Occasional tow rig/daily driver milage question

ManglerYJ

ManglerYJ

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Lexington, NC
I am looking for a new daily driver that will be used for occasional towing. Most of the time, it would tow a 4500 lb Jeep on a 2000 lb trailer about 60 miles each way, but I'd like to occasionally use it to go to Tellico, which would be a 4 hour drive or so.

I'm looking (well dreaming) to get something that would normally get around 22+ MPG during regular commuting (I drive a lot for work), I need 4 doors (I have a family) and the ability to pull that load for those distances. I thought about a Tahoe, but from what I can tell they don't get very good milage.

Any suggestions???? I'm not afraid of going the diesel route if that means a potentially better milage number.
 
I am looking at the 2006 F-250 Diesels to use a DD and a tow rig. I have been uable to find any concrete numbers on the mileage they get though.
 
The 22mpg mark is gonna be hard to reach even with a diesel. Its going to be even harder if you need 4x4. Most of the late model diesels are going to be averaging 16-19mpg from what i have found, and thats driving pretty easy. Towing, i would expect 11-13mpg from my experience.

My truck in the signature gets about 17.7 most of the time, and about 12.5 towing if i keep the speed below 75. Above that it drinks it a little faster.

Getting 22 mpg in a rig capable of safely towing 6000lbs to tellico may be a little hard to do. Set your mpg sights a little lower, like say maybe 18mpg and the possibilities open up.

i know there will be people out there that say their f350 crew cab 4x4 dually auotmatic with 37's gets 24 mpg towing their suburban....but don't buy into the hype.
 
I have a 99 PSD that gets pretty decent mileage, but to get that kind of mileage, you have to make some sacrifices.

I get 17-19 commuting to work and running around town (chapel hill to raleigh) and 20-22 on long trips on the highway. This is about the top of the pile for people who are honest about thier mileage... and I have a book of the last 40,000 miles to back it up. It drops to 11-15 towing.

I have a tonneau cover, 2wd and a 6 speed. With a heavy goose, I dont really need 4wd... because I dont want to take 26,000 pounds of truck and trailer where I need 4wd.
 
It's going to be tough to find a vehicle that can tow 6500 pounds and get 22mpg during regular commuting.

If all you were doing was short trips, maybe you could get by with a 4-Runner or a Grand Cherokee. But, you're towing 60 miles regularly and 4 hours, plus climbing mountains, occassionally. If it was me, I'd go with a Tahoe, at least that's what I did. I have an '01 Tahoe and I get about 18-19mpg on the highway. It's been a great vehicle. I considered the Tahoe and the 4-Runner and I say a million thanks everyday that I didn't get the 4-Runner.
 
Learn from the mistakes of others. A half ton tow rig like a tahoe is just getting by. Step up to the plate and get a 3/4 ton or one ton. I have never heard anyone say "i sure wish i had gotten a tahoe instead of this stupid 2500" Where as people are constantly saying they wish they had gotten a bigger tow rig. Do it right the first time. You get what you pay for. Had you rather have a truck that is straining its balls off to pull your rig to tellico, or would you like to have a truck that is only pulling at half its capacity and not even breaking a sweat?

IF you plan on keeping this rig for a while the answer is easy. A truck working half as hard is going to last twice as long. Do you really think that a small gasser screaming up a hill at 5000rpms is as good as a diesel loafing along at 2000rpms? At that point the gasser is burning twice the fuel and is killing itself. Not trying to come off like a jerk if that is how it sounds, i just see people asking this question all the time, and the answers they get are always the same. Don't go light duty on the tow rig. You will not regret your decision.
 
cumminsdzl said:
Learn from the mistakes of others. A half ton tow rig like a tahoe is just getting by. Step up to the plate and get a 3/4 ton or one ton. I have never heard anyone say "i sure wish i had gotten a tahoe instead of this stupid 2500" Where as people are constantly saying they wish they had gotten a bigger tow rig. Do it right the first time. You get what you pay for. Had you rather have a truck that is straining its balls off to pull your rig to tellico, or would you like to have a truck that is only pulling at half its capacity and not even breaking a sweat?

IF you plan on keeping this rig for a while the answer is easy. A truck working half as hard is going to last twice as long. Do you really think that a small gasser screaming up a hill at 5000rpms is as good as a diesel loafing along at 2000rpms? At that point the gasser is burning twice the fuel and is killing itself. Not trying to come off like a jerk if that is how it sounds, i just see people asking this question all the time, and the answers they get are always the same. Don't go light duty on the tow rig. You will not regret your decision.
Click to expand...


I totally agree that a 3/4 ton or bigger is what I'd want to pull my Jeep and trailer, but it's just not in the cards unless I can find a crew cab (not extended cab) that can get decent milage for a decent price. The trips I'd take with it would be rather infrequent. Uwharrie would be at most once a month and Tellico would be at most twice a year.

It's entirely possible that I may end up selling my Jeep and building an ultralight tube buggy with Samurai components for Uwharrie and forgetting Tellico except to be a passenger in someone else's rig. With as little as I run my Jeep, that is more likely to be my answer. A lighter rig (1500 lb maximum) would be easy to pull on my trailer with a 1/2 ton rig.

That being said, can anyone suggest a rig that would be suitable for that plan?
 
There is always the good/better/best options... Its easy to think you need the 'best' option when everyone else has that. Obviously there is always the 'best' solution to your towing problem...

If a 1/2 ton is just getting by, is it still capable of doing the job? (yes) I'm not sure how everyone tows but with the ever increasing traffic unless its middle of the night or im drivng like mad, ive not been able to safely get over 65 while towing... So I guess you need to figure out how fast you want to get to 65. Also if anyone in the group is pulling a 2 car hauler, you probbaly won't be to far behing them...

Anyway.... I'm eventually headed from the best to better category... I'm replacing my '01 F250 diesel (best) with a '95 Chevy 2500 gasser (good) just as mentioned.. the f250 is twice the truck i need, hell its 3-4 times. The 'good' truck is still a 3/4 ton, just not the 2500# payload, and masive towing capacity of the 'best' truck. I've never towed what the truck is capable of.. And all that piece of mind stuff is great, but that come with a premium.. The times ive used its payload capicity I could have esily spent 10min to hook up my trailer or haul a 2nd load of mulch etc.. (do all you guys even really use your trucks or afraid to scratch them up :flipoff2: )

While my diesel does get better mpg towing it also cost more to maintain which makes it not as good of choice for DD duty. (not counting the fact that diesel is anywhere from .20-.50 more/gal than gas at this time) Diesels used to be for longevity etc.. but how many have over 100k on any given vehicle ?

Most 1/2 tons will safly tow 7k. Ask everyone what they towed with before they 'steped up'... Dakota, Expidition etc..

another idea... if to just run URE why not spend a little $ on some key components, and spare parts and just get AAA... your under the 100mile free tow.... it may not be the 'best' plan..... but its a plan.....

just keeping things fluffy...
 
Just so everyone knows, im not one of the ones thats afraid to "use" or "Scratch" my truck. I have used its full capabilitites to tow and haul. I have used it to tow and haul more than it was designed for. I have put 201,650 miles on it in the past 4 years. :flipoff2:

And yes, most half tons will tow 7000 lbs. Not as safely or as quickly, but yes they will... no doubt about it.

PS This is fun :flipoff2:
 
:) Yes I know some people use thier trucks.

As far as safety... My opinion will always be that the driver can either add or detract from any given situation or setup.
 
ManglerYJ, Not sure what your budget is, but the 03 and early 04 CTDs get pretty close to 20mpg and have 4 full doors like you want. Of course it's not a true crew cab but it's pretty roomy. I haven't had mine long enough to do any hand calculated mileage #'s but the overhead just keeps climbing since I drove it off the lot. Currently at 18.2 but I've done a lot of 70+ highway driving. YMMV.
 
Chevy Avalanche

I had an Avalanche, maybe towed some things I shouldn't have ;) but it towed my Scrambler just fine with a trailer. To the point I forgot it was back there from time to time. If was just your a Z66 with a tow package. What I did like about it was I could carry four adults very confortably and luggage. THen I could change the truck around and haul what ever. Yes, it was only a 1500 and only 2WD. It was a great truck, and I will get another one one day. HWY I averaged about 23 running 65 to 70 mph. (sevaral 8 hour plus trips to MD) Around town has not so great at about 19. I am guessing towing would be worse I never figured it out towing, but I would guess about 13 or so. What you really have to ask yourself is how much are you really going to use it for towing? Yes 2500 are super groovy but dose the ends justify the means?
JG
 
I Just Tow A friends Cherokee chief (7000lsb with trailer) from Uhwarrie To allmost Georga with a 2004 c1500 Suburban and I was amazed how well it towed. even the MPGs were not that bad lest than 2 tanks for 650 miles. it had a 5.3ltr and did not have any problem pulling those small hills. If only used it for towing it would be fine. but not the DD.
 
mangler - The other thing not mentioned by anyone is the use of a wieght distributing hitch. They go a long way for spreading the trailer load to the tow rig....
 
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