Double kilotank: 2,009.6 mi on one 35 gal tank ('07 Dodge Ram 2500 quad cab)

[bentring]

The numbers when you were really trying are amazing, and as far as that goes, the high 30s are too, just not compared to 57.

This thread is almost making me wish I had stayed in my search for a (5.9 or 7.3) diesel truck before getting my car. Almost.

[bikeprof]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

You lost the weight for mpg reasons, didn't you?

That must have been it! MPG enthusiasm..., that's right, NO?

[dirtydave]

thanks for posting. I love the pickup!

[mikeyjd]

Great to hear from you Dave! Your presence around here was always appreciated.

[beezer]

Diesel dave what mods do you have on your truck I have a 2009 ford that gets no where near that mileage. Would love to get some dramatic increase like you've had

[pete c]

Someone needs to let DD borrow their civic or metro. I think he could get about 300mpg out of it.

[user removed]

It's the nut behind the wheel folks. I can show you a graph produced by gubbmint funded entities that PREDICTED THAT FUEL MILEAGE. The document was produced 9 years ago.
His focus changed to his weight and physical well being. I'll take high 30s and my health anytime.

regards
mech

[pete c]

Dave,

Have you ever used the white whale for its intended purpose, hauling heavy stuff? If you have, what sort of numbers did you pull doing it?

[slowmover]

The difficulty of predicting tow mileage is the shape of the load, not the weight so much.

This truck type is fairly immune to payloads around 1,000-lbs, but then one must account for the number of acceleration and deceleration events. Payload is around 2,000-lbs.

If one used a U-HAUL trailer as control (the 6 by 6 by 12 unit; tandem axle) and kept the gross combined weight to recommended spec 2k on truck including trailer tongue weight and 4k on trailer, for a combination gross of around 13k one would have a setup for comparison across the other factors which go into FE comparisons (truck spec, climate, and terrain).

It's not the absolute number, it's the percentage change from solo.

Probably easiest to chart a two- hundred mile highway loop where the vehicle is fueled after about 30-miles, the test loop is run, and then refuel. This is a loop short enough that one stop suffices.

The towing rule of thumb is to deduct 30-40% from solo mpg over the same course with a travel trailer. That is with any spec vehicle; 1965 or 2015 MY. And it works well enough for an enclosed cargo trailer.

With the above trailer and the load stated over a seven hundred mile round trip I saw a deduction of just under 30% in a truck similar to Daves along the Texas Gulf Coast (warm climate and flat terrain). Known limited stops, the use of cruise control and at 58-mph.

Dave would likely not use CC, is in a cooler climate with rolling terrain, and would probably start from a solo mpg of 32+. I'd imagine he could keep the towing deduct to nearer 25% for the given load and his more challenging conditions.

[oil pan 4]

The aero penalty you get with the trailer huge compared to the weight.
In my diesel suburban it takes around 500lb of cargo to reduce fuel economy 1mpg.
Just putting my small trailer behind it which weighs about 250lb empty and costs me any where from 2 to 4mpg without anything in it.