Towing MPG

[markbrit]

Please state your tow vehicle, regular and then your tow MPG. Just curious.

2000 Dodge Ram 2500 360 Engine

12.5 - Regular MPG
8.8 - first trip to Poconos

[Poppy & Nana]

2008 Ford F250 4x4 diesel

Regular = BAD

Towing - EVEN WORSE

Actually this vehicle is only used for towing the TT - and we get around 12 - 13 mpg towing - varies depending on IF DH remembers to put tranny in tow mode!

We've had the vehicle about 10 months now and have almost 6,000 miles on it - engine is still in the break-in mode. (Or so they say).

[pwb01]

2007 Ford F150 5.4L V8 4x4

Regular = 18 MPG best on highway
Towing = 12 MPG

Tows my T-1950 with seemingly no effort.

[Steve Collins]

'02 Dodge Ram 3500 dually with the Cummins 2nd Generation Diesel, automatic tranny, and 4.10 gears.

Highway is around 15 MPG and towing is variable. In the Adirondack Mountains, 11 MPG is about the best it will do. Same for interstates with speeds around 60+. Outside of the mountains on 55 MPH highways with fairly few hills, it'll get up around 12.5

I expect it'd get about 11 in the Poconos, too.

[Viking]

Truck: 2004 Dodge 2500, 4 door and 8' bed, with Cummins Diesel and
4 speed automatic.
Trailer: GWVR is 7000#. Actual weight unknown.
Running solo at moderate highway speeds in flat MI: 21 MPG.
Towing at moderate speeds in equally flat MI: 13½ MPG.
Roar

[Viking]

Sorry,
Forgot to mention that the Dodge Ram 2500 is a 4x4.
Roar

[dkasten39828]

Our Chevy is a 2500... not the HD (I guess it's the LD)... with the small (5.3L) gas motor.

We get between 17 and 18 mpg highway driving in the flatlands of Florida and Georgia at highway speeds (65 and 70).

The few times we've towed the Sunline we've got between 10 and 11 mpg running between 55 and 60 mph. I will not tow faster than 65. And I keep the tranny in "3" (not OD) with the Tow/Haul mode ON when towing. The transmission hunts WAY too much in OD while towing the Sunline (I could tow the popup in OD) and I KNOW that's B-A-D for the tranny.

[HappyCampers]

I'm going to admit at first that I am a lead foot driver.

2004 5.9 H.O. Cummins 3500 Ram, CC, LB, 4x4, 3:73 rears, 43,000 miles

Around town 14.5 - 15.5 mpg
Highway (75 mph, mountains) 17.5 - 18 mpg
Highway (75 mph, flats) 18.5 - 19 mpg
Towing in the flats (to the shore) 12.5 mpg
Towing in the mountains 9.8 - 10.5 mpg

I've never reached the 20 mpg level in any way shape or form. I know I'm a lead foot and this is probably a big factor in my mileages. I reguraly tow at the 70 mph range (I know that the trailer tires are only rated at 65 mph, I just can't help it.) I don't feather into the throttle either. My trailer weighs in at approx 12,000 lbs. I reguraly tow in OD, as long as I can maintain a speed that keeps the tranny from searching. And I always remind myself that I love camping, and my heavy Sunline, and that the fuel bills are definatley worth it.

[Honda03842]

This is for Laughs.

I get 26-28 in normal driving and 20-21 towing. Of course my 1982 Sunline 15.5 SB weighs under 3000 pounds and I tow with a gas Honda CRV, 4 speed, 160 HP.

When we finally get a Honda diesel CRV the mileage will leap to 30 mpg towing and the tow capacity to 4400 pounds.

We love our little trailer, and I suspect will love it even more as the year goes by.

Norm and Ginny Milliard

[JohnB]

Here are 3 TV’s towing 2 different campers.

All at Towing 60 MPH. All with Tow Haul on. That is all I tow to.

2002 K1500 Tahoe Towing 2004 T2499. Camper close to empty but some “stuff” ~ 5200# 5.3 Votec, 3.73 rear end. 3rd gear. ~ 8.5 to 9.0 MPG

2003 K2500 Suburban towing 2004 T2499. Camper loaded. 6,300#. 6.0 Vortec, 4.10 rear end. 3rd gear. TT= 6,300#GVW. GCW = 13,660#. Mileage 7.5 MPG to best ever 9.5 MPG. Generally 7.5 to 8.5 MPG

2003 K2500 Suburban Towing 2004 T310SR. 6.0 Vortec, 4.10 rear end. 3rd gear. Camper close to filled until I reached GCWR of truck. TT = 8,540#GVW. 15,750# GCW. Mileage 7.0 to 8.0 mpg.


2005 F350 towing 2004 T2499. 6.8 V10 with 4.10 rear axle, 5th gear as Tow haul allows. Camper partly filled. Weights TT= 5,300# GVW approx. GCW =13,500# approx. Mileage on OH gas. 8.5 to 9.0 MPG. Mileage on NYS gas, 13.0 MPG


2005 F350 towing T310SR. 6.8 V10 with 4.10 rear axle, 5th gear as Tow haul allows. Camper filled. TT= 8,840# GVW. (no water) 17,040# GCW. Mileage: 7.0 to 8.5 MPG. When filled with water GCW = 17,400. No change in MPG.

Empty:
2002 K1500 Tahoe : 18 MPG
2003 K2500 Sububan: 15 MPG
2005 F350: 13.0 MPH unless using NYS gas = 14.5 MPG.

Norm has us all beat on the MPG. All my TV's have had serious drinking problems when towing. Amazingly they all get about the same MPG but the pull capacities and stability per TT are night and day.

John

[markbrit]

All my TV's have had serious drinking problems when towing.

Thank goodness for you John I was getting a complex with all these "hybrids" I am reading about :P

[DF5.4]

2007 Ford Expedition. 5.4 3 valve, 6 speed auto, HD tow package w/3.73 gears.

Everyday running around - 15-16.
Towing the Sunline - 9-10

[luvrque]

2007 Tahoe 4x4, 5.3L 320HP,4Speed Auto,3.73 Rear

regular........Avg. 18 MPG Highway

Towing........10 to 13.5MPG...with AVG. of 11.5 @ 55 to 65 MPH
(Without Tow/haul mode on.)

[Steve Collins]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Mileage on OH gas. 8.5 to 9.0 MPG. Mileage on NYS gas, 13.0 MPG

I take it that Ohio is an ethanol state?

There's some pockets here in NY that have it - 10% mixture seems to be the norm.

Is the mixture the same there?

[sdsferraro]

2007 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi
1990 T-274 Sunline

18MPG normal
12MPG Towing

[larry818]

Also for laughs...

1992 Volvo 240, 2.3 liter, with automatic, with a 1986 T1550.

Normal, 26 to 30 mpg, depending if I'm driving or SWMBO is.

Towing, about 16 mpg, and I try to keep it at 70.

[Honda03842]

We tow at 60 mph or less which helps increase our mpg.

from the Sunlight laughers,

Norm and Ginny

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Steve Collins

I take it that Ohio is an ethanol state?

There's some pockets here in NY that have it - 10% mixture seems to be the norm.

Is the mixture the same there?

Steve

Something in Ohio gas shifted a while back. I could like clock work get 8.5 to 9.5 MPG with the Suburban towing the T2499. 8.5 if the wind was blowing at me and 9.5 no wind. Then one spring about 2 years ago, my gas mileage dropped and I could never get back close to even 9.0. high end was then 8.5 on my best day. 7.0’s and 7.5’s where seen, errrr.

Then the F350 came about and pulling power of this truck compared to the Suburban is large and so is the larger camper. 7.5 to best 8.5 was the norm but I also was dragging 2 messed up TT axles holding me back and a foot taller camper not to mention a few thousands pounds more weight. .

Then I went to NY with the T2499 and the F350. On the way there the 8.0 mpg was the norm. I was hoping for better being the smaller TT and lower height. Really could not find it the shift I was hoping for.

Then I left the camper at DW Moms house on Lake Erie and head across NYS to Hudson valley area. Filled up in Buffalo heading east on the Thurway. Well 13.0 MPG came quick, then it started climbing, OMG… . Soon it hit 14.0 and even more shocking… It leaned out at 14.5 and I was shocked when I hit Syracuse. That was 700 miles back and forth across the state and the mileage held.

Then on the way home from Buffalo to Ohio I was towing the T2499 back home. My gosh it started out at 13.3 towing and hung there for 200 miles. Made it into Ohio filled up the tank and now she starts dropping, slowly but going down. It stopped in the 12.0 MPG area trip was over. Then filled another tank full and whamo back to 8.0 towing.

This September on the way to the Adirondack M & G I can repeat the experiment but this time pulling the T310SR. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

When we moved to Ohio we had an 87 Pontiac Safari wagon. Used 87 unleaded in NYS. Hess actually, and it ran great. Then in Ohio using Ohio gas it starts pinging like the all heck running 87 octane. Going to 89 shut it up.

There are not signs on our pumps that we have Ethanol here in Ohio like was back in NYS on occasion I would see. However this past weekend I saw my 1st, out of town in southwest OH and the pump said 10% Ethanol. I know this V10 does not want any ethanol so I went to a different station that did not have a sign. Have no idea what comes out of the pump in OH but there is a difference with NYS gas.

And there is a price difference between OH and NYS. Just drive into NYS and gas jumps $0.30 a gallon just for crossing the boarder and only that if we are lucky….. Not much has changed in the last 19 years.

John

[Viking]

John,
We all know that gasoline isn't what it used to be.
Unfathomable that there can be that much difference from state to state, but you have the numbers to prove it.
The "10% Ethanol" labels have disappeared from the pumps here in MI.
I suspect what has happened is that, it is now mandated and the labeling rule has been eliminated, probably thanks to the corn grower lobby. I have asked at several different gas stations, and the answers are different and confusing.
Ethanol mix has caused a lot of trouble for the boating community, as the ethanol dissolves the resins in fiberglass tanks.
This has caused a lot of states with mandatory ethanol rules to waive the rule for marinas, so the best chance of finding ethanol free gasoline, would be at your nearby friendly, but gouging, marina.
This is a big concern to me, as in the near future I will have a 57 year old car back on the road, and the components in the fuel system on that car was never designed to handle anything but plain old gasoline.
One of these days I will get around to calling the Michigan Department of Agriculture and try to get the low down on the rules here. Checking on the Internet has not given any answers.
Roar

[Lode]

2000 Ford F350
7.3L International Powerstroke diesel
Supercrew cab with 8' bed
around 9,200lbs empty
285/75/16 Dick Cepek F-C II
81K miles

I'm light on the petal and do what I can to feather up and coast to stops without heavy braking.

Empty truck and bed with cap on, nothing in tow
Highway-18mpg
City-15mpg

Fully loaded to camp with T-2053
Highway-12-13mpg
City-10-11mpg

I used to get much better mileage before the madatory pump switch to ULSD(Ultra low sulfur diesel) and better 'road' tires than what I currently run. I regularly got 23+mpg highway running with no load and 16-18 towing.

This question spurred me into reading more about additives, I'm going to start another thread here inquiring about what folks use in their diesel engines and an interesting study I came across.

Take care,
Lode