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Towing Fuel Economy


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1 hour ago, Ox said:

 

Actually - BC RCMP have been terrorizing the 1/2 ton trucks with sled decks rolling in and out of places like Golden, Revy, etc for being O/L.

Those semi floating rear axles are not meant for that kind'a weight.

(12 bolt, 9", whatever the new gens have these days)

.

No offence to people who have 1/2 tons and sled decks... but its about damn time they terrorize them. 

 

I have a 2500 Duramax as my company vehicle. I used to need it for hauling tools and such, but with the company growing, I'm not doing that as much as I used to. I just got a new 2020 2500HD because it is hard to go back to a 1500 after you buy certain toys that a 3/4 ton truck will haul. I run a sled deck all winter (and a truck camper in the summer) and can't imagine running one on a 1/2 ton truck. I go out to Revy at least once a year, and most guys are driving HD trucks that have decks. Although they're are definitely exceptions. But then you come back to Ontario, and as sled decks become more popular, I keep seeing them on 1/2 tons. Just because you put in airbags to level your truck (so you can actually see from your headlights and not blind everyone) doesn't mean that the steering, rear end, and especially BRAKES are meant to tow that much weight. I have an all aluminum sled deck (450lbs) and carry two long track sleds loaded with all fluids (say 600lbs each), and our gear for a weekend away, and two guys in the truck. I usually figure you have roughly 2000-2200lbs of payload. which is higher than 99% of any 1/2 ton truck, and at the top range of some older 2500s! Sled decks should never be on a 1500 or F150 truck in my mind, no matter how bad they want one. 

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15 hours ago, Sksman said:

With the pricing of the new 150 or 1500 class trucks the new diesels in 250 or2500 series are getting closer in affordability.

 

And the maintenance and economy of the new big diesels will compete with the smaller 1/2 ton class.

 

I have friends who drive New F250 with 6.7 and Chev 2500 with Duramax.  Both get under 10l/100km while driving unloaded.   That is far better then my dad’s 2015 F250 Diesel, my Ram 1500 with 5.7 hemp and my previous eco boost f 150.

 

And when you go to sell the 2500 they hold their value way better then a 1/2 ton that drops $20,000 by the first time you take it home.

I drive a 2020 2500HD Duramax and it replaced my 2017 2500HD Duramax. The new truck has the new 10 speed Allison which is awesome and I thought it would be even better on fuel than my 2017 which had the 6 speed. I don't know if its because the new design is bigger, boxier and has bigger tires than the 2017s, but I actually find that I'm getting slightly lower mileage than my last truck which was a little annoying. I drive VERY conservative (my wife says I'm slow and it annoys her) and mostly drive backroads as I live in the middle of nowhere. When towing, I also think it is slightly worse in the mileage as well. 

 

My 2017 would be between 9.5-11 L/100kms with probably low to mid 10s be average. My lowest on the display was 8.6L/100kms. 

 

My 2020 has gotten into the 10s, but not very often. Usually my average is mid 12s. My lowest on the display being 10.0L/100kms.

 

Not saying your buddies aren't ever getting under 10, but I don't think they are getting that on average. I think may be trying to stretch it a bit. I agree with everything else you said more or less... 

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1 hour ago, Basketcase said:

I drive a 2020 2500HD Duramax and it replaced my 2017 2500HD Duramax. The new truck has the new 10 speed Allison which is awesome and I thought it would be even better on fuel than my 2017 which had the 6 speed. I don't know if its because the new design is bigger, boxier and has bigger tires than the 2017s, but I actually find that I'm getting slightly lower mileage than my last truck which was a little annoying. I drive VERY conservative (my wife says I'm slow and it annoys her) and mostly drive backroads as I live in the middle of nowhere. When towing, I also think it is slightly worse in the mileage as well. 

 

My 2017 would be between 9.5-11 L/100kms with probably low to mid 10s be average. My lowest on the display was 8.6L/100kms. 

 

My 2020 has gotten into the 10s, but not very often. Usually my average is mid 12s. My lowest on the display being 10.0L/100kms.

 

Not saying your buddies aren't ever getting under 10, but I don't think they are getting that on average. I think may be trying to stretch it a bit. I agree with everything else you said more or less... 

If the dreamometer says it must be true.

I also question the average L/100km I hear from many people.  My buddies included.

Even if the trip computer on brand new F250 is showing 8.9L/100km And is off by 10% that’s still 9.9L/100km.   Pretty good mileage compared to my dads 2014 that is hand calculated 13 to 15L/100km depending on route.

 

Also I think the newer emissions systems work better so that lightly driven 2500 Diesels do not suffer the same issues as earlier generation diesel pick ups..  

 

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I get roughly 12 mpg in my 2020 F250 with the 7.3 in it.  That's towing and overall average.  If I'm strictly highway driving it will show 19-20 mpg on the computer

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What kind of gallon, doo you know?

 

 

 

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10 minutes ago, 04nightfire said:

I get roughly 12 mpg in my 2020 F250 with the 7.3 in it.  That's towing and overall average.  If I'm strictly highway driving it will show 19-20 mpg on the computer

I agree with this. I get roughly 14-15 US mpg when towing (16' enclosed with 2 sleds on sled deck) or 20-22 US mpg unloaded on the highway cruising

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Ford f150 5 liter 4x4 gas:

I get about 6 kilometers to a plastic water bottle's worth of gas - winter towing enclosed two sled trailer:

kilometerage.JPG.6875cc753e187229c8eef741f9c277b0.JPG

 

About the same as I used to get with a 4 liter, v6 Toyota Tacoma.

 

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4 hours ago, 04nightfire said:

I get roughly 12 mpg in my 2020 F250 with the 7.3 in it.  That's towing and overall average.  If I'm strictly highway driving it will show 19-20 mpg on the computer

What, did you buy a truck from the US....you sure ain't an old boy that refuses to convert to the metric system.....

My 6.4 would be around the same.....19 liters per 100 km on average if you believe what the EVIC says. 

 

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12 hours ago, stoney said:

What, did you buy a truck from the US....you sure ain't an old boy that refuses to convert to the metric system.....

My 6.4 would be around the same.....19 liters per 100 km on average if you believe what the EVIC says. 

 

LOL.  I dabble in the metric and imperial.  The new 7.3 gas motor is pretty good.  Better than the last F250 with the 6.2 gas

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On 11/10/2020 at 1:56 PM, Basketcase said:

No offence to people who have 1/2 tons and sled decks... but its about damn time they terrorize them. 

 

I have a 2500 Duramax as my company vehicle. I used to need it for hauling tools and such, but with the company growing, I'm not doing that as much as I used to. I just got a new 2020 2500HD because it is hard to go back to a 1500 after you buy certain toys that a 3/4 ton truck will haul. I run a sled deck all winter (and a truck camper in the summer) and can't imagine running one on a 1/2 ton truck. I go out to Revy at least once a year, and most guys are driving HD trucks that have decks. Although they're are definitely exceptions. But then you come back to Ontario, and as sled decks become more popular, I keep seeing them on 1/2 tons. Just because you put in airbags to level your truck (so you can actually see from your headlights and not blind everyone) doesn't mean that the steering, rear end, and especially BRAKES are meant to tow that much weight. I have an all aluminum sled deck (450lbs) and carry two long track sleds loaded with all fluids (say 600lbs each), and our gear for a weekend away, and two guys in the truck. I usually figure you have roughly 2000-2200lbs of payload. which is higher than 99% of any 1/2 ton truck, and at the top range of some older 2500s! Sled decks should never be on a 1500 or F150 truck in my mind, no matter how bad they want one. 

Some of the numbers manufacturers put out for payload and towing capacity are, somewhat suspect, IMO. 

Ford for example rates the F150s at 1,485 to 2,311 lbs,  obviously based on length, trim etc,

So it could be that with a sled deck and 2 sleds they are overweight, not to mention quite top heavy, i think allot of the issues would be braking capacity

I can understand why people lean towards the 1/2 ton trucks, I had a few and would routinely load them well past legal weights.

Once switching to 3/4 tons I could see the skectchyness of what I was doing. There is no comparison to the added ability of the heavier duty 2500, or 3500 frame and brake sizes.

I don't think I'd pull the trailers and loads I do with a half ton truck again. With the 2500, long box crew, it's just like a full speed Sunday drive with 8 or 10000 lbs.

With my half ton trucks that was a full grip of the wheel and lots of thought into steering, speed, stopping distance.

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12 hours ago, Turbo Doo said:

Basketcase. I have found something even better then a sled deck. A trailer deck. LMFAO...:rotflmao::lmao::evil2:

124556600_4184534811573200_1309771603311254461_o.jpg

I'm not so sure it's a 3/4 ton

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3 minutes ago, RAMSOMAIR said:

Yep, Superduty

I looked for that stamped in the tailgate but didn't see it. I guess my eyes are getting old.

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Look at the wheels.

It is AT LEAST a 3/4 ton. 

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33 minutes ago, Ox said:

Look at the wheels.

It is AT LEAST a 3/4 ton. 

The wheels are a dead give away plus the HD badging on the front fender of the Fords......plus I think the flare around the wheel wells are different on the HD vs non HD Fords.

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19 minutes ago, stoney said:

The wheels are a dead give away plus the HD badging on the front fender of the Fords......plus I think the flare around the wheel wells are different on the HD vs non HD Fords.

Correct on all of the above

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2 hours ago, manotickmike said:

I'd be willing to bet you could cross the province with that, and not get stopped. 

Just don't go through Oakwood.

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3 hours ago, manotickmike said:

I'd be willing to bet you could cross the province with that, and not get stopped. 

What would be the charge?

 

As long as it doesn't fall off, and it meets the min req for number of straps/binders / foot, I don't know that "looks scary - or ridiculous" is a viable offense?

 

This has nothing on steel coils!

Those don't look nearly as precarious, but make no mistake aboot it, those fall off trucks routinely!

No more than I git out, I have seen more coils where they are not s'posed to be than any other load, and oft times someone is gunna die when it does happen.

Yet "coil trailers" are not mandated - yet .... at least on our side of the river. IDK aboot your side as I don't git down the 401 all that often.

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7 hours ago, Ox said:

What would be the charge?

 

As long as it doesn't fall off, and it meets the min req for number of straps/binders / foot, I don't know that "looks scary - or ridiculous" is a viable offense?

 

This has nothing on steel coils!

Those don't look nearly as precarious, but make no mistake aboot it, those fall off trucks routinely!

No more than I git out, I have seen more coils where they are not s'posed to be than any other load, and oft times someone is gunna die when it does happen.

Yet "coil trailers" are not mandated - yet .... at least on our side of the river. IDK aboot your side as I don't git down the 401 all that often.

Load securement legislation changed a few years ago in Ontario and it legislated the type of chains and binders required as well as the number of chains. Now different weights of coils need different numbers of chains. Some of the big coils now have 6-8 chains on them. Coil trailers aren't used much in Ontario because it means they are limited on what can be hauled on the trailer.

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Oh heck, those coils weren't going down the road with 2 or 4 chains on them before anyhow.

 

Sure, a coil cradle can somewhat limit, but I doubt all that much.

They could easilly have a "dock plate" or some such to cover that hole when not used.

You are going to end up with a heavier trailer, I git that, but if everyone else had to doo it that way - then it wouldn't be a financial sacrifice to be safe.

 

IDK what most coil trailers look like, but it wouldn't need to be a huge hole.

If the coil set in 18" would make a whole werld of difference!

Heck, 12" would be WAY better than a cpl 4's chocked up in there....

 

And who gives a Schidt if that's all they can carry anyhow?

So floating coils costs more doo to having to pay round trips (dead head)?

Not that it would ever need to be that bad. I am sure they can find freight that will fit on an empty coil trailer...

 

But I've never seen a livestock trailer with back haul freight....

 

I've seen coils in the median of 3 or 4 lane / side roadway.

I seen'm rolled up into the cab of the truck that was pulling them.

I just seen one at an entrance ramp the other day!

 

10-20 tonne rolling down the freeway on it's own just doesn't tend to end well.

 

I've got more straps and chains that Carter had them little liver pills, and I use'm!

I know that a lot of loose freight goes down the road in covered wagons and such, with no bindings, and only a pc of 1/2" plywood between it and the rest of the traffic, and once you put a tarp over it - it hides all sins, but I've seen more coils along the roads than I ever have stuff falling over/out of covered wagons.

 

 

Not that "vans" are much better.

Typically "securing" a load in those is more for show and tell that reality.

Neighboring shop owner picked up a big stamping die at a customers and when he backed into his shop _ the guys noticed that the truck was listing to one side.

The die had slid and went through the fibreglass wall, and was sticking 12-18" outside the truck!

 

 

.

Edited by Ox
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