Big tow trip.

[Smokin Joes 2500]

Going on a long trip next week towing my 4,000 lb. trailer through Pnsylvania and New York. Should I, once I get rollin' take my transmission out of Tow/Haul mode? Will this conserve any fuel?

 

[Paladin1911]

4k isn't much weight. Run the tow/haul on steeper inclines and back to overdrive for the downhill and level ground. Anytime you can drop your RPMs a bit you'll pick up mileage.

 

[bagd99dak]

i would just leave it in tow/haul mode. it still goes into overdrive. you wont know your pulling a trailer. 1. 5 months ago i hauled a 7k trailer from long island, ny. to st,louise,mo. and back overall trip average was high 13's in tow/haul the whole way. enjoy the drive.

 

[FLynes]

My family and I towed our 1971 31' Airstream (7500lbs) this summer across the U. S. with the Tow/Haul engaged and averaged 18MPG. Leave it on and save your transmission on the wear and tear.

 

[Jack in Alaska]

Fred,

Didn't your mama tell you not to lie about your mpg on the TDR site??? 18 MPG towing a 31' trailer???? Not a chance but you can keep on telling that story until someone believes it.

 

[Smokin Joes 2500]

i would just leave it in tow/haul mode. it still goes into overdrive. you wont know your pulling a trailer. 1. 5 months ago i hauled a 7k trailer from long island, ny. to st,louise,mo. and back overall trip average was high 13's in tow/haul the whole way. enjoy the drive.

That wierd Im going to Long Island too. And I havent seen too many trucks on here with the 4:10's like we got. I forgot to tell you guys I'll be picking up a car, shouldnt be more than 3000 lbs. so I'll be like 7000 lbs worth of trailer on the way back. looks like Im just going to leave it in Tow/Haul, after all thats what its for

 

[EXSTROKER]

He might get 18 at 50-55 mph but who drives that slow. .

or long down hill ,he just did not say he got 8 on the way back up

 

[KMagnuson]

I'd leave it in Tow/Haul also. Depending on the trailer we tow 8,000 to 14,000 on long trips with the horses and over 20,000 on short trips hauling round bales. Sometimes Tow/Haul may not want to kick into overdrive without a little help easing off the go pedal. Put if you do that the milage seems about the same to me - and Tow/Haul does seem to run through the gears better when going through towns and you get at least a little help from the auto downshift when slowing down.



Have fun

 

[Smokin Joes 2500]

Thanks guys

 

[FLynes]

Fred,

Didn't your mama tell you not to lie about your mpg on the TDR site??? 18 MPG towing a 31' trailer???? Not a chance but you can keep on telling that story until someone believes it.

I swear it on my brother's grave. I do drive 55, and that's okay with me... if I'm towing our Airstream (did I mention it's an Airstream???), it means I'm in no hurry to get where I'm going, since I'm on vacation. Gives me more time to reflect on how life's been good to me. The worst I got, by the way, was 14. 3MPG, and that was towing at 70MPH on the way home, because I did have to be back fast.

 

[CPG]

Probably I will catch some dubious answers from this, but the Airstream trailers probably have the best aerodynamics of any trailer built. Some are just terrible with the high stand/up cab overs and extra extruded surfaces. Wind resistence is a high factor in getting bad fuel mileage and I would put the Airstream in the winners circle on this.