8MPG towing 23K from NJ to SD

[wantabe351]

Ok heres the story-05 CTD Dually, auto, 4. 10 gears,BHAF,36" Magnaflow muffler,Edge/Attit. set towing#2,air pressure set at 72 psi all tires- driving most of the time at 68 to 72 mph and the outside temp at 72* to 82* so ac was on. Now my camper, a 5er, is like a big brick (12'4" tall). . I think 10/11 mpg would be ok but 8mpg is low,also my boost guage read about 18 to 20# of boost driving most of the time. We traveled on I80 to I90. This is hand calculating my mileage... Maybe I need a GV unit to drop my RPM down to about 1700 rpm instead of 2200 rpm... . What do you get towing 20000# to 24000# w/4:10 gears running 70 mph? I know I should drive at 60mph, but in SD 75mph speed limt and most other states were 65 to 70 mph...

 

[wcjp]

At that weight and SPEED mileage sounds about right.

 

[mberry]

At that weight and SPEED mileage sounds about right.

I would have to agree with that statement.

 

[AH64ID]

I would have to agree with that statement.

Yes, 8 mpg moving 30K lbs at 70 mph is actually pretty darn good. I got 5 doing that in a moving truck a few years back.

 

[wantabe351]

the price of fuel as I traveled through the heart land of america dropped from 4. 65$ to a low of 4. 19$,so it helpped a liitle... .....

 

[GaryOwen]

I must assume that you are talking a combined weight of 20 to 24k instead of "towing" 20 to 24k. Your fifth wheel should have a GVWR of about 14k.



Recently towed a Jayco Eagle 34' fifth wheel at 65 mph and got 14 mpg with my 03. It is also 4. 10 rear, but w/NV5600. I would have thought you would be in the 11 to 12 mpg also. Based on your direction of travel I would suspect you had a pretty good head wind - can make a big difference.



I don't think lowering your rpms will help. It takes a certain amount of energy to move the trailer.

 

[DHayden]

I pulled my enclosed trailer from Washington to NM with the trailer weighing in at 18k. My low hand calculated mileage was low 11's (dont remember exact #'s) and low 13's for the high side. This was 70mph most of the time and the low mileage was mainly through wyoming with the high winds. My trailer even though long doesnt have nearly the front profile of a 5th wheel travel trailer.

 

[icman95]

Did a similar trip Aug '07 from CT to SD with my 5er toyhauler loaded up to gross combined of about 21500. High mpg was 10. 5 and low was 8. 3. The low was in SD due to the higher speed limit. Actually most people were doing more than that so I was going with the flow. The best mpg was through Ohio because of the lower speed, but the whole trip average would be about 9. 5. While your 8 is a bit low, not too bad.



Just re-read your post. I don't have the 4:10's though. For exactly the mpg reasons, I opted for the taller gears. I figured it's a diesel, do I really need the extra help from the 4:10's or is that just overkill and using more fuel? While there are a million people who will disagree with me, I have never wanted for the 4:10's. Perfectly happy to get better mileage instead.

 

[WestTN]

the weight only bothers you when climbing a grade or accelerating from a start, but those aerodynamics will KILL your mileage after you pass 55 mph.

 

[JRMora]

Pulled my fifth wheel from Denver, CO to Columbus, GA a year ago (via Albuquerque, NM). It was around 1600 miles total. I was at 22,000 combined, got 10. 5 mpg (hand calc) for the trip. I run a little slower (64-68). I have 3. 73's, but your final drive ratio (4. 10 auto) is about the same as mine (I run 2000 rpm at 68 or so). Did another trip to the west coast (2000 mi roundtrip - averaged 10. 98).



My trailer is closer to 13' tall.



Slowing down a little would be your best fuel saver.



I have 100k miles on mine.



Juan

 

[RHestand]

Comp. this:

I drive an 18 wheel Pete, twin turbo C-15 Cat, OTR, pulling a 13'-6" ht. box van at 60-65 MPH, 12-1500 RPM, 30-80,000 lbs. GVW.

Best 7. 2 MPG

Worst 5. 9 MPG-Hand calc.

 

[SBeretz]

I pull a big Toyhauler, right around 23K fully loaded. If I stay around 62-64mph my mileage is alot better than trying to run 70. I think 70MPH really takes alot more fuel to maintain that speed. I agree slowing down would be the biggest benefit. Scotty

 

[The patriot]

My 1998 12 valve usually gets about 12. something pulling my 9000 lb travel trailer.

I set the cruise on 70-75.

I have a BHAF and 370 injectors in it. Otherwise it's stock.

Oh yea, the UTE bumper took away about 1 MPG.

 

[CUMMINZ]

IMO the largest effect on MPG when towing is your wind resistance and speed. The weight does factor but not as much. I traveled 6000 miles plus out thru the Rockies in June with my rig and averaged 9. 5 going out. Added 1 ton of CO. red rock to the bed and got 9. 5 coming home. That did not add wind resistance. I grossed 26,440# coming back.

 

[DWeiler]

About right IMHO,Brolaw can see a big drop in milage with similar weight towing over 70 with his 3rd genner. With my second genner and all the stuff in my sig i get between 12-14MPG pulling this pig,height is 12-9/weighs11000LBS empty. Mileage really drops when i go above 70MPH-----i keep it at around 62-65MPH. The dynamics of the trailer may help a bit too for me. Even when cruising empty my mileage really drop once above 2000RPM. I know you may get some "dirty looks" from the lead footers out there but might want to try below the 2000 RPM if you can and see if that helps. DW

 

[Jim W]

My DW and I just got back from a trip to the Black Hills in SD we went in mid- July. We drove the same route as you went I 80 to I 35 in Iowa then I 90. I had the truck scaled at a Loves in Newton IA, weight slip put the steer axle at 4740, drive axle at 8520 and the trailer weight at 3640 for a total of 16,900 LBS. I had just fueled and was fully loaded except water ( I do not carry any until we camp). My fuel mileage ranged from 10. 5 in Illinois and Iowa to 9. 7 in SD. This is all up hill until I got to Hill City SD. I am pulling a 2006 F270RKS Amer Camp 5 er gross trailer weight is 11,700 fully loaded.

 

[wantabe351]

what I have noticed is that there is a constant breeze in the plains. When trying to do their 70 to 75 mph speed limit out here-even empty-my rpms are about 2200 to 2350 rpms and I watch my over head display,which I reset every 5 miles to see what the changes are and from this I found that on my truck 1800 rpm is my sweet spot. The fuel mileage drops at 2100 rpms and at 2300 rpms that my power spot and poor fuel mileage start spot. I know its not a correct mpg for my Edge/attit. is set at #2(towing) but this level I have nice power w/ok fuel mileage. My mpg starts at 19. 5mpg @1800-2000rpms to 15mpg @ 2250-2350 rpms and this is empty. When towing out here I got at 1800 to 1900 rpm 12. 5 mpg and going at 2000 to 2250 rpms my mpg was 10. 5 mpg ... .

 

[EricBu12]

California speed limit for Trucks AND Autos pulling trailers is 55. . Read the signs

I tow 60-65 even when it is 75 here in Utah. . The faster you go, the less mileage. If you slow down to 60-65, you will get closer to the 10 mpg.

See what your RPM is when you are going these speeds and you will be suprised. I have 3:54 gears with my 6 speed manual and I want to go to 4:10 to get my RPM up to just under 2000 at 65. . Right now it is at 1700 at 65.

 

[JRBurn]

I get about 8. 5 mppg going 62 mph and my total wieght is just a bit over 27k and I'm tall. So your mpg sounds good for the speed.

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[BIGTOMMY]

I Got 13. 5 With My 1st Gen Pulling A 25ft 5th Wheal. Sounds Like Thats About Average