We are think about geting a truck camper for our 04.5 dodge CDL. What kind of MPG are we looking at traveling at 60 mph? With current CDL we get 18.7 mpg empty @ 60 mph. around 12mpg towing our 5th wheel.
bob and jackie
There is no way to tell for sure until you buy the camper, install it, and try it on real roads. Of course driving into winds will lower the estimated MPG and driving with a tailwind will increase the MPG.
My educated guess is that it will fall in between your empty and towing fuel mileage. With a camper and only the truck, you will only have 6 wheels on the ground, not 10. And the overall weight of the truck/camper is supposed to be less than 11,500 pounds GVWR of your truck, so my guess is you will be overall about 1/2 the weight of the truck/trailer combo. But you will be about a foot taller.
So I am guessing that you will get between 15 and 17 MPG with the camper at the 60 MPH that you listed above. Slowing to 55 will probably net a figure of 18 MPG. So a 550 mile drive would take 10 hours at 55 MPH (+ the time of stops) while at 60 MPH the drive time would be about 9 hours and 7 minutes.
Yes when I was working I liked to drive 70, so that I would save time. But in retirement, I find that driving a little slower will save fuel.
At 70 MPH, that 550 mile drive would be 8 hours of drive time. (7 hours and 51 minutes on the calculator)
There was a test report done on RV.Net about 2 years ago from a member who drove from Texas to Florida and back. On the way he went one speed, and the return was only about 55 MPH (except where crowded road conditions required him to go a little faster to prevent clogging the roadway). So it took him some 8 hours extra drive time at 55, and saved him about $140 in fuel, netting a $17 per hour fuel saving for his extra 8 or 9 hours of drive time. That was back when expensive diesel fuel was only $2.19!
So going a little slower will save fuel.
Fred.
Money can't buy happiness but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche or Country Coach!
Your '04.5 CTD probably is slightly more fuel efficient than our '06 but running your 4 rear tires may be a slight penalty.
Terrain that you drive on will also affect your fuel mileage- hilly roads do not favor better MPG's.
But bottom line- I think that Fred is reasonably accurate. Smooth gentle acceleration along with slower cruising speeds (you mentioned 60) should get you into the mid-teens- that is what we see with our CTD and truck camper. While a TC will weigh a lot less than a 5th wheel, a TC is pretty bad on aerodynamics- so slower speeds (less aero drag)can really help.
Good luck.
John
2006 Dodge Ram 2500 QC/LB 4x4 Cummins/6 speed- GONE
2006 Northstar 850SC- GONE too
1993 BMW K1100RS a.k.a. Hades, the new "RV"
2007 Kaw 250R
Best friend/DW on the passenger seat
I get around 18 mpg running empty in my 05 keeping it around 65mph. With the camper on at the same speed I get about 13-14 mpg mixed driving. Acceleration and top speed (wind resistance) seem to be the two most controlling factors. Even if I add my 2500 lb. cargo trailer there doesn't seem to be a change in mileage. Go faster than 65mph and I see a big change. My truck runs about 1900-2100 rpm at 65 which is right in it's peak power band but I have a 4.10 rear. You may be able to run slightly faster and maintain the same rpms with the 3.73 but your wind resistance will increase so I don't know if it matters. As others have said, your not going to know for sure until you load up and go. Some campers seem to have a more aerodynamic nose than others so this may help some. I have an Arctic Fox that has a pretty flat front nose but the trade off is more room inside.
Sticky
1150 AF Truck Camper, gen-set, pretty well loaded
Torklifts, superhitch w/48" extension, firestone air bags, energy suspension bump stops, fast guns
2005 Ram Quad Cab 3500 Dually. CTD, auto, 4.10's
bob and jackie,
Are you trying to make a decition to move to a truck camper? If so, I would avoid using any fuel savings are a deciding factor, you may be disapointed.
I think your milage would be 1-2MPG off from your 5th wheel experience.
Personally, all loaded up, I have gotten as high as 14MPG and as little as 7.18MPG. I assume my average will be 10.5.
stickyeye wrote: I get around 18 mpg running empty in my 05 keeping it around 65mph. With the camper on at the same speed I get about 13-14 mpg mixed driving. Acceleration and top speed (wind resistance) seem to be the two most controlling factors. Even if I add my 2500 lb. cargo trailer there doesn't seem to be a change in mileage. Go faster than 65mph and I see a big change. My truck runs about 1900-2100 rpm at 65 which is right in it's peak power band but I have a 4.10 rear. You may be able to run slightly faster and maintain the same rpms with the 3.73 but your wind resistance will increase so I don't know if it matters. As others have said, your not going to know for sure until you load up and go. Some campers seem to have a more aerodynamic nose than others so this may help some. I have an Arctic Fox that has a pretty flat front nose but the trade off is more room inside.
Sticky
How's your power up the hills with the 4:10's? I have about the same truck with 3:73's and I'd give up the 20+ average empty for some more power if all I'm going to lose is 2 mpg.
My average with just the camper on is around 15-17 and when the Jeep with trailer is towed I drop to 12-15 depending on conditions.
Most of our trips are to the high desert in the winter, so we fight a few longish grades getting there which we slow down to a top speed of 48 mph no matter what. That gets a bit tedious when there are much slower big rigs that need to be passed.
We run 58 mph towing, about 65 or so with just the camper and never faster than 70 empty. IIRC, I'm exactly 2000 rpm at 70.
05 Dodge 3500 4x4 DRW Long Bed 4dr
07 Lance 992
III so far.
If you get your RPMs over 2K your mileage will fall fast. The torque comes on around 1600rpm. Keeping in that range should give you the pwoer and performance you want. Depending on how loaded you get I would estimate 11-12mpg. Could get as high as 15.
Doug
2008 Dodge 3500 DRW 4x4 6spd auto. Loaded! Bought it for the bun warmers
I also have the 04.5 Dually with a Lance 1181. Fairly heavy. At 55 mph fully loaded I get 14.4 mpg. At 60 mph I get 14.2 mpg. At 61 mph I get 12.6 mpg. Go figure. At 70 mph I get 11.7. My truck seems to like it best around 1750 rpms.
I have done quite a few performance mods on the truck however.
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