15K TOW, 4x4, 20MPG
 

Does This Exist?

15,000 Lb Towing Capacity (Standard Hitch Tow)

4-wheel Drive

Non-Dual Rear Wheels (Don't Want Dually)

20mpg On The Highway (Unloaded Of Course)
(or Decent Fuel Mileage)

My Reason For Asking:
- Only Tow Boat Couple Times A Year
- Want Tow Vehicle To Be Daily Driver Pick-up Truck

Thanks In Advance. Ted

The 20MPG mileage thing is a dream. High teens with a diesel is realistic. You can't trust the mileage readouts of the lie-o-meter the manufacturer builds into the truck- you gotta' do the math manually if you want true MPG.

The rest of it is at the absolute limits of safe towing. I wouldn't want to be on the interstate at speed with that setup.

Converting to 5th wheel would make a world of difference. The traier would have to be in 100% condition.

My 99 SRW F350 7.3 PSD can do 20/21 on the highway. 18/19 on the highway beating on it. Bully Dog programmer set to tow/economy and 3" turbo back dual exhaust

06 f250 4x4 with an SCT sees 20-21 mpg daily with the programmer turned on..

2007 2500HD Duramax, CC, SB, 4x4. I can get 18-20 unloaded on the highway, but you have to keep it under 65 or so. Speed makes a big difference in economy on my truck. Push it to 80MPH and you lose 2-3 MPG easy. None of these heavy trucks do well around town. I get 12-14 MPG unloaded in the city.

I think mine is rated at 14,200 max towing. The SRW 3500 (long bed) is rated to 15,000+ I believe.

John

Chris Sunkin: 2007 18lb Tri-axle Alum w/Disc Brakes

The high teens are good enough(for mileage) - just want to make sure I get a rig that is SAFE for towing 15000 lbs.

The Donzi weighs 11,500 dry
232 gals fuel = 1,450lbs
trailer guess weight 1,500 lbs
thats almost 15000lbs

2006 ford f250, 6.0 deisel sct programmer, 4" exhaust, 3.73 gears , fuel preperator, accufab intake elbow, gets 21-22mpg at 70mph, hauls 16k boat on gooseneck.

I pull around 14000 with my dually (gas) woundering what kind of MPG you guys get towing your boat

If it were me...

Torsion bar hitch with 2.5" receiver, forged 15K ball.
Class V hitch
Electric/hydraulic brakes on the trailer with meticulous maintenance
Goodyear Marathon's on the trailer.
Heavy-duty shocks on the truck- maybe a dual setup
Firstone airbags

You're going to want every equipment-based advantage you can get. I'd also tell you that I'd pick my days to be on the interstate with it. It's not the dry level roads with light traffic that would concern me. It would be that rainy, overcast, busy days- or worse, nights. I don't worry so much about me, but the other drivers.

One other thing- don't be shy about hanging lights off of your trailer. Mine looks like Christmas at the mall. It never ceases too amaze me how someone can't see a bright white 41' offshore boat behing my truck.

...What is a torsion bar hitch?????...the hitch like the campers use??

Yes. Also referred to as a weight distribution hitch.

Oh the good old wd hitch.....my favorite...

On the MPG topic- tuners, airboxes, big exhaust and such will probably bump your MPG. They'll also make it awfully tough to get a warranty repair if you smoke your motor. Ford gets $13,000 for a new 6.0, installed. I can buy alot of diesel for thirteen grand.

trailer for donzi 38 weighs a lot more than 1500#, even aluminum

How much would the trailer weigh? Even 2000lb would still keep me close to 15000lbs.

Chris is right, you are talking about the absolute limits on towing capacity and safety. And as he said, it is not you to worry with, it is the idiot who will force you to swerve and try to regain control while next to the mini-van that would worry me.

If you want to haul that much weight, go to a 5th wheel trailer, or duals, anything less is simply not safe enough for any serious travel.

I don't think you can get tow limits of 15K with a tag along trailer without going to a dually. And to be fair you rally want the dually for that kind of weight.

my 28 alum tandem trailer wioth dual brakes and a spare weighs right at 2000#....

I wouldn't even think of towing 15,000# with an SRW truck, but that's just me..

Dually.

The training wheels do so much more than just add GVWR, stability is SO much better in a DRW.

Only reason I would go back to a SRW is if I towed nothing at all.........

(besides, you get used to the extra width, nothing to it)

The gross combined weight rating on an single rear wheel F250 is only around 23,000lbs. the truck is 7, the trailer is at least 3, that leaves only 13,000 for the boat.

Thanks all!!!

Looks like it's a "no brainer" - Got to get DRW truck.

Ted

While I would never dissuade someone from a dually, the 5th wheel adds more net towing capacity. Plus, aluminum trailers aren't my favorite for big boats. They're lighter, which eases the towing load, and they're springier, which tows the boat more softly. But, that springiness makes the whole package a bit less stable.

My 38' Steel trailer is 3,040lbs. I use a Dodge 3500 SRW to pull mine. I don't know about 20mpg, I have the 4.1 gears and the best I have seen is 18mpg. My next truck will more than likely be DRW. With the Dodge's they are virtually the same exact price.

Chris,

How does the 5th wheel add more net towing capacity? They're heavier than a receiver-pull trailer from the start. The GCVW would be further used up by the added weight of the trailer. I know the 5th wheel adds a lot on the manueverability side and the feel-good side of towing, because I tow three ways, bumper, 5th wheel, and gooseneck, but I think you're mistaken about the added towing capacity if you're assuming a comparison on the same truck with a class V hitch. The GCVW just isn't there to support the towing weight recommended by the mfr. I know most of us tow outside of mfr recommendations on occasion, but for insurance purposes in case of a mishap like the minivan cutting you off, you're reducing the net weight of the boat you can carry by using the 5ver, assuming you're working within the GCVW.

BTW, for my money on a boat trailer for a heavier boat, I'd go gooseneck over a 5ver any day unless it was one of the air-riders. The gooseneck doesn't give you the slop and shock load transfer (although very minimum) that a 5th wheel does, therefore giving a much smoother ride. Either are a better choice for ride quality and manuevering than bumper (receiver) hitches even with the WD hitch. Just my .02

From a physical perspective, it's how the load distributes into the entire chassis of the vehicle

From an anecdotal perspective, if hitches were better, millions of tractor/trailers would be built that way

From a purely practical perspective, that's how the truck manufacturer rates them.

Look at any of the tow charts- they rate hitch loads separate from 5th wheel. 5th wheel is always rated higher on equivalent vehicles. You do make a point about the trailers being heavier. But, it doesn't offset the amount of capacity you gain.

The Tooth fairy left me a Quarter once, I'll ask her!!!!!

Wannabe

Chris, I know and agree the mfrs tow ratings change by method towed. I was merely stating that regardless of which towing method he ultimately chooses, the GCVW will be the limiting factor for him with the weight of his rig and the choice of vehicle he's stated unless he goes to a dually. I don't think the tow rating differential will come into play basically. Although you may gain as little as 500 or as much as 3000 lbs of towing capability, I think it would be a moot point. Heck, given roughly the same trailer build, the hitch and the extra framework would eat up at least about 500lbs of the extra capacity unless he used a light-weight gooseneck setup and discarded the frame hitch to save a little weight back. Maybe there's a SRW pick-up truck out there that as a standard cab might make the GCVW he's looking for (excluding a custom class 6 rig) that will pass muster, but I don't know of one. Maybe I misunderstood the point you were trying to make with the whole 5th wheel bit.

BTW-I vote for dually or heavier if your rig weighs in at 10k or better. The investment/maintenance is higher, but so is the resale value and the safety factor. MPG difference in some cases is nearly negligible. As a daily driver, neither are more difficult to drive than a SWR truck, unless you count having to walk a little further for a good parking spot.:D

I once owned a brand new diesel dually. Never again will I own a DRW, but then again, I don't tow 15,000 pounds, but if I needed a dually to pull a boat with, I flat out wouldn't buy the boat. I use my '05 F 350 as a daily driver and work vehicle. You have to park a dually in a big parking lot like a 747 coming in on a glide scope. Make a few circling passes, map out your route, then get a straight shot at it, not to mention getting stuck in a bank drive through, having to get out, get everyone behind me to back up, so I could get out.:violent-smiley-045:

Btw, I get 20 on the highway.

One of my friends in town just bought the f350 DRW and it is amazing how it maneuvers compared to old school DRW. Not that they are not more limited with drive-thru's, etc. but they truly turn better than my old SRW crew cab.

96 F250 PSD, standard cab with utility bed.
Empty I get 19-20mpg on hwy if I keep it under 70mph.
17-18 at 70-75 , goes downhill fast after that.
big filter+downpipe otherwise bone stock,269,000miles.

Do you boat on a pond? I bought the boat to be fast and comfortable on the Chesapeake Bay - wasn't influenced about the tow vehicle.

Ted,
As you've stated, you only want to tow a couple of times a year, and if so, a srw 3/4 ton 4 wheel drive will do just fine. I am currently towing a 38' Fountain on a triple axle Myco with a 2500 Chevy 4x4 crew cab diesel with a super chip. I get 19 mpg on the highway empty @ 65 or less, 9.5 towing the boat on the interstate @75 mph, and you can't tell its back there. Make sure you have a good trailer with good brakes, its more important than the truck. If you are towing on a regular basis and covering a lot of miles, then the dually would be better for the long haul.

15k tow 4x4 20mpg
 

I have a dodge 3500 4x4 thats rated at 16k hitch towing. Without a trailer I average 21 mpg although I do have a bully dog with a a cold air intake.The dodge is a quad cab short bed. I get 12mpg towing a 15k fifth wheel with a bike trailer behind weighing about 2k and I don't even know it's behind me!

What does "how far" or "how often" have do with it? Does frequency or distance have any effect on towing ability?

:Whatever: And just which "P" series tires are you going to recommend for his truck?:snide:


Donzi-If your boat spends most of the time racked or on a lift and you don't really want to buy a heavy truck, here's a couple methods that might help you. 1)Become good friends with someone who has a big enough truck to safely haul your boat those couple times a year you want to travel with it and take them on your trips and show them a good time. 2)If that's not possible check with the local marinas where you want to take your boat and see if they have anyone with an empty truck/trailer that you could hitch a ride with for a small fee, or 3)hire bgchuby01 to haul it for you on those occasions and buy the truck you really want for a commuter. You'll probably come out ahead in the long run, and so will anybody you contact as a result. Option one gives you the opportunity to introduce a new friend to performance boating. Option two gives you the opportunity to chum up with a few reputable dealers, one of which may have your next boat. Option three gets your boat hauled by an often highly-recommended member of this site who seems to have a very good reputation. Everybody wins.

I have a Duramax dually that gets even better mileage. The problem is neither of us are rated at 15K with a tag-along trailer, this means NO INSURANCE if we have an accident. This is the reason I bought a new F450.

My in-laws have a 2006 F350 dually that I have access to. However, they mentioned to me that they don't use thier 5th wheel camper that much and are thinking of selling it all. I am just looking in advance for a possible new truck. I use a pick-up truck pretty often in my construction business - just don't want to drive a dually everyday. That was the whole purpose of this thread.

The insurance thing is my main reason for towing with the right truck. Otherwise, I would be willing to take the risk and tow locally with a heavy duty SRW truck.

42MTI
Is the F450 a dually?

Yes.

How about a nice daily driver and an older used regular cab 4x4 dually. kills both problems.

Whatever you get, throw some d's on it!