What's new
By:
Ram Heavy Duty Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Expected MPG: 6.4/3.73

R

raven_dt

Active Member
Messages
262
Reaction score
206
Points
43
Looking at a 2020 6.4 4wd CC short bed with 3.73 (open). What should I expect in *typical* driving? Towing a 6K travel trailer? thx
 
Towed a 30ft Airstream from east to west and back along I4... got about 11 doing 65 or so...
 
My truck still has less than 2k miles on it so it may get better with break in but if it doesn't I'm pretty happy with my mpg.
I've taken two trips to the same destination unloaded and loaded with my slide in camper going from sea level to 9000+ feet elevation and back. 660 miles round trip each time. (camper is about 3k loaded + passengers)
unloaded: 16.3 mpg with cruise set at 74 with mixed driving included. 15.5 going and 17 coming home.
loaded: 11.35 mpg with cruise set at 68. 10.2 going and 12.5 coming home. Going home had more crosswinds.
I could probably get a little better mileage with the camper driving slower.
 
Last edited:
Have had my 2019 2500 Bighorn 4x4 w/ the 6.4 and 3.73's for about seven months. Since new, have 6280 miles total with about 2500 of those towing a 9000 lb travel trailer. One trip up to the Ozarks in Arkansas and one to Florida. Plus a couple short, 300 mile total, local camping trips Average mpg according to the computer is 15.8. Better than I expected.
 
BillnLA said:
Have had my 2019 2500 Bighorn 4x4 w/ the 6.4 and 3.73's for about seven months. Since new, have 6280 miles total with about 2500 of those towing a 9000 lb travel trailer. One trip up to the Ozarks in Arkansas and one to Florida. Plus a couple short, 300 mile total, local camping trips Average mpg according to the computer is 15.8. Better than I expected.
Click to expand...
You must drive under the speed limit and like an old lady. I have a 19’ Laramie Offroad Black Edition with the 6.4 and 3.73 gears and the best I’ve been able to get is 15.6 mpg and that’s was with a 20 mph tailwind. My average has been about 14.7 and I haven’t towed anything with mine yet. I’ve got over 7000 miles on mine with half of that being long highway miles. I’ve tried everything to see how I can get the best gas mileage, so far I have gotten the best going 5 mph under the speed limit and using cruise control the entire trip. How did you get that when you included towing?
 
My unloaded average has gotten better since brand new, but still only about 12. I feel like I'm about 50/50 highway and city
 
Ruffone said:
You must drive under the speed limit and like an old lady. I have a 19’ Laramie Offroad Black Edition with the 6.4 and 3.73 gears and the best I’ve been able to get is 15.6 mpg and that’s was with a 20 mph tailwind. My average has been about 14.7 and I haven’t towed anything with mine yet. I’ve got over 7000 miles on mine with half of that being long highway miles. I’ve tried everything to see how I can get the best gas mileage, so far I have gotten the best going 5 mph under the speed limit and using cruise control the entire trip. How did you get that when you included towing?
Click to expand...

Ruffone,

Not really. I usually drive interstate or secondary roads, when I can, with cruise control set for about 73 and 58 mph respectively. Towing on interstate I use cruise at about 62 mph unless in very hilly area. Mileage around town and short trips is not very good, average tends to drop pretty quickly when in town. But I don't drive mine every day.
 
Not towing on the highway doing about 65 mph I get around 17 mpg. Towing my 32 ft travel trailer, I get about 10 mpg. This is in the summer. With winter gas I get about 1 to 2 less mpg.
 
raven said:
Looking at a 2020 6.4 4wd CC short bed with 3.73 (open). What should I expect in *typical* driving? Towing a 6K travel trailer? thx
Click to expand...

Unloaded with my truck means me, a tonneau and about 300-400 pounds of tools and gear. probably 800 pounds plus fuel.
I have about 5000 miles on the truck and the computer shows 11.0 MPG for the entire time I have owned it. In general for me, the computer is .3 to .5 mpg too optimistic.
In town unloaded, I get around 10-11 mpg. That usually includes about 20% highway driving. All my paper measured mileage readings have been in the 10-11 range, generally closer to 10. Just spent a week on the outer banks and eastern NC and driving around there at 55 mph, I got about 16 mpg. I've seen highway as high as 18 but generally in the 16-17 mpg range. driving at 65. Towing has been especially good. I also have a 6K pound travel trailer and on one trip which was non-highway at not faster than 50 mph (recommended first 500 miles of trailer driving) we got about 9.5 on the way there and 10.5 on the way back and that involved a considerable amount of mountain driving and hairpin turn roads. Driving the trailer to the Outer banks at around 50 mph on average we got about 10 mpg there and 11 mpg back. The 6.4 gulps gasoline idling. If you idle eating lunch from a drive-through you are going to use a lot of gas. I now find a way to turn off the engine. I miss my 38 gallon tank that the Tundra had when I am towing. I think the Ram's is 31. It means there is one less hour between fuel refills, which as you know towing a trailer are no fun. So far I am getting almost the identical towing mileage I was getting with the Toyota. I'd rather have lower mileage than have to buy a direct injected engine and have to clean it out with walnut shells every 30K miles. I think the Ram makes more sense than the untested GM engine. I go back and forth on whether I would have been better off with a Ford. I just didn't want an all aluminum body. At least with the Ram, the only aluminum is in the hood and tailgate.
 
I'm only at 1,300 miles with a 2500HD 6.4L/3.73/6'4" Bed , not pulling a trailer, commuting for work 45 miles a day at around 50 MPH in the Pittsburgh Pa area. I am always in the 12-12.5 mpg range. I really wanted the aluminum body Ford, but I couldn't accept the premium price for it. I live in the salt/rust belt, steel body trucks are rusting from the back side in 6-8 years typically. That aluminum body is a serious weapon against the corrosion issues we face. I really wish that the Ram used aluminum for the body like Ford does. :(
 
Lary0071 said:
I'm only at 1,300 miles with a 2500HD 6.4L/3.73/6'4" Bed , not pulling a trailer, commuting for work 45 miles a day at around 50 MPH in the Pittsburgh Pa area. I am always in the 12-12.5 mpg range. I really wanted the aluminum body Ford, but I couldn't accept the premium price for it. I live in the salt/rust belt, steel body trucks are rusting from the back side in 6-8 years typically. That aluminum body is a serious weapon against the corrosion issues we face. I really wish that the Ram used aluminum for the body like Ford does. :(
Click to expand...
Your hood and tailgate are aluminum. :)
 
Yes, the only two parts of trucks that don't rust up here. The fenders, rockers, doors, cab corners and beds are junk in about 17 years.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
I'm not a big fan of aluminum. It has to dent and pierce easier. I would imagine it greatly complicates what type of fasteners are used throughout the body. Aluminum will disappear almost before your very eyes if you use the wrong fasteners on it. I don't keep anything much beyond 5 years, if that. I could see myself changing my mind if I lived in a high salt usage area. The last thing I would want is an aluminum bed. GMC's carbon fiber bed looks really nice. I think Tesla is on to something using unpainted stainless. Bulletproof no less.
 
Last edited:
The denting and piercing is a non issue really, the thin steel can and will dent very easily on these. My 2017 Rebel had dents in the wheel tubs and the bed floor from my minor hauling of firewood and a steel tooth bar for my tractor. I rarely put things in the bed, and the bed had that factory sprayed liner coating on it. On our 2019 King Ranch we opted for the plastic drop in Ford liner, that is a great deal more dent protection. As for denting the body, both steel and aluminum will dent extremely easy, no matter the material used these vehicles today are made with the thinnest and lightest material that they feel they can get away with. As for repairs.... It's no real difference. Besides, if you have an accident, it is likely an insurance claim and not you paying more than the deductible. Body shops have been working with aluminum panels for over a decade now, so that is nothing new for them. For me, the material type is all about corrosion resistance and my past experience. I've yet to see an aluminum body Ford truck perforate, I agree that with enough time it will become an issue. But I suspect that it will be twice as long as the steel body trucks... or more. I do see folks such as yourself that are very uncomfortable with the idea of aluminum, but until I see actual failures of the material I will hold my opinion that in the rust belt, it is a better option. If RAM up-charged for an aluminum option, I would absolutely buy in o that. Ram has some things that I like better than the Ford models.... but Ford also has some things that I like better than the Ram. I guess that is why we have a 2019 King Ranch F-150 and a 2019 Ram 2500 sitting side by side in the garage. Both great vehicles, but very different from each other. Luckily we all have pretty good options out there in the market, so we can all choose what we like based on our unique needs and wants.
 
I stand corrected. I thought I read that the tailgate was aluminum too. Worst part is I went around a sample truck with the salesman and a magnet and remember something not happening which did. Getting old is no fun.
 
Wow I thought it was aluminum too. It's so light though compared to my last 2 4th gens
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top