How bad does your MPG suffer when towing?

[pt1655]

donhillphoto,
Hi, we tow our 2013 FR Surveyor Sport 220, 5000lbs loaded, with our 2012 Ram 1500 w/Hemi with no problems as well. Solo I get 18 mpg around town consistently and as high as 23 mpg freeway. Towing the average is 12mpg with 10mpg in the hills as a rule. I would encourage you though to use the Tow/Haul mode while towing your trailer; using it ups the shift points rpms, locks out the MDS (towing a trailer in 4 cylinger mode does lug the engine), firms up the shifts and a couple of other things to help cool the engine and trans.
Happy Camping!!
Pete

[Gleaner]

35' V-Lite and 2500 Ram 6.7.
On the road...empty.... 19.1. Towing last weekend (all mountains) 11.6.

[Wildcat661]

Towning with my new Ecodiesel we get 23.31 MPG U.S (28 imperial) around town. Towning our GreyWolf 18RB which weighs in at just under 4800 lbs, we are getting 14.2 mpg U.S. (17.0 imperial). We had a Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi before this and were getting in the range of 17 mpg and 10 mpg towing. Will be leaving on a longer trip at the end of the month and will get a better idea of the fuel economy while towing.


Bill and Diane
Cobalt, Ont
2012 Grey Wolf 18RB
2015 Dodge Ram 1500 Ecodiesel

[tedstr]

Just got back from our visit to Jacksonville, Florida. 950 miles each way through Nashville, Chattanooga and Atlanta. I set cruise at 65 on the interstates. Average was 10.7 mpg.

When I made the trip last year using my previous gas 2500 GMC pulling a 2013 Wildcat 302RL, we averaged 7.6 mpg. Appreciate the 40% increase.

The Silverback weighs about 2000 lbs more.

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by tedstr

Just got back from our visit to Jacksonville, Florida. 950 miles each way through Nashville, Chattanooga and Atlanta. I set cruise at 65 on the interstates. Average was 10.7 mpg.



When I made the trip last year using my previous gas 2500 GMC pulling a 2013 Wildcat 302RL, we averaged 7.6 mpg. Appreciate the 40% increase.



The Silverback weighs about 2000 lbs more.

What truck do you have now


2014 F150 FX4 Crew 4X4 EB
2015 Roo 23IKSS

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[kandl]

Originally Posted by donhillphoto

Furthermore, my RAM still goes into ECO mode knocking down to 4 cylinders. It's a 5.7-Liter V8 HEMI MDS VVT Engine. My dad thinks it's probably not good when towing putting more stress on the engine but I noticed it went to ECO mode often while towing. Thoughts on this?

The Eagle engine (Gen II HEMI) is a stump puller but has a voracious appetite for fuel when loaded up. It is what it is. You might find some improvement in your towing MPGs if you employ the Tow/Haul mode for the transmission.

[rana]

Originally Posted by X96mnn

Towing a 17 foot clipper that weighed 3000pds with a 2011 5.7 Hemi I got between 8 and 9. Towing the exact same route with a 29ft cross roads that weighed 6000pds I got between 8 and 9. Same driving patterns....

That's interesting. Is it all flat? I can't see how you could have the same mileage with double the load.. unless it was flat.. I guess I could see that.

When I was towing my 5er (13k) I used to average around 11mpg. With this TT (5.5k) I average about 14mpg. 19-20mpg when off tow.

Of course, that was a 30,000 mile average with my 5er. I've only put about half of that on this TT, but none of it has ever been all that flat. Lots of little hills around where I spend the majority of my time. You may have heard of em... the Rockies, Cascades, Coastal range..

At one time I was running an F350 big block 460 with a 13.7k 5er. No way I'm EVER tellin what kind of mileage I used to get in that thing.

[rana]

Originally Posted by pt1655

we tow our 2013 FR Surveyor Sport 220

I guess I missed this post before. Scrolling up and BAM! What a beautiful little rig you've got there my friend! And in her natural habitat, even!!
Yes.. I love my SP220.

[X96mnn]

Originally Posted by Yarome

That's interesting. Is it all flat? I can't see how you could have the same mileage with double the load.. unless it was flat.. I guess I could see that.

When I was towing my 5er (13k) I used to average around 11mpg. With this TT (5.5k) I average about 14mpg. 19-20mpg when off tow.

Of course, that was a 30,000 mile average with my 5er. I've only put about half of that on this TT, but none of it has ever been all that flat. Lots of little hills around where I spend the majority of my time. You may have heard of em... the Rockies, Cascades, Coastal range..

At one time I was running an F350 big block 460 with a 13.7k 5er. No way I'm EVER tellin what kind of mileage I used to get in that thing.

It is not prairie flat by any means but no mountains either, couple 250 meter elevation changes would be the max. It is the route from Cape Breton Nova Scotia to Bangor Maine. Actually just completed the trip in May. This time the same 29ft camper was being hauled by a 2014 Ram Hemi with speed, averaged 8 to 9mpg. I was hauling my 38ft 5th wheel with the 6.7 Cummings and got in the 14s/15s. Travel speed is 60 to 65 mph.

[retired06]

Your not going to believe this but my milage is the same pulling or not.

[wicked1]

Went to the Ford dealer and salesman tried to tell me that the F350 PS diesel will get better City and Highway MPG then my F150 EcoBoost. Same confit SCREW 4X4 350 has 6.3/4 bed my F150 has the 5.5?

I am not sure where they are pulling their info but I can't see 6.7PS getting better Highway/City then I get with my 150? I get 18.5-19.5 maybe 350 will do the same on all highway, I get 21.5-24 but that is staying under 65MPH. I told him pulling my Roo I could not justify the nearly $12K price difference for the 350, and cost of diesel is much more in some places but not NJ only 20-30 cents difference.


2014 F150 FX4 Crew 4X4 EB
2015 Roo 23IKSS

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[jtstromsburg]

Originally Posted by retired06

Your not going to believe this but my milage is the same pulling or not.

No weight distributing hitch, looks like your trailer brakes are shot, and your don't have a dually(besides the fact of attempting to pull with a ford...)

[ryand]

While there is a lot of reply's on this thread I thought I would impart my Ram's numbers.....Empty 18 (AT BEST) towing 8-8.5 MPG. Others might have already stated this, if your ECO is activating while towing your tow/Haul mode is not likely on. You want this engaged to take advantage of the longer gear holds, and lower trans temp. By experience this will actually give you better MPG's over/time vs not using Tow/Haul. I hate how the truck defaults to off when its shut off BTW.

I have been out of the Automotive world for awhile, but it seemed that our recent trip my truck "learned" that the trailer was in tow as the shift points seemed to adjust and it kicked into higher gears more often even pulling hills. It also seemed to hold 5th at speed longer with out downshifting. Might be a function of the trans temp/ambient air temp combo? Who knows.

Moral of the story is that 8-9mpg with the 5.7 1500 is normal.

[Dennis and Julie]

O6 Silverado towing 2012 Flagstaff 30 WFKSS get about 10 to 12 mpg. Not towing around 20 mpg.

[lesptr]

I had a 2013 f150 ecoboost that got 16 mpg city/highway and 8.0 while towing. My 2015 f350 diesel gets 15 mpg city/highway and 10.5 while towing.

[JAL]

'02 Suburban 2500, 8.1 L / 3.73:

Solo Highway: 14-15 mpg
City (Daily drive from suburbs to downtown): 10 mpg
Towing 33' (7.5k dry / 9k GVWR) TT: 6.5-8.5 mpg
Towing U-Haul Box Trailer: 10 mpg

And, yes, I do want a diesel pick up for Father's Day.

[wickedwyrm]

I use an BMW X5 diesel about 25mpg without the trailer and between 12-14 with a sp-220. 14mpg is when the roads are 50-55mph and flat 12 is freeway at 65mph or when it gets hilly.


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[davel1971]

Originally Posted by wicked1

Went to the Ford dealer and salesman tried to tell me that the F350 PS diesel will get better City and Highway MPG then my F150 EcoBoost. Same confit SCREW 4X4 350 has 6.3/4 bed my F150 has the 5.5?

I am not sure where they are pulling their info but I can't see 6.7PS getting better Highway/City then I get with my 150? I get 18.5-19.5 maybe 350 will do the same on all highway, I get 21.5-24 but that is staying under 65MPH. I told him pulling my Roo I could not justify the nearly $12K price difference for the 350, and cost of diesel is much more in some places but not NJ only 20-30 cents difference.


2014 F150 FX4 Crew 4X4 EB
2015 Roo 23IKSS

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

with my 2014 Chevy 3500 Duramax, I get from 18-21 when not towing. 10-12 towing 12,000lb 5th wheel. The last few gas trucks I had got around 13-14 not towing, and 6-9 towing. So what if fuel cost a little more, you use way less. I did all the math last year, when the price gap between diesel and gas was even more than now, and was still 19 cents per mile cheaper with diesel.

[BusyRetirees]

I believe this thread has been exhausted and should be ended. Everyone is getting between 6 to 12 mpg. How many times do we have to hear it. Let's move on people.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by BusyRetirees

I believe this thread has been exhausted and should be ended. Everyone is getting between 6 to 12 mpg. How many times do we have to hear it. Let's move on people.

it's never going to end, just like the brand wars. Guys like to talk trucks and brag/compare each others truck of choice. Just how it's always been, and always will be.