Towing and milage

[Mtngoat]

Looking at my signature and I had a 600 lb. motorcycle in the back and pulling a trailer with a Jeep, total weight of the trailer is about 6800 lbs. , I got 10. 5 mpg at 70 mph (1900-2000 rpm. ) That about right?? Seems low compared to some I read on here.



Robin

 

[Mschevey]

I know you have heard the saying "speed kills". Well I guess it is true in more ways than originally thought. Speed definitely affects the MPG that we get with these trucks. There are a lot of posts on this over the last few years but the just of it is that speed affect MPG more than trailer weight.



Below 60-65 and the MPG will stay fairly consistent. For every increase over that you loose MPG.



In the end, I would say that a with a trailer and running 70, it may be a little lower than expected but not by a great amount.



My $. 02

Mike Schevey

 

[Mtngoat]

Yep, I know speed kills mileage, but the group I run with, we all run about 70, and the Power strokers are getting better mileage! Now that I can outrun them, all of a sudden its, 'better gas mileage. ' Oh, well...



Robin

 

[satmike]

70 to 75 mph with a 7500# toy box 10 to 11

 

[mbrolin]

GCVW pulling 5er is 19500k lbs. Average between 9-11mpgs. This is doing the speed limit on the freeway and varying terrain ie;mountain passes and hills. I try to keep the max speed about 70mph but with the 3. 54s and the 6spd the truck purrs at 75mph. Just isnt safe at that speed with the weight though. Worst mileage was 8mph. This was going west on I-84 into the Columbia River Gouge with a head wind.

 

[Mtngoat]

Thanks, guys, that makes me feel better, guess I'm doing ok.



Robin

 

[RustyJC]

Pulling a 12'4" tall 5ver at 21,180 GCW (21,500 GCWR) in mixed flat/hilly towing at 70 MPH, I can get around 10. 5 MPG. My previous V-10 got 6. 5 MPG pulling the same 5ver over the same route.



Rusty

 

[Mtngoat]

ANYTHING would have been better than my old 460 Ford. 6. 5 mph, loaded or empty!



Robin

 

[DPelletier]

Right after I got my truck, I took a 2000 mile trip towing my 6500 lbs (dry) travel trailer. trip average was 10. 6 mpg including a couple of hundred miles in 4 hi due to snow. I had done the identical trip with my '96 ford powerstroke the year before with the same trailer. The 215 hp powerstroke averaged 10. 3 mpg, but keep in mind that it was a 5 spd. On my recent trip to Baja with my camper, I was getting between 12 - 13 mpg on the highway, running at about 70 mph. Total GVW was around 10,500 lbs, but more wind resistance than my trailer. I believe that the truck is getting 1 -2 mpg better now than before the break-in process was complete. My friends 7. 4l vortec was getting 6. 7 mpg with the camper on. All things being equal, I believe that a Cummins will get 1-2 mpg better than a Powerstroke, but a 350 hp Cummins won't get the same mileage as a 215 hp Powerstroke. I had a friend with a 160 hp Cummins and he got 23-24 mpg on the highway, empty.

Dave

 

[Barry]

When you exceed 62 mph, your direct operating expense goes up over 40% when you have a big wind catching object behind you... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

If you have the Excel spread sheet, you can see the effect of speed, trailer area, head wind on mileage at:



http://www.nwbombers.com/board/ikonboard.cgi?s=3eaeb17130c5ffff;act=ST;f=4;t=1049



You can save the spreadsheet to your computer by using "save as".

 

[BigMike]

I get 10 mpg no matter how I drive. I talked to a Powerstroke owner (7. 3) the other day when I was fueling up. He said he only got 10mpg empty. I couldn't believe it!

 

[Mtngoat]

Stories SURE vary when you talk to Powerstroke guys. GUy I know claims 14-15 mph towing about 8K of trailer and Jeep! He drives 70-75.



Robin

 

[pwr2tow]

Last summer I talked to a guy at a camp ground that was driving a powerchoke dually and pulling a 36 foot triple slide high market value 5th wheel. He claimed he made 16 MPG, thats right about the time I excused myself and went to get my boots on.



Ron

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by ronsram1999

Last summer I talked to a guy at a camp ground that was driving a powerchoke dually and pulling a 36 foot triple slide high market value 5th wheel. He claimed he made 16 MPG, thats right about the time I excused myself and went to get my boots on.



Ron

Hmmm... . wonder if he wants to trade trucks? Dang, I knew I should've bought that 4x4 crew cab Lariat 7. 3L PSD instead of my 3500 - too bad it wasn't rated to pull my 5ver!



Rusty

 

[Mtngoat]

Ron,

Maybe he was telling the truth... He was probably checking it while going downhill!! Mine would do that!!



Robin

 

[Kevin O]

New--I was getting 10. 0 at 73-75--Now (70,000 miles later) i get about 11. 0.

 

[MABurns]

FWIW the Duramax / Allison is about 10-11 MPG towing an 11,000 pound fiver (65-70 mph). Low of 8 MPG into a 30 mph headwind.



8 MPG with a 26 gallon tank stinks, my only real complaint with the truck.

 

[jeepit]

With Jeep on trailer and 70 mph I'm getting 13. Unloaded at 70 mph I'm getting 17. 6,000 miles on truck.

 

[champspa]

with the tractor on and the goose I'm weighing in at 22000 . I get 11. 4