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Just did a rounder from my place to Tomball Tx, bit over 500mi, my observations:
Headed S on I 10 towards San Antonio in the daylight hrs. Watched the mpg counter tick up a .10 regularly till I hit 12.8 mpg, the I banked East on I 10 toward that Houston town and met HEAD ON a front dropping the temp into the low 40's and prepping for some rain the following day and the a hard head on wind. This began to cost even at my moderate 65 mph. The diesel bean counter ticked downward till it hit 8.8 upon arrival about 241 mi. The head on wind was BRUTAL. Watching the big rigs and 5ers doing that highway 2 step as the toad wiggled and squirmed.
I am running 3:55's and SRW vs my '15 Dually w/3.73's. The 3.55's deliver a bit more mpg overall when hauling empty. They respond well in heavy traffic where one has to move and scoot in, out and around traffic in the freeway.
On the other hand the 3.73's I had in the dually pulled strong empty or loaded. But the cost was decreased mpg. My dually loaded would run about 10.2-12.4, depending upon the trip, road, traffic etc.
The real question is much like the Miller Light? Great taste or less filling, better overall mpg vs better application of power.
IMO the 3.55 cogs almost negate the added torque. My dually was FAST, not much on top, kinda like my first GF with out her WonderBra, but it did not take long to get her or that dually to get there.
Its a tuff call to make as the difference between the two is thin and not a huge trade off. Me, I like my performance so my pick would be the 3,73, but that choice may cost you a bit more in diesel and in tires if you like the go pedal...
Coming back weather was good, in the 60's, dry and no headwind, but no tail wind either. I came out of Tomball at 8.8 on the counter and watched it tick up to 9.8 by the time I hit San Antonio. Then in Mon rush hour traffic it bounced between 9.7 and 9.8.
As for stability: The SRW MAY be slightly looser in the rear end than the dually, but not so much as to be a factor. Dually vs SRW, edge to the dually, but Ford has done a very good job in the '17 suspension. I could not recommend the dually over the SRW unless your payload/tow is in the upper half of the limits.
Finial analysis: '17 over my '15 by a furlong... Good job FORD!
Thanks for the report Don. Wife and I were in Tomball about a year ago and brought home two horses (actually had them shipped). In San Antonio recently visiting family.
I have the 3.73 gasser and I'm watching the MPG bounce all over the place. I have noticed the hand calculated is about .5MPG under the computer number. Wish they had a calibration adjustment like my boat does. Towing looks around 9-10 and overall around 12-13 currently. Not a lot of miles yet though around 1400.
Great to hear the choice is working out for you. Whenever one makes moderate changes to the vehicle it is always with baited breath that the changes are good ones and don't become a battleground for return to the previous specs. Looks like you got this one pretty close to right!
Just did a rounder from my place to Tomball Tx, bit over 500mi, my observations:
Headed S on I 10 towards San Antonio in the daylight hrs. Watched the mpg counter tick up a .10 regularly till I hit 12.8 mpg, the I banked East on I 10 toward that Houston town and met HEAD ON a front dropping the temp into the low 40's and prepping for some rain the following day and the a hard head on wind. This began to cost even at my moderate 65 mph. The diesel bean counter ticked downward till it hit 8.8 upon arrival about 241 mi. The head on wind was BRUTAL. Watching the big rigs and 5ers doing that highway 2 step as the toad wiggled and squirmed.
I am running 3:55's and SRW vs my '15 Dually w/3.73's. The 3.55's deliver a bit more mpg overall when hauling empty. They respond well in heavy traffic where one has to move and scoot in, out and around traffic in the freeway.
On the other hand the 3.73's I had in the dually pulled strong empty or loaded. But the cost was decreased mpg. My dually loaded would run about 10.2-12.4, depending upon the trip, road, traffic etc.
The real question is much like the Miller Light? Great taste or less filling, better overall mpg vs better application of power.
IMO the 3.55 cogs almost negate the added torque. My dually was FAST, not much on top, kinda like my first GF with out her WonderBra, but it did not take long to get her or that dually to get there.
Its a tuff call to make as the difference between the two is thin and not a huge trade off. Me, I like my performance so my pick would be the 3,73, but that choice may cost you a bit more in diesel and in tires if you like the go pedal...
Coming back weather was good, in the 60's, dry and no headwind, but no tail wind either. I came out of Tomball at 8.8 on the counter and watched it tick up to 9.8 by the time I hit San Antonio. Then in Mon rush hour traffic it bounced between 9.7 and 9.8.
As for stability: The SRW MAY be slightly looser in the rear end than the dually, but not so much as to be a factor. Dually vs SRW, edge to the dually, but Ford has done a very good job in the '17 suspension. I could not recommend the dually over the SRW unless your payload/tow is in the upper half of the limits.
Finial analysis: '17 over my '15 by a furlong... Good job FORD!
Don, Do you know how much your 5th wheel weighs loaded and unloaded?
Good job FORD!
