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#1 Starbrightsteve

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 12:52 AM

This is my first post. I now have an Escape fifth wheel pulled by an F-150 with the little 2.7 liter engine. On long trips, 3000 to 5000 miles I get 14.5 to 15 miles per gallon. I’m looking to get an Alaskan. I know I need a heavier duty truck, but all the F-250/350’s have big V-8’s that get 15 mpg empty. I was hoping I could get 15 loaded with the truck camper. Any suggestions from you experienced Alaskan haulers?

 


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#2 popRoid

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 01:05 AM

Hi Starbrightsteve:

 

We have a 10ft Alaskan CO on a 2017 F350 Dually Diesel and with the camper loaded here in South Carolina I get 10.9 mpg on average....a bit worse in the winds of Montana and Wyoming.  Wish it was better mileage but it is what it is.  

 

Cheers...Lloyd


Edited by popRoid, 11 January 2022 - 01:05 AM.

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2018 10' Alaskan Cabover/2017 Ford  F350 Dually Diesel


#3 Espresso

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 02:04 AM

I was heading back from Moab in late September and I stopped in Crescent Junction for gas.  Next to me was a guy filling up his giant motor home.  I asked him what kind of mileage he gets and he said, "Nine".  It didn't matter if it was just him or his whole family, if he was towing, etc.  It was 9 MPG. 

 

On a side note, I've wondered about the smaller engines with turbo.  It seems the turbo would always be active when towing or carrying a camper.  I wonder if the gas mileage ends up being about the same but the stress on the engine is much higher when asking a 4 or 6 cylinder to the do the work of an 8-cylinder engine. 


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#4 geotrekker

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 06:28 AM

Well I drive a 2011 XL F350 6.2 gasser single wheel crew cab 4wd with an 8.5 Alaskan CO. Fully loaded the truck averages 12.2 mpg, sometimes a little better sometimes a little worse depending on conditions, but never have reached 15 mpg loaded.

 

I drive 65 mpg and roll on Cooper AT3s 275/70/18's.

 

Alaskans are heavy pop-ups, but having owned a soft pop-up Sportsmobile van for many happy camping years I really appreciate the security from the elements the solid side walls the Alaskan provides.

 

You are thinking correct that you need a heavier capacity truck to haul your future Alaskan or any slide in camper. A "1-ton" truck is the way to go - you will have peace of mind that your truck is not over matched going down the road.

 

I would concur with popRoid: "it is what it is"

 

Good luck!

 


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#5 Wandering Sagebrush

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 01:56 PM

This is my first post. I now have an Escape fifth wheel pulled by an F-150 with the little 2.7 liter engine. On long trips, 3000 to 5000 miles I get 14.5 to 15 miles per gallon. I’m looking to get an Alaskan. I know I need a heavier duty truck, but all the F-250/350’s have big V-8’s that get 15 mpg empty. I was hoping I could get 15 loaded with the truck camper. Any suggestions from you experienced Alaskan haulers?

 

Steve, welcome to Wander the West!   We have great members, and it’s a great place to hang out on the web, 
 

We have a 2014 F350 with the 6.7L diesel, carrying a Northern Lite 10.2.  Our mileage varies between 11 and 14+ MPG, depending on terrain, weather and speed.   The camper weighs approximately 3,300 pounds, and is nearly 12 tall on the truck.  Without the camper, we see mileage in the 16 to 19 MPG range.  IMO, you should see better results with an Alaskan on a similar truck.   
 

The downside is the initial expense of the diesel.  If doing it again, I would look seriously at another F350, but with the 7.3L gas engine, it’s about $8,000 less expensive than the diesel, and has good torque and horsepower ratings.

 

I have visited the Alaskan factory twice, and my opinion is that it’s well made by a good crew, and perhaps the most comfortable camper I’ve ever been in.  For us, it was a toss up between the Alaskan and the Northern Lite.  Because of the wood construction (just like any other camper with lots of wood), I would not store it outside for long periods of time.
 


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#6 Beach

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Posted 11 January 2022 - 02:41 PM

My F250 6.2 (4x4) gets a solid13mpg if I drive 60-65. If I up the rpms past 2k and drive 70+(interstate driving) it drops to 12. Note: I have a 3.73 gear, don't get a higher(numerical) gear than you really need, it will/can have a big impact on mpg. When you crunch the numbers its not as bad as one might think. The difference in cost per year for me if I'm getting 15 mpg or 13 mpg is less than $200 (i average 6k miles per year) if fuel is $3/gal. Which translates to about $20 per trip, not a deal breaker. I camped out of a van(15+ mpg) for years and might go back some day if fuel cost become prohibitive but for now Ill stick with the Hawk. 


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#7 wcj

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Posted 12 January 2022 - 04:42 AM

2004 DURAMAX, 8ft cabover Alaskan

12 +- 1 at 75 on interstate

14+- 1 at 60-65 on two lane

Best thing for me about my Alaskan is crosswind, which I deal with constantly.


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2004 chevy duramax 73 cabover (sold to a friend) 70 NCO rebuilt 2004 cabover

#8 el_jefe

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Posted 12 January 2022 - 09:32 PM

99 Dodge diesel 4x4 with an 8' CO, average around 14, which is about 2mpg down from with it off.


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#9 Dr.Science

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Posted 12 January 2022 - 09:59 PM

8 ft CO Alaskan on a 2013 Silverado 2500, gas engine, 12 mpg. It doesn't seem to care if it's got a fully loaded camper or an empty bed, it still gets 12 mpg. And about 9 mpg in 4WD, and something worse in 4W low. But it has no problem at all hauling the Alaskan up tall Rocky Mountain passes at 60 mph. The camper weighs 1500# empty and I figure my total payload is up to 3200#. There are some people who put their Alaskans on a trailer and tow them, in this case you could probably keep your F150 rig and get about the same mileage as with your 5th wheel.


Edited by Dr.Science, 12 January 2022 - 10:05 PM.

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#10 hugho

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Posted 09 September 2022 - 05:00 PM

I am a newbie with a 1986 CO. I bought it because my 17" RV I built  from a cargo trailer yielded 10-12 mpg at 60-65 on a recent trip. My truck is a 97 2500 Cummins with an automatic and 3.55 dif. Empty at the same speed I get 21-22. 10 mpg was awful. I got 10 mpg towing my 26' tiny house so I decided to cut down on weight and air resistance and got an alaskan CO. I have now driven almost 600 miles and couldn't be more pleased. I am averaging 18.4 mpg but that is at 45-65 speeds, mostly 55-60.. I had a marginally comfortable  sleeping/porta potti and cooler setup under a shell flush with the roof and got 20+ with 500-700 lbs of gear.


Edited by hugho, 09 September 2022 - 05:12 PM.

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