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289457
Virginia
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Joined: 05/06/2023
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Currently I am towing a 28ft travel trailer with a 2014 Silverado 1500, 6.2 liter gas and 3.42:1 rear end. The trailer weighs about 7,500 lb. Loaded for shorter trips, the trailer axles and rear truck axle are loaded to capacity, so for longer trips, we have some limitation as to what we can carry.
So - for the next truck, I am planning on a 3/4 ton and wonder if anyone has any insight as to what fuel economy I would expect towing this trailer. The current setup delivers about 10 mpg at around 60 mph. A little less in the mountains and a little less in a strong wind of higher speed.
Any thoughts on what mileage I might expect towing with a 3/4 ton gas or diesel?
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bgum
South Louisiana
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Joined: 02/22/2006
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There are many different versions of 3/4 ton. Therefore your question cannot be answered. Also are you going up in truck so that you can carry more?
For a guess I would say about 10 mpg. Sometimes more Sometimes less.
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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Joined: 10/16/2000
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Your fuel mileage will remain just about the same with the gas engine.
You can expect around 11-12 mpg - sometimes higher, with the diesel.
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine
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fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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^^^^^^^^Yep, what they said.
Howard and Peggy
"Don't Panic"
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JKJavelin
Milwaukee, WI
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Mine is a fifth wheel, but FWIW, with a Ram gas 2500 I got 7.5 mpg, and with Ram diesel 3500 I get 9.5 mpg towing. But the ease of towing now is outstanding.
JK
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie Cummins 6.7
2016 Open Range RF316RLS
Titan Disc Brakes
Trailair pinbox
Morryde AllTrek 4000 w/ wetbolt kit
Demco Autoslide
570 watts of Solar
2017-2022 555 Nights
2023- 98 Nights
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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Engine fuel type will make a difference.
- Diesel will get better MPG but at higher up front cost and more cost per gallon...largely negates any cost efficiency benefits. For a 7500lb trailer, diesel is nice but way overkill.
- Gas...I would expect similar. We have an F250 with V10 and and similar size trailer. Our long term average is a just under 10 MPG.
Where a 1/2ton truck can hold an advantage is when not towing. Some of the newer 1/2 ton drivetrain options can get north of 22-24mpg (if you are easy on the throttle). But once you hook up the trailer, those smaller displacement engines have to put out the big HP needed for towing and you wind up with pretty much the same towing MPG.
For most people better than 90% of miles are not towing, so as long as the other ratings are sufficient, a 1/2 ton can be a good option. Problem is 1/2 ton trucks have ratings that are all over the place. Most will be at or near their limits with a 7500lb trailer. It wouldn't be uncommon for many to be over their ratings. Watch the payload ratings closely as that's often the limitation.
The 3/4 ton trucks automatically come with bigger V8 engines, so 14-16MPG not towing is pretty typical not towing. On the positive side, even the weakest will have plenty of payload for a 7500lb trailer.
You might also keep an eye out for a SRW(Single Rear Wheel) 1 ton. They cost almost the same as a 3/4 ton but have a bit more payload. Otherwise, they are nearly identical.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Given the fact that engine tuning is largely a constant factor now compared to the old days of carbs and crude throttle body setups, mpg will not vary much from (similar) vehicle to vehicle under the same conditions. That 6.2 also has very similar power numbers to any of the HD gasser trucks.
After 30+ years of towing 100s of different trailers with 100s of different trucks both 1/2 ton and HD and gas and diesel, I can tell you this question is largely pointless.
Within reason gassers will get within about a mpg of each other towing the same load same conditions. And diesels will do about 30% better.
Towing mpg should near or at the bottom of the list of concerns or considerations when choosing a truck, as the only real question is gas vs diesel if you’re looking at mpg.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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And to Valhallas point, not towing, newer gassers do get better mpg apples to apples than even say 15-20 year old trucks. But as soon as you latch something substantial onto the hitch, that efficiency gain vaporizes. Period.
And fwiw you have nothing to worry about with rear axle loading on that tuck with that trailer even if it’s at or near max gawr.
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Thermoguy
Graham, WA
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2015 3/4 ton Chev Diesel - typically average 12-14 towing 5th wheel or gooseneck trailers. Usually a little better with the gooseneck as it is lighter and not as big as the 5th wheel camper. Not towing 18-20 on average. Mine is heavier than your trailer. The advantage to upgrading to a 3/4 ton or 1 ton is you have more options next time you upgrade the trailer. My only mistake was not buying a 1 ton from the start. My next truck will be a 1 ton. As for Diesel vs gas, I personally would not go back to gas.
If your decision what to buy relies on gas mileage, then you might think twice about the whole process. Gas mileage is not your friend once you start towing trailers. You have to pay to play...
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JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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To 289457,
valhalla360 gave some excellent detail, I agree with all of it. I will add a few extra things.
You have figured out already you are weight strapped with the smaller payload of your 1500 Chevy. Next comes pulling power and fuel mileage.
You did not mention if you are asking about a new truck or a good used truck and how old the truck is.
Newer trucks come with more transmission speeds and the engine upgrades in power. The more speeds, they can drop the engine RPM's getting better towing mileage. A 4 or 5-speed versus a 10-speed is a big difference.
I'll give you a reference point on an older gas truck, the one in my sig—2005 F350, 3 valve V10 gasser, five-speed, 4.10 rear axle on stock 18" tires.
The truck fuel mileage towing a travel trailer, 8 ft wide, 10 ft over the AC cover, a non-slide camper with a loaded weight between 5,500# to 7,000# loaded is about 8 to 8.5 mpg towing 60 mph.
The truck fuel mileage towing a travel trailer 8 ft wide, 10' 7" tall over the AC cover, with a slide, loaded trailer weight 8,000# to 10,000# loaded is about 7 to 8 mpg towing 60 mph.
Empty on the highway, the best I can get is 14- 15 MPG.
In my case, wind resistance eats more fuel than the weight in the class campers I listed. My 5-speed will drop into 5th gear due to pulling resistance in tow haul mode. I can be doing 50 mph in 5th gear or 60 mpg in 5th gear, my V10 has a flatter torque curve up in the area where I tow at and it works with the transmission to drop it down into high gear if I am on a more level area.
The Ford toque shift is not the same setup as my older 2003 GM 2500 Suburban with a 4-speed that with hold speed and gear. On the Burb, I could tell the speed by looking at the RPM's, but not so on the Ford torque shift.
The new 10 speeds of GM and Ford (not sure about Dodge, I'm not a Dodge guy) and the newer engines have crept up the mileage.
Bottom line, if you are getting around 10 mph now on your 1500, pending the year, engine, transmission speeds, tires, and rear axle, your towing mileage may be the same or lower on a gas engine. But the towing experience is a lot better, the large truck is not working as hard and the entire rig is more stable.
Good luck
John
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
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