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03-18-2012, 05:30 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 293
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Gas Milage w/ TT Sucks... any suggestions?
My current TV is a Honda Pilot (6 cyl, 250HP) normally gets around 18.0 mpg but with 4,000lb TT (Rockwood MiniLite 1809s) ONLY gets 8.6mpg. Honda is rated to pull 4500lbs.
What other suggestions are there to increase mpg? May trade soon... any other vehicles (considering a Ford F150 or another SUV)? Will a V8 be an improvement?
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03-18-2012, 05:40 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Martinez, CA
Posts: 371
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I am was pretty much died in the wool Ford truck fan for over 40 years, but I am pretty much Toyota fan now. Yes, V8 will be an improvement.
You might see an improvement in mileage if you tow for a long trip, as the computer compensates with the air/fuel mixture. It might be worth a call to your Honda dealer to see if there is a chip that could help. You might also check a few Honda Pilot forums for tips on improving mpg when towing.
Best of luck to you,
__________________
2012 Rockwood Windjammer 3008 W
2020 Tundra Dbl Cab 4X4 SR5
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03-18-2012, 05:42 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 293
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Gas Milage w/ TT Sucks... any suggestions?
My current TV is a Honda Pilot (6 cyl, 250HP) normally gets around 18.0 mpg but with 4,000lb TT (Rockwood MiniLite 1809s) ONLY gets 8.6mpg. Honda is rated to pull 4500lbs.
What other suggestions are there to increase mpg? May trade soon... any other vehicles (considering a Ford F150 or another SUV)? Will a V8 be an improvement?
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03-18-2012, 05:44 PM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 6,949
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The presence of a V8 will also mean a larger heavier vehicle.
Sequoia SUV with a 5.7 V8. Fully loaded with a family of five and a dog and towing our 5,300lb trailer we get between 8 and 9mpg and sometimes 10mpg IIRC. Its a thirsty beast. Plus, I do not average 18mpg not towing. Something to consider if gas mileage is the primary requisite.
__________________
Scott
DW, 3 Kids and our Goldens
2012 Shamrock 233S
2008 Toyota Sequoia 5.7L 4WD
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03-18-2012, 05:45 PM
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#5
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member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 353
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MY TV is a 2010 f150 FX4 normaly gets 15 or 16 mpg 9 or 10 with TT 5800 lbs. my thought is the 5.4 v8 has to work with less strain on it thus every thing just feels right. the extra money it cost to drive to the camp grounds is worth the peace of mind knowing my TV is handling all the extra weight.
__________________
2019 Cedar Creek Silverback 31IKS
2017 F 250 6.2 gas 4.30 8' bed
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03-18-2012, 05:46 PM
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,327
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Welcome to the world of towing!
Not sure what speed you're towing at. Fuel mileage towing improves maybe as much as 1 mpg by slowing down 5 mph. The issue is the drag from the frontal area of the camper more so than the weight. Of course headwinds have a huge impact on mileage.
I went from a 6000 lb TT to a 8400lb 5th wheel and the fuel mileage was only .5 mpg worse.
Dave
__________________
Nights camped in 2013 - 55, 2014 - 105, 2015 - 63
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03-18-2012, 05:56 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 293
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I was mostly traveling 60-65 on the interstate hwy (6 hours total)...
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03-18-2012, 06:03 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Middleboro, MA
Posts: 302
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Welcome to our world. I think most of us wish we could get better MPG while pulling. Keep the trailer and TV as light as possible and travel slow. Down hill if possible.
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2011 Flagstaff 8528RKWS
2015 Toyota Tundra
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03-18-2012, 06:17 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 311
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wfmdfm
Welcome to our world. I think most of us wish we could get better MPG while pulling. Keep the trailer and TV as light as possible and travel slow. Down hill if possible.
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Down hill both ways to the camp site and back home if possible again - like Escher's stairs.
__________________
Barney
2020 Salem Cruise Lite 241QBXL
2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn Eco-Diesel
Previous Trailer -> 2012 Rockwood Roo 233s
-> 1996 Jayco 1207
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03-18-2012, 06:24 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,628
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8.6 is good. Dont complain! Unless you have a low profile aerosynamic trailer dont expect much better.
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2012 Georgetown XL 350TS, Hellwig front/rear sway bars, Sumo Springs, Blue OX True Center steering damper
2013 Ford Explorer LTD toad, Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP><Tow Brake
Better to have a bad day of camping than a good day at work!
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03-18-2012, 06:27 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 855
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Wind resistence plays a big part of fuel economy. A tent trailer would be a big help. A V8 would even be better. Diesel would be way better. With what you have reduce oversll weight keep speeds to 55 is about all uou can do.
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03-18-2012, 06:29 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Hilton NY
Posts: 343
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wfmdfm
Welcome to our world. I think most of us wish we could get better MPG while pulling. Keep the trailer and TV as light as possible and travel slow. Down hill if possible.
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My dad told me about going to school, up hill both ways. I still haven't found anything like that.
Anyone that I've talked to that pulls a TT says they get anywhere from 8 to 10 MPG. That seems to be the magic range. A long time ago I had a 27' popup and a 92 Dodge Dakota to pull it. I got 16-18 mpg with it. That was a low profile trailer and a V6/manual TV. Since I've gotten the full size TT/full size TV it's been 8-10 MPG.
__________________
Doug
2011 Prime Time Tracer 3000BHS
2007 Ford Expedition
Reese Dual Cam HP Hitch
Nights Camped 2015-5 in TT
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03-18-2012, 06:38 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 311
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Actually I hear some have had great success by installing a set of inertial dampeners both internal and external. I would think that you only need an external dampener to help with gas mileage.
__________________
Barney
2020 Salem Cruise Lite 241QBXL
2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn Eco-Diesel
Previous Trailer -> 2012 Rockwood Roo 233s
-> 1996 Jayco 1207
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03-18-2012, 06:48 PM
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#14
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Now a "Top Member"
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Roman Forest, TX
Posts: 4,322
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You're not going to get a lot more mileage with a bigger truck/engine. You probably will increase it some, but unless you move up to a diesel (and I'm not advocating you get a diesel to pull that small a trailer), which pulls its torque at much lower RPMs, you're probably not going to gain a lot. What you will gain is a much more stable towing experience and something more suited to towing. What you're running into is not so much the weight of the trailer, but that big flat wall that is causing wind resistance.
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Ed and Sharon
2010 Wildcat 28RKBS
2019 Ford F-250 XLT - AWESOME Truck!
Retired AF MSgt
I thought I was wrong once, but I was wrong!
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03-18-2012, 06:55 PM
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Posts: 3,365
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If you don't tow a lot, the price of the vehicle change will dwarf your present cost of fuel. If you are going to change vehicles anyway, then that's a different story. Other factors are how far you tow, frequency, terrain, etc. Is this a daily driver as well as tow vehicle. Lots of factors.
__________________
2021 F350 Lariat 7.3 4X4 w 4.30s, 2018 Wildcat 29RLX
2012 BMW G650GS, Demco Premiere Slider
1969 John Deere 1020, 1940 Ford 9N, 1948 Ford 8N
Jonsered 535, Can of WD-40, Duct Tape
Red Green coffee mugs
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03-18-2012, 06:56 PM
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#16
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,327
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If your Honda Pilot tows acceptability, don't worry so much about the fuel mileage when towing. The other way to look at it is the miles towed verses total miles put on the vehicle per year. At 18 mpg unloaded, you're better off than most of us.
Dave
__________________
Nights camped in 2013 - 55, 2014 - 105, 2015 - 63
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03-18-2012, 07:06 PM
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#17
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 10,446
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My Tundra gets about 11 (+/-1) when towing. I have the smaller 4.6 V8 engine and I think my trailer is in about the same weight range as your trailer. The speed limit when towing is 55 here in California.
__________________
Great choice for "Living within my means" and camping for one...
Formerly owned 2011 Salem Cruise Lite 20RBXL & 2011 Toyota Tundra Dbl Cab
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03-18-2012, 07:09 PM
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#18
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Posts: 3,365
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terier
My Tundra gets about 11 (+/-1) when towing. I have the smaller 4.6 V8 engine and I think my trailer is in about the same weight range as your trailer. The speed limit when towing is 55 here in California.
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That's probably more about driving 55 than anything else.
__________________
2021 F350 Lariat 7.3 4X4 w 4.30s, 2018 Wildcat 29RLX
2012 BMW G650GS, Demco Premiere Slider
1969 John Deere 1020, 1940 Ford 9N, 1948 Ford 8N
Jonsered 535, Can of WD-40, Duct Tape
Red Green coffee mugs
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03-18-2012, 07:09 PM
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#19
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Posts: 3,365
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Monica
If your Honda Pilot tows acceptability, don't worry so much about the fuel mileage when towing. The other way to look at it is the miles towed verses total miles put on the vehicle per year. At 18 mpg unloaded, you're better off than most of us.
Dave
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X2! (Unless, of course, you are trying to justify a full size truck with the DW!)
__________________
2021 F350 Lariat 7.3 4X4 w 4.30s, 2018 Wildcat 29RLX
2012 BMW G650GS, Demco Premiere Slider
1969 John Deere 1020, 1940 Ford 9N, 1948 Ford 8N
Jonsered 535, Can of WD-40, Duct Tape
Red Green coffee mugs
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03-18-2012, 07:20 PM
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#20
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 10,446
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Monica
If your Honda Pilot tows acceptability, don't worry so much about the fuel mileage when towing. The other way to look at it is the miles towed verses total miles put on the vehicle per year. At 18 mpg unloaded, you're better off than most of us.
Dave
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Quote:
Originally Posted by acadianbob
X2! (Unless, of course, you are trying to justify a full size truck with the DW!)
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Ditto X3
A good part of my daily driving is 25 mph with several stop signs which affects my daily mpg. Recently I checked my mileage on a trip to Las Vegas and I actually got 22 mpg which is something I have never seen in this truck. Of course I wasn't towing....
While your towing mpg might suck your daily mpg doesn't look so bad to me either.
__________________
Great choice for "Living within my means" and camping for one...
Formerly owned 2011 Salem Cruise Lite 20RBXL & 2011 Toyota Tundra Dbl Cab
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