Towing MPGs ??

[cyclepuck]

Thank you all for making me feel better. Pulling a puma 30kdb weighing in a little over 8k loaded with a 2012 silverado 5.3 w/ 3.42 gears. I get 17-18 unloaded on highway. 15-15.5 around town. Our last trip with tt was mainly back roads so quit a few stop signs and I averaged 9.1 there but had a decent head wind on way back so it was in the low 8's. So I guess I'm not doing bad considering I'm around 90% of my gcwr and gvwr.

[Shaun]

My camper is a Rockwood 8312SS and I pull it with a 2006 GMC Sierra Crew Cab 4x4. My truck has the LQ4 6.0 Vortec, 4L80e 4 speed trans, and 4.10 rear. I usually pull in 3rd gear around 65mph at approx 3000 rpm. I get a steady 8mpg on typical flat to slight hills terrain. That is measured between manually fill ups not by the DIC on the dash. The truck alone only manages about 11-13 unloaded. These numbers should be pretty typical for this truck and most gas powered trucks are going to get 7-9 if pulling a decent load.

[RPAspey]

truck: 5.7l, 2007 tundra double cab long bed 4x4, camper: 29'-8000# flipped axle Cherokee with high ceilings. (I figure about 12.5' to the top of ac) = lots of wind resistance. I'll get 8-10mpg on highway at no more than 65mph. any faster and the mpg drops fast. if I keep it to 55-60, I'll get 1mpg more. I keep casual notes of trips just for kicks.

oh, tow package too. I do use the tow mode and 5th gear, rarely in drive, as it seems to shift more decisively and doesn't hunt. never tried normal mode.

[SCOC]

TV: Ford F150 Crew Cab 5.4L with tow package
TT: Surveyor 264, loaded est. @ 6000lbs
Bed filled with some gear

Tow average is roughly 25l/100km (9.4MPG). Rolling @ the speed limit, and generally do not exceed 60MPH.

The current price for gas here near Vancouver is $1.46/l ($5.37/gallon), that equates to $0.365 CAD / km ($0.57 USD / mile)

Next trip we're heading south into Washington where gas is a bit cheaper

[RonLynnJr]

My TV is a 04 Ram with 5.9L Cummins w/auto tranns, and 31' Salem fifth wheel and on my last trip I averaged 13.3 mpg's. Unloaded I average 17.7 around town and in the low 20's on the highway. I got these numbers after installing a mandrel bent exhaust, better air intake, adjusted the valves and installing a predator tuner.

[MightyMike]

Well, I'll make y'all feel better. Just got back from a trip to Va. Beach- 642 miles round trip. Yanking an XLR fiver behind my F350 the lie o meter on the dash said 8.5 on the way down and 8.3 on the way home. Diesel fuel was $3.97 a gallon when I filled up at home, $3.79 in Delaware and Virginia. I was watching the RPM's and said it was mostly turning 1750 at 65 MPH. Can't wait for the fuel bill when we head to Myrtle Beach- 1300 miles round trip. YILES!!!

[amxpress]

I towed my 22' Jayco TT that weighed 5200# with my 07 RAM 2500 Cummins and got 10-11 mpg.
I now tow my 36' Columbus fifth wheel with the same truck and get 12-13 mpg.
I think aerodynamics has more to do with it than weight.

[daverain]

O.K WE ALL HAVE BRAGGING RIGHTS..... but our HONEST m.p.g. is 8.7 to 9.8,
@ 65 mph Rt. 95 an old 2002 Ford Excursion v 10 towing a 2011 sabre 31rlds,
9000k plus. Can't complain!
Dave and Rainy

[wrenchrob]

Originally Posted by daverain

O.K WE ALL HAVE BRAGGING RIGHTS..... but our HONEST m.p.g. is 8.7 to 9.8,
@ 65 mph Rt. 95 an old 2002 Ford Excursion v 10 towing a 2011 sabre 31rlds,
9000k plus. Can't complain!
Dave and Rainy

Thats not to bad. I got about 7.5 with my Excursion V10 last weekend pulling my FLt831BHHs.

[boubou]

So far,towing 6000l lbs in northern ontario hills: 9.5 mph with 5.7 dodge ram hemi 2010

[wickedwyrm]

Haven't done any long hauls. Just some short 50 milers. Windy roads 50-65 mph. Averaged 14 mpg in the BMW X5 diesel pulling a sp220 trailer weighs 4200 empty, don't know how much all my stuff weighs. X5 usually gets 25-27mpg without the trailer.

[dretired]

Originally Posted by william.migues

I have a 2012 F250 Lariat with the new 6.2L gas engine. I'm getting 9 mpg pulling a 12000 lb 5th wheel and 13-14 unloaded on the highway.

Have you towed your 5th wheel thru Mountains ?? or i should say over them..

[Namchief]

Average according to the DIC I am averaging 20.5 mpg (Empty) around here. 2 lane 55mph and 10 miles in between stop signs...... Yes I live in BFE

Need to tow more for Tow MPG

[sail2liv]

Greater airflow = more drag = more gas...more weight = more gas to get the rig moving...MPG = gas used per mile...so reduce airflow and reduce weight and use less gas...reduce rpms and get to highest gear possible to use less gas...change from offensive driving to defensive driving...that can
help too...think airspeed instead of mph-meaning drag rapidly increases as airspeed increases. That being said, driving 50 mph with a 20 mph head wind = 70 mph flowing against the barn door....and for those who drive 65 just do the math....and realize your drag may more than double....gravity
adds weight to the mass you pull so going uphill you are pulling against it and going down hill you are trying to stop it = more gas in both directions.

Bottom line is you need a really big tank for the gas to go just a little ways down the road.....and that adds more weight that = more gas.......

Thanks everyone for all the good input.....and just remember that time you got that 14 mpg was that tailwind on flat ground.....

[cstover]

Originally Posted by sail2liv

Greater airflow = more drag = more gas...more weight = more gas to get the rig moving...MPG = gas used per mile...so reduce airflow and reduce weight and use less gas...reduce rpms and get to highest gear possible to use less gas...change from offensive driving to defensive driving...that can
help too...think airspeed instead of mph-meaning drag rapidly increases as airspeed increases. That being said, driving 50 mph with a 20 mph head wind = 70 mph flowing against the barn door....and for those who drive 65 just do the math....and realize your drag may more than double....gravity
adds weight to the mass you pull so going uphill you are pulling against it and going down hill you are trying to stop it = more gas in both directions.

Bottom line is you need a really big tank for the gas to go just a little ways down the road.....and that adds more weight that = more gas.......

Thanks everyone for all the good input.....and just remember that time you got that 14 mpg was that tailwind on flat ground.....

Yes all very true, but it is the end result that makes it all worth it!

[TTNewbees]

The price we pay to camp!! Done figured out my gas bill prior to leaving to Yellowstone for 2 weeks. I will know how close my estimate is in a month when we return.
7.5 mpg / 3500 miles x $3.89/gal = $1815.33....
Makes for a large Amex bill!

[Barney1]

Most of the campsites I go to involve a fair amount of hwy driving. I have a 2011 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi 3.55 axle ratio. It is pulling a Rockwood Roo 233s (about 5200 loaded)

I haven't made that many trips but I am averaging 11.15 mpg (21.1 litres / 100 km) with tow/haul.

Without any load 15.58 mpg (15.1 litres / 100 km)

I do tend to baby the throttle.

[MilCop4523]

2011 Ford F150 Ecoboost Supercab hauling 27RKSS Salem 2012. Gets better mileage at 13 heading down interstate 95 than heading back up the same hwy at 10 mpg. Maybe becasue its heading North and back to Canada's cheap $6 a gallon gas.
Maine gas dropped 10 cents a gallon last night ours went up 33 cents. All based on the NYH exchange.
Its why we haul 2 hours to vacation in the USA.

[mike54]

I have a 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD 12.5-13.0 towing @ 60 mph not towing 16-17

my last truck was a 2002 Chevy silverado 2500 6.0 gasser towing 8-9 not towing 11-12

[WEMig]

Originally Posted by dretired

Have you towed your 5th wheel thru Mountains ?? or i should say over them..

No, I live in South Louisiana; no mountains here. No plans right now to pull to any mountains.