Need info, Gas mileage when towing

[The Big Green]

Just wondering what some people get, and with (at all possible) my setup. I have a 400t, 4.11's, and a stock 350, with 600 carb, 882 heads, and 270/455 RV cam. I'll be pulling, at most, a 2001 dakota cc, 4500lbs (I think) and a medium duty trailer my uncle pulls his tractors with, and it has electric brakes. I was just wanting a idea of what I may get when pulling.

[Longhorn Man]

5 to 8 MPG

[mrein3]

I have a fresh 383 and th350. 373 gears. 28 inch tall tires - stock height. The 383 has an Edelbrock 2101 intake and 1406 carb.

I pull a Triton TR19 that when on the trailer, fully dressed for a tournament comes in right around 3000 pounds.

I get 9.5 mpg towing. 13 on a REALLY good day when not towing.

Before I swapped in the th350 I'd get 10 mpg towing. That was with a standard, 3-on-the-tree manual.

[Gray Ghost]

I get around 8mpg but that's the max. My motor is a 355 with 10k on the clock and a new TH350/3.07 behind that.

[The Big Green]

Originally Posted by Gray Ghost

I get around 8mpg but that's the max. My motor is a 355 with 10k on the clock and a new TH350/3.07 behind that.

Gosh dang...lol...3.07's, I can see 8mpg max.

I had a 425hp 350 and got 10mpg and a 1000hp dakota with spray getting 13. I drive like a grandpa, maybe thats why my 67 gets 16

[Gray Ghost]

I get 11-12 normally. Course I never drive like grandpa...drive like that around these parts and you'll be dead in a day.

I'd sure like to ride along sometime and do the math on some of you guys talking about 14+ mpg on a truck that has 3.73 or 4.11 gears.

[whitesswj]

id say about Half of what your normal mileage is.

[special-K]

Think of it as powering two vehicles with one motor.I don`t even consider milage when I`m working my truck like that.I`m just glad I can do it.I`ve never towed the same load through a whole tank of fuel to figure it out,if I wanted to know.

[haysonj]

I get between 10 and 12 towing the 4500 lb boat with my truck. Has 4.09 gears, 35 inch tires, T400 with gear vendors OD, and a fuel injected 350. I try not to go over 55 MPH. Hope to do a little better when I get my 383 back.

[special-K]

Now,to get a shot like that with the lake in the background.Nice combo!

[The Big Green]

Originally Posted by special-K

Think of it as powering two vehicles with one motor.I don`t even consider milage when I`m working my truck like that.I`m just glad I can do it.I`ve never towed the same load through a whole tank of fuel to figure it out,if I wanted to know.

I understand the pulling and everything. It is pulling 2 vehicles, but its also going down hill, and the back ones pushing...lol. You can get bad mileage pulling up hill, but better down hill. I don't care about gas prices, my new Jeep JK gets like 13 on a really good day...lol. Its my everyday driver, and I'm a FireFighter, so I can't drive my '06 SI that gets 35mpg. My wife drives the car, and I get the 13mpg gas hog. The way I see it, let gas go up, and I'll still do the career I love. I see you point, about if the truck can do it, and not really considering gas mileage. I started the tread because my gauge doesn't work, I need to fix it, but can't before the show thats coming up, so I'm just getting a idea of what to expect.


Gray Ghost
You welcome to ride with me anytime. I don't know how it does it, but I check by filling up, and driveing to a gas station and topping it off. That way I know how much gas it uses, and know how far it is to the station. You posted about how you can tell, and then changed it I guess.

[The Big Green]

Oh GRAY GHOST, think about how high your gears are, and you may not notice it struggling from a stop, when you take off. You may not nessasarily notice it, but if you truck had nuts, it would be using both right and left nuts, to take off. When I went from 3.08 to 4.11, night and day difference, and I kept them because I want to tow with my truck, and I want to leave the nuts alone, and free of being used.

[steelhorse]

2001 Dodge Ram off road 7mpg when towing and its fuel injected.If you want mpg towing deisel is the only way

[The Big Green]

NO DODGES HERE.... J/k, I had a 2001 with a 4.7 that towed my 67. I still have the 2001 dakota cc, but it now has a 1000hp stroker in it, so my 67 is having to take over on the towing. My mom had a 99 ram cc, 360, until a Tyson semi ran off the road one morning and over corrected, BAM, end of Dodge, they hold up great. I was the first one on scene(FireFighter) and the truck was Totaled beyond belief, but mom was ok, under the circumstances. I love a good Dodge, and would love a good cummins, but the trucks are not cheap, and neither is diesel.