Average Cummins HO mpg - unloaded

[AKDoug]

View attachment 4616This is the mpg for lifetime of truck. That’s the total miles I have on truck

You must not tow much Anyhow, I got a new best out of the truck last night. Top speed of 65mph for 200 miles. Finally had a refill that calc'd at just barely over 20mpg.. 20.2 to be precise. My largest gripe about the truck is starting to disappear.

 

[RVTRKN]

Just thought I'd update my MPG report on a 1800 mile trip pulling 5ver across the states from Parker AZ to Franklin KY, mostly on Interstate 40. It was not as good as I thought, but I'll assume normal, hand calculated at 8.5 MPG @ 70 MPH pulling 5ver only.

 

[jeffn]

Hey guys, thinking about pulling the trigger on a Cummins HO. What are you guys seeing for mpg?

gear ratio matters a lot. HO with 4.10 and if I can get 17 mpg empty I am doing everything right. Towing 10k I’ll be 11-12 mpg at 65 mph, towing 20k+ that drops to 10-10.5. If I go over 70 mph I lose at least 1 mpg. My car hauler is 7’ height and v-nose so not too bad on wind resistance but it is the drag that hits efficiency, my heavy trailer is a gooseneck flat bed.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

gear ratio matters a lot. HO with 4.10 and if I can get 17 mpg empty I am doing everything right. Towing 10k I’ll be 11-12 mpg at 65 mph, towing 20k+ that drops to 10-10.5. If I go over 70 mph I lose at least 1 mpg. My car hauler is 7’ height and v-nose so not too bad on wind resistance but it is the drag that hits efficiency, my heavy trailer is a gooseneck flat bed.

That was a 1-1/2 years ago I'm assuming he bought it already…..

 

[Patriot Motor Sports USA]

Hey guys, thinking about pulling the trigger on a Cummins HO. What are you guys seeing for mpg?

I just made an exhaustive reply on another thread for someone asking this exact question. Go see it and if you do not need the Aisin or the added power, as in you are hauling 30K+ daily... do not get it.

 

[RVTRKN]

I chose the Aisin for the durability, and not the HO for the HP. The HO is nice, but torque management is always present, so if you can live with the 68rfe, then that’s your ticket if your not towing 30K daily.

 

[gimmie11s]

Unloaded, HO SRW with 4.10s you will be around 17 combined 70/30 highway/city.,

DRW drops that by .5 mpg or so.

Loaded with 14k lbs 5th wheel (wind sail) doing 70-75 i get around 9-9.5.

 

[RVTRKN]

2019 and newer is 3:73 only gear set for HO SRW.

 

[RVTRKN]

Bringing back this thread, I'll be posting my 4200+ mile trip to get my Pontoon out of storage in Vegas. I'll have empty and towing Pontoon MPG, soon.

 

[RVTRKN]

Now these miles only reflect actual empty and towing miles, I haven't refilled my tank since I got home and there was both empty and towing on one tank of fuel. Empty miles at 2103 and using 120.318 gallons = rounded up to 17.5 MPG. Towing my 21' Pontoon boat 1685 miles and using 141.337 gallons = rounded up 12.0 MPG.

This was in all type of terrains driving. Empty was Kentucky to Salt Lake then to Vegas via the interstate 70, towing was Vegas to Kentucky via interstate 40.

 

[jebruns]

I just made an exhaustive reply on another thread for someone asking this exact question. Go see it and if you do not need the Aisin or the added power, as in you are hauling 30K+ daily... do not get it.

Link to the reply you are referencing please?

 

[Blythkd1]

Looks like post #52.

HO vs non-HO MPG

2021 Ram 3500 HO with almost 7k miles. I am averaging mid 17's leveled on 37's. Stock I was up in the 18's My father has a 2021 Ram 2500 SO with over 3k miles. He averages 19.8 leveled on stock tires. No change with the leveling kit. I do way more highway driving than he does and he has a...

hdrams.com

Pretty sure I read this before ordering my truck, and it scared me off of the HO.

Kind of a tale of 2 threads here. This current thread sounds like they're great. The old thread I posted a link to seemed to have more guys not liking the HO mileage. I think Gimmie11's summed it up about right in that other thread - nobody really needs it, it's just nice to have, or something like that.

At 9.5-10 and 17.5 mpg on mine now (non-HO) I'm trying not to be too hard on it. I have to stop and remind myself it is a 10,000# dually. Many of the guys reporting much better mileage are driving SRW trucks.

 

[gimmie11s]

Looks like post #52.

HO vs non-HO MPG

2021 Ram 3500 HO with almost 7k miles. I am averaging mid 17's leveled on 37's. Stock I was up in the 18's My father has a 2021 Ram 2500 SO with over 3k miles. He averages 19.8 leveled on stock tires. No change with the leveling kit. I do way more highway driving than he does and he has a...

hdrams.com

Pretty sure I read this before ordering my truck, and it scared me off of the HO.

Kind of a tale of 2 threads here. This current thread sounds like they're great. The old thread I posted a link to seemed to have more guys not liking the HO mileage. I think Gimmie11's summed it up about right in that other thread - nobody really needs it, it's just nice to have, or something like that.

At 9.5-10 and 17.5 mpg on mine now (non-HO) I'm trying not to be too hard on it. I have to stop and remind myself it is a 10,000# dually. Many of the guys reporting much better mileage are driving SRW trucks.

Ive always said if youre going to spend 65, 70, $80+K on a "tow pig" why wouldn't you buy the most capable powertrain?

My SO 2016 2500 truck got about 2 mpg better than my 2021 HO DRW unloaded and about 1 mpg better towing our 14k lbs fifth wheel.

Once I added 35" tires to the 2016, that dropped mpg to damn near exactly what my DRW HO gets. And of course, it towed much worse with the 35's and 3.42 gears.

There is no "correct" answer to any of this. Buy what you can afford that will get your job done with the understanding that the job everyone needs done is different from person to person.

 

[RVTRKN]

Looks like post #52.

HO vs non-HO MPG

2021 Ram 3500 HO with almost 7k miles. I am averaging mid 17's leveled on 37's. Stock I was up in the 18's My father has a 2021 Ram 2500 SO with over 3k miles. He averages 19.8 leveled on stock tires. No change with the leveling kit. I do way more highway driving than he does and he has a...

hdrams.com

Pretty sure I read this before ordering my truck, and it scared me off of the HO.

Kind of a tale of 2 threads here. This current thread sounds like they're great. The old thread I posted a link to seemed to have more guys not liking the HO mileage. I think Gimmie11's summed it up about right in that other thread - nobody really needs it, it's just nice to have, or something like that.

At 9.5-10 and 17.5 mpg on mine now (non-HO) I'm trying not to be too hard on it. I have to stop and remind myself it is a 10,000# dually. Many of the guys reporting much better mileage are driving SRW trucks.

For all others to read this, never, and I mean never, rely on what other members think is gospel, on any site. I'm not saying their opinions and facts are wrong, but your needs are your needs and not theirs. I see you bought a C&C which has the lowest HP ratings, but it has the Aisin auto transmission. I didn't buy my HO for the HP, but for the Aisin transmission. I didn't want another C&C, by learning my lesson on my 07 C&C, when I lived in Commifornia. The registration costs as well as the insurance costs were/are outrageous. The Aisin is the best transmission, even better than the 10spd Allison, of coarse there will be arguments on 10spd vrs 6spd, but the Aisin has the best reputation of all the transmissions. I passed up the Aisin in my 07 C&C opting for the terrible (IMHO) G56 manual, partly because I was reading negative things about the unknown Aisin transmission in a Ram truck. I ordered my C&C in late 06 (first truck to get the Aisin) and which there was only a few C&C's to compare with. After a few years and the Aisin turned out to be a reliable trans, I regretted opting for the G56. So when the 2019's came out with the 3:73 rear diff, it was time for me to get rid of the C&C, and my insurance and registration costs dropped.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Ive always said if youre going to spend 65, 70, $80+K on a "tow pig" why wouldn't you buy the most capable powertrain?

My SO 2016 2500 truck got about 2 mpg better than my 2021 HO DRW unloaded and about 1 mpg better towing our 14k lbs fifth wheel.

Once I added 35" tires to the 2016, that dropped mpg to damn near exactly what my DRW HO gets. And of course, it towed much worse with the 35's and 3.42 gears.

There is no "correct" answer to any of this. Buy what you can afford that will get your job done with the understanding that the job everyone needs done is different from person to person.

I got my HO just for the better cam.

 

[darrellr]

Man, I just don't see the numbers others here report. My truck had 35x12.5x17s on it when I bought it new. 2021 HO 4x4 Limited Megacab DRW. It is leveled, but that and the tires were the only non-stock things. I was gettingaround 14mpg unloaded. I decided to pull the 35s and go back to stock size AT-ish tires (Pirelli Scorpion AT+). I might be getting 16mpg on the interstate. I have 16000 miles on the truck, so it is definitely broken in. Just don't know how people are getting18-20 on these (I know some are not DRW which helps, but see some that are reporting those numbers). I don't have a lead foot and generally drive the speed limit. What gives lol?

 

[RVTRKN]

Oversized tires can have the reverse effect desired, with 3:73 and 35's, its close to same as 3:42 rear diff. Your always climbing up hill. My mileage reported has everything stock, and will remain that way. Now I don't know if it matters, but I dumped the Transforce Firestone tires after several flats, and switched to Michelins.

 

[darrellr]

Yes, it drops the gearing, but the tires were also hella heavier and wider. It should still have had an overall negative impact, not positive, on mileage.

 

[gimmie11s]

I got my HO just for the better cam.

That damn SO cam!!

 

[MEGA HO]

Yes, it drops the gearing, but the tires were also hella heavier and wider. It should still have had an overall negative impact, not positive, on mileage.

Why should it have a negative impact if you revert back to stock?
And to answer "what gives" question, your is a dually with 4.10 gears.
My HO is a SRW and prior to getting rig of stock tires I was getting just under 20mpg on HWY. Got a get of 35/12.5r20 Nittos installed which are larger, wider and much heavier tire and my mileage dropped to 18 (not accounting the odometer error about 5-6% due to a larger tire).
Fun fact: red diesel burns much better and much better fuel economy.
Sold my camper and a guy who bought it is a farmer, his truck wasn't set up yet to transport campers so he asked if delivery is an option. I said yes but you'd have to at the very least pay for my fuel (700kms round trip so one tank of fuel). He said no problems he's got plenty. Dropped off the camper, was nearly empty when I got there (60kms to empty according to computer) so took a full tank of red. I'll tell you that tank was the best tank of fuel that went through my truck, got almost 20.5 mpg out of that tank and that is not accounting for the tire size difference, probably closer to 21mpg in reality. Much better than I ever got with stock tires.