# Tow Vehicle



## ORvagabond (Apr 17, 2009)

Well I knew that after 2600 miles up the AlCan I would have a good sense of my TV's towing capability. Through most of Bristish Columbia you are going uphill and downhill. With a 5.4 liter, 300HP with the 4sp plus overrdrive transmission with the overdrive off I averaged about 8.5 mpg. With a 28 gallon tank I was pushing a 200 mile per tank maximum and that meant stopping about every 100 miles for gas to ensure that there would be gas. I paid between 1.09 and 1.47 per liter, ugh. Well back to the towing issue. The engine pulled the TT flawlessly on the fairly flat sections but would bog down to 3500 -4000 rpms pulling 45mph up hills, simply because you could not always get a good start due to road constrauction or tight turns, etc. Did the TV get the job done...yes. Would it have been more pleasant and less stressful with a larger fuel capacity and better mileage and more effortless pulling power...yes.

I only ran into one other Outback and he was from Montana. We visited at a rest stop and he had a 26 foot with a Ford F250 and a V10. He was getting between 9 and 10 mpg and had no problems pulling the hills. A neighbor at one of our overnight stays was experiencing his first RV experience and had bought a used 30 foot Airstream weighing 9000 pounds and had purchased a new Dodge 2500 diesel. He was averaging 12 mpg (normal for the unchipped new ones I hear) and pulled the hills effortlessly.

Might be a couple of years but a new TV will be in our future


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## Shizon (Oct 22, 2007)

No doubt about the new TV. I tow with an 07 Tundra, and on long trips the gas is an issue, finding an easily accessable station. My FIL has an 02 RAM 2500 with auxillary fuel tank, and and has towed from Merced, CA to San Diego, CA without stopping for gas about 400 miles. Needless to say I'm a bit jealous, like you after about 100 miles on long distance trips I start thinking about gas just to be safe.

Sean


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

AKvagaband ... was in the same situation as you .... but it was the hills of Texas that killed me ... had a 1/2 Ton 5.3L V8 315Hp that towed great on the flat surfaces -- would get about 12 mpg on the flats ... but the moment i hit the hill country it dropped to 8-9 mpg and RPMs will jump in order to get the trailer up the hill...

Like so many others on this board I moved up to a CHEVY 2500HD diesel 6.6L and doubled my towing strength, my MPG while towing is usually somewhere around 12mpg and sometimes i have to look back to make sure the trailer is still there (







) ...

Plus once I got the bigger truck for the smaller trailer (23RS), I then decided thatit was only right to get a bigger trailer (Open Range 335BHS) for the bigger truck...


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

Ghosty said:


> AKvagaband ... was in the same situation as you .... but it was the hills of Texas that killed me ... had a 1/2 Ton 5.3L V8 315Hp that towed great on the flat surfaces -- would get about 12 mpg on the flats ... but the moment i hit the hill country it dropped to 8-9 mpg and RPMs will jump in order to get the trailer up the hill...
> 
> Like so many others on this board I moved up to a CHEVY 2500HD diesel 6.6L and doubled my towing strength, my MPG while towing is usually somewhere around 12mpg and sometimes i have to look back to make sure the trailer is still there (
> 
> ...


Ghosty - I thought you upgraded trailers because the roof on your 23RS got real dirty over the years and instead of cleaning it - it was easier to just get an Open Range.
















-CC


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## Stolenfates (Jun 11, 2009)

Ghosty said:


> AKvagaband ... was in the same situation as you .... but it was the hills of Texas that killed me ... had a 1/2 Ton 5.3L V8 315Hp that towed great on the flat surfaces -- would get about 12 mpg on the flats ... but the moment i hit the hill country it dropped to 8-9 mpg and RPMs will jump in order to get the trailer up the hill...
> 
> Like so many others on this board I moved up to a CHEVY 2500HD diesel 6.6L and doubled my towing strength, my MPG while towing is usually somewhere around 12mpg and sometimes i have to look back to make sure the trailer is still there (
> 
> ...


I just finished my first camping trip with our new outback (29KBH) and pulled it with my companies 2008 Silverado w/ the 4.8L. I wasn't winning any contests and up a pretty steep hill near Grand Marais, MN I was down to about 45mph. In August we are taking a trip out to Glacier National Park and I'll be pulling it with my 98' silverado w/ the 5.7L so am hoping the pulling is easier. The torque for the 4.8L is 305ft-lbs and for the older 5.7 it is 330ft-lbs. NOt sure how thats going to work out up to the mountains.


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

We have a chevy duramax and love the pulling power, but like you, i'm not very happy with my range. They put an extremely small tank (for how big the truck is) and when pulling, I get about 250m to a tank. At about 150 I really have to start thinking about fuelling up. I might look at getting an extended aftermarket tank that holds more but they tend to run about $1k. It would increase my range to about 400m though.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Silvrsled said:


> We have a chevy duramax and love the pulling power, but like you, i'm not very happy with my range. They put an extremely small tank (for how big the truck is) and when pulling, I get about 250m to a tank. At about 150 I really have to start thinking about fuelling up. I might look at getting an extended aftermarket tank that holds more but they tend to run about $1k. It would increase my range to about 400m though.


Check Northern Tool for an aux tank.. Also check a place called Dually Depot.. Both have websites.

Both have better prices then 1000 bucks..

You might need to call Dually Depot to get an exact price.

Carey


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## Silvrsled (Jul 24, 2008)

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Check Northern Tool for an aux tank.. Also check a place called Dually Depot.. Both have websites.
> 
> Both have better prices then 1000 bucks..
> 
> ...


Thanks Carey, but I don't think I want an aux tank that sits in the bed of the truck. I carry my motorcycles in there and need the full length of the bed. That's why the large capacity replacement tank looks like a better option.....but expensive.


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

Shizon said:


> No doubt about the new TV. I tow with an 07 Tundra, and on long trips the gas is an issue, finding an easily accessable station. My FIL has an 02 RAM 2500 with auxillary fuel tank, and and has towed from Merced, CA to San Diego, CA without stopping for gas about 400 miles. Needless to say I'm a bit jealous, like you after about 100 miles on long distance trips I start thinking about gas just to be safe.
> 
> Sean


Sean,

A company a bit north of you now sells a replacement tank for the 07 and up Tundras' that holds 47 gallons. The link is below and they have a very good reputation, I'm planning on getting one of their tanks for my truck when I can afford it.

http://www.transferflow.com/toyota_fuel_tank.html


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Cool.. Whatever you end up with, holding more fuel will spoil you quick.. lol

Prolly the best mod a guy could do to his truck!

Carey


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## Scooter (May 9, 2005)

Love my F-250 v10.. I WILL NEVER TRADE!!!!!!!!
I'm averaging between 10 - 13 towing 21RS depending on terrain.

Last month I made my Final payment ...


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## MtnBikrTN (Mar 23, 2009)

I just bought a 2500 Suburban with the 8.1 L and 4.10 gears to replace our 1500 Suburban w/ the 5.7 L. Can't wait to head back up the mountain.


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