3500 crewcab 4x4

Shaners · May 5, 2002

My old boss just got back home. He became a full-time RV'r when he retired.

He bought an '01 crewcab 4x4 dually with the Dmax and alli tranny. He bought this truck last Sept.

He just returned to PA this week and has 24K on the truck now. He absolutely loves it!!!

He tows a 12-14K lb 5-er with triple slideouts. The truck has performed flawlessly. The ally and it's grade braking has held him back on the mtns out west, and the Dmax will pull him wherever he wants to go. Running hard he gets about 9 mpg!!! Empty he gets upper teens. He never had to hold his foot to the floor, and runs 65-70 mph up hill with the cruise on most of the time.

He did say that when he gets into the RV parks there is always people that come and compliment him on his rig. He teases the powerstroke and Cummins guys about how noisy their trucks are, and how they don't have the Ally (do-it-all) tranny!

antig24 · May 6, 2002

cool, sounds like he's really enjoying himself

JEBar · May 6, 2002

Know the feeling .... glad it went well for him

Kansas Kid · May 7, 2002

Running hard he gets about 9 mpg!!!

Just curious, but does he consider that good?

Shaners · May 7, 2002

Running hard he gets about 9 mpg!!!

Just curious, but does he consider that good?

These figures were for when he was towing in the mountains. And compared to other RV'ers he talked to, he is not disappointed with 9 mpg's under these conditions. His Fifth wheel has stand-up height in the front so it is very tall, and for some reason, he is not running an air deflector on his truck (which I think would help). Plus he sets the cruise and forgets about it. I've always gotton better mpg's when towing in hilly terrain if I don't run the cruise and get a run for it before I climb the long grades (of course I only have a smallblock).

He gets 19 mpg empty which I think is pretty darn good for a 4x4 crecab dually.

Kansas Kid · May 7, 2002

These figures were for when he was towing in the mountains. And compared to other RV'ers he talked to, he is not disappointed with 9 mpg's under these conditions.

Maybe you should tell him that he is supposed to be comparing his mileage to other RV'ers towing with diesel engines, not the guys running BB gassers!

But I suppose if he is happy with it, thats all that really matters. I on the other hand wouldn't be happy with single digit towing mileage on a diesel, especially considering our F350 4x4 get a steady 11 mpg towing a 20000lb trailer. Since this load is hay bales stacked two rows high, I would imagine it has the same wind resistance as a big 5er. Not in the mountains of course, but it does weight about 6000lbs more then your bosses rig does. And we certainly don't drive it easy.