Towing MPG

[MacHaggis]

I haven't yet got the best grasp of this weight/rolling resistance vs. wind drag thing.



Running arund bareback I can expect 20 and small change for mileage. (All this is running 65-70. )



Add a 2k flatbed on the receiver hitch and that will drop to about 19. Put a 2600# car on that same trailer (total 4600#) and I can still get high 18s.



BUT . . . a 3k box trailer on the receiver hitch will pull me down to 16 right off bat. okay, wind drag. I'll buy that.



BUT . . . tie on a 5k gooseneck flatbed (tandem singles) at a shade over 5k, and I'm down under 17 running in 6th . Put 7k of old tactors on the deck, and I'm quite happy to be in the elevens running in fifth (sixth in that situation runs hotter than I like).



Where I have trouble is figuring how the unloaded gooseneck at 5k does so much poorly than the loaded flatbed. Both have dovetails and just four tires on the ground.

 

[DGamelin]

MaHaggis



I would kill for your milage. I sell all kinds of trailers so I would have to agree with you on that gooseneck. I would guess your car trailer is 16 or 18ft. It with a load fits in the hole your truck is punching. Your gooseneck must be longer so it doesn't fit in that hole. You are going to have more dragee even entypy. Issue 50 page 10 the forklift and trailer way about 14k. With a load of trailers 13ft tall only 10k pull allot harder.



93 250 2wd xcab 354 auto 240k

04. 5 3500 4wd drw club cab 373 6speed 39k

 

[KSHall]

I've got a 8000lb TT and a 05 4x4 with 3. 73 gears. Coming back from the beach this year I tried a little test.

We have several grades on I-77 through VA and WV that are 6% grades.

I noticed that when I would run 70+ up them with the cruise on my truck would pull down and down shift to 3rd then pull back up and then shift to 4th.

On the grade around Princeton WV I slowed to about 60 mph with the cruise on, my truck climbed right up the grade and did not seem to labor doing it!

My conclusion is that wind resistance plays a big part of your MPG's.

I look at pulling a travel trailer is like pulling a 8000lb parachute.

I average around 10 mpg with my truck and it's bone stock. Just my 2 cents

 

[Schrowang]

As per my signature, I pull a Wildcat 29RLBS. Loaded weight per the "J-scale" at Flying J is 11,298. Only difference between your truck and mine is the 4. 10 differential.



On my long trip this summer (8,000 miles) I hand calculated 13. 2 mpg (towing only). There are differences in our driving style too. I mostly stay in the granny lane at 2,000 rpm, which is right around 62 mph. I don't have the same problem with rpm's as you do because of the difference in differential ratio.



BTW the truck has 62K miles on it.



I've noticed that different tankfulls of fuel will give different mpg's. Some fuel is older? I don't know, but I know that there are differences between brands. I try and stay away from the Mom & Pop places and fuel up at the major truck stops. I like FJ because of the RV discount card. I also get the Good Sam discount at Petro.



"If your not havin' fun doin' it, it's not worth doin' :-laf



Mike

 

[WStephens]

When I pulled a 26 foot Hi Lo from PA to WY the milage was all over the place 11 to 15 mpg. But it was low enough that I could see most of the roof in the rear view mirror. I traded it for a 30 foot Sandpiper 5th wheel and have only pulled it over one mountain pass and calulated the mileage which was just over 11 mpg with an average speed of 70 mph but on the 7%grades and elevations up to 8K feet I pushed it has hard as I could.

 

[Turbo_Bob]

As per my signature, I pull a Wildcat 29RLBS. Loaded weight per the "J-scale" at Flying J is 11,298.

On my long trip this summer (8,000 miles) I hand calculated 13. 2 mpg (towing only). I mostly stay in the granny lane at 2,000 rpm, which is right around 62 mph.



I've noticed that different tankfulls of fuel will give different mpg's. Some fuel is older?

When I pull my 18 ft. enclosed trailer (6,000 lbs) I run 62 MPH too, with the 3. 73 it puts me at 1,900 RPM's, 14. 2 MPG.



I have notice a 1/2 MPG with different fuels too.

 

[ACerf]

Last year my wife and traveled from Arizona to Maine, and back. Pulling our 12,400 lb trailer, GCVW of 20,400 lbs. We averaged 12 mpg. I agree with most of the folks that say the miles per hour will effect the mpg. I have done some mileage comparisons, and have noticed a drop of 1. 00+ mpg from 60 to just 65 miles per hour! I am running a 4:10 rear which I knew I would not get great mileage. But I don't think that is bad considering the weight. If I were a bit more patient I would drive 55, but even at my age, that is just to slow for even me!

Another thing, I am sure that those big tires don't do a lot for great mileage! Or the ride for that matter. I have never been much for changing the tire sizes on any of my vehicles. If the manufactuer wanted use 33" or 35" tires they would offer them as an option, and as far as I know that is not the case. I think it is more for impressing the girls, which is not a bad thing, but sometimes not practical or cheap!:-laf

 

[JCasper]

I think it is more for impressing the girls, which is not a bad thing, but sometimes not practical or cheap!:-laf

My wife likes big trucks, I am trying to talk her into a lift. :-laf



But yes, I am sure it hurts the mileage.

 

[Morse]

Pulling my trailer and two diesel trucks (the total trailered weight alone was 19,000), I got a best of 9. 5 mpg running between 62-65 mph. On my home stretch from around 12am to 5am I stepped it up running between 78-80 mph, I got right at 6. 0 mpg hand calculated. This was my 05 4x4 dually that's now basicly stock.

 

[ACerf]

My wife likes big trucks, I am trying to talk her into a lift. :-laf



But yes, I am sure it hurts the mileage.

If she likes the big trucks, whats the problem? Just do and surprise her!:-laf

 

[JCasper]

If she likes the big trucks, whats the problem? Just do and surprise her!:-laf

She also doesn't like the $$$$$$$$$$$ that the truck takes. :-{}