mpg while towing...
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New User
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 12
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mpg while towing...
so there was an older thread that brought me to this wonderful forum. in that thread the new truck owner was complaining about going from 20mpg to 7ish while towing a light camper.
I am in the same boat. went to Kentucky this past weekend, picked up a 28 foot toy hauler. on my way there I was doing 20mpg at 80 and on my way back 8.5 when cruise was set at 65.
here is the question, the camper empty was about 6k lbs. when loaded it can hold 10k lbs. I know alot of my issues is wind dynamics which I am ok with. will my mpg drop even more if I load up the trailer to max weight? or is it really just a wind issue?
when I towed a 5lbs flat trailer with a jeep on it. i got 15mpg but the wind dynamics are much better... any advice will greatly be appreciated.
I am in the same boat. went to Kentucky this past weekend, picked up a 28 foot toy hauler. on my way there I was doing 20mpg at 80 and on my way back 8.5 when cruise was set at 65.
here is the question, the camper empty was about 6k lbs. when loaded it can hold 10k lbs. I know alot of my issues is wind dynamics which I am ok with. will my mpg drop even more if I load up the trailer to max weight? or is it really just a wind issue?
when I towed a 5lbs flat trailer with a jeep on it. i got 15mpg but the wind dynamics are much better... any advice will greatly be appreciated.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 77
From: Central Florida
I had a smaller enclosed car hauler trailer. It was a big box getting pulled through the wind. Speed was the MPG killer. I would run about 10 to 12 pulling the trailer. It didn't matter much if it was loaded or unloaded. Actually I think it towed better loaded. A camper, even though mostly square, is slightly more aero dynamic than a car hauler. You might get 10.1 
I pulled a friend of mines boat, which weighs about 2,000 more than my loaded car hauler and I got better mileage.
I get around 14-16 towing my car on the open trailer. As a general rule I try not to look at the MPG screen when towing. I'm happier that way.
I pulled a friend of mines boat, which weighs about 2,000 more than my loaded car hauler and I got better mileage.
I get around 14-16 towing my car on the open trailer. As a general rule I try not to look at the MPG screen when towing. I'm happier that way.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 730
Likes: 9
From: plymouth mi
so there was an older thread that brought me to this wonderful forum. in that thread the new truck owner was complaining about going from 20mpg to 7ish while towing a light camper.
I am in the same boat. went to Kentucky this past weekend, picked up a 28 foot toy hauler. on my way there I was doing 20mpg at 80 and on my way back 8.5 when cruise was set at 65.
here is the question, the camper empty was about 6k lbs. when loaded it can hold 10k lbs. I know alot of my issues is wind dynamics which I am ok with. will my mpg drop even more if I load up the trailer to max weight? or is it really just a wind issue?
when I towed a 5lbs flat trailer with a jeep on it. i got 15mpg but the wind dynamics are much better... any advice will greatly be appreciated.
I am in the same boat. went to Kentucky this past weekend, picked up a 28 foot toy hauler. on my way there I was doing 20mpg at 80 and on my way back 8.5 when cruise was set at 65.
here is the question, the camper empty was about 6k lbs. when loaded it can hold 10k lbs. I know alot of my issues is wind dynamics which I am ok with. will my mpg drop even more if I load up the trailer to max weight? or is it really just a wind issue?
when I towed a 5lbs flat trailer with a jeep on it. i got 15mpg but the wind dynamics are much better... any advice will greatly be appreciated.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
I've been towing for many years, and everything that has been said about wind resistance I absolutely true. It hurts MPG much more than weight. Once you get weight rolling, it doesn't hurt that much. Back in the 80's, I had a 1982 Chevy Silverado 1500, and I was pulling a 28 foot Coachman camper. I saw some TV with wind deflectors on them. I didn't have any money to buy one, but I had a cap on my truck bed, so I went to the hardware store and bought some bracket material and with that and piece of plywood, I made a wind deflector near the back of my bed cap. My wife thought it was the silliest looking thing ever, but my MPG went up about 4 MPG. So, I'm wondering why I never see any of those anymore.
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New User
Joined: Dec 2014
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Welcome to the forum! You don't say what you are pulling with, year make and model along with rear gear if known, It seems in the RV world that if it is tall and shaped like a brick, you get 7-9 mpg, does not seem to matter if its a class A motor home or a 30 foot travel trailer, certain older models of diesel pickup trucks and some of the new ones do a little better for a price, hope this helps.
I've been towing for many years, and everything that has been said about wind resistance I absolutely true. It hurts MPG much more than weight. Once you get weight rolling, it doesn't hurt that much. Back in the 80's, I had a 1982 Chevy Silverado 1500, and I was pulling a 28 foot Coachman camper. I saw some TV with wind deflectors on them. I didn't have any money to buy one, but I had a cap on my truck bed, so I went to the hardware store and bought some bracket material and with that and piece of plywood, I made a wind deflector near the back of my bed cap. My wife thought it was the silliest looking thing ever, but my MPG went up about 4 MPG. So, I'm wondering why I never see any of those anymore.
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 51
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I made one for my truck some time ago. It did help my mpg about 1/2 mpg but the main thing it did was to keep the bugs off the front of the trailer.
Oh, and it created enough of a uplift that it sucked off the propane tanks cover, twice actually.
Unless it is located close to the Trailer then they really don't do that much.
Dean
Super Moderator
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 25,479
Likes: 738
From: Isanti, MN
Yup, wind resistance is your culprit. Adding weight and maintaining the same exterior profile will do just about nothing to your highway fuel economy. I say "just about" because tire rolling resistance will cause a slight penalty.
We just pulled a 7X18 enclosed trailer home from Georgia with my dad's 2010 F150. Empty was 20-21 @ 75 MPH. Loaded was 9-10.5 @ 65 MPH. Trailer weighs 2,600 lbs.
We just pulled a 7X18 enclosed trailer home from Georgia with my dad's 2010 F150. Empty was 20-21 @ 75 MPH. Loaded was 9-10.5 @ 65 MPH. Trailer weighs 2,600 lbs.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 51
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I have a smaller travel trailer now, and it still hurts my mpg, although not like the bigger box. I get about 2-3 mpg better but still not great.
I have a full size transit, medium roof on order to pull the Casita now. I think with the taller tow vehicle I will see less of a mpg hit. Hope with the gas EB I can get near what I am getting with the 7.3 PSD. this is average of 13.75 at 65mph.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,458
Likes: 722
From: Calgary Canada
I don't know if I'm unusual, but I really don't care what fuel economy I get while towing. I tow less than 10% of the time.
I have kept track of my mileage both towing and empty, and compared to my 2005 F150 with the 5.4, my current ruck gets abut the same mileage while towing, and MUCH better when empty. I do love the bigger fuel tank, that's always helpful on the family vacations.
I have kept track of my mileage both towing and empty, and compared to my 2005 F150 with the 5.4, my current ruck gets abut the same mileage while towing, and MUCH better when empty. I do love the bigger fuel tank, that's always helpful on the family vacations.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,565
Likes: 2
With my '06 5.4L F150 I would get 8.5-10 mpg pulling my enclosed car trailer depending on wind conditions and terrain. The best I ever got towing with that truck was 11.3 mpg with a 20 mph tailwind. It seems the EB engines will get a little worse mpg towing because of the boost. When you're under boost conditions more fuel is required to keep A/F ratio in check. My '08 6.4L CCSB SD gets 11-13 mpg towing the same trailer under similar conditions. In both trucks I keep the speed at 65 mph or a little lower while towing. Towing an enclosed trailer with an EB engine I could see the mpg being in the 8-9 mpg range @ 65 mph because of the fuel requirement under boost. A similarly equipped 5.0L should get .5 mpg better because of no boost condition requiring more fuel.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,710
Likes: 77
From: Central Florida
I don't know if I'm unusual, but I really don't care what fuel economy I get while towing. I tow less than 10% of the time.
I have kept track of my mileage both towing and empty, and compared to my 2005 F150 with the 5.4, my current ruck gets abut the same mileage while towing, and MUCH better when empty. I do love the bigger fuel tank, that's always helpful on the family vacations.
I have kept track of my mileage both towing and empty, and compared to my 2005 F150 with the 5.4, my current ruck gets abut the same mileage while towing, and MUCH better when empty. I do love the bigger fuel tank, that's always helpful on the family vacations.
I'm with you. I don't really pay attention to mileage when towing because that would take the fun out of the trip. Now that my Truck is my daily driver I'm glad I have the EcoBoost for the bump in mileage.