Camper weight/f250

work2play2

Banned again & will band again soon
Going to pick up a 36 foot puma camper tomorrow. 9500 lbs. Pulling f250. What weight camper do you have with a 250. I guess I'm asking how is this gonna feel behind it? Gas motor
 

naildrvr

Senior Member
Fifth wheel shouldn't be bad. Bumper pull will be good with sway control and leveling bars. With the gas engine it's probably gonna pull back on hills, but I wouldn't be scared to pull it.
 

naildrvr

Senior Member
Oh yeah, gas mileage... Well you probably already know:biggrin3:
 

T-N-T

Senior Member
Gas mileage will be bad. Like real bad.
I had a gas Chevy 2500 and got about 7with a 7,000 pound camper when I was driving it like I stole it.

But 5th wheel makes all the difference on heavy campers
 

work2play2

Banned again & will band again soon
I drove from lake Lanier to Jackson ga. 1.5 hrs. Pulled good. But wowzers at the gas mileage. I worked hard to get to 9 mph hwy
 

T-N-T

Senior Member
I drove from lake Lanier to Jackson ga. 1.5 hrs. Pulled good. But wowzers at the gas mileage. I worked hard to get to 9 mph hwy

Just a good reason to go diesel..... :cheers:
 

LTZ25

Senior Member
I pull a 8,000 lb trailer with my f250 and as said use the correct hitch and brake control ad its no problem . I get around 10 mpg with my 6.7 diesel .
 

WayneB

Senior Member
my new Cummins pulled my 9800 lb TT 1,000 miles at 18MPG.
Still have my Hemi truck too, same TT got 10-11 MPG.
 

T-N-T

Senior Member
my new Cummins pulled my 9800 lb TT 1,000 miles at 18MPG.
Still have my Hemi truck too, same TT got 10-11 MPG.

Says the computer. Did you hand calculate that?
 

T-N-T

Senior Member
My 07 Cummins gets 11-12 with a 7,000-8,000 pound load running 70
20 or 21 empty with stockish tires. Now with the new tires its a little less.
 

Bob Shaw

Senior Member
36' and 9600 lbs? I'd recheck that. I think you're weight could be as much as 50% off. Then add the weight of water, propane, you and your family, and all of the things you take with you, and you will see your weight is way short. The big issue with a 5th wheel and a single rear wheel 2500 is tongue weight, and that has mainly to do with the tire rating.

That being said, I tow a 40' with my 3/4 ton, and my 5'er weighs in at 15,700 lbs, but the tongue weight is within my rear axle and tire specs. My tow vehicle is a 2002 GMC longbed 2500HD with an 8.1L and an Allison tranny, so it does pretty well. Since you said f250, which in my opinion has pretty soft rear springs, you may want to invest in some air bags to counter the rear sag.

FWIW, I've towed a 37' and larger with my 3/4 ton for over 70,000 miles without an issue. The "weight police" will tell you that you can't or shouldn't do it, but if you look at the majority of large 5th wheels being towed, you will see they are being towed with 3/4 ton trucks, at least that's what I've seen. It seems to me that 3/4's are designed for towing.
 

WayneB

Senior Member
Says the computer. Did you hand calculate that?

hand calculated. Computer on the '17 goes wacky during regen. Truck still under 2500 miles. 3500 miles it gets tuned and a full delete. MPG ought to go up if I keep my foot outta it. :)

Also running 3:73 G/R instead of 4:11 or 3:08
 

Greene728

Senior Member
hand calculated. Computer on the '17 goes wacky during regen. Truck still under 2500 miles. 3500 miles it gets tuned and a full delete. MPG ought to go up if I keep my foot outta it. :)

Also running 3:73 G/R instead of 4:11 or 3:08

So tell me more about this magical Ram/Cummins you have.
I’m intrigued.
In another thread, you said it was a 2500 with the Aisin transmission. Now your saying it has the 3:73 rear end and gets 18 mpg while towing right at 10k.
There’s some holes here as #1 you can’t get the Aisin in a 2500. Period. #2 is the gears. The only gear available in a 2500 with the Cummins is 3:42.
Interesting.
 
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T-N-T

Senior Member
hand calculated. Computer on the '17 goes wacky during regen. Truck still under 2500 miles. 3500 miles it gets tuned and a full delete. MPG ought to go up if I keep my foot outta it. :)

Also running 3:73 G/R instead of 4:11 or 3:08
That gear is a huge help. I mean Yuuuge.
 

Greene728

Senior Member
guess it's pick on me day.
oh well.:stir:

Not at all. Just asking questions and pointing out many inaccuracies. There’s no way possible you get 18 mpg towing an RV. “If” you do have a 2500 there’s no way you have an Aisin or 3:73 gear. Stop stretching the truth and just be honest. Easy peasy.
 

Bob Shaw

Senior Member
I drove from lake Lanier to Jackson ga. 1.5 hrs. Pulled good. But wowzers at the gas mileage. I worked hard to get to 9 mph hwy

A lot of it will depend on how fast you are pulling. When I was pulling at 70-75 mph, I was getting 5-6 mpg, when I slowed-down to 60-62 my mileage went up to 8.5-9, sometimes 10.
 
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