Can a truck get good mpg and be able to tow?

#1
Are there any trucks out there that can get 20 mpg as a daily driver and still tow a Jeep once a month or so? I was thinking an ecoboost f150 might be a good choice but from what I have seen their fuel mileage isn't all that great either. any opinions on trucks I should take a look at?
 
#2
The problem with the ecoboost mileage is that when you add the max tow package it changes the rear to a 3.90 something gear and ruins it... id check into the new rams... there 8 speed transmission works pretty well from what I hear.. and the diesel 1/2 tons will be out soon...

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#3
I would get an 7.3 or v10 f250 or 6.0/8.1 chevy to tow with and buy a nice DD for mpg. You will never come out buying a newer truck to tow/DD.
 
#5
To get a solid 20mpg out of a tow rig your prob gonna have to look at a manual trans. Or buy a dodge, most cummins guys get like 28mpg and 20mpg towing.


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LBarr2002

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#6
How much does your jeep and trailer combo weigh and where are you towing? It makes a big difference if you're towing a 3,000 lb rig on a Featherlight or a 5,000 lb rig on a heavy all steal trailer. And if you're towing locally or long hauls into the mountains.
 
#7
To get a solid 20mpg out of a tow rig your prob gonna have to look at a manual trans. Or buy a dodge, most cummins guys get like 28mpg and 20mpg towing.


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Cummins guys always get good MPG's. Not because the truck actually does, but because they have a stack and black wheels. And invisible trailers.
 
#8
My 99 4wd Dodge will pull around 18mpg empty. The best I've ever gotten out of it was 23 but that was with the Edge off and using the fuel saver program from a Smarty. Horribly gutless, as in scary merging onto a highway gutless. Its never been set up like that since and probably never will be. Dad's 2wd 12V gets around 22 on the highway. 3.54 gears in both trucks.
 
#9
Z71 will do it, ecoboost will do it, and the new rams will do it. That new 8 speed in the ram is a very impressive unit. In a ford or gm a tune goes a long way. A tune in a gm is stupid cheap for what you get. The key to any truck is STOCK tires. Everybody gets 285s and then bitches about mileage. Also keep in mind you don't need as low a rear gear because the new transmissions are geared so low in first. Most of the people with ecoboosts drive em like a dam racecar. 308tubls dad has one and drives fast as **** on the highway and gets 18ish I want to say.
 
#10
Z71 will do it, ecoboost will do it, and the new rams will do it. That new 8 speed in the ram is a very impressive unit. In a ford or gm a tune goes a long way. A tune in a gm is stupid cheap for what you get. The key to any truck is STOCK tires. Everybody gets 285s and then bitches about mileage. Also keep in mind you don't need as low a rear gear because the new transmissions are geared so low in first. Most of the people with ecoboosts drive em like a dam racecar. 308tubls dad has one and drives fast as **** on the highway and gets 18ish I want to say.
My father has an eco boost and has 30k on it...drives 500miles every weekend drives 75 to 80mph on highway in the summer is getting 19 and in winter(in Vermont) is getting high 17s

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#11
My 2011 ram with the hemi gets 22 hwy driving normal and 15-17 around town Depending on how you drive. Tows a single rig great. I pulled a buggy on a steel trailer to Clayton for New Years. Ran 60-65 on the way up and averaged 13.5. Coming back I hauled *** and did 80-85 and got 9.8.
 
#12
My 2000 z71 gets 18ish average. This past tank with everything( in town, highway, and towing 7k+(overloaded)) I got 14.9. All on 285/75r16 Toyo open country h/ts. So unless you want a diesel or a new truck payment look into a proven system.

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#16
Whats the price tag looking like for those?

Davids 1500 is nice, although ive never seen it tow i do like those trucks.

I do love those ecoboosts though.
 
#18
Thread kind of old but I'll throw this out anyway...2008 chev 1500 4wd Z71, 4 speed auto, 3.73 gears, stock tires: gets 21 mpg on pure gas (no corn in the tank; reduces mpg by 10%) according to the on-board trip computer. Hook an empty lawn mower trailer to it and gets 16, XJ on 2200# steel trl gets 12ish, 30' travel trl at 55-60 mph in third gear to beach gets 10. Oh yeah, I tend to drive like I'm the one buying the gas too.
 
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