Towing mileage question
03-10-2008, 12:07 PM
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Towing mileage question
Ok guys real quick question here. I towed my new to me 5th wheel for the first time this weekend. Did a small weekend trip. Its 26ft 5th wheel that weighs about 7k full of water and what we brought with us. It may actually be less.
My overhead has been pretty accurate being only about a couple tenths off the hand calculated #'s.
On the trip I got 10.9 MPG's. I shifted out of tow haul when on a straight stretch and let it shift and any time a hill came I used tow haul.
Granted I did just put 315's on before making this trip and my odo hasnt been recalculated so the question of economy may hold no merrit here but is this normal?
I dont see how some guys claim 14 hauling 15K or something along those lines. you all know the posts I refer to.
Curious to hear how it compares to others.
I had a lifted Ford Excursion that did better and it weighed more and had bigger tires.
Hmmmmm.....
My overhead has been pretty accurate being only about a couple tenths off the hand calculated #'s.
On the trip I got 10.9 MPG's. I shifted out of tow haul when on a straight stretch and let it shift and any time a hill came I used tow haul.
Granted I did just put 315's on before making this trip and my odo hasnt been recalculated so the question of economy may hold no merrit here but is this normal?
I dont see how some guys claim 14 hauling 15K or something along those lines. you all know the posts I refer to.
Curious to hear how it compares to others.
I had a lifted Ford Excursion that did better and it weighed more and had bigger tires.
Hmmmmm.....
03-10-2008, 01:01 PM
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My 5er is a little lighter than yours, probably 6,500 loaded. I got 15 on one trip that was mostly interstate pulling it and usually get 12 or so when I take it over the mountain into North Carolina. We went to Charlotte this past weekend to visit family and got 21.73 not towing anything. It was the first time we had travelled in it without the camper and I was anxious to see how it did since the previous owner had told me that he got 22 on the highway when he drove it up from Florida. Mine is only 2 wheel drive and is a 12 valve so I would guess that would be part of the difference.
03-10-2008, 02:24 PM
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Weight doesn't affect mileage as much as speed and the type of trailer you have. Nice rounded corner fiberglass caps on a heavy 5er will produce the same mileage as the square cut corrogated aluminum sides and large flat rear end on a small toy hauler TT. 11 mpg with winter fuel doesn't sound too bad to me, especially if you were driving 65 or faster.
03-10-2008, 03:08 PM
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Mileage
C-minus; The best I ever got was 13. Most of the time it's 12 at about 68 MPH. Got 115k on the truck now. Mine is two wheel drive, with a 2.55 rear end. 5er weighs over 9k loaded, wife packs way to much most of the time. I also put a little lucas fuel additive in the tank, once in the while. But that stuff is not cheap either. waam Now in Zephyrhills, Florida Summers in Holland, Mich.
03-10-2008, 04:34 PM
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How did you tow a 5th wheeler with an Excursion ?
I just did a 1500 mile trip to pickup a truck (Ford) and I've got 14.5mpg at 65mph, until wind kicked up then dropped to 11mph.
Here's rig:
5th wheel trailer have a good drag, even if light, also your 315s lower the gear ratio of your truck, I bet if you would have kept it out of O/D you would have got a little better results. Be sure also you calculated speed and miles correctly with the bigger tires.
I just did a 1500 mile trip to pickup a truck (Ford) and I've got 14.5mpg at 65mph, until wind kicked up then dropped to 11mph.
Here's rig:
5th wheel trailer have a good drag, even if light, also your 315s lower the gear ratio of your truck, I bet if you would have kept it out of O/D you would have got a little better results. Be sure also you calculated speed and miles correctly with the bigger tires.
03-10-2008, 07:29 PM
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ya, i have a 26 toy hauler that has the older aluminum siding, the truck and trailer weigh between 16 and 18k and i seem to get 12-14 depending on where i'm towing, but out of portland OR there seems to be a mountain in evry dam direction!!!!! around town av probably 16-18 unloaded. i have a heavy foot when i'm not towing a trialer, but when the trailers on, no more that 65 gets you the best milage.
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03-10-2008, 09:26 PM
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when i put my 285 tires on my odometer is off by 5% according to gps. so figure that into the equation. with my rig i got 14.5 two summers ago going to colorado and back. this past summer i got 13.5 after i put on the new tires going from la up to northern cali and back. i hope this helps out and i will be posting new results as i just got my quad mileage box installed. so keep watch...
03-10-2008, 09:28 PM
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oh yea i always keep it in tow/ haul even when empty. my mileage changed by 1 mpg less when driving not in tow haul, and my numbers are always hand calced....
03-10-2008, 09:31 PM
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How did you tow a 5th wheeler with an Excursion ?
I just did a 1500 mile trip to pickup a truck (Ford) and I've got 14.5mpg at 65mph, until wind kicked up then dropped to 11mph.
Here's rig:
5th wheel trailer have a good drag, even if light, also your 315s lower the gear ratio of your truck, I bet if you would have kept it out of O/D you would have got a little better results. Be sure also you calculated speed and miles correctly with the bigger tires.
I just did a 1500 mile trip to pickup a truck (Ford) and I've got 14.5mpg at 65mph, until wind kicked up then dropped to 11mph.
Here's rig:
5th wheel trailer have a good drag, even if light, also your 315s lower the gear ratio of your truck, I bet if you would have kept it out of O/D you would have got a little better results. Be sure also you calculated speed and miles correctly with the bigger tires.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-WKwRZQjHc
Actually was comparing similar weights behind the 2 different vehicles. Not the same trailers.
See my video of my last trailer here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UCZF_UnG10&NR=1
I have a scangauge II on the truck and economy increases on flat ground if you turn tow haul off.
03-10-2008, 09:33 PM
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ya, i have a 26 toy hauler that has the older aluminum siding, the truck and trailer weigh between 16 and 18k and i seem to get 12-14 depending on where i'm towing, but out of portland OR there seems to be a mountain in evry dam direction!!!!! around town av probably 16-18 unloaded. i have a heavy foot when i'm not towing a trialer, but when the trailers on, no more that 65 gets you the best milage.
Do you leave in Tow Haul all the time when towing?
03-10-2008, 10:02 PM
#13
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We tow a 35 ft. 5er that weighs close to 13k loaded. While towing I usually keep my speed around 60. Depending on the wind, I'll get 10.5-11.5 most of the time. The truck seems to handle the load just fine without going into tow/haul, but when I've used tow/haul the mileage drops about 1 mpg or so.
