1100 Mile Trip with the new 5ER and a Ford in tow, Kinda Funny!

[Wingate]

We took the new Jayco on an 1100 mile round trip recently. First time I had committed to taking it that far. I could not believe how great it pulled and how well my 7 year old Dodge did handling the weight. I will be the first to tell anyone that I am heavy footed, I do not care if its got 13K on its back, I expect my truck to maintain speeds going up hills!

Anyway, another couple followed us the entire way in their 2012 F250 4x4 6. 7L pulling a 8500lb bumper pull. We were both on full when we left out, and about 150 miles later, we are pulling into a Loves due to the Ford only having 10 miles of fuel left to empty! WTH?? THinking he simply didnt get it full, he fills it up and off we go again. About 150 miles later, same frantic text message, out of fuel!!. Sure enough, he's EMPTY! This bacame a pattern, I kept a watch on my odometer and searched for fuel stations every 100-125 miles. Trying to help him feel better about the lousy fuel mileage on his truck, I put fuel in mile at the 3rd fuel stop, although I think I could have made it to our destination on the one tank.

You can imagine the topic of discussion once we got to the RV park and popped the first top on a cold beverage!. I just kept telling him, "Well, atleast its pretty!":-laf:-laf

 

[JR]

And Ford claims this is the best Powerstroke yet :-laf:-laf

I admit I have always been somewhat of a Ford guy but they have never come close to getting a handle on the diesel world.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Glad to hear you had a good trip and the truck performed well. I pull a similar size and weight 5er and get around 10 mpg. Just wondering how your mileage calculated out? bg

 

[Wingate]

TBH. . I didnt calculate mine... my wife and I were too busy laughing about the shadow following behind us!... It seemed that the old Dodge was just sipping fuel when watching the fuel gauge and the MTE on the overhead. The dogs loved the Ford though, they got to get out of the truck and take care of business on a regular basis!

I asked about the hills we were pulling, apparently the Ford backed up to 5th on every uphill, and on a few occasions, it would back up to 4th and buzz the engine to the top of the hill!!. I noticed that on the longer uphills, he would fade back in the mirror then catch back up once we crested the hills. I think the Ford has the power, but the electronics allow it to lug down and drop speed before backshifting the transmission.

 

[HBarlow]

Furd and GM V8 diesels don't develop high torque at low rpm like our Cummins in-line sixes so the V8s have to downshift on every grade to get into their power band and fuel guzzling band. Regardless of the professional advertising and owner's lies V8 diesels will never match a Cummins six when towing. They will accelerate fast when unloaded though. I saw a Furd Sick. Ohh on a rollback wrecker with a modest sized box travel trailer towed behind on the tow truck's ball as I rode across Quebec. Furds are always good for a chuckle.

 

[Wingate]

Harvey... . Yep, as soon as he dropped the TT off the back of it, PRESTO, fuel mileage back up in the mid-high teens!. It would help a bunch if Ford would ship a 3/4 ton 4x4 diesel truck with something better than a 3:31 gear!. They seems to be studying CAFE requirements instead of fuel mileage when towing. I am afraid that Ram may buy into the same thing with their newest lineup. I hear you can only get the new engine with 3:42 gearing... sure hope that changes.

 

[HBarlow]

I'm not even looking at new trucks but my understanding from reading posts by other members is that the lower differential gears for towing will be offered on duallies with the high output engines. I agree with that company position but realize many do not because they want to pull heavy trailers with srw trucks.

 

[EricBu12]

wingate,

I calculated that 150 mile to 35 gal and that gets close to 4. 5 mpg!!. . wow what a piece!. I replaced my 35 for an Aero 60 gal and also have a pop in 40 gal plastic tank in the bed I strap in, for 100 on board. . I tow a 36' 5th at 12K and using only 50 gal towed 420 miles. I average 8-9 towing that beast. I do have a SRW but I have the 14 ply 19. 5" Tires and Ricksons rims.

 

[Flying_gage]

I have always been a casual defender of the ford/international as I have driven them for 20 years in different ambulances, (not so gently I may add). This all ford engine is not fairing well at least in our fleet. We have had two of our new ambos go down for leaking lift pumps that necessitate cab removal. Then last month, one of the ambos with 17k miles sucked a valve on the way to the call. The medics being medics and not mechanics shrugged their shoulders and went in and treated the patient. When they came out it sounded 6 pounds of ball bearings had been dumped into the engine. Total bill for the job via Ford was $21,000...

They are not off to a good start in our small fleet of vehicles... And I can't even imagine their mpg's.

The 6. 4 I drove last year was getting around 9. 25 mpg hand calculated. Considering that it passed the scale 150 pounds shy of gross and are hammered on all the time, I thought that was kind of respectable.