RV Towing

[Zubicon]

Looking at a number of issues between Travel Trailers and Fifth wheels. Can anyone provide and MPG data on those two specific options while being towed by a 1500 with a 5.7 HEMI? Thanks

 

[Gren71]

With my 5.7 eTorque i get 9-11 mpg towing. Has a lot to do with where im going…more stop and go or consistent highway.

30ft 6k-6,500lbs TT w/715lbs tongue

For perspective, I got to the exact same miles per gallon when I was towing with my 3.6 L V6 gladiator.

So between the two very different different platforms getting the same gas mileage I just assume that’s the standard across all gas platforms with my TT size

 

[Willwork4truck]

Doubt you will be towing a fiver with a 1500, any 1500/150 period.
But for a 6-9K GVWR bumper pull, expect what the previous commenter told you. RAM sucks for towing with coils, fraid’ that for a “half ton” the F150 is a lot better specced.
Don’t believe the rv salesman, 1500’s are not good platforms for north of 8K.
Oh and do a search for towing on this forum, plenty of threads…

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

If you are hauling that around a lot, you should have gotten a heavier duty truck. Not that a 1500 wont pull it and if you are going a couple times a year it will be fine. I know my friend that hauls his around quite a bit has a 2500. It just does it with more ease.

There was a guy here called @SnowBlaZR2 who hauls his vacation home around quite regularly. He went to the dark side and got a Ford that I think he Found On Road Dead. It's the Superduty though. I think he learned that the heavier truck makes RVing better. He still chimes in sometimes. Now that the favorite gear bashing thread is shut down, he may have lost interest here though.

 

[silver billet]

Looking at a number of issues between Travel Trailers and Fifth wheels. Can anyone provide and MPG data on those two specific options while being towed by a 1500 with a 5.7 HEMI? Thanks

I've gotten as bad as 8 with a strong headwind and as good as 11 to 12 with a tail wind towing my TT. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw a consistent 1 mpg better with a 5w over a TT when the weight is the same, because the aero profile of a 5w is better than how the wind flows down over your bed and then hits the entire front wall of a TT, but you'll have trouble with the payload as all half tons don't have enough payload to carry the pin weight of a 5w. So if you want a 5w then you're better off with a 2500+. When towing with a 2500, you won't see that much worse MPG, unloaded of course a half ton will do quite a bit better.

I would not buy a trailer and focus even a second on MPG. It's going to be bad no matter what you do or what you buy. Diesel is about the only thing you can do to get a noticeable improvement, for a half ton I'd get the GMC 3.0 duramax, for a 3/4 ton I'd avoid Ram with cummins as the payload is so small.

I have to disagree with one of the other posts, Ram doesn't suck any worse for towing but it can be more difficult to get it right, the suspension is less forgiving of an imbalanced setup than leafs seem to be. At first I could barely hit 55 without needing my pair of brown shorts but changing out the WDH and putting more weight in the bed of my truck has fixed it so that I can two finger it at 70 to 75 though I only normally tow at 63-ish for the most part.

So basically: If you want a powerful and capable rig to tow a 5w while getting good (hah!) mpg, and you want it to be ram, my suggestion would be a cummins 3500 SRW unless you go really big then a DRW is the better option. You can get a 2500/6.4 hemi to tow a smaller 5w with no problem, the gas engine in the 2500 has a lot more payload available; but then you'll be back in that 8 to 10 mpg range again.

If you want best in class MPG while towing a TT with a half ton, then I'd recommend the GMC 3.0 diesel.

 

[Trooper4]

Looking at a number of issues between Travel Trailers and Fifth wheels. Can anyone provide and MPG data on those two specific options while being towed by a 1500 with a 5.7 HEMI? Thanks

Like others have said, depends on the terrain, and weather conditions. On a good day with no wind and few hills, I can get 13, but that's under extremely favorable conditions. Mostly I get between 10 and 12. But, it also depends on the truck. Not all are apples, and not all are oranges, and trying to compare one to another, well, you know what that is about. Best advice I can giv is keep the speed down. Mine seems to like 55/60 the best. So, have fun and drive safe.

 

[Brutal_HO]

You're going to be VERY limited in 5th wheel choices with a 1500 platform.

Everything you add to the truck reduces payload. People, gear, hitch. Not much left over for anything except an ultralight tiny fiver.

 

[Cueva del Osos]

It’s all been said on payload, etc. I’d add that having a truck that’s close to the gross weight of the trailer will be a nightmare in wind. Part of 2500’s better tow performance is the tail not wagging the dog! For all those quoting tongue wt from a sticker, get thee to a CAT scale! My new Alliance TT claims a tongue wt of 890 and the CAT scale revealed it was almost 1600! It sitting at dealer for warranty work (goodbye summer 2024) but after that I need to have the WD hitch either tweaked or replaced (and no, I wouldn’t recommend Ron Hoover RV to an enemy)

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

If you are hauling that around a lot, you should have gotten a heavier duty truck. Not that a 1500 wont pull it and if you are going a couple times a year it will be fine. I know my friend that hauls his around quite a bit has a 2500. It just does it with more ease.

There was a guy here called @SnowBlaZR2 who hauls his vacation home around quite regularly. He went to the dark side and got a Ford that I think he Found On Road Dead. It's the Superduty though. I think he learned that the heavier truck makes RVing better. He still chimes in sometimes. Now that the favorite gear bashing thread is shut down, he may have lost interest here though.

I'm still around, despite moving to a nasty Ford. I do try to continue updating our towing/travel thread.

Yep, get a heavy duty truck if you'll be pushing the 1500 like that more than once or twice a season. Our Ram did great with our first inTech, but when we moved to a bigger trailer, we were at GVWR on the truck and it showed.

If we were rarely towing and sticking to relatively flat areas like back home in Florida, our 1500 probably would've been fine. As much as we tow, a heavy duty truck was inevitable and we couldn't be happier with it. We did end up in a Ford because it checked more boxes than the Ram 3500. If they ever get off their asses and updated the HD trucks, we may end up with a Ram when it's time for a new truck.

 

[Willwork4truck]

All good advice. 2500 or better for any 5ver IMHO.

My bro hauls a 32’ Grand Design with a 2500 and uses a HO Cummins with air bags. Tons of power but only 11-12 mpg due to wind resistance.

I have only towed with 3/4 or 1 ton gas but that was 20+ years ago.

The new trucks can “tow the space shuttle” but lack payload and braking ability for big trailers.

 

[Wire4money]

My 22 hemi gets 9 to 11 towing a 21 foot long high profile travel trailer. My previous tow vehicle, a Tacoma got the same. My last travel trailer being towed by a 2005 Silverado got the same as well.

 

[Willwork4truck]

My 22 hemi gets 9 to 11 towing a 21 foot long high profile travel trailer. My previous tow vehicle, a Tacoma got the same. My last travel trailer being towed by a 2005 Silverado got the same as well.

Yep, its just physics.
RV’ing is a hobby and like all hobbies, it costs $ but hopefullyyou get enough enjoyment out of it.

 

[Trooper4]

Doubt you will be towing a fiver with a 1500, any 1500/150 period.
But for a 6-9K GVWR bumper pull, expect what the previous commenter told you. RAM sucks for towing with coils, fraid’ that for a “half ton” the F150 is a lot better specced.
Don’t believe the rv salesman, 1500’s are not good platforms for north of 8K.
Oh and do a search for towing on this forum, plenty of threads…

It’s all been said on payload, etc. I’d add that having a truck that’s close to the gross weight of the trailer will be a nightmare in wind. Part of 2500’s better tow performance is the tail not wagging the dog! For all those quoting tongue wt from a sticker, get thee to a CAT scale! My new Alliance TT claims a tongue wt of 890 and the CAT scale revealed it was almost 1600! It sitting at dealer for warranty work (goodbye summer 2024) but after that I need to have the WD hitch either tweaked or replaced (and no, I wouldn’t recommend Ron Hoover RV to an enemy)

Tail waggin-the-dog is setup, not weight differential. I have , and many people do, tow something heavier than the truck.

 

[Trooper4]

All good advice. 2500 or better for any 5ver IMHO.

My bro hauls a 32’ Grand Design with a 2500 and uses a HO Cummins with air bags. Tons of power but only 11-12 mpg due to wind resistance.

I have only towed with 3/4 or 1 ton gas but that was 20+ years ago.

The new trucks can “tow the space shuttle” but lack payload and braking ability for big trailers.

Trailer brakes are required to be sufficient to stop the trailers weight, and when set up properly, are set to an approximate 60% trailer 40% truck differential, in order to keep everything in line in an emergency stop.

 

[silver billet]

Trailer brakes are required to be sufficient to stop the trailers weight, and when set up properly, are set to an approximate 60% trailer 40% truck differential, in order to keep everything in line in an emergency stop.

I've always used the following rule when setting my brakes: ideally when stopping you can't tell you have a trailer behind you, the trailer brakes its entire weight and the truck stops itself as normal. Too much brake beyond that gain level and the trailer is stopping the truck, too little brake before that gain and the truck is stopping the trailer too. Each should stop itself.

But in an emergency of course the truck should be able to stop the trailer in a reasonable distance if you lose your brakes there. Good thing the Rams have excellent brakes, of all things one can complain about with our trucks, braking is not one of them IMHO.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Tail waggin-the-dog is setup, not weight differential. I have , and many people do, tow something heavier than the truck.

Its true that you can successfully tow a heavier trailer for sure, and improper setup on a lighter trailer can really cause you headaches.

My point is more that the mass thats behind you that is pushing you or is “fulcrum-ing“ you is a problem for a light weight tow vehicle.

Thats apart from payload issues and thus getting the front end too light.

Just so many issues with not having the right sized truck to start with.
Advertising that an F150 or a 1500 can “tow 12,000” is meaningless when the 12K is based on a flatbed trailer with steel or concrete that sets lower than the trucks’ tailgate. They never take into consideration the frontal area of the trailer, nor do they comment on the wind loads from the side that can move you completely out of your lane when you have a 30’ long 11’ tall “piece of plywood” going down the road.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Trailer brakes are required to be sufficient to stop the trailers weight, and when set up properly, are set to an approximate 60% trailer 40% truck differential, in order to keep everything in line in an emergency stop.

Properly setup is the key, as well as the fact that most trailer brakes are drum not disc and are on 15” wheels, so not a lot of brake area. How many peeps really understand how to set up their brakes and how many will adjust that set up based on differing loaded weights of trailer?

 

[Brutal_HO]

All good advice. 2500 or better for any 5ver IMHO.

My bro hauls a 32’ Grand Design with a 2500 and uses a HO Cummins with air bags. Tons of power but only 11-12 mpg due to wind resistance.

I have only towed with 3/4 or 1 ton gas but that was 20+ years ago.

The new trucks can “tow the space shuttle” but lack payload and braking ability for big trailers.

Must be an older 3rd gen (5.9L) truck as the 4th and 4.5gen HO are only in the 3500. 2003 was an option, 04.5-07 it was the standard motor. 07.5 brought the 6.7L. 6.7L HO/Aisin offered 2013-2018 in 3500 only. Current CGI 6.7L 19+ HO/Aisin only in the 3500.

I towed what you see in my sig with a 2004.5 2500 HO and a mild tow tune (and bags) and it was sketch.

FWIW, current 2500 with a Cummins (legal) payload is pretty useless. Lots of guys towing 5th wheel with the gasser. Most only care about RAWR so YMMV.

 

[Willwork4truck]

Well he has a 2020 so it must be a 3500. Its a SRW.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Its true that you can successfully tow a heavier trailer for sure, and improper setup on a lighter trailer can really cause you headaches.

My point is more that the mass thats behind you that is pushing you or is “fulcrum-ing“ you is a problem for a light weight tow vehicle.

Thats apart from payload issues and thus getting the front end too light.

Just so many issues with not having the right sized truck to start with.
Advertising that an F150 or a 1500 can “tow 12,000” is meaningless when the 12K is based on a flatbed trailer with steel or concrete that sets lower than the trucks’ tailgate. They never take into consideration the frontal area of the trailer, nor do they comment on the wind loads from the side that can move you completely out of your lane when you have a 30’ long 11’ tall “piece of plywood” going down the road.

It's somewhat alarming how many undersized tow vehicles we've seen during our travels. Too many people listening to their dealers and brochures about what they can tow.