Ford V10 Mileage Towing- REAL WORLD

[IllMarty1]

Just some info for you guys. I know this topic gets some play here.

Last week I pulled my new 21 +4 deckover with a 22.5' tall sand hopper (on its 8' wide side) 300 miles to a jobsite. The height of the hopper stood at just over 13', so there was alot of wind resistance. Weight of the hopper per the crane operator was 6600 lbs. With the trailer the towed load was 11,300 lbs, about 1200 lbs below the rated tow capacity of my F350 SRW V10 with 4.10 rears.

MPG = 4.5

The first 70 miles I was buffeted by some prett stiffy winds in the 20 MPH range, and there was alot of running in 2nd at around 4000 RPM to keep speed up at 55-60. The truck handled the load really well IMHO, but the diesel would have shined for this use. we normally do not tow this hopper that far, but it made sense for this one job from a $ standpoint. I will time the trip back with a passing coldfront with NW winds on my tail or drive at night when winds are pretty nonexistant in the summer.

Also FYI, I towed my 20' bobcat trailer the same route the week before. It had a level load to the top of the stakes we built for it at the 4' height. Weight was close to 10000 lbs loaded, and I got 9 MPG. On the trip back empty with slight tailwind it got 13.3 MPG at 74 MPH.

Marty

 

[Builder]

Thanks for the honest info. It's rare to get candid info from an owner like that. All I read are the "22MPG" diesel mileage claims and the "17MPG" big block gas claims. Both claims are usually while towing 15,700lbs.

My 3500 DMAX 4x4 auto at 8,000lbs gets 13MPG in stop/go driving. Have no idea what highway mileage is.

 

[dodge man]

My 2007 Dodge quad cab, 4x4 with 3.93 rear gears get about 12.5 mpg around town and about 16mpg on the highway at 70mph. Thats empty also.

I would say the wind resistance is what killed you hauling that hopper. I'm guessing that really worked the V10 pretty hard.

 

[radman1]

I believe the wind and speed often have a large effect on mpg. My 1999 V10 all time low was about 5 mph (by the lie-0-meter) pulling a 30' gooseneck in 25mph wind with a 7' tall load and trying to do 70mph because I was pressed for time. Was pulling about 15,000 lb.

Most of the time it made 10-12 mph pulling 7000-10,000 lb loads at 60-65 mph. I believe deck over trailers take more fuel than utility type trailers because of the increased height of the loads.

Under best conditions, if I drove 55 mph, no wind or significant hills, my V10 could make 14-15 mph.

 

[jcmseven]

But I am really getting about 22 mpg on the highway, but not with a 15,000 load!!!! I pulled for the first time this past weekend, towed just around 6,000 pounds to my parents' house. Computer mileage 15.3, my calculated 14.8. I used to have a Ford 250 V10. It was a nice truck and I really liked the engine. The dealer told me when I bought it that it would get "9 in town, 9 on the highway, 9 when empty, 9 when loaded, and if you drop it out of an airplane it would get 9 before it hit the ground...." He was within 1 mpg of being right.

John M

 

[Builder]

But I am really getting about 22 mpg on the highway, but not with a 15,000 load!!!! I pulled for the first time this past weekend, towed just around 6,000 pounds to my parents' house. Computer mileage 15.3, my calculated 14.8. I used to have a Ford 250 V10. It was a nice truck and I really liked the engine. The dealer told me when I bought it that it would get "9 in town, 9 on the highway, 9 when empty, 9 when loaded, and if you drop it out of an airplane it would get 9 before it hit the ground...." He was within 1 mpg of being right.

John M

I bet if I drove like I had an egg (not hard boiled) between my foot and the go pedal on flat highway ~55MPH with no wind resistance, no load and no utility body, I could maybe hit 20MPG

The V-10 is the best of the remaining big gas engines, but I'd prefer a big pushrod with lots of cubes if I was going back to gas....supercharger wouldn't hurt, either.

 

[chh]

Well so far my record low has been 6 mpg with my V-10 in the last year and 7000 miles. That was with a full 1 ton feedbox(well full at the start of the week anyway) and 70 to 80 gal. of diesel in a bed tank, in 4wd most of the time and probably averaging 20 to 25 mph in the mud, ice and snow that week. Winter average was probably in the 8 or 9 range. My old '97 3/4 Dodge diesel used to average about 11 or 12 in the winter with the same feedbox and fuel tank.
Sure am glad summer is here.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My uncle has a 2005 V10 F-350 4x4 Extended Cab. He gets about what the first poster said. I believe his truck has 4:30 gears though. Pulling his boat the 30 miles each way once a year he sees 4mpg. Regular driving 9mpg, and on the rare occasion on the highway about 12 mpg.

He loves my diesels but just does not have the need for one. He got his truck in 2004 and it has under 25,000 miles on it. All he uses it for is a tow rig, getting through the snow, ect. He drives a old Sable 99% of the time.

Chris

 

[Builder]

Well so far my record low has been 6 mpg with my V-10 in the last year and 7000 miles. That was with a full 1 ton feedbox(well full at the start of the week anyway) and 70 to 80 gal. of diesel in a bed tank, in 4wd most of the time and probably averaging 20 to 25 mph in the mud, ice and snow that week. Winter average was probably in the 8 or 9 range. My old '97 3/4 Dodge diesel used to average about 11 or 12 in the winter with the same feedbox and fuel tank.
Sure am glad summer is here.

Sorry to get off topic, but for old time's sake, could you post a pic of your old Dodge again? I really liked it.

I think Ford could be a lot more effective with the V-10 if they could get to the 400HP barrier and 500tq barrier with gas or offer a dealer installed s/c for a reasonable price.

 

[chh]

Sorry to get off topic, but for old time's sake, could you post a pic of your old Dodge again? I really liked it.

Here are a couple that I could find right off. One as it is ready to trade in and one in its working clothes.





I actually like the V-10 pretty much for what I am doing with the truck. My biggest gripe is the thing my wife likes best about the truck. I am just not used to towing with an automatic transmission, she can't understand why anybody would own a manual. She will drive this truck though when I need her too without any complaints, so that is a pretty big help.