Towing mileage really BITES!
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,404
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From: Wheatland, Mo
Towing mileage really BITES!
OK..Don't get me wrong...I love the performance of my PSD...but last weekend, I towed a 3 horse trailer, bumper pull, 2000 miles and averaged only 10mpg. Now I thought diesels would do better then this with a load. Aren't they rated to pull more so when you do have a load, it doesn't bother it much so you don't really lose mileage? The trailer is only about 2100lbs and on the way back, I only had a little 400lb horse in it. Yesterday, I picked up a gooseneck 4 horse trailer, and only got about 7MPG. Although this was only a short distance....this was all the console showed.
Is this normal or is something in desperate need of help with my truck?
Normal driving to and from work, unloaded, I get about 21 - 23 hwy and 17-18 city.
Is this normal or is something in desperate need of help with my truck?
Normal driving to and from work, unloaded, I get about 21 - 23 hwy and 17-18 city.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 7,404
Likes: 52
From: Wheatland, Mo
Ahhhhh OK then that would explain it. I was running about 75 for most of the 2K trip. Although I did notice that it came up just a touch when I would set the cruise at 70. I just didn't think that it would make that much of a difference.
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: So Cal
Speed really kills mileage when towing, especially if you have a trailer with a lot of frontage. Usually drag from the trailer frontage is more important than the weight, up to a point of course.
I am a bit surprised you get as low as that with a horse trailer. I don't know the diesles, but my gasser 460 gets about 8mpg to maybe 9mpg or so while towing a 8000# trailer usually at 65-70. I would have expected/hoped a diesel gets in the low to mid teens towing my trailer, so I would think a horse trailer would be better.
Just my opinion,
Jim Henderson
I am a bit surprised you get as low as that with a horse trailer. I don't know the diesles, but my gasser 460 gets about 8mpg to maybe 9mpg or so while towing a 8000# trailer usually at 65-70. I would have expected/hoped a diesel gets in the low to mid teens towing my trailer, so I would think a horse trailer would be better.
Just my opinion,
Jim Henderson
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: New York
Another thing, you mentioned that was what the console showed. If you are referring to the overhead electronic information console, that has been known to be inaccurate to say the least. Best way is to do the math manually to get an accurate figure.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Wheatland, Mo
Originally Posted by jim henderson
Speed really kills mileage when towing, especially if you have a trailer with a lot of frontage. Usually drag from the trailer frontage is more important than the weight, up to a point of course.
I am a bit surprised you get as low as that with a horse trailer. I don't know the diesles, but my gasser 460 gets about 8mpg to maybe 9mpg or so while towing a 8000# trailer usually at 65-70. I would have expected/hoped a diesel gets in the low to mid teens towing my trailer, so I would think a horse trailer would be better.
Just my opinion,
Jim Henderson
I am a bit surprised you get as low as that with a horse trailer. I don't know the diesles, but my gasser 460 gets about 8mpg to maybe 9mpg or so while towing a 8000# trailer usually at 65-70. I would have expected/hoped a diesel gets in the low to mid teens towing my trailer, so I would think a horse trailer would be better.
Just my opinion,
Jim Henderson
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Wheatland, Mo
Originally Posted by PHWLEE
Another thing, you mentioned that was what the console showed. If you are referring to the overhead electronic information console, that has been known to be inaccurate to say the least. Best way is to do the math manually to get an accurate figure.
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Rochester, IN
With a 7.3L mph kills when pulling. drop you speed to 65mph and you will likely gte 14 or 15, drop the speed to 60mph and you will likely get 16 or 17.
Remember vehicles are meant to work most efficiently at 55mph.
Remember vehicles are meant to work most efficiently at 55mph.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Wheatland, Mo
Originally Posted by ffadragon
With a 7.3L mph kills when pulling. drop you speed to 65mph and you will likely gte 14 or 15, drop the speed to 60mph and you will likely get 16 or 17.
Remember vehicles are meant to work most efficiently at 55mph.
Remember vehicles are meant to work most efficiently at 55mph.
Thanks guys!
Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 60
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From: TACOMA, WA
I haven't towed with my new 6.0 yet but based on my highway mileage so far I can see that speed is going to be more critical to fuel mileage than with my 97.
I didn't often keep calculating exact mileage but..............................
I couldn't tell much of a difference if any with my 97psd from 55mph to 70mph towing or not. But I suspect that when I start towing with this new 07psd that it will be more sensetive to throttle input. Too bad for me because I like to plant the pedal in the carpet and blow by everbody on the mountain pass and my 97 did that real nice all loaded down with fire wood and towing my trailer.
I didn't often keep calculating exact mileage but..............................
I couldn't tell much of a difference if any with my 97psd from 55mph to 70mph towing or not. But I suspect that when I start towing with this new 07psd that it will be more sensetive to throttle input. Too bad for me because I like to plant the pedal in the carpet and blow by everbody on the mountain pass and my 97 did that real nice all loaded down with fire wood and towing my trailer.
Last edited by BLUE SUPER DUTY; May 30, 2007 at 07:39 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Rural WV
A month ago I towed a tandem axle with a reciever hitch...probably @6100 lbs. On the interstate I was cruising at 75 MPH and I noticed the mpg drop from 14.9 to 14.6....needless to say I was pretty impressed! This is an 03 crew cab with the 6.0 automatic with 3.73 gears and stock tires. The load was above the height of the cab so I had a pretty good air dam pushing into the wind.
IMO, you need to have someone look at your truck....that low mpg doesn't sound right considering what you get when you don't tow.
IMO, you need to have someone look at your truck....that low mpg doesn't sound right considering what you get when you don't tow.
Elder User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 627
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From: Claremore, Ok 74017
My personal experience with pulling a trailer is this. pulling a 8000lbs camper, bigger than our horse trailer, I got 9 mpg going 80+. Slowed down to 70 and got over 11. Our gooseneck 3 horse slant will pull down to at least 10 but like you said I don't slow down usually going 5 over on the turnpike.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 594
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From: New Jersey
Speed, or more accurately cruising rpm's is the key to your mileage, towing or not. Cruise these trucks at 2K rpm's or below and you will get the best mileage. As someone stated earlier once you get above 55 mph your mpg is going to start dropping. I tow an 11K trailer and usually average about 11.5 at 65-70. I know if I backed her down to 55 I would see low teens. Still beats my old 460 gasser that got 10 mpg empty and 7 mpg towing.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
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From: Stephensville WI
Frontal area is what kills your MPG at speed.
I've run into situations where I actually got better mileage loaded vs. unloaded (towing a 28 foot enclosed car hauler) because I had to deadhead into a real stiff headwind (25 MPH gusting to 40)for a few hundred miles.
I've run into situations where I actually got better mileage loaded vs. unloaded (towing a 28 foot enclosed car hauler) because I had to deadhead into a real stiff headwind (25 MPH gusting to 40)for a few hundred miles.