Real life MPG numbers wanted.

krj

Observer
Hi all.
Just finishing another month plus trip in my 1/2 ton truck (Tundra) and pop-up camper. Love the truck, but I'd like more payload, and I'm sick of lifting the roof full of boards and kayaks every damn day! That's enough, I'm now ready to step up to a 3/4 ton truck (or 1 ton, if the deal was right) and hard-side camper.
Here's where you all come in, I want some real world mpg numbers from you hard-siders. Here's what I'm looking at (and seeking mpg info on); and extended cab, long bed pickup with an 8' camper. I'm leaning towards a 3/4 diesel with manual transmission, 4wd is a definite. While this is what I'm "leaning towards", I would like info on all different setups.
So, specifically, what I want from you all is; year/make/model/engine/transmission(manual or AT) of truck (4wd only, not interested in 2wd), make/model/length of camper, and, of coarse, mpg.
Thanks in advance for the info. I look forward to changing from the pop-up forum to the hard-side forum!
Kevin
 

WAND3R3R

Adventurer
Kevin, I have a 2005 Ford F350 Dually 4x4 Diesel Truck, with a 2002 Bigfoot camper on it. I travel a lot with it LOADED and get 12-14 MPG for real! No BS! I am not knocking the pop-ups as they are great for many things but I got a hard-side because I didn't want to lift and drop the top everyday. And let's be honest, the soft sides do get wet and are not as warm as a hard side. I know that no truck / camper set-up is perfect for all situations but mine is pretty versatile and meets my needs 80% on road 20% off road. I have a Honda XR650L that I take when I am going to be doing exploring off road. My blog has lots of pics if you are interested in my set up.

www.apocketfullofwanderlust.blogspot.com

My Tacoma only got 17-18 MPG so 12-14 with a big diesel is pretty darn good! Just saying.
-AK
 

cnynrat

Expedition Leader
I have a 1999 F350 (4x4, 7.3l Powerstroke diesel, auto-trans, super-cab, long bed, SRW). We carry a Bigfoot C25 10.6 camper. On the highway we get about 13 mpg.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
My friend's got an '05 2500 Dodge CTD,srw, w/auto,4.10 gears and 35 x12.50 x 18 Toyo MT's. He's carrying a 9.5' Sixpack self contained camper. He's getting 10.5 city with it. Going from a 285-75-17 Toyo AT to his present tire cost him 3 mpg.
 

sisu

Adventurer
This is an excellent subject that I'd love to see visited by pop-up folks with similar weighted campers to see how much the BIG AIR FOIL we hard siders have effects mileage.
Personally without the camper running with just the dog and my wife I get 18-20 MPH with the Cummins 2500 8 ft bed, quad cab and I run at 1750-1800 RPMs on the highway unless conditions are bad or the road ois screwed. With the 1994 9.6 Northern Lite camper we average 13-14 MPG running the same RPMs. 2006 5.9 liter, auto trany

BTW we own a 1999 Tacoma that gets 20 MPG on the highway in 5th gear BUT if we load it up with kayaks, or tow a boat, or tow the 4 place kayak trailer with and packing in a wall tent, stove gear etc. the mileage goes to hell in a handbasket quick. Drops down around 15, so the camper on the Dodge and towing a boat, kayaks etc. the mileage stays the same as I stated above. Therefore the Tacoma has become a day use vehicle.
 
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youwillforget

Adventurer
I have an 06 GMC 1/2 ton with the small v8. I get 19ish on highway 65 to 70mph that goes up to 21 if I stay 60mph or less. I tow a small pop up 1 or 2 times a year, if I have the ATV in the bed and 2 bicycles on the hitch carrier I get 16ish going 65mph.
 

krj

Observer
Thanks for the info guys, keep it coming. If anyone has done engine mods that would affect mileage, please include that info as well

@ AK - Is your rig manual or AT?
@ sisu - Year and transmission of your rig?
BTW, my current setup; '03 Tundra with FWC Grandby, gets 13mpg on a good day. Without the camper, I have once gotten as good as 19mpg.
 
Truck: 2011 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax
TC: Chalet DS116RB
GVW: 14K#

Recent trip: ~1000 mis Las Vegas, NV to Albany, OR
Frequent elevation change.
Some strong headwinds.
Target highway speed: 70ish

MPG: 10.1

Notes: this is about as big a camper truck combo as you can get and this is about as fast that can be safely travelled over varied (not flat) terrain. Therefore, this is probably very close to a real-world replicable case for this truck in terms of fuel efficiency.
 

Photomike

White Turtle Adventures & Photography
2002 GMC Sierra 2500 HD 6L
4x4
Club cab
AT

1992 Northern Lite
9.6'

Over the past three years I have been getting 11 - 12 MPG, most of the time it is 11.9 mpg on longer trips averaged out (this is from the prairies to the mountains). It does get a lot better mpg in the mountains than on the flats, still have not figured that out.
 

wirenut

Adventurer
I hauled my 11' Fleetwood 11x on a Chevy '07 D/A reg. cab 4 x 4. I got around 13mpg. The whole rig weighed about 11,500. I now carry the same camper on a Chevy '05 D/A CC dually 4 x 4. It has a custom aluminum flatbed with tool boxes full of tools. The whole rig weighed 13,000. I get about 11.5 or 12 mpg with this truck.
Since you are wanting to haul a hard side truck camper I suggest you skip the 3/4 ton and get a 1 ton. Just about everyone hauling a truck camper is over their GVWR, there's no reason to make the problem worse by getting a 2500.
 

owhiting

Supporting Sponsor
99 f250 long bed 4x4 with a Bigfoot 9.6 and it gets 13ish loaded. Thats why I got rid of my Tundra that got 8.6 mpg loaded. It was a screamin little truck empty but it was just over worked. The Ford Powerstroke will pull 70 over Vail pass with the camper but I am sure the fuel milage is about 4 mpg when I do that.
I chose the Bigfoot hard side because it is built like a boat and has no membrane roof to leak, and no mechanism to fail. I have seen that happen before with a pop up truck camper but it could have been owner operator error. You would be amazed at how heavy a pop up camper roof is!!
Fiberglass shell that is easy to clean, no fabric that can flap in the breeze at night and it is insulated.

As others have stated here go for the 1 ton!
 

dieselandmud

Adventurer
16.2 mpg. last trip in the mountians
2002 F250, 7.3, CC, shortbox, 4x4, AT, 3.73 gears. SuperChips (old one).
2010 Lance 825 dry weight is just under 1800lbs.
 

sisu

Adventurer
2006 2500 cummins 8 ft bed quad cab, auto trany, 30k on rig, all stock, manual windows in fact I searched for this rig a long time so it would have low miles and as plain Jane as possible.
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
My ugly duckling (and heavy at that) routinely gets 14mpg average loaded. Thats north Idaho traveling, where NOTHING is flat.

1996 F250 Powerstroke 4x4
4:10 gears, Auto trans
Ugly modified Bell camper weighs 2600lbs loaded.


wintertrip15.jpg
 

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