpg average but dropping that low with a 2k lb trailer seems ridiculous.

I tow my son's fishing raft on an ATV trailer with the load ramp raised.
The raft and trailer probably don't weigh #2000 but the drag caused by the ramp cost me about 3 mpg.
I have 178k on a 2015 3.5 Eco and it's been great.

 

[TSAMP]

I tow my son's fishing raft on an ATV trailer with the load ramp raised.
The raft and trailer probably don't weigh #2000 but the drag caused by the ramp cost me about 3 mpg.
I have 178k on a 2015 3.5 Eco and it's been great.

This has a ramp as well. What's ur mpg with it?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Oh I hear ya, just getting tired of the def issues and egr coolant. Replaced 3 so far at 190k miles. Last one at a tune of $1400.00

Do you live in an area that doesn’t require smog inspections? These diesel engines, particularly the Cummins, are 400K miles engines with EGR and DEF removed.

 

[Thinkingman]

This has a ramp as well. What's ur mpg with it?

I get about 17.5 mpg with 33" Falken Wildpeak E-rated at 40psi in everyday driving.
14.5 mpg with the trailer.
We talked about removing the ramp for raft duty.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

On paper yes.. you will have slightly less capacity. In actuality they are the same. I know a guy who treated his 2500 the same as a 3500 frequently. The sticker is solely there for how you will be taxed and what laws apply to you. I'm not advocating for exceeding the sticker rating, I'm just making the point that a 2500 and 3500 are equally capable in real world application for SRW trucks.

I did forget about the Ram trucks with coil spring rear. But again, you can fix that with air spring add on.

F250 Tremors with the 4.30 gears run the same rear springs as the regular F350s...not uncommon at all.

 

[Fullfan]

What happened to the trailer?

Left it in Missouri at camp. My dad passed and I came home for the funeral. Drove my ram3500 back hunted several more days. Then I towed the trailer home.

 

[Weldor]

Left it in Missouri at camp. My dad passed and I came home for the funeral. Drove my ram3500 back hunted several more days. Then I towed the trailer home.

Sorry to hear that. condolences.